In reading the account of this or of any other of the miracles of Jesus we must bear in mind the reason why they were recorded for us. Near the close of His Gospel narrative, John said: "Many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; But these are written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you might have life through His name." (John 20:30-31)
In the present lesson we have this truth very forcibly presented to us. Let us read the entire story. "And, behold, there came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw Him, he fell at His feet, And besought Him greatly, saying, My little daughter lies at the point of death; I pray You, come and lay your hands on her that she may be healed; and she shall live." (Mark 5:22-23)
The margin has, in place of "healed," the word "saved," which is the exact rendering of the Greek word used here and in other similar instances. It teaches us that healing and saving by the Lord are one and the same thing.
Then there comes an interruption, and we have the account of the poor woman with the issue of blood, who came and touched the hem of Christ's garment, and was made perfectly whole,--saved,--and who received from the Lord gracious assurance of the fact that it was her faith that had saved her. "While He yet spoke, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Your daughter is dead; why trouble the Master any further? As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. And He suffered no man to follow Him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. And He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. And when He was come in, He said unto them, Why make you this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleeps. And they laughed Him to scorn. But when He had put them all out, He took the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with Him, and entered in where the damsel was lying. And He took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha Cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto you, arise. And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment. And He charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat." (Mark 5:35-43)
There is the simple story; the question is, Do you believe it? If you do, the only remaining thing necessary is for you to understand that this was not an exceptional case, but was the manifestation of God's natural working. "He gives life to the dead, and exalts those things which be not as though they were." (Romans 4:17)
The things that have been, as well as the things which are to be, are in the sight of God the things that now are. He inhabits eternity, and all things, past, present, and future, are present with Him. Death is in His sight only a sleep; and for those who sleep in Jesus, and who therefore shall be awakened out of their sleep, it is so short a sleep, in comparison with eternity, that they are considered as alive before Him.
Think of one who has been raised from the dead, and who looks back upon his experience after ten thousand million times ten thousand million years of eternity; how long would the few years, or, the few hundred years, that he lay in the grave seem to him? They would not amount to a moment of time in comparison with the time that he has lived. He could no more take account of it than he could of a wink of his eye.
Well, that is the way everything connected with this earth looks to God, who views everything from eternity. To the Lord, who has power to lay down His life, and to take it again at will, death is as though it were not. "[Christ] has abolished death, and has brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel." (2 Timothy 1:10)
The sleep of death becomes perpetual (Jeremiah 51:39) only to those who reject Him who is the resurrection and the life.
Simple Faith
Mark the faith of Jairus. He was sure that if Jesus but laid His hands on his daughter, she would live. Even when word came that she was already dead, he manifested not the slightest doubt.
The faith of this man is not likely to be appreciated at first glance. He was a ruler of the synagogue, a man in high position among the people, and Jesus was one who was not recognized by the body of rulers and scribes and Pharisees. He had not studied in their schools, and held no authority from them, and therefore they looked down upon Him.
But in the household of Jairus, Jesus was regarded as a Teacher, and as such He was addressed, for that is the real meaning of the word that is translated "Master." What Jesus knew and could do, rather than where He had studied, appealed to the good sense of Jairus. He recognized a Master Teacher in this humble man of Nazareth, and honored Him accordingly.
The power and authority of Christ's teaching are seen by what follows. The Word that He preached was the Word that raises the dead.
Heathenism, Heartless Mourning
Jesus wept at the grave of Lazarus, (John 11:35) but His weeping was far different from that of the Jews on that occasion, and of those who were gathered in the house of Jairus. He simply "shed tears;" they howled, and made a tumult. The word rendered "tumult" is applied to "the confused noise of a crowded assembly," as in the theater at Ephesus. (Acts 19:23-41; 20:1; 21:34; 17:5)
They were making such a "tumult" in the house of Jairus, and were "wailing." This word "wailing" is the word that is used to indicate the raising of a war cry, and is defined: "to utter an inharmonious sound, to tinkle, to clank."
Such mourning could not have been very soothing to the hearts of the stricken parents. It is wholly out of harmony with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, and therefore He had them all retire from the house. The Spirit of God cannot be present and working in the midst of a tumult. The work of the Spirit is soft and tender and subduing. Confused noise, boisterous sounds of any kind, whether of singing, weeping, or laughter, discordant noises, in short, anything forced and inharmonious, are entirely foreign to the Spirit of God.
In quietness and confidence is the strength of God's people; (Isaiah 30:15) for God's most powerful working is done in silence. His most marvelous work for men day by day is performed in the silence of the night, when they are unconscious.
How quickly these hired mourners showed the shallowness of their sorrow! As soon as Jesus said, "She is not dead, but sleeps. They laughed Him to scorn." (Mark 5:39-40)
Literally, they jeered at Him. In an instant they turned from professed weeping, to railing and mocking laughter.
It is impossible for our language to do justice to the tender words of Jesus, which He spoke to the little girl. The word "Talitha" is allied to the word meaning a young lamb, so that we may see in it an expression of tenderness, as, "Little one, arise!" Almighty power and infinite tenderness were united.
And straightway the damsel arose. Why? Because the Master had told her to arise; and He spoke with authority. Well, He speaks to us the same word. He says, "Awake, you that sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light." (Ephesians 4:14)
By the power of that Word, if we receive it in faith, we may arise from whatever condition of helplessness we are in. Believing, we have life through His name. (John 20:31) Do you believe?
Eating the Life
"He commanded that something should be given her to eat." (Mark 5:43)
Why was this seemingly trivial incident recorded? Because it was not by any means trivial. It shows that the Lord does not overlook the smallest detail, and that no detail is of trifling importance. We are told, "As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him." (Colossians 2:6)
The little girl had received the Word of life in Christ, which is Christ himself, and had by it received life: now her life must be continued by the very same means, but under a visible form.
Jesus would show that in the food we eat we receive a continuation of the same life that comes to the dead through the speaking of His word. This raises eating to a position of sacredness, in that it is one of the visible means of receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. "He that has ears to hear, let him hear." (Mark 4:9)--Present Truth, April 5, 1900--Original title: Life from the Dead. The Daughter of Jairus Raised--International Sunday-school Lesson for April 15--Mark 5:22-24,35-43.