Mark 5:35-43, Jairus’ Daughter and the Woman Who Touched Jesus’ Garment Part 3 (The Study of Mark)

     35 While he was still speaking, they came from the home of the synagogue leader saying, “Your daughter died. Why still bother1 the teacher?” 36 But Jesus, overhearing and ignoring2 what3 they were saying, says to the synagogue leader, “Don’t be afraid4, only believe5.” 37 And he didn’t allow anyone to accompany him6 except Peter, James, and John, James’ brother. 38 And they go into the home of the synagogue leader, and he sees the uproar7 and much weeping and loud crying. 39 And coming in, he says to them, “Why are you in an uproar and weeping? The child has not died, but is sleeping8.” 40 And they were laughing9 at him. And he, after throwing all of them out10, takes along the father and mother of the child, and those with him, and they go into where the child was. 41 And after taking11 the child’s hand, he says to her, “Talitha Koum!” (Which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”) 42 And immediately, the little girl got up12 and was walking around: for she was twelve years old13. And they were immediately utterly astounded14. 43 And he gave them strict orders15 so that no one would know of this, and he said that something should be given to her to eat.  Mark 5:35-43

Introduction

It is always amazing to me what can be found in the original Greek.  Although Mark doesn't mention anything about the "resurrection" here, I have come to believe that it is implied just by the play on words that Mark uses in verses 41 and 42.  Amazing!

1 σκύλλεις (bother) 

or “trouble”.

2 παρακούσας (overhearing and ignoring)

παρακούσας can mean both “overhearing” and “ignoring”. In this context, Jesus did both. The message was given to Jairus directly and Jesus overheard it, and at the same time, ignored what had been said.

3 τὸν λόγον (what) 

Greek: “the word”. The whole passage could be translated: “But Jesus, overhearing and ignoring the word they were saying”.

4 μὴ φοβοῦ (Don’t be afraid) 

or “Don’t fear”.

5 μόνον πίστευε (only believe) 

or “only have faith”.

6 μετ ̓ αὐτοῦ συνακολουθῆσαι (accompany him) 

Greek: “follow along with him”.

7 θόρυβον (uproar)

“Disorderly conduct and confusion from being loud”. Jewish tradition in the 1st century was to hire “professional mourners” when someone died. Since the child was near death, the family probably had gone ahead and hired the mourners. These “professional mourners” were probably the one’s carrying on in such a disorderly fashion.

8 ἀλλὰ καθεύδει (but is sleeping)

Jesus is using a figure of speech here. It is clear from the context that the child is dead. For a possible explanation of this figure of speech, see note 11.

9 κατεγέλων αὐτοῦ (they were laughing at him)

or “they were making fun of him”. It is not likely that the laughing was coming from Jairus’ family. Jairus’ family would have known why Jairus had gone to speak to Jesus. They would have been hopeful for a miracle for the little girl. The hired mourners, on the other hand, would not have paid the respect that Jesus deserved as they may not have known that Jairus had gone to meet with Jesus in hope of a miracle.

10 ἐκβαλὼν πάντας (after throwing all of them out)

Note the force in which Jesus uses against the people in the house. The text doesn’t say who was thrown out, but from the context of the passage, it can be assumed that the ones laughing at Jesus were the ones who were thrown out.

11 κρατήσας (after taking) 

Greek: “after grasping” or “after taking hold of”.

12 ἀνέστη (got up)

Greek: “rose up”. It must be stated that Mark uses a different word here for “get up” (ἀνίστημι) than the one he used in Jesus’ command of the little girl to get up (ἐγείρω). Although both verbs are common, there may be some word play going on. Both words mean “to rise up”, but ἀνίστημι is the verb form of the word ἀνάστασις which means “resurrection” or “rising”. There is no doubt that Jesus is using a figure of speech in verse 39 where he states that the child is “sleeping” as it is clear that she is dead from the context of the passage. It is possible that Mark is trying to show Jesus’ view of death in that he believes that there will be a “resurrection” of the dead at a later time. Jesus’ belief in the “resurrection” will be brought out in chapter 12.

13 ἦν γὰρ ἐτῶν δώδεκα (for she was twelve years old) 

Greek: “for she was twelve of years”.

14 καὶ ἐξέστησαν [εὐθὺς] ἐκστάσει μεγάλῃ (And they were immediately utterly astounded)

Greek: “And they were immediately astounded with great amazement”. ἐξέστησαν (astounded) means “to stand outside one’s self”. In other words, they were “blown away” at what had just happened.

15 καὶ διεστείλατο αὐτοῖς πολλὰ (And he gave them strict orders) 

Greek: “and he ordered them much”.

The Greek

Μάρκον 5·35 Ἔτι αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος ἔρχονται ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀρχισυναγώγου λέγοντες ὅτι ἡ θυγάτηρ σου ἀπέθανεν· τί ἔτι σκύλλεις τὸν διδάσκαλον; 36 ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς παρακούσας τὸν λόγον λαλούμενον λέγει τῷ ἀρχισυναγώγῳ· μὴ φοβοῦ, μόνον πίστευε. 37 καὶ οὐκ ἀφῆκεν οὐδένα μετ ̓ αὐτοῦ συνακολουθῆσαι εἰ μὴ τὸν Πέτρον καὶ Ἰάκωβον καὶ Ἰωάννην τὸν ἀδελφὸν Ἰακώβου. 38 καὶ ἔρχονται εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ ἀρχισυναγώγου, καὶ θεωρεῖ θόρυβον καὶ κλαίοντας καὶ ἀλαλάζοντας πολλά, 39 καὶ εἰσελθὼν λέγει αὐτοῖς· τί θορυβεῖσθε καὶ κλαίετε; τὸ παιδίον οὐκ ἀπέθανεν ἀλλὰ καθεύδει. 40 καὶ κατεγέλων αὐτοῦ. αὐτὸς δὲ ἐκβαλὼν πάντας παραλαμβάνει τὸν πατέρα τοῦ παιδίου καὶ τὴν μητέρα καὶ τοὺς μετ ̓ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰσπορεύεται ὅπου ἦν τὸ παιδίον. 41 καὶ κρατήσας τῆς χειρὸς τοῦ παιδίου λέγει αὐτῇ· ταλιθα κουμ, ὅ ἐστιν μεθερμηνευόμενον· τὸ κοράσιον, σοὶ λέγω, ἔγειρε. 42 καὶ εὐθὺς ἀνέστη τὸ κοράσιον καὶ περιεπάτει· ἦν γὰρ ἐτῶν δώδεκα. καὶ ἐξέστησαν [εὐθὺς] ἐκστάσει μεγάλῃ. 43 καὶ διεστείλατο αὐτοῖς πολλὰ ἵνα μηδεὶς γνοῖ τοῦτο, καὶ εἶπεν δοθῆναι αὐτῇ φαγεῖν.