Mark 5:21 And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side,; ...the opposite shore--Alf; ...had crossed again in the boat to the other side--RSV; As soon as Jesus had returned by boat to the other shore--NEB; much people gathered unto him:; a great multitude was gathered unto him--ASV; a great crowd gathered about him--RSV; a great number of people had gathered to meet him--TCNT; and he was nigh unto the sea.; and he was beside the sea--RSV; so he remained...--Mof; And there was gathered a large multitude unto him, and he was by the lake. And Jesus having passed over in the boat again to the other side, there was gathered a great multitude to him, and he was near the sea, TRNTyeagerV314,5 - Kai diaperasantos tou IAsou palin eis to peran sunAchthA ochlos polus ep' auton, kai An para tAn Thalassan. Kai (continuative conjunction). diaperasantos (aor.act.part.gen.sing.masc.of diaperaw, genitive absolute). tou (gen.sing.masc.of the article in agreement with IAsou). IAsou (gen.sing.masc.of IAsous, genitive absolute). palin (adverbial). eis (preposition with the accusative of extent). to (acc.sing.neut.of the article, extent). peran (adverbial). sunAchthA (3d.per.sing.1st.aor.pass.ind.of sunagw, constative). ochlos (nom.sing.masc.of ochlos, subject of sunAchthA). polus (nom.sing.masc.of polus, in agreement with ochlos). ep' (preposition with the accusative of extent). auton (acc.sing.masc.of autos, extent). kai (ascensive conjunction). An (3d.per.sing.imp.ind.of eimi, progressive description). para (preposition with the accusative "alongside" - place description). tAn (acc.sing.fem.of the article in agreement with thalassan). thalassan (acc.sing.fem.of thalassa, place description). Translation: "And when Jesus had passed over again to the other side, a great crowd gathered about Him, even when He was at the water's edge." COMMENT: "The parallel in Luke (en de tw hupostrephein ton IAsoun apedexato auton ho ochlos, Lk.8:40) presupposes the Markan reading palin eis to peran. The reading of Sinaiticus D 565 700 al, which places palin next to sunAchthA ochlos polus ("again a great crowd gathered"), looks back to 4.1. Both the omission of palin by th al and the omission of eis to peran by p 45vid al seem to be the result of palaeographical confusion." Metzger, A textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, 85). We have taken the kai in the last clause as ascensive. The crowd was so eager to see and hear Jesus that they crowded about Him even as He stepped out of the boat and stood at the water's edge. This followed, in point of time, His passage back to Galilee, as is clear from the aorist tense in diaperasantos. The crowd was so great that He was unable to make His way from the shoreline. The Galilee revival was in full swing as a result of His healing and other miracles. Many of the people were "fair weather friends" of Jesus who would forsake Him when His theology became too severe for them (Jn.6:60-66). T229 - The text is doubtful at this verse where both palin eis to peran and eis to peran palin occur; perhaps the fact that Mark usually has palin near its verb sways the balance in favor of the latter. MARK-TCGTCcranfield182,3 - The combination of the two narratives is probably not an artificial intercalation of one narrative into another in order to indicate the lapse of time, but due to historical recollection. In view of Mark's restraint with regard to connecting-links, the preparation for vs.25-34 in vs.24 and the backward link in vs.35 must be taken seriously. Both narratives read like first-hand accounts, and it is reasonable to suppose that both are Petrine. en tw ploiw. Possibly we should omit with p45 D TH f1 28 it sy(s). palin is placed immediately before sunAchthA in __ D 565 700 and also in p45, which omits eis to peran. This has the effect of connecting palin with sunAchthA rather than diaperasantos, and is accepted by Lagrange, Taylor. eis to peran here presumably means to the west side of the lake, perhaps to the neighbourhood of Capernaum on the N.W. shore. MARKitGNTwuest108 - "Much people was gathered unto Him." The Greek has, not "unto Him" but epi, "after Him." He was the great center of attraction. "Was gathered" is passive voice in the Greek text. These people did not gather of themselves, but were controlled by the irresistible longing to see Jesus and avail themselves of His help. "He was nigh unto the sea." The word is para, alongside of the sea, that is, at the seashore. Translation: "And when Jesus had passed over in the boat again to the other side, a great crowd was gathered together after Him, and He was a the seashore." MARKj&d148 - COMMENT TIME - Autumn, A.D. 28. Probably in the afternoon of the same day He healed the demoniac. PLACE - Capernaum - at the house of Matthew. PARALLEL ACCOUNTS - Matt. 9:18,19; Lk. 8:40-42. OUTLINE - 1. Jesus comes back to Capernaum, vs. 21. 