But he taking her by the hand, cried out, saying: Maid, arise.
αυτος δε εκβαλων εξω παντας και κρατησας της χειρος αυτης εφωνησεν λεγων η παις εγειρου
9 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 11 commentaries
The Lord commissioned them all, possibly to instruct us not to seek after fame and to refrain from performing actions for the sake of appearances. Alternatively, it could be a lesson that one who bears the ability to perform a miracle ought to do so in solitude, away from the distractions caused by others.
The way in which He accomplished this miracle was truly fitting for God. He took her hand and, as recorded, He proclaimed, ‘Maiden, arise;’ and she rose up at once. Oh, the potency of His word and the authority of His command, against which nothing can stand!
To life When Jesus arrived at the home of a man whose daughter was near death, He brought only the three beloved apostles, along with the girl's father and mother (Luke 8:51). The way He performed this miracle was truly divine. He took her hand and called out, ‘Maiden, arise,’ and she instantly got up (Luke 8:54-55). Oh, the might of His words and the strength of His commands, which nothing can withstand! Oh, the life that vanquishes death and decay with just a touch! These are the outcomes of faith, for which the hand of Moses delivered the law to those in the days of the Old Covenant.
Taking the girl by the hand, Jesus restored her to health and instructed her to be given something to eat. This serves as evidence of her revival, encouraging belief in the tangible rather than the illusory. Blessed is the one guided by Wisdom. How I long for my deeds to be influenced by Righteousness, to have her lead me by the hand! If only the Word of God would grasp my hand and guide me into His depths, casting away the spirit of deception and drawing to me the Spirit of redemption! Oh, if the Word would command that I be nourished! For the Word of God is the Heavenly Bread; thus, Wisdom, who has adorned the sacred altars with the nourishment of the divine Body and Blood, proclaimed: "Come, eat my bread and drink the wine which I have mixed for you" (Proverbs 9:5).
I will discuss the daughter of the synagogue leader, whose passing was mourned by the community, accompanied by wailing. Because of their belief in her death, a formal funeral was prepared. At once, by the command of the Lord, her spirit was restored, her resurrected form was lifted, and nourishment was provided, which served as a testimony of life. Why should we be astonished that at God's command the spirits will return, and the bones will be reunited with their bodies, particularly when we reflect on the prophecies regarding the resurrection of the dead?
Jesus took the girl by the hand and restored her, providing her with sustenance. This serves as proof of life, affirming that we should not trust in a mere apparition, but in reality. Blessed is the one who finds guidance in Wisdom! Oh, that my actions were likewise influenced by her, that she would direct my hand with righteousness, lead me toward the Word of God, guide me into her vastness, steer me away from deception, and lead me to salvation, instructing me to provide nourishment! For the heavenly bread is the Word of God. It is that Wisdom who fills the sacred altars with the divine Body and Blood, who invites, "Come, eat my bread, and drink the wine I have prepared for you" (Proverbs 9:5). What accounts for this contrast? The widow's son is healed amidst a large crowd, while here many witnesses are excluded. It seems, however, that in this too, the Lord's mercy is shining through: the widow, the mother of an only son, did not expect the halt of the funeral procession, and thus, to prevent her from suffering any longer, she receives encouragement. The illustration of wisdom becomes clear: the widow's son symbolizes the Church, which will readily believe, while the synagogue leader's daughter represents the Jews, among whom only a few will come to faith.
The individuals who sang, wept, and mourned were deemed unworthy to witness the Miracle Worker in action; as a result, Jesus expelled them all from the house, except for the three Apostles and the parents of the girl, who had accompanied Him inside. The divinely inspired Mark confirms this, stating, “He drove all out of the house”—referring to everyone present there. Nevertheless, He allowed the parents of the girl and the three Apostles with Him to remain while He approached the chamber where the lifeless body was situated. “And He having cast out all, He gave drink to the father of the maiden and to the mother, and to those who were with Him, and entered into the place where the maiden lay” (Mark 5:40).
The reason the father of the deceased sought out Jesus was to request that He lay His hands upon her for her healing and resurrection. Consequently, Jesus took her by the hands and proclaimed, “O virgin, arise!” O maiden, arise from the dead!
