35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of the synagogue leader. They said, “Your daughter is dead. There is no need to bother the teacher anymore.” 36 But Jesus paid no attention to what they said. He told the synagogue leader, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” 37 Jesus let only Peter, James, and John the brother of James go with him. 38 When they came to the house of the synagogue leader, Jesus found many people there making lots of noise and crying loudly. 39 Jesus entered the house and said to them, “Why are you crying and making so much noise? The child is not dead, only asleep.” 40 But they laughed at him. So, after throwing them out of the house, Jesus took the child’s father and mother and his three followers into the room where the child was. 41 Taking hold of the girl’s hand, he said to her, “Talitha, koum!” (This means, “Young girl, I tell you to stand up!”) 42 At once the girl stood right up and began walking. (She was twelve years old.) Everyone was completely amazed. 43 Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell people about this. Then he told them to give the girl something to eat. ~ Mark 5:35-43
Today, we return to our study of Mark 5 where the Lord Jesus has just healed the lady with the twelve year old bleeding problem. She had waited twelve years, whereas, Jairus' only waited for a short while, but, for Jairus, the waiting felt like a lifetime.
In v.35-36 of today's passage we read, "35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of the synagogue leader. They said, 'Your daughter is dead. There is no need to bother the teacher anymore.' 36 But Jesus paid no attention to what they said. He told the synagogue leader, 'Don’t be afraid; just believe.'"
While the Lord Jesus was healing the lady with the issue of blood, news reached Jairus that his daughter had died. The delay had proven deadly. And, at that moment Jairus was advised to not trouble the Lord Jesus anymore. However, the Lord Jesus encouraged Jairus, "Don't be afraid; just believe." Literally, the Lord Jesus said to Jairus, "Stop fearing; keep on believing." That is to say, "You came with faith, you trusted that I could do this, stop your fearing. Maintain that level of faith that you had. Keep believing."
At this point, the words of Psalm 55:4-5 best described Jairus. It reads, "My heart is in anguish within me. Horror has overwhelmed me. Fear and trembling come upon me. The terrors of death have fallen upon me."
No doubt, Jairus went numb, and, his greatest fear was his present reality. The cure for our fears is faith in the God of the Bible. When we are devastated like Jairus was that day, it is because we lack faith in the God of the Bible. But, when we exercise our faith in Him, our fears are kept in check.
We can only imagine what the remaining walk was like for Jairus as they approached his house. I am sure he thought to himself, "Could it be that a miracle can still happen?" Real faith entertains such. It doesn't guarantee the Lord will do what we want, but real faith entertains it, especially when the Lord specifically promises it.
In v.37-38 of today's passage we read, "37 Jesus let only Peter, James, and John the brother of James go with him. 38 When they came to the house of the synagogue leader, Jesus found many people there making lots of noise and crying loudly."
This is the first time in Mark's Gospel the Lord Jesus revealed He had an inner circle. He allowed Peter, James, and John to join Him as He went into the little girls room, along with her parents. But, before He entered the house, the Lord Jesus encountered the people mourning the death of this little girl. Middle Eastern funerals were loud events with lots of wailing and screaming. Because they buried their dead very quickly, they only had a short opportunity to show how much they really loved her.
In v.39-40 of today's passage we read, "39 Jesus entered the house and said to them, “Why are you crying and making so much noise? The child is not dead, only asleep.” 40 But they laughed at him. So, after throwing them out of the house, Jesus took the child’s father and mother and his three followers into the room where the child was."
The contrast was so very evident between the hopelessness of the mourners and the hopefulness of the Lord Jesus. Faith in the God of the Bible is the greatest antidote to our fears. But, when we are in the middle of the intense pain, it is hard to navigate in the arena of hope. But, believing that God is sovereign and that He works in every detail of our lives is the only correct way to navigate our lives in this world, whether He chooses to perform a miracle or not.
Death is not what it appears when faith in the God of the Bible is present. Death is merely temporary, and, is nothing more serious than going to sleep. It is only on this side of the curtain that is death our enemy. Just beyond the curtain, the monster turns out to be our friend. The label death is still on the bottle, but the contents are eternal life. Death is our friend because it reminds us that heaven is as near as a heartbeat.
In v.41-43 of today's passage we read, "41 Taking hold of the girl’s hand, he said to her, “Talitha, koum!” (This means, “Young girl, I tell you to stand up!”) 42 At once the girl stood right up and began walking. (She was twelve years old.) Everyone was completely amazed. 43 Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell people about this. Then he told them to give the girl something to eat."
It was at this point that the Lord Jesus went into the room where the dead little girl was, alone with her parents, Peter, James and John. And from this moment on, Peter's account of this episode is woven throughout Mark's account. Even the very language the Lord Jesus employed at the bedside of the little girl is repeated, for Peter never forgot those words.
In v.41, we read, "Taking hold of the girl’s hand, he said to her, “Talitha, koum!."
According to Numbers 19, a dead body was considered unclean. Like the woman before, the Lord Jesus came into contact with the dead, and by doing so, He availed Himself to death. Of course, this would not be the only time He did this. Then, He commanded the twelve year old to stand on her feet. Like the woman before, in that moment He restored the little girl to community. It was His touch that raised her to life. Death departs in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.
According to v.42, "... the girl stood right up and began walking. (She was twelve years old.) Everyone was completely amazed."
This little girl not only had life, she had all the normal strength of a twelve-year-old. This is the way it is in every single of the miracles the Lord Jesus ever performed. Every one of His miracles were complete miracles.
The Lord Jesus could have healed this little girl from afar. But, had He, His personal touch of compassion would be missing in this story. And, it is obvious this is one element that He accentuates in this chapter. And, to underscore the fact that she was alive, the Lord Jesus told the people to get her something to eat.
The two main characters in this narrative belong together, yet they were as far apart as they could have been. Jairus would have had nothing to do with a woman whose condition excluded her from the synagogue. Yet, they are brought together in this story by their suffering, their desperation, and, by their faith in the God of the Bible. It is good to be desperate, because when we are desperate, we are more willing to throw ourselves at the feet of the Lord Jesus, begging Him to bring His kingdom to bare in our lives.
