Mark 5:21-24

4. THE RAISING OF JAIRUS DAUGHTER 5:21-43.

a. The urgent request of Jairus. 5:21-24

TEXT 5:21-24

And when Jesus had crossed over again in the boat unto the other side, a great multitude was gathered unto him: and he was by the sea. And there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and seeing him, he falleth at his feet, and beseecheth him much, saying, My little daughter is at the point of death: I pray thee, that thou come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be made whole, and live. And he went with him; and a great multitude followed him, and they thronged him.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 5:21-24

225.

Where did the boat land in which Jesus crossed the Sea? Who was there to meet Him?

226.

What is meant by the expression rulers of the synagogue.

227.

Show the humility and sincerity of Jairus.

228.

Why call his daughter My little daughter?

229.

Why was the multitude so interested?

COMMENT

TIMEAutumn, A.D. 28. Probably in the afternoon of the same day He healed the demoniac.
PLACECapernaumat the house of Matthew.

PARALLEL ACCOUNTSMatthew 9:18-19; Luke 8:40-42.

OUTLINE1. Jesus comes back to Capernaum, Mark 5:21. Mark 5:2. Jairushis needhis request, Mark 5:22-23. Mark 5:3. Jesus goes with him, Mark 5:24.

ANALYSIS

Since this is but the beginning of the incident we will offer an analysis in the later section.

EXPLANATORY NOTES

Mark 5:21. The miracle on the eastern side of the lake took place in the early morning, and later in the day Jesus and his company were back on the western side, but not in the town of Capernaum. He was nigh unto the sea, and there the crowd gathered to him, having been waiting (Luke) for his return. Possibly the change in his mode of teaching and the introduction of parables had for the time quickened the popular curiosity.

Mark 5:22-24. One of the rulers of the synagogue. Presumably the synagogue in Capernaum, though nothing positively determines the place.The name Jairus is the Greek form of the Hebrew Jair; it is the name of one who was a great man at the conquest of Canaan (Deuteronomy 3:14), and later of one of the Judges of Israel (Judges 10:3-5). Of Jairus nothing is known except what is recorded here, If, as is probably the case, he was a ruler of the synagogue in Capernaum, he would naturally be one of those who were sent by the centurion who had built a synagogue to intercede for him when his servant was sick (Luke 7:3). In that case he would be no stranger to the healing power of Jesus, and his confidence would be fully explained.His eagerness appears in his falling down at Jesus-' feet and his entreating him greatly, muchi.e. earnestly and persistently.My little daughter lieth at the point of death. The phrase eschatos echei, paraphrased at the point of death, is late Greek, and is said to have been condemned by the grammarians as bad Greek. Luke says that he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying, not lay a dying. Thus Mark and Luke agree perfectly in their statement; but, in Matthew, Jairus says, My daughter just now died. The Greek verb is in the aorist, and is even now dead is not a good translation of it: that she has died already is distinctly affirmed. But the discrepancy is much less than one might think. Matthew tells the story compendiously; he omits all reference to the subsequent message from the house, in which the tidings of her death are brought; and he groups the two communications in one, making Jairus tell the whole in a single sentence. He gathers into this first request all the information about the case that was brought to Jesus before he reached the house. In Luke the request is only that he will come to the house; in Mark and Matthew the request is added that he will lay his hands upon her, with the full expression of confidence that that will be the means ofrestorationaccording to the story as it is in Mark, of restoration from the verge of death; according to Matthew, of restoration from death itself, A beautiful example of confident resorting to the grace and power of the Saviour. It was not in vain; no refusal awaited such an appeal. The request was brought to the lake-shore, where Jesus arrived in the boat, What he was doing we are not told; perhaps he had not had time to begin; or Jairus may even have been among those who were waiting for him when he came.The crowd heard the request, and followed, as Jesus went with him, up from the lakeside into the town. He let them follow for a part of the way, not turning them back until his own time had come. He was not helpless in the matter; he did escape from the crowd when he was ready to insist upon it. Both in Mark and in Luke the words that describe the pressure of the throng are very strong words; in Luke, crowd to suffocation well represents it. Not much rest for our Saviour after the overpowering weariness of the previous eveningonly the sleep on the boat. The healing and the repulse across the lake, a crowd waiting for him on his return, and now a call to go and givelife to a dying child! But his compassion never failed, and he never considered himself. We have no reason to imagine that any consideration of himself ever held him back from a deed of love. He was the one perfectly unselfish Being, never false to this divine character. God is the unselfish One, and Christ is the manifestation of God. (W. N. Clarke).

FACT QUESTIONS 5:21-24

261.

Are we to understand that Jesus came back on the same day He delivered the two demoniacs? Did He use the same boat?

262.

Please read Matthew 9:18-19 and get the connection of the feast of Matthew. Just when did Jairus come to Jesus?

263.

Why did Jairus fall at Jesus feet? There could have been at least two reasons; discover them.

264.

Why ask Jesus to place His hands upon the girl?

265.

If she was made whole wouldn-'t she live? Why the two expressions?

266.

Why mention the press of the crowd?