When the Lord had finished speaking, word reached Jairus that his daughter had passed away. Yet, Jesus reassured him, telling him not to fear but to have faith in His ability to resurrect her. Upon arriving at the home, He found it enveloped in turmoil. Such a scene could have posed a threat to their faith. The Lord affirmed that the girl was not dead but merely sleeping, which led to their derision. He expelled the onlookers and, alone with the parents and a few disciples, took the girl's hand and exclaimed, "Talitha cumi," meaning, "Little girl, arise." The girl awoke, and her astonished parents were instructed to keep the miracle confidential. This directive was meant to protect them from the potential backlash of the Pharisees and the tumultuous behavior of the crowd.
The Lord's actions demonstrate why He sometimes chose to reveal or conceal His miracles publicly. Here, He commanded silence, while, on another occasion, He publicly proclaimed the healing of the woman with the issue of blood; likewise, after healing the demoniac on the other side of the Lake of Gennesaret, He instructed that His deeds be shared.
Only those who could grasp this profound mystery could truly witness its revelation, not the hired mourners who mocked Jesus, nor the curious onlookers driven by mere spectacle. This is why He chose to take with Him only three of the twelve disciples: Peter, John, and James, who were honored during His transfiguration and at the prayer in Gethsemane. The only exception was made for the parents of the deceased. When Jesus approached the lifeless girl, He took her hand and said, “Virgin, I say to you, arise.” The word of Christ was enough, and she rose from the dead. At His command, the soul of the girl reunited with her body, but not in the state it had been left—debilitated by sickness—but rather restored to its original vitality.
To confirm her resurrection, Jesus instructed them to provide the revived girl with something to eat, for only through this tangible evidence could He immediately demonstrate that they were encountering a living being in need of nourishment, rather than the mere shadow of someone who had died.
Once silence returned, He brought the young girl's parents and the three selected apostles with Him and entered the chamber where the profound stillness of death prevailed. He took the frigid hand of the deceased girl and uttered two words: talitha cumi, which translates to "Young girl, I say to you, arise." At that moment, her soul returned to her, and the young girl stood up and began to walk.
The return of the Lord from the region of the Gerasenes includes the plea from Jairus, the healing of the woman suffering from a flow of blood, and the resurrection of Jairus' daughter. The narrative in Luke closely mirrors Mark’s account, nearly word for word (Mark 5:21-43). In contrast, Matthew presents a more concise version of these occurrences, albeit with a similar essence (Matthew 9:18-26). For further insights, refer to the annotations provided for the mentioned texts. The Gospels of Matthew and Mark establish that the people welcomed Him with joy and affection.
When the Savior remarked, "I felt the power go out," it wasn't to indicate that His healing power had departed without His awareness, but rather to reveal the woman's action to everyone present and to highlight her faith as an example for others.
The healing of the woman with the issue of blood served to uplift Jairus and bolster his faith in the divine authority of the Lord. While Jesus was still offering His final words of comfort to her, news arrived from the ruler of the synagogue's household, bringing the sorrowful tidings: “Thy daughter is dead; what else moves the Master?” St. John Chrysostom noted that Christ desired them to fully grasp the girl's death, ensuring that they would have no doubts about her resurrection later. Upon hearing of her passing, the Lord addressed the father saying, “Do not be afraid, but believe, and she will be saved,” as stated by St. Athanasius of Alexandria.
It is important to understand that He does not seek faith out of necessity, for He is both Lord and the Giver of faith; instead, He aims to demonstrate that He responds not out of pretense but listens only to those who believe.
Upon His arrival at the home, Jesus encountered a scene of great turmoil, with mourners wailing and sobbing, and the reality of the maiden's death universally acknowledged. “No one could say that she had merely suffered a severe attack or had fainted,” as Blessed Theophylact illustrated, which led those present to mock the words of the Lord. He then dismissed the crowd, retaining only three of His most trusted disciples—Peter, James, and John—who would later be honored with a special closeness to Him (Matthew 17:1; 26:37), along with the parents of the young girl.
Entering the room where the deceased lay, He took her by the hand, commanding her, “Talitha, kumi,” which means “maiden, arise!” The girl immediately rose, stood up, and began to walk. To confirm that her resurrection was a genuine occurrence rather than a mere illusion, He instructed her to eat. This remarkable miracle left the parents and disciples in awe. However, the Lord instructed that the miracle not be disclosed, similar to His prior command (Matt. 8:4), acting out of humility and a desire to shield the divine work from speculation and gossip, as well as to avoid inciting hostility from adversaries and preventing the people from forming unrealistic expectations about the kingdom of the Messiah. Nevertheless, despite this strict directive to keep the event secret, word of the miracle spread throughout the region.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 11 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS