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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Mark 5:35–43. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Diseases and deaths came into the world by the sin and disobedience of the first Adam; but by the grace of the second Adam both are conquered. Christ, having healed an incurable disease, here goes on to triumph over death, as in the beginning of the chapter he had triumphed over an outrageous devil.
I.The melancholy news is brought to Jairus, that his daughter is dead, and therefore, if Christ be as other physicians, he comes too late.
While there is life, there is hope, and room for the use of means; but when life is gone, it is past recall; Why troublest thou the Master any further? Mar 5:35. Ordinarily, the proper thought in this case, is, "The matter is determined, the will of God is done, and I submit, I acquiesce; The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away. While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, Who can tell but God will yet be gracious to me, and the child shall live? But now that it is dead, wherefore should I weep? I shall go to it, but it shall not return to me." With such words we should quiet ourselves at such a time, that our souls may be as a child that is weaned from his mother: but there the case was extraordinary; the death of the child doth not, as usually, put an end to the narrative.
II.Christ encourageth the afflicted father yet to hope that his application to Christ on the behalf of his child should not be in vain.
Christ had staid to work a cure by the way, but he shall be no sufferer by that, nor loser by the gain of others; Be not afraid, only believe. We may suppose Jairus at a pause, whether he should ask Christ to go on or no; but have we not as much occasion for the grace of God, and his consolations, and consequently of the prayers of our ministers and Christian friends, when death is in the house, as when sickness is? Christ therefore soon determines this matter; "Be not afraid that my coming will be to no purpose, only believe that I will make it turn to a good account." Note,
1.We must not despair concerning our relations that are dead, nor sorrow for them as those that have no hope. See what is said to Rachel, who refused to be comforted concerning her children, upon the presumption that they were not; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears; for there is hope in thine end, that thy children shall come again, Jer 31:16, Jer 31:17. Therefore fear not, faint not.
2.Faith is the only remedy against disquieting grief and fear at such a time: let that silence them, Only believe. Keep up a confidence in Christ, and a dependence upon him, and he will do what is for the best. Believe the resurrection, and then be not afraid.
III.He went with a select company to the house where the dead child was.
He had, by the crowd that attended him, given advantage to the poor woman he last healed, and, having done that, now he shook off the crowd, and suffered no man to follow him (to follow with him, so the word is), but his three bosom-disciples, Peter, and James, and John; a competent number to be witnesses of the miracle, but not such a number as that his taking them with him might look like vainglory.
IV.He raised the dead child to life; the circumstances of the narrative here are much the same as we had them in Matthew; only here we may observe,
1.That the child was extremely well beloved, for the relations and neighbours wept and wailed greatly. It is very afflictive when that which is come forth like a flower is so soon cut down, and withereth before it is grown up; when that grieves us, of which we said, This same shall comfort us.
2.That it was evident beyond dispute, that the child was really and truly dead. Their laughing Christ to scorn, for saying, She is not dead, but sleepeth, though highly reprehensible, serves for the proof of this.
3.That Christ put those out as unworthy to be witnesses of the miracle, who were noisy in their sorrow, and were so ignorant in the things of God, as not to understand him when he spoke of death as a sleep, or so scornful, as to ridicule him for it.
4.That he took the parents of the child to be witnesses of the miracle, because in it he had an eye to their faith, and designed it for their comfort, who were the true, for they were the silent mourners.
5.That Christ raised the child to life by a word of power, which is recorded here, and recorded in Syriac, the language in which Christ spoke, for the greater certainty of the thing; Talitha, cumi; Damsel, I say unto thee, Arise. Dr. Lightfoot saith, It was customary with the Jews, when they gave physic to one that was sick, to say, Arise from thy disease; meaning, We wish thou mayest arise: but to one that was dead, Christ said, Arise from the dead; meaning, I command that thou arise; nay, there is more in it - the dead have not power to arise, therefore power goes along with this word, to make it effectual. Da quod jubes, et jube quod vis - Give what thou commandest, and command what thou wilt. Christ works while he commands, and works by the command, and therefore may command what he pleaseth, even the dead to arise. Such is the gospel call to those that are by nature dead in trespasses and sins, and can no more rise from that death by their own power, than this child could; and yet that word, Awake, and arise from the dead, is neither vain, nor in vain, when it follows immediately, Christ shall give thee light, Eph 5:14. It is by the word of Christ that spiritual life is given, I said unto thee, Live, Eze 16:6.