2. Jairus - his need - his request, vs. 22,23 3. Jesus goes with him, vs. 24. ANALYSIS Since this is but the beginning of the incident we will offer an analysis in the later section. EXPLANATORY NOTES 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 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue,; Then came...--RSV; the president of one of the synagogues came up--NEB; Jairus by name;; named Jairus--Ber; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,; and on catching sight of him fell...--Mof; And when he saw Jesus, he knelt before him--Phi; And there cometh one of the synagogue-rulers, by name Jairus, and, seeing him, falleth at his feet, and lo, there doth come one of the chiefs of the synagogue, by name Jairus, and having seen him, he doth fall at his feet, TRNTyeagerV315,6 - kai erchetai eis twn archisunagwgwn, onomati Iairos, kai idwn auton piptei pros tous podas autou kai (continuative conjunction). erchetai (3d.per.sing.pres.ind.of erchetai). eis (nom.sing.masc.of eis, subject of erchetai). twn (gen.pl.masc.of the article in agreement with archisunagwgwn). archisunagwgwn (gen.pl.masc.of archisunagwgos, partitive genitive). chief ruler of the synagogue - Mk.5:22,35,36,38; Lk.8:49; 13:14; Acts 13:15; 18:8,17. Meaning: A combination of archA and sunagwgA. The chief administrative official of the local synagogue. With reference to Jairus, whose daughter Jesus raised from the dead - Mk.5:22,35,36,38; Lk.8:49. The synagogue rulers in Antioch of Pisidia - Acts 13:15; Crispus - Acts 18:8; Sosthenes - Acts 18:17. Plural in Acts 13:15, thus indicating that more than one could share the honor in the same synagogue. onomati (dat.sing.neut.of onoma, possession). Iairos (nom.sing.masc.of Iairos, appellation). Jairus - Mk.5:22; Lk.8:49. Meaning: The word means "whom Jehovah enlightens." The ruler of the synagogue in Capernaum, whose daughter Jesus raised from the dead - Mk.5:22; Lk.8:49. kai (continuative conjunction). idwn (aor.act.part.nom.sing.masc.of horaw, adverbial, temporal). auton (acc.sing.masc.of autos, direct object of idwn). piptei (3d.per.sing.pres.act.ind. of piptw, historical). pros (preposition with the accusative of extent, "near to"). tous (acc.pl.masc.of the article in agreement with podas). podas (acc.pl.masc.of pous, near to, extent). autou (gen.sing.masc.of autos, possession). Translation: "And one of the rulers of the synagogue named Jairus approached and when he saw Him he fell at His feet..." COMMENT: Mark uses the historical present in erchetai and piptei. Jairus came down to the beach with the rest of the great crowd. When he saw Jesus he fell at His feet. The prostrate form of this Jewish religious leader tends to indicate that at this point Jesus was highly respected in Capernaum. H432 - Eis is used as an indefinite pronoun here, "one of the rulers of the synagogue." MARK-TCGTCcranfield183 - On eis=tis see Moule, pp. 125, 176; Bauer, s.v. 3. archisunagwgwn. The word is used (in addition to this passage) in Lk.8:49; 13:14; Acts 13:15; 18:8,17. Cf. archwn tAs sunagwgAs in Lk.8:41; and archwn in Mt.9:18,23; Lk.18:18. The archisunagwgos (Hebrew rO's hakkeneseT) was the lay official responsible for the supervision of the synagogue building and the arrangements for the services, but the designation was sometimes used as an honorary title for distinguished members of the synagogue. onomati Iaeiros. Omitted by D a d ff i r1 and not reproduced in Mt. Possibly, but by no means certainly, it should be omitted. The name Jair occurs in the OT: e.g. Num.32:41, Judg.10:3f. In Esth.2:5 the LXX uses the Hellenized form that we have here. The suggestion that the name was chosen for its symbolic appropriateness to this story (YA'ir='he enlightens' or Ya'ir='he awakes') is most unlikely, for it is not Jairus who either awakens or is awakened! piptei pros tous podas autou. See on 1:40 (gonupetwn). In his anxiety for his daughter he forgets his dignity and takes the position of a suppliant before Jesus. MARKitGNTwuest108 - "One of the rulers of the synagogue." Acts 13:14,15 makes it clear that a single synagogue had a number of rulers. Their duties were to select the readers or teachers in the synagogue, to examine the discourses of the public speakers, and to see that all things were done with decency and in accordance with ancestral usage. "Jairus" is a Hebrew name which means "whom Jehovah enlightens." It is pronounced Ja-i-rus, the voice being stressed on the letter "i." WMitNTearle135 - Rulers of the Synagogue. This is one word in Greek, archisunagwgwn. It comes from archwn, "ruler," and sunagwgA (literally, "a gathering together"). Swete comments: "In a small synagogue there might be but one such officer (Lk.13:14), in larger synagogues there were sometimes several (Acts 13:15). The archisunagwgos was the supervisor of the worship of the synagogue". Mark 5:23 And besought him greatly, saying,; and entreated him earnestly, saying--NASB; and appealed to him, saying--Gspd; and began earnestly to beseech him--Rieu; My little daughter lieth at the point of death:; ...is at death's door--NEB; My little girl is dying--Phi; I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her,; Come and lay your hands on her--RSV; I beg you to come...