Jairus’ Daughter Raised from the Dead

Luke 8:50-56
But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole. And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden. And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise. And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat. And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.

Jesus raising Jairus’ daughter from the dead is recorded twice in the Bible in Mark 5:23-24, 35-43 and Luke 8:41-42, 49-56. This incident is intertwined with the healing of the woman with the issue of blood for twelve years. We see in Luke 8:41-42that Jairus a ruler of the synagogue approached Jesus and fell at His feet. Jairus was not an ordinary man but a ruler of the synagogue and he falling at the feet of the Lord Jesus shows his humility. He besought Lord Jesus to come into his house for his only daughter who was twelve years old was on the verge of death. Here we see a man so desperate and desiring to seek the Lord’s favor falling at the feet of the Lord. Sure enough the Master started out to go to Jairus’ house. Jesus hears our humble requests and understands our desperate state and does respond to our pleas. But as He started out the multitude thronged Him and here is where we see that the woman with the issue of blood for twelve years was healed for she had faith in the Lord. What is interesting is Jairus’ daughter lived happily for twelve years and now was on the deathbed and the woman with the issue of blood suffered for twelve years and desperately desired to be healed. In both cases we see twelve years; in the former twelve years of a happy life and in the latter twelve years of suffering and both sought the Lord earnestly for a miracle after twelve years. While Jesus had a conversation with the woman suffering from the issue of blood to confirm her of her healing, something happened in Jairus’ house.

Luke 8:49 says, “While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master”. News arrived from Jairus’ house that his twelve year old daughter was dead. He who besought the Lord for healing of his daughter was informed that his daughter is dead. The men who brought the news also suggested that Jairus need not trouble Lord Jesus. Our petitions are not a trouble to the Master because His power will be manifested in us when in faith we hang on to our petitions which are not asked amiss. Before even Jairus could respond, Jesus responded, “But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.” These words from the Master are simply powerful and they are just what Jairus needed. When Jairus heard the news no mention is made on how he reacted but I can perceive that he was in fear for otherwise the Master would not have said “Fear not: Believe only”. These four words are what we need to rest on when stricken by troubles and struggles that the enemy poses on us. When we believe on the Lord Jesus we shall be made whole. I can imagine the anxiety of a parent when the child was sick and on the deathbed but to keep up the faith even when she is dead is truly difficult. But when it is the Master himself saying that she shall be made whole, there is no reason to fear. We, who are struggling with sickness as I am today, can boldly trust in the words of our Master, “FEAR NOT: BELIEVE ONLY and WE WILL BE MADE WHOLE!”

Luke 8:51 says, “And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.” He entered Jairus’ house with Jairus and his wife and the three of His closest disciples i.e. Peter, James and John. He allowed the ones who would witness a miracle for they trusted Him and the three of His disciples that walked closely with Him. Do you walk so close with the Lord and trust Him so well that He could use you as His closest disciple to perform a mighty miracle? We are all His disciples and followers but are we His closest disciples with whom He can walk over to bring victory over death? The death I am referring to here is the spiritual death that eternally separates us from the love of our Father if we do not trust in the saving grace of Jesus Christ. In other words, do you trust Jesus enough so that He can bring salvation to many souls on this earth and save them from eternal death?

Luke 8:52-53 says, “And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.” One can only imagine the sorrow surrounding a bereaved family. They were weeping and wailing over Jairus’ daughter’s death. But Jesus asked them not to weep for she is not dead, but is sleeping. Their reaction was scornful and suggested that they completely lost hope at this point. They knew and believed she was dead and their scornful laugh reflected that they lacked trust in His words. On the other hand, I Thessalonians 4:13-14 says, “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.” This clearly states that we are not to be filled with sorrow concerning the death of a beloved like others that have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so also will He bring with Him, those that sleep in Jesus. This should assure us of our reunion with our beloved people. This should be our hope.

The next three verses Luke 8:54-56, speak of the mighty miracle that Jesus performed to demonstrate that He had the power over death. This was demonstrating the resurrection power of Jesus, the power to raise us from the dead when He comes again. He simply called out to Jairus daughter: “Maid, arise”. His word is sufficient to raise us from the dead. And her spirit came back into her, and she arose straightway. Though our mortal body suffers death, our spirit does not. All it takes for Jesus to rise us up again is to command the spirit to unite with the body like He did to Jairus’ daughter. He commanded to give her meat. Her parents were astonished. The parents were not only happy to see their daughter alive but also trusted Jesus and His power to heal and raise the dead. The onlookers who were scornful were probably astonished too. This gave them all an opportunity to witness a miracle so powerful and be ashamed at their distrust. But God’s intention is not that we be ashamed but that of grace. His grace and power are fully to be praised by us for they are simply worthy of our praise and honor. Without His grace and power we are sure to wander and get lost. Trust Him today that He would perform a miracle so powerful and mighty as in the Jairus’ daughter’s life.

Tomorrow: Jesus Heals Simon Peter’s Mother-in-Law