6.That the damsel, as soon as life returned, arose, and walked, Mar 5:42. Spiritual life will appear by our rising from the bed of sloth and carelessness, and our walking in a religious conversation, our walking up and down in Christ's name and strength; even from those that are of the age of twelve years, it may be expected that they should walk as those whom Christ has raised to life, otherwise than in the native vanity of their minds.
7.That all who saw it, and heard of it, admired the miracle, and him that wrought it; They were astonished with a great astonishment. They could not but acknowledge that there was something in it extraordinary and very great, and yet they knew not what to make of it, or to infer from it. Their wonder should have worked forward to a lively faith, but it rested in a stupor or astonishment.
8.That Christ endeavoured to conceal it; He charged them straitly, that no man should know it. It was sufficiently known to a competent number, but he would not have it as yet proclaimed any further; because his own resurrection was to be the great instance of his power over death, and therefore the divulging of other instances must be reserved till that great proof was given: let one part of the evidence be kept private, till the other part, on which the main stress lies, be made ready.
9.That Christ took care something should be given her to eat. By this it appeared that she was raised not only to life, but to a good state of health, that she had an appetite to her meat; even the new-born babes in Christ's house desire the sincere milk, Pe1 2:1, Pe1 2:2. And it is observable, that, as Christ, when at first he had made man, presently provided food for him, and food out of the earth of which he was made (Gen 1:29), so now when he had given a new life, he took care that something should be given to eat; for is he has given life, he may be trusted to give livelihood, because the life is more than meat, Mat 6:25. Where Christ hath given spiritual life, he will provide food for the support and nourishment of it unto life eternal, for he will never forsake, or be wanting to, the work of his own hands.
Historical interpretation
Nine Centuries of Reception
11 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
It was told the ruler of the synagogue, Thy daughter is dead. But Jesus said to him, She is not dead, but sleepeth. Both are true, for the meaning is, She is dead to you, but to Me she is asleep.
And what shall I say of the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue, at whose death multitudes were weeping and the flute-players piping? For the funeral solemnities were being performed because of the conviction of death. How quickly at the word of the Lord does the spirit return, the reviving body rise up, and food is taken, that the evidence of life may be believed!
(ad Pam. Ep. 57) Some one may accuse the Evangelist of a falsehood in his explanation, in that he has added, I say unto thee, when in Hebrew, Talitha cumi only means, Damsel, arise; but He adds, I say unto thee, Arise, to express that His meaning was to call and command her. It goes on, For she was of the age of twelve years.
He comes to the house, and finds the customary funeral rites already underway, and he says to them, “Why do you make a tumult and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.” He spoke the truth. She was in a certain sense asleep—asleep, that is, in respect of him, by whom she could be awakened. So awakening her, he restored her alive to her parents.
Let us, if it is pleasing to you, speak for a moment of the pains and anxieties which parents take upon themselves and endure in patience out of love and affection for their children. Here, surrounded by her family and by the sympathy and affection of her relations, a daughter lies upon her bed of suffering. She is fading in body. Her father’s mind and spirit are worn with grief. She is suffering the inward pangs of her sickness. He, unwashed, unkempt, is absorbed wholly in sorrow. He suffers and endures before the eyes of the world. She is sinking into the quiet of death.… Alas! why are children indifferent to these things! Why are they not mindful of them? Why are they not eager to make a return to their parents for them? But the love of parents goes on nevertheless; and whatever parents bestow upon their children, God, the parent of us all, will duly repay.
(Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.) But He Himself commands them not to wail, as if the damsel was not dead, but sleeping; wherefore it says, And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.
(Mor. 4, 27) Morally again, our Redeemer raised the damsel in the house, the young man without the gate, Lazarus in the tomb; he still lies dead in the house, whose sin is concealed; he is carried without the gate, whose sin has broken forth into the madness of an open deed; he lies crushed under the mound of the tomb, who in the commission of sin, lies powerless beneath the weight of habit.
And entering, he said to them: Why are you troubled and weeping? The girl is not dead, but sleeping. To men she was dead, who could not raise her, but to God she was sleeping, in whose arrangement, the soul was received and lived, and the body rested to be resurrected. Hence, the Christian custom has prevailed that the dead who are undoubted to be resurrected are called sleeping; as the Apostle says: We do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who sleep, so that you may not grieve as the rest who have no hope (1 Thess. 4). But also in part of the allegory, while the soul that sins itself shall die, however that which the Lord foresees to be about to be resurrected and to come to eternal life, though dead to us, could not incongruously be said to have slept to Him.
