Raising of Jairus' daughter

The episode of the daughter of Jairus is a combination of miracles of Jesus in the Gospels (Mark 5:21–43, Matthew 9:18–26 and Luke 8:40–56)

Raising of Jairus' Daughter by Paolo Veronese, 1546

Context

The story immediately follows the exorcism at Gerasa. Jairus (Greek: Ἰάειρος, Iaeiros, from the Hebrew name Yair), a patron or ruler of a Galilee synagogue, had asked Jesus to heal his 12-year-old daughter.

As they were traveling to Jairus' house, a sick woman in the crowd touched Jesus' cloak and was healed of her sickness. Jesus turned round to the woman and said "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace." (see Luke 8:43-48) (Christ healing the bleeding woman). In Mark's and Luke's version, a messenger arrived with the news that Jairus' daughter had died, and he was advised not to trouble Jesus any further. However, Jesus responded:

Be not afraid, only believe.

— Mark 5:36

Jesus continued to the house, where Jesus "saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly" (Mark 5:38). He informed all those present that the girl was not dead but asleep. He then went upstairs and restored the girl to life. In Mark's account, the Aramaic phrase "Talitha kum" (transliterated into Greek as ταλιθα κουμ and meaning, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!") is attributed to Jesus.

Narrative comparison

The following comparison table is primarily based on the New International Version (NIV) English translation of the New Testament.[1]

	Matthew	Mark	Luke
Jairus asks for help	Matthew 9:18–19 At Matthew's house [9:10], a synagogue leader told Jesus: 'My daughter has just died. But come and place your hand on her, and she will live.' Jesus and his disciples followed him.	Mark 5:21–24 Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee back, meeting a crowd. Synagogue leader Jairus fell at Jesus' feet and pleaded: 'My little daughter is dying. Please place your hands on her, so that she will be healed and live.' Jesus and a large crowd followed him and pressed around him.	Luke 8:40–42 Jesus returned to Galilee, meeting a crowd. Synagogue leader Jairus fell at Jesus' feet and pleaded with him to come to his house because his only daughter (aged about 12), was dying. Jesus followed him, was almost crushed by crowds.
The bleeding woman	Matthew 9:20–22 A woman who had been bleeding for 12 years touched Jesus' cloak, hoping to be healed. Jesus saw her and said: 'Take courage, daughter, your faith has healed you.' And from that moment the woman was healed.	Mark 5:25–34 A woman who had been bleeding for 12 years, and spent all she had on physicians to no avail, heard about Jesus and touched his cloak, hoping to be healed. Her bleeding stopped immediately and she felt it. Jesus felt power had gone out of him and asked: 'Who touched my clothes?' Disciples: 'You see people crowding against you, so why ask?' Jesus kept looking around to see who did it. The woman fell at his feet and, trembling in fear, told the truth. Jesus: 'Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.'	Luke 8:43–48 A woman who had been bleeding for 12 years, whom nobody could heal, touched Jesus' cloak. Her bleeding stopped immediately. Jesus: 'Who touched me?' All denied. Peter: 'People crowding and pressing against you.' Jesus: 'Someone touched me, I know power has gone out of me.' Seeing she would be noticed, the woman trembled in fear, fell at his feet, told why she touched him and that she was immediately healed. Jesus: 'Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.'
Daughter reported dead		Mark 5:35–37 People came from Jairus' house, telling him: 'Your daughter is dead, why bother the teacher anymore?' Jesus heared them and said: 'Don't be afraid, just believe.' Jesus didn't let anyone to follow him except Peter, James and John, the brother of James.	Luke 8:49–50 Someone came from Jairus' house, telling him: 'Your daughter is dead. Don't bother the teacher anymore.' Jesus heared him and told Jairus: 'Don't be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.' When Jesus arrived at Jairus' house, he didn't let anyone go in with him except Peter, James, John and the parents.
Jesus raises daughter	Matthew 9:23–26 Jesus entered synagogue leader's house and saw a noisy, flute-playing crowd. Jesus: 'Go away. The girl is not dead, but asleep.' The crowd laughed at Jesus. They were put outside. Jesus went in, took the girl the by hand, and she got up. News spread throughout that region.	Mark 5:38–43 Jesus entered synagogue leader's house and saw a crying and wailing crowd. Jesus: 'Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.' The crowd laughed at Jesus. He put them outside. Jesus took the parents and his 3 disciples in, took the child by the hand and said: 'Talitha koum! (Little girl, I say to you, get up!)' The girl stood up and walked around (she was 12 years old). Jesus strictly ordered people not to tell anyone about this and to give her something to eat.	Luke 8:51–56 All people were wailing and mourning her. Jesus: 'Stop wailing. She is not dead but asleep.' The people laughed at Jesus, knowing she was dead. Jesus took the girl by the hand and said: 'My child, get up!' Her spirit returned and she stood up. Jesus told them to give her something to eat. The parents were astonished, but Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone what happened.

Interpretations

The combined stories have been used as an example of intercalation, where one incident is inserted within another, linked in this case by the connection between the 12-year ailment and the 12-year-old girl.[2][3]

John Donahue and Daniel Harrington state that this episode shows that "faith, especially as embodied by the bleeding woman, can exist in seemingly hopeless situations".[4]

Michael Keene states that there is a link between Jairus and the woman: "The link between them is faith since both Jairus and the bleeding woman showed great faith in Jesus".[5]

John Walvoord and Roy Zuck state that: "What appeared to be a disastrous delay in the healing of the woman actually assured the restoration of Jairus' daughter. It was providentially ordered to test and strengthen Jairus' faith."[6] Johann Lange also states that: "This delay would serve both to try and to strengthen the faith of Jairus."[7]

See also

• Life of Jesus in the New Testament
• Ministry of Jesus
• Miracles of Jesus
• Parables of Jesus
• Luke 8

References

Citations

1. "Online Bible – New International Version". Biblehub.com. 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
2. "Intercalations in the synoptic tradition". www.textexcavation.com.
3. James R. Edwards, “Markan Sandwiches: The Significance of Interpolations in Markan Narratives,” Novum Testamentum 31 no. 3 (1989): 193-216; Tom Shepherd, “The Narrative Function of Markan Intercalation,” New Testament Studies 41 (1995): 522-40
4. Donahue & Harrington 2005, p. 182.
5. Keene 2002, p. 72.
6. Walvoord & Zuck 1983, p. 124.
7. Lange 1960, p. 174.

Sources

• Donahue, John R.; Harrington, Daniel J. (2005). The Gospel of Mark. ISBN 0-8146-5965-9.
• Keene, Michael (2002). St Mark's Gospel and the Christian faith. ISBN 0-7487-6775-4.
• Lange, Johann Peter (1960). A commentary on the Holy Scriptures. Zondervan. ASIN B00133NOEM.
• Walvoord, John F.; Zuck, Roy B. (1983). The Bible Knowledge Commentary. ISBN 0-88207-812-7.