Mark 5:35Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The synagogue leader’s associates viewed Christ merely as an ordinary teacher and requested him to come and pray for the young girl. However, when she passed away, they believed that his presence was no longer necessary following her death.

In the Gospel of Matthew, the synagogue leader informed the Lord that his daughter had already died rather than being on the brink of death. The other two Gospel writers indicate that she was still alive but gravely ill, and only later did they report her death and the necessity of seeking the Lord’s help. It seemed as though he believed that by merely placing His hands upon her, the Lord could prevent her from dying, yet He possessed the power to raise the dead! It is reasonable to suggest that Matthew, aiming for conciseness, chose to capture the essence of the father’s plea, highlighting what the Lord would indeed accomplish—reviving the dead. Matthew did not include the father’s specific request for his daughter but focused on the intensity of his longing in his chosen wording.

As soon as the Lord had finished speaking, a message reached Jairus stating that his daughter had passed away. Jesus, however, reassured him, instructing him not to fear but to have faith in His power to resurrect her. Upon arriving at the house, He found it in turmoil, a scene that could easily shake one’s faith. The Lord declared that the girl was not dead, but merely sleeping; they mocked Him for this, so He sent them all out. Alone now with the child's parents and a few disciples, He took the girl by the hand and called out, "Little girl, arise," and she was restored to life. In their astonishment, the parents received the command to keep this miracle a secret.

The Resurrection of Jairus' Daughter

The healing of the woman suffering from a hemorrhage interrupted Jesus' journey. At that moment, news reached Jairus that his daughter had passed away, and someone advised him not to disturb the Teacher any further. It is finished! Jairus must have thought, filled with sorrow. He had held onto the hope that Jesus would restore his daughter to life; witnessing the healing of a woman on the brink of death had bolstered his faith, yet now all hope had vanished; his beloved daughter was gone, and the possibility of her restoration seemed lost.

The event likely caused a pause in their journey, and for Jairus, each second was invaluable. However, he was not the sole individual in anguish who sought the Savior's compassion, and his silence indicates that his sorrow did not turn him inward. At that moment, a messenger approached with a stark message: ‘your daughter is dead,’ and he added, seemingly with a hint of irritation and sarcasm: ‘do not trouble the Master.’

From the leader of the synagogue, meaning from the household of the synagogue leader. The question arises, why bother the Master? When they believed it was too late to assist the ailing woman, there seemed no need to disturb the Lord with a trip to Jairus’s home. This illustrates the frailty of faith within Jairus's family. In response, the Lord promptly urged Jairus with the words, ‘fear not,’ reassuring him that although his daughter had passed away, he should have faith that his daughter would live again, despite her death.

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. As Jesus was offering His final words of comfort to her, news arrived from the ruler of the synagogue's home, bearing the tragic message: Thy daughter is dead; what more can the Master do? Christ sought to ensure that they recognized the girl's death clearly, so they would not doubt her subsequent resurrection (St. John Chrysostom). Upon hearing of her passing, the Lord reassured the father: ‘Do not be afraid, but believe, and she will be saved’ (St. Athanasius of Alexandria).