(ubi sup.) Wherefore one believing woman touches the Lord, whilst the crowd throngs Him, because He, who is grieved by divers heresies, or by wicked habits, is worshipped faithfully with the heart of the Catholic Church alone. But the Church of the Gentiles came behind Him; because though it did not see the Lord present in the flesh, for the mysteries of His Incarnation had been gone through, yet it attained to the grace of His faith, and so when by partaking of His sacraments, it merited salvation from its sins, as it were the fountain of its blood was dried up by the touch of His garments. And the Lord looked round about to see her who had done this, because He judges that all who deserve to be saved are worthy of His look and of His pity.
(ubi sup.) For to men she was dead, who were unable to raise her up; but to God she was asleep, in whose purpose both the soul was living, and the flesh was resting, to rise again. Whence it became a custom amongst Christians, that the dead, who, they doubt not, will rise again, should be said to sleep. It goes on, And they laughed him to scorn.
(ubi sup.) Because they chose rather to laugh at than to believe in this saying concerning her resurrection, they are deservedly excluded from the place, as unworthy to witness His power in raising her, and the mystery of her rising; wherefore it goes on, But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.
(ubi sup.) Mystically; the woman was cured of a bloody flux, and immediately after the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue is reported to be dead, because as soon as the Church of the Gentiles is washed from the stain of vice, and called daughter by the merits of her faith, at once the synagogue is broken up on account of its zealous treachery and envy; treachery, because it did not choose to believe in Christ; envy, because it was vexed at the faith of the Church. What the messengers told the ruler of the synagogue, Why troublest thou the Master any more, is said by those in this day who, seeing the state of the synagogue, deserted by God, believe that it cannot be restored, and therefore think that we are not to pray that it should be restored. But if the ruler of the synagogue, that is, the assembly of the teachers of the Law, determine to believe, the synagogue also, which is subjected to them, will be saved. Further, because the synagogue lost the joy of having Christ to dwell in it, as its faithlessness deserved, it lies dead as it were, amongst persons weeping and wailing. Again, our Lord raised the damsel by taking hold of her hand, because the hands of the Jews, which are full of blood, must first be cleansed, else the synagogue, which is dead, cannot rise again. But in the woman with the bloody flux, and the raising of the damsel, is shown the salvation of the human race, which was so ordered by the Lord, that first some from Judæa, then the fulness of the Gentiles, might come in, and so all Israel might be saved. Again, the damsel was twelve years old, and the woman had suffered for twelve years, because the sinning of unbelievers was contemporary with the beginning of the faith of believers; wherefore it is said, Abraham believed on God, and it was counted to him for righteousnessu. (Gen. 15:6)
(ubi sup.) And we may remark, that lighter and daily errors may be cured by the remedy of a lighter penance. Wherefore the Lord raises the damsel, lying in the inner chamber with a very easy cry, saying, Damsel, arise; but that he who had been four days dead might quit the prison of the tomb, He groaned in spirit, He was troubled, He shed tears. In proportion, then, as the death of the soul presses the more heavily, so much the more ardently must the fervour of the penitent press forward. But this too must be observed, that a public crime requires a public reparation; wherefore Lazarus, when called from the sepulchre, was placed before the eyes of the people: but slight sins require to be washed out by a secret penance, wherefore the damsel lying in the house is raised up before few witnesses, and those are desired to tell no man. The crowd also is cast out before the damsel is raised; for if a crowd of worldly thoughts be not first cast out from the hidden parts of the heart, the soul, which lies dead within, cannot rise. Well too did she arise and walk, for the soul, raised from sin, ought not only to rise from the filth of its crimes, but also to make advances in good works, and soon it is necessary that it should be filled with heavenly bread, that is, made partaker of the Divine Word, and of the Altar.
Those who were about the ruler of the synagogue, thought that Christ was one of the prophets, and for this reason they thought that they should beg of Him to come and pray over the damsel. But because she had already expired, they thought that He ought not to be asked to do so. Therefore it is said, While he yet spake, there came messengers to the ruler of the synagogue, which said, Thy daughter is dead; why troublest thou the Master any further? But the Lord Himself persuades the father to have confidence. For it goes on, As soon as Jesus heard the word which was spoken, he saith to the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid; only believe.
For Christ in His lowliness would not do any thing for display. It goes on, And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.
But they laugh at Him, as if unable to do any thing farther; and in this He convicts them of bearing witness involuntarily, that she was really dead whom He raised up, and therefore, that it would be a miracle if He raised her.
(non occ.) The Evangelist added this, to show that she was of an age to walk. By her walking, she is shown to have been not only raised up, but also perfectly cured. It continues, And a they were astonished with a great astonishment.
