ἰδοὺ … λέγων : exactly the same formula as in Matthew 8:2. ἄρχων, an important person, a ruler of synagogue, according to Mark. εἷς : peculiar here, but taken from Mark where it is intelligible, the suppliant being there described as one of the rulers of the synagogue. The word puzzled the scribes, and gave rise to many variants (vide crit. note). ἄρτι ἐτελεύτησεν : this statement of Matthew, compared with those of Mark and Luke, which make the father say his daughter was dying, has created work for the harmonists. The patristic view (Chrys., Theophy., Euthy.), that the statement was an inference from the condition in which he left her, or a natural exaggeration, has been adopted by many. Probably it is an inaccuracy of the evangelist's due to abbreviation. The girl was dead when Jesus arrived; that was all he cared about. The ruler thought Jesus could do anything short of raising from the dead, save even in articulo mortis. But our evangelist gives him credit for more faith; that Jesus can bring back from the dead, at least when death has just taken place. ζήσεται, not remain living, but revive, come to life again (Fritzsche).

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Old Testament