--NEB; that she may be healed; and she shall live.; that she may be made whole, and live --ASV; so that she may be made well, and live--RSV; to cure her and save her life-- NEB; that she may recover and live--Mon; and beseecheth him much, saying-- My little daughter is at her last!--that, coming, thou wouldest lay thy hands upon her, that she may be made well, and live; and he was calling upon him much saying--'My little daughter is at the last extremity--that having come, thou mayest lay on her thy hands, so that she may be saved, and she shall live;' TRNTyeagerV316,7 kai parakalei auton polla legwn hoti To thugatrion mou heschatws echei, hina elthwn epithAs tas cheiras autA hina swthA kai zAsA. kai (continuative conjunction). parakalei (3d.per.sing.pres.act.ind.of parakalew, historical). auton (acc.sing.masc.of autos, direct object of parakalei). polla (acc.pl.neut.of polus, adverbial). legwn (pres.act.part.nom.sing.masc.of legw, adverbial, modal). hoti (recitative). To (nom.sing.neut.of the article in agreement with thugatrion). thugatrion (nom.sing.neut.of thugatrion, subject of echei). little daughter - Mk.5:23. young daughter - Mk.7:25. Meaning: The diminutive of thugatAr. Little daughter. Jairus' daughter - Mk.5:23; the child of the Syrophenician woman - Mk.7:25. mou (gen.sing.masc.of egw, relationship). eschatws (adverb, used here in the idiom eschatws echei). lie at the point of death - Mk.5:23. Meaning: The adverb related to eschatos. Here only in the NT. In the context the idiom eschatws echei means "she is at the point of death." Literally, "she has it in the final stages." echei (3d.per.sing.pres.act.ind.of echw, progressive description). hina (final conjunction introducing a purpose clause). elthwn (aor.part.nom.sing.masc.of erchomai, adverbial, temporal). epithAs (2d.per.sing.2d.aor.act.subj.of epitithAmi, purpose). tas (acc.pl.fem.of the article in agreement with cheiras). cheiras (acc.pl.fem.of cheir, direct object of epithAs. autA (loc.sing.fem.of autos, place where). hina (sub-final conjunction introducing a purpose/result clause). swthA (3d.per.sing.1st.aor.pass.subj.of sozw, purpose/result). kai (continuative conjunction). zAsA (3d.per.sing.1st.aor.act.subj.of zaw, purpose/result). Translation: "And he pleaded with Him earnestly, saying, 'My little daughter has a terminal illness - that you come and lay your hands upon her in order that she may be saved and live." COMMENT: The garbled Greek indicates the almost incoherent utterances of a distraught father. auton polla is an interesting double accusative, the objects of parakalei - one personal and the other impersonal. eschatws echei. Jairus tries to use an adverb as the object of echei. He omits the main verb to introduce his two hina clauses of purpose and result. But his meaning is very clear. He apparently had great faith in Jesus' power to hear, although he lacked the degree of faith of the Roman Centurion who suggested that Jesus needed only to speak and it would be done (Mt.8:5-10). But at least Jairus recognized Jesus' deity and His power to save and heal. Robertson calls the asyndeton hina elthwn epithAs an elliptical imperative and cites in addition to Mk.5:23, Mt.20:32; I Cor.7:29; II Cor.8:7; Eph.4:29; 5:33. We have another asyndeton without hina is Mk.10:36 where we have Ti thelete (me) poiAsw humin. (Robertson, Grammar, 994). The koinA "...has some idiomatic constructions with the adverb that are difficult from the English point of view. Thus tous kakws echontas (Mt.14:35), and with the instrumental case in Mk.1:34. Cf. Lk.7:2. In English we prefer the predicate adjective with have (He has it bad), whereas the Greek likes the adverb with echw. So eschatws echei (Mk.5:23) and in John 4:52 komphoteron eschen the comparative adverb. One must be willing for the Greek to have his standpoint." (Robertson, Ibid., 546). However fractured Mark's record of Jairus' Greem may be, the synagogue official was granted Jesus' full cooperation as we see in the next verse. R933 - Hina seems to be merely an introductory term with the volitive subjunctive (i.e., with imperatival force) in hina...epithAs (it is an imperatival hina, "do please come and lay your hands"--M144; cf. T95). H446 - Polla has an adverbial