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Summary
Mark 5:39 captures a pivotal moment in Jesus's ministry as He enters the home of Jairus, a synagogue official, whose daughter has just died. Amidst the professional mourners and the profound grief of the family, Jesus speaks words that challenge the human perception of death, declaring that the child is "not dead, but sleepeth." This statement not only sets the stage for a miraculous demonstration of His divine authority over life and death but also offers a profound theological redefinition of death for those who believe in Him.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is situated within a series of powerful miracles in Mark's Gospel that demonstrate Jesus's authority over various realms: unclean spirits (Mark 5:1-20), disease (Mark 5:25-34), and now, death itself. The narrative immediately preceding Mark 5:39 details Jairus's desperate plea for his dying daughter (Mark 5:22-23). While Jesus is en route, He is interrupted by the healing of a woman with a chronic hemorrhage, a delay that proves critical as news arrives that Jairus's daughter has died (Mark 5:35). Despite the grim report, Jesus immediately reassures Jairus with the transformative command, "Be not afraid, only believe" (Mark 5:36), setting the stage for His profound declaration upon entering the house.
Historical & Cultural Context
In first-century Jewish society, death was met with elaborate and public mourning rituals. Upon a death, families would immediately hire professional mourners, typically women who would wail loudly, beat their breasts, and play flutes to express extreme sorrow and announce the tragedy to the community. This "ado" (commotion) and weeping were not merely spontaneous expressions but a culturally prescribed and expected part of the grieving process, often beginning immediately after death was confirmed. The intensity of the mourning was often seen as a measure of the deceased's importance or the family's grief. Jesus's arrival amidst this chaotic scene, and His calm, counter-cultural declaration, would have been deeply unsettling and even offensive to those present who were steeped in these traditions and convinced of the finality of death.
Key Themes
The central themes emerging from this verse and its immediate context include Jesus's Sovereignty Over Death, presenting Him as the ultimate Lord of life who can reverse even the most final human experience. His statement challenges the prevailing human understanding of death as an absolute end, instead portraying it as a temporary state, akin to sleep, from which He alone possesses the power to awaken. This directly contrasts with the Human Perspective of Despair in the face of death, as evidenced by the intense mourning. Furthermore, the passage underscores the critical theme of Faith Versus Unbelief, as Jesus's words demand a radical shift from a natural, hopeless reaction to death to a supernatural trust in His divine authority, echoing His earlier instruction to Jairus, "Do not be afraid; only believe."
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
From θόρυβος, meaning "to be in tumult, i.e. disturb, clamor." This word perfectly captures the loud, chaotic, and public display of grief that characterized Jewish mourning rituals. It refers to the noisy commotion and wailing made by professional mourners and grieving family members, indicating a scene of intense lamentation and distress.
From ἀπό and θνήσκω, meaning "to die off (literally or figuratively)." This is the standard Greek term for physical death, signifying the cessation of life. The mourners and the messenger understood the damsel to be definitively in this state, making Jesus's subsequent statement all the more startling and counter-intuitive from their perspective.
From κατά and (to sleep), meaning "to lie down to rest, i.e. (by implication) to fall asleep (literally or figuratively)." While literally meaning to slumber, in this context, Jesus employs it as a profound euphemism for death. This choice of word does not deny the physical reality of the girl's death but asserts His unique power to awaken her from it, treating it as a temporary, reversible state, much like one awakens from natural sleep.
Verse Breakdown
"And when he was come in"
This phrase marks Jesus's physical entry into the private space of Jairus's home, a place of intense grief and mourning. His presence immediately shifts the spiritual atmosphere, bringing the power of God into a scene dominated by human despair.
"he saith unto them"
Jesus addresses the assembled crowd, specifically the professional mourners and grieving family members who were engaged in their loud lamentations. His words are a direct challenge to their actions and their understanding of the situation.
"Why make ye this ado, and weep?"
This is a rhetorical question, not seeking information but challenging the appropriateness and underlying assumption of their intense, despairing mourning. Jesus confronts their outward display of grief, implying that their reaction is based on an incomplete or mistaken understanding of the situation. He questions the very premise of their sorrow, which assumes an irreversible end.
"the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth."
This is the core declaration of the verse, a profound statement that redefines the girl's state. Jesus does not deny the physical cessation of life as others perceived it, but He reframes it from a divine perspective. By comparing death to "sleep," He asserts His ultimate authority over it, indicating that her state is temporary and subject to His power to awaken. This statement is a direct theological challenge to the finality of death as understood by humanity.
