Mark 5:36Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

When the leader of the synagogue pleaded with Him regarding his daughter, Jesus responded, “Only believe steadfastly, and your daughter will live.” The leader had faith, and his daughter was restored to life and arose. Similarly, when Lazarus passed away, the Lord told Martha, “If you have faith, your brother will rise again.” To this, Martha replied, “Yes, Lord, I believe,” and after four days, He brought Lazarus back to life (John 11:23-27, John 11:38-44). Therefore, dear friends, let us strive to cultivate the faith that possesses such mighty power! For faith elevates us to the heavenly realms (cf. Gen. 5:24; Heb. 11:5), conquers overwhelming circumstances (cf. Gen. 7:1-8:22; Heb. 11:7), brings forth life from barrenness (cf. Gen. 21:1-3; Heb. 11:11-12), delivers from peril (cf. Gen.

The Gospel holds no value for those who are flawed, unrepentant, and continue in sin, as it is intended only for those who hold a reverent fear of God and His just judgment, and who are deeply troubled by their iniquities. For such individuals, the solace of the Gospel is both necessary and available. They are reassured with the words, 'Fear not, only believe.' To them, Christ, as proclaimed in the Gospel, serves as the Consoler and Healer, as He states: 'It is not the healthy who have need of a physician, but the sick' (Matthew 9:12).

When the Lord spoke these words, Jairus received the distressing news that his daughter had passed away. Yet, Jesus reassures him, instructing, "Do not be afraid, but believe that I can raise her." Upon arriving at the home, He finds it engulfed in turmoil, a scene that could threaten their faith. The Lord declares that the girl is not dead, but merely asleep, leading those present to mock Him. He expels them from the house and, remaining alone with the parents and a few disciples, takes the girl’s hand and exclaims, “Talitha, cumi,” and she awakens. The astonished parents receive a charge to keep silent about this miracle. This directive stemmed from concerns over the Pharisees and the potential for public unrest.

Witnessing the anguish of his sorrowful father, Jesus offered words of comfort, stating, ‘Do not fear, only believe, and you will be saved.’ Jairus struggled to grasp the significance of this message, as Jesus had performed many healings but had yet to raise anyone from the dead. In silence, Jairus accompanied Jesus, while the crowd trailed behind, eager to see what would transpire with the deceased, who could no longer be restored.

The communication was not directed towards Jesus, yet He perceived it. In His deep compassion and wish to alleviate the father's needless suffering, He spoke the profound words, "Do not be afraid, only believe!"

From the leader of the synagogue, meaning from the residence of the synagogue leader. Why, they questioned, bother the Teacher? In their view, it was too late to assist the ailing woman, and thus there was no reason to disturb the Lord with a trip to Jairus’ home. This illustrates the frailty of the faith held by Jairus’ household in the Lord. Consequently, the Lord promptly reassured Jairus with the words, “Fear not,” affirming that although his daughter had indeed passed away, he should hold fast to his belief that she would live again.

The healing of the woman with the hemorrhage was instrumental in uplifting Jairus and fortifying his belief in the Lord’s miraculous authority. While Jesus was still offering His words of comfort to her, news arrived from the ruler of the synagogue's home bearing the sorrowful message: "Thy daughter is dead; why trouble the Master any further?" Christ aimed to ensure they understood the girl’s death clearly, so they would not waver in their faith regarding her subsequent resurrection, as noted by St. John Chrysostom. Upon hearing of the girl's passing, the Lord addressed her father with the encouragement: "Do not be afraid, but believe, and she will be made whole," as stated by St. Athanasius of Alexandria.