sense, "eagerly" (cf. v.10). WMitNTearle135 - Little Daughter. This is one word in Greek, thugatrion, the diminutive of thugatAr, "daughter." It is used only by Mark (here and 7:25). Vincent refers to it as "this little endearing touch". WMitNTearle135 - Lieth at the Point of Death. The Greek is eschatws echei--literally, "has last." A.T.Robertson suggests: "Has it in the last stages" (WP, 1:298)--that is, "is dying" (NIV). Eschatws is found only here in the N.T. MARK-TCGTCcranfield183,4 - parakalei. parekalei should perhaps be read with B W Delta Theta f1 f13 5. A copyist would tend to assimilate this to the neighbouring historic presents. eschatws echei. A colloquial expression for being 'at death's door'. hina...epithAs. An example of imperatival hina (Moule, pp. 144f.): 'please,...lay...'. For Jesus' laying his hands on the person to be healed cf. 6:5; 7:32; 8:23,25. The action is common in ancient stories of healings. swthA: Swzw is quite often used in the sense 'heal'. MARKitGNTwuest108,9 - "besought" is parakalew, "I beg of you, please." "At he point of death." The Greek is eschatws echei. The first word means "lastly" and modifies the verb "she has." The idea is "to be in the last gasp," at the point of death. The words "I pray thee" are in italics in the A.V., and are not in the Greek. The word "healed" is not from the usual words for "heal," but the translation of the word which means "to save." The idea of the father was not so much the healing of his daughter, although that was included in his desire, but the saving of her life from the impending death. We use the same expression today of a dying person's life being saved, without referring to the idea of spiritual salvation. Translation: "And there comes one of the synagogue rulers, by name, Jairus; and having seen Him, he falls at His feet, and begs Him earnestly, saying, My little daughter is at the point of death. Come, place your hands upon her in order that she might be saved and live. NTC-MARKhendriksen200,1,2,3 - The transition from the preceding section (verses 1-20) to this one (verses 21-43) is well- nigh unforgettable. From the request amounting to "Please go away," the story advances to the earnest and moving petition "Please come"(contrast verse 17 with verse 23). When Jesus was asked to leave, he left; that is, he recrossed the sea and landed at the Capernaum side, where a ruler of the Capernaum synagogue was in sore need of help, for his little daughter was at the point of death. So, from the story of the miraculous blessing bestowed on a man who had his dwelling in a locality associated with death (vs. 3) we advance to that of triumph over death itself (vs. 41,42). From being amazed (vs. 20) we are led to being utterly astonished (vs. 42). It would seem that when Jesus landed, the disciples of John the Baptist were waiting for him, with their question about fasting. See N.T.C. on Matt. 9:18. It was while he was still speaking with them that Jairus made his request. The synagogue was ruled by a board of elders. One of its responsibilities was to maintain good order at the synagogue meetings. The man who came to Jesus and whom Matthew does not mention by name but whom Mark and Luke call Jairus was a member of such a board. Since he was probably living in Capernaum we may assume that he had heard about, and perhaps even witnessed, some of the miracles performed by Jesus. Matthew's report of the double miracle is very brief, nine verses; Luke's covers seventeen verses; Mark's twenty- three. For more information on the synagogue see above on 1:39. Matthew omits the ruler's request (see Mark and Luke) that Jesus heal the very sick child. In fact, Matthew in his very brief summary leaves out several items mentioned by one or both of the other synoptists. However, it is he alone who relates that the ruler asks Jesus to lay his hand upon the dead girl, adding "and she will live" (9:18). Also, he alone mentions the flute-players in the house of mourning (9:23). Mark alone, in his very lengthy account, represents Jairus as using the term of endearment "my little daughter" (vs. 23), pictures a vast crowd "thronging" or "pressing upon" Jesus (vs. 24), relates that Jesus paid no attention to the message delivered to Jairus, "Your daughter is dead..." (vs. 35,36), emphasizes the weeping and wailng that was going on among the mourners (vs. 38,39), reports the Aramaic words spoken by Jesus to the child (vs. 42), and adds that the girl, brought back from the dead, walked (vs. 42). Several items are common to Mark and Luke, though not found in Matthew. Thus we are told that the name of the ruler was Jairus (Mk. 5:22; Lk. 8:41), that Jairus made his first request before the child had died (Mk. 5:23; Lk. 8:42), that she was about twelve years of age (Mk. 5:42; Lk. 8:42), that