Literary Devices
Mark 5:39 employs several powerful literary devices. The most prominent is Euphemism, where Jesus refers to the girl's death as "sleep." This is not to suggest she was merely unconscious, but to convey a profound theological truth: for Him, death is not an insurmountable end but a temporary state from which He can awaken individuals, much like one awakens from slumber. This euphemism foreshadows the resurrection and highlights His divine power. Jesus also uses a Rhetorical Question ("Why make ye this ado, and weep?"), which serves not to elicit an answer but to challenge the crowd's despairing reaction and their limited understanding of death. Furthermore, there is a striking Contrast between the human perception of death as final ("dead") and Jesus's divine perspective of it as temporary ("sleepeth"). This contrast underscores the radical nature of Jesus's authority and His unique relationship with life itself. Underlying these is a subtle Irony, as the mourners believe they are witnessing an irreversible tragedy, while Jesus, with divine insight, knows it is merely a prelude to a miracle.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Jesus's declaration in Mark 5:39 that the girl is "not dead, but sleepeth" is a profound theological statement that redefines death from a human tragedy to a temporary state under divine sovereignty. This perspective is foundational to Christian hope, transforming the fear of death into an anticipation of awakening. It underscores Jesus's unique authority not only over sickness and demons but also over the ultimate enemy, death itself. For believers, this redefinition means that physical death is not an extinguishing of existence but a transition, a "sleep" from which Christ promises a future resurrection. This concept offers immense comfort and radically alters the believer's view of mortality, aligning it with God's eternal purposes rather than human despair.
Reflection and Application
Mark 5:39 offers profound comfort and a powerful challenge to our human understanding of loss and finality. In a world where death often feels like the ultimate defeat, Jesus's words remind us that for those in Him, physical death is not the end but a temporary state, a "sleep" from which He has the power to awaken. This perspective encourages us to cultivate a faith that transcends immediate circumstances and human despair. It calls us to trust in Jesus's ultimate authority over all things, including the seemingly insurmountable barrier of death. For those grieving the loss of loved ones who died in Christ, this verse, coupled with the promise of resurrection, transforms sorrow into hopeful anticipation. It prompts us to view life and death through the lens of God's eternal plan and Christ's triumph, fostering a heavenly perspective that shapes our priorities, alleviates our fears, and deepens our reliance on the One who holds the keys to life and death.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Did Jesus mean the girl was only unconscious, not truly dead?
No, Jesus did not mean the girl was merely unconscious. The context clearly indicates she was physically dead, as evidenced by the arrival of the messenger stating, "Thy daughter is dead" (Mark 5:35), and the presence of professional mourners who were already performing their rituals for the deceased. Jesus's use of "sleepeth" is a profound theological euphemism, not a medical diagnosis. He uses it to convey His divine power to reverse death, treating it as a temporary state from which He can awaken her, much like one awakens from natural sleep. This is consistent with His teaching elsewhere, such as when He referred to Lazarus's death as sleep before raising him (John 11:11-14).
Why did Jesus tell the crowd to stop their "ado" and weeping?
Jesus challenged their "ado" and weeping not because He lacked compassion for their grief, but because their lamentation was rooted in a belief in death's finality, which contradicted His divine perspective and power. Their loud, despairing mourning indicated a lack of faith in His ability to intervene and overcome death. By telling them to stop, Jesus was essentially saying, "Your reaction is based on a misunderstanding; this is not the end you perceive it to be." He was preparing the way for a demonstration of His authority, which would render their mourning premature and misplaced. His words were a call to shift from a human, hopeless response to a divine, faith-filled expectation.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Mark 5:39, with Jesus's profound declaration that the damsel is "not dead, but sleepeth," finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Himself as the conqueror of death. This miracle is a powerful foreshadowing of Christ's own victory over the grave, demonstrating that death, for those in Him, is not an insurmountable end but a temporary slumber awaiting awakening. Jesus, as "the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25), embodies the power He displayed in Jairus's home. His own resurrection from the dead (Mark 16:6) serves as the definitive proof of His authority over death, guaranteeing that all who believe in Him will likewise be raised. The New Testament consistently refers to the death of believers as "sleep" (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14), a direct echo of Jesus's words here, assuring us that our ultimate destiny is not the grave but a glorious resurrection into eternal life with Christ (1 Corinthians 15:54-57). Thus, Jairus's daughter's awakening points directly to the greater spiritual awakening and physical resurrection promised to all who are united with Christ through faith.