Mark 5:42Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

As soon as the Lord completed His statement, a messenger arrived to inform Jairus that his daughter had passed away. However, Jesus reassured him, instructing him to have no fear but to trust in His power to bring her back to life. Upon arriving at the house, a tumult prevailed. Such chaos could have posed a threat to their faith. The Lord declared that the girl was not dead but merely sleeping, provoking laughter from those present. He dismissed them and, remaining alone with the girl’s parents and a few disciples, took her hand and called out, “Little girl, arise,” resulting in her resurrection. The astonished parents were given the instruction to maintain silence. This call for discretion stemmed from the risk posed by the Pharisees and the reckless actions of the crowd.

Jesus approached the woman who had passed away, taking her by the hand, and said, "Woman, I say to you, arise." The command of Christ was sufficient, and the woman who had died was resurrected. At His word, her soul returned to her body, but she was not restored in the same condition she had experienced at death—worn and afflicted by illness—but rather revitalized to her original vigor. She stood up and began to walk, something she could not have accomplished in her previous state. Witnesses of this extraordinary miracle were filled with astonishment.

Taking the lifeless hand of the young girl, He uttered two words: talitha kum, translating to ‘Girl, I command you, arise.’ At that moment, her soul returned, and she instantly stood up and began to walk. Her parents were filled with wonder, yet Christ gently instructed them to provide her with something to eat. He often reminded them to keep this miraculous event private, for those who have been blessed with great mercy from God should treasure these moments in grateful silence rather than share them broadly. Indeed, the news of this remarkable occurrence ‘spread throughout all that land’ (Matthew 9:26).

They were filled with profound astonishment, truly overwhelmed with fear. This marked the inaugural miracle of Christ raising someone who had already passed away; He had not carried out such a wonder previously, and thus the onlookers were struck by the uniqueness of this divine act, terrified by the extraordinary power that Jesus manifested.

The healing of the woman who suffered from hemorrhages served to uplift Jairus and bolster his faith in the divine power of the Lord. While Jesus was in the midst of offering His final words of encouragement to her, news arrived from the ruler of the synagogue's household, bringing the sorrowful tidings: "Thy daughter is dead; what further need is there for the Master?" It was Christ's intention that they would fully grasp the girl’s death, ensuring that there would be no doubt regarding her resurrection afterward (St. John Chrysostom). Upon hearing of her passing, the Lord spoke to her father, saying: "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made whole" (St. Athanasius of Alexandria).