Matthew 9:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The spoken words were accompanied by action, silencing the Pharisees. The individual who approached Christ was the leader of the synagogue, and his sorrow was profound; he had just one daughter, a twelve-year-old in the prime of her life. This is why Christ responded so swiftly to revive her. When the evangelist Luke mentions that some people from the leader's household told him, “Do not trouble the Teacher, for the daughter is dead” (Luke 8:49), it suggests that the synagogue leader referred to his daughter as deceased, either due to the duration of the journey or in an effort to emphasize his despair. Indeed, those who seek assistance often amplify their plights, hoping to elicit greater compassion from those they approach.

It is evident that this individual possessed some degree of faith, albeit minimal, as he implores Jesus not merely to speak a word but to come and physically touch his daughter. He claims that she is already deceased, although Luke notes that she was still alive at that moment. This could have been his assumption, having left her in her final moments, or he may have exaggerated the severity of her condition to elicit Christ's compassion by heightening the sense of his distress.

The eighth miracle occurred when a certain nobleman requested that his daughter be restored to life, desiring her not to miss the opportunity to partake in the true circumcision. However, a woman afflicted with a bleeding condition approached and became the focus of the eighth healing. As a result, the nobleman's daughter, initially excluded from this count, is encompassed in the ninth healing, reflecting the truth of the Scriptures: "Ethiopia will stretch out her hand unto God" (Psalm 67:32) and "When the fullness of the nations has come in, then all Israel shall be saved" (Romans 11:25-26).

The daughter of Jairus represents the soul of every individual who passed away as a result of failing to adhere to the commandments of the law and Divine directives. Jairus held the position of synagogue leader among the Jews, as noted in the accounts of Mark and Luke. He approached Jesus while his daughter was still alive, for, as Mark records, he declared, "My daughter is at the end of her life," whereas Luke states she was already in the process of dying. Consequently, it can be inferred that he believed death had already occurred, as he presumed his daughter had indeed passed away prior to that moment. It is likely that before expressing the end of life, he was already contemplating her impending death. In his plea, he earnestly requested that Christ come and place His hands upon her, reflecting his somewhat rudimentary understanding.

The supplication of the official, the faith of the woman afflicted with a flow of blood, the assembly of the people within the home, the cries of the two men who were blind, and the restoration of the deaf-mute possessed person are all meaningfully interconnected. The ruler engages with the Lord on behalf of the people. The law sustained the Israelites as they anticipated Christ's prophesied arrival and brings life to the deceased maiden. It should be noted that none of the rulers demonstrated faith. Thus, this interceding ruler serves as a fitting representation of the law, which the Lord vowed to aid and fulfilled.

The Pharisees, in their arrogance, reproached the Lord for His compassionate approach towards sinners and tax collectors. However, He exposed their hypocrisy by demonstrating His abundant mercy to all who approached Him in faith and humility, reflecting His profound humanity. While He was still reclining at the table in the home of His newly appointed apostle Matthew and engaging in conversation with the disciples of John the Baptist, the crowd at the door made a respectful opening. At that moment, a certain ruler named Jairus, a chief elder of the synagogue in Capernaum and a man of high regard among the Jews, approached Him. It is possible that he was among those elders who had previously sought the Lord’s help on behalf of the centurion, requesting healing for his servant.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jairus informs Jesus that his daughter has already passed away, prompting his request for her resurrection. In contrast, both Mark and Luke suggest that she was merely on the brink of death; Jairus initially sought healing for her condition and only later learned of her death. Given the illness of the woman and the distress Jairus faced, it is unlikely that his remarks were entirely clear-cut; what he likely intended to convey is that when he left his home, his daughter was in the throes of death and perhaps had already died by the time he spoke with Jesus. Matthew, however, does not mention any messengers bringing the news of Jairus's daughter's death, making the phrase "she has died" fitting for the situation.

A multitude of people awaited Jesus by the shoreline. Jairus, a leader of the synagogue, was anxiously anticipating His arrival, as his only daughter, just twelve years old, was gravely ill. Desperate for a miracle, he hoped that the Healer would come to restore her health. The synagogue leaders, being the elders and custodians of Jewish tradition, were generally opposed to Jesus, as indicated by the Pharisees' inquiry to the chief priests: ‘Have you also been deceived? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in Him? But this people are ignorant of the law, cursed be they’ (John 7:47-48). Jairus likely aligned with this group; however, after witnessing Jesus's miracle with the centurion's servant, he found a glimmer of hope that Jesus might also save his daughter.

Upon His return from Piraeus, the Saviour resumed His ministry of teaching and performing acts of compassion in the towns and villages of Galilee, attracting a large crowd once more. Among them approached a synagogue leader, the respected chief elder of the community, who came to Jesus in a state of tremendous distress. It is likely that this synagogue leader had previously been part of the delegation that sought Jesus’ assistance on behalf of the centurion who had funded the synagogue's construction. If that were the case, he was familiar with the authority of the One to whom he was now pleading. He fell at Jesus’ feet, his voice trembling with sorrow as he implored Him, revealing that his young daughter, his sole child, was gravely ill, possibly even dead. Yet he believed that if Jesus would simply come and lay His hand upon her, she would be restored to life.

“A certain leader”: the Gospel writers Mark and Luke identify him as Jairus, the synagogue leader. - “Bowing to Him”: this action demonstrates their reverence and request for assistance. - “Now dying": in reality (ἁ'ρτι ἐτελευ'τηοεν) - already deceased, although according to Mark and Luke's accounts, it was later reported by the ruler’s servants that his daughter had died. “The synagogue leader deemed his daughter dead, either based on the length of the journey or perhaps to amplify his sorrow: it is common for those seeking help to exaggerate their troubles to elicit greater compassion from those they approach for aid” (Zlat). - “Lay your hand upon her”: the act of placing hands signifies and serves as a means to impart divine power and grace to the recipient (Matt.

When Jesus arrived back in Capernaum, situated along the western shore of Lake Gennesaret, a large crowd was gathered, eagerly anticipating His presence. Among them, a man named Jairus, one of the synagogue leaders, emerged from the throng. His only daughter, approximately twelve years old, was gravely ill and near death. With deep distress, he fell at the feet of Jesus and pleaded, "My daughter is at the point of death. Please come and lay Your hands on her so that she may be healed and live." The blessed Theophylact notes that Jairus displayed faith, albeit limited, for he sought not only a word from Jesus, as the centurion had (Matt. 8:8), but also requested His physical touch. Jesus proceeded to Jairus' home, accompanied by His disciples, while a great multitude followed closely, pressing around Him along the way.