Peter, James, and John, and also the child's parents were with Jesus when he performed the miracle (Mk. 5:37,40; Lk. 8:51), and that Jesus did not want the news of this miracle to spread (Mk. 5:43; Lk. 8:56). It is Luke alone who reports that the daughter was an only child (8:42), and that Jesus did indeed hear the remark to which he paid no attention (8:50). In all the three accounts the story of the bringing back to life of the daughter of Jairus is interrupted by that of the healing of the woman who touched Christ's garment. The material as here presented permits the following outline. Under the general theme that has already been indicated (The Two Miracles, etc.) we arrive at these subdivisions or "points": The first miracle introduced Verses 21-24 The first miracle interrupted by the second miracle faith concealed Verses 25-28 faith rewarded 29 faith revealed 30-34 The first miracle performed a word of encouragement 35,36 a word of revelation 37-40a a word of love and power 40b-42 a word of tender concern 43 The first miracle introduced - As often previously (1:16; 2:13; 3:7; 4:1), Jesus was again to be found "beside the sea," near Capernaum; with a large crowd assembled about him, as usual. It was then that Jairus fell prostrate at his feet. This very action was a manifestation of high respect for Jesus. The ruler's earnest entreaty, "My little daughter is at the point of death- literally: has reached the final state-; please come and put your hands on her, that she may get well and live," was an expression of tender affection, intense anxiety, and a considerable measure of faith. Tender affection! Jairus says, "my little daughter." At the age of twelve many children resent being considered "little." But to this father the child is still "little"; with emphasis, however not so much on her tender years as on her loveliness in his eyes. Intense anxiety! "Please come..." Fearful apprehension is compled with strong desire. A considerable measure of faith! The man believes in the effectiveness - even now with death so close - of the touch of Jesus' hands. For this touch see on 1:41. Note: "...that she may get well and live." This ruler must have seen and heard Jesus many a time, right here in Capernaum, where the Master had his headquarters and where, whenever possible, he attended the synagogue. Jairus may well have witnessed previous miracles. It is remarkable, nevertheless, that with his darling daughter, his only child, so near to death, the man still has hope, still manifests a considerable degree of faith. Mark 5:24 And Jesus went with him;; So Jesus...--NEB; and much people followed him, and thronged him.; and a great multitude..., and they thronged him--ASV; and a great crowd...and thronged about him--RSV; ...kept following Him, and jostling Him-- Wms; and he departed with him. And there was following him a large multitude, and they were pressing upon him. and he went away with him. And there was following him a great multitude, and they were thronging him, TRNTyeagerV317,8 - kai apAlthen met' autou. Kai Akolouthei autw ochlos polus, kai sunethlibon auton. kai (continuative conjunction). apAlthen (3d.per.sing.aor.ind.of aperchomai, ingressive). met' (preposition with the genitive of accompaniment). autou (gen.sing.masc.of autos, accompaniment). Kai (continuative conjunction). Akolouthei (3d.per.sing.imp.act.ind.of akolouthew, inceptive). autw (dat.sing.masc.of autos, personal interest). ochlos (nom.sing.masc.of ochlos, subject of Akolouthei and sunethlibon). polus (nom.sing.masc.of polus, in agreement with ochlos). kai (continuative conjunction). sunethlibon (3d.per.pl.imp.act.ind.of sunthlibw, inceptive). throng - Mk.5:24,31. Meaning: A combination of sun and thlibw. Hence, to press together; to press upon something or someone from all sides. With reference to a thronging multitude of people - Mk.5:24,31. auton (acc.sing.masc.of autos, direct object of sunethlibon). Translation: "And He went away with him; and a large crowd began to follow Him and they were crowding around Him." COMMENT: Jesus at this time was popular in Capernaum. It was His temporary home. The news about the storm had spread, as had the episode in Gadara. Now Jairus makes his dramatic and humble plea. As Jesus and Jairus hurry away to the bedside of the dying child, the crowd begins to follow in order that they can witness another miracle. It becomes difficult for Jesus to make His way through the throng. Enroute to Jairus' home another incident occurs. MARK-TCGTCcranfield184 - sunethlibon auton (cf. thlibwsin in 3:9) prepares the way for the narrative in vs.25-34. MARKitGNTwuest109 - "Jesus went with him." The Greek has it, "went off with him promptly." "Much people followed Him." The imperfect is used. They kept on following Him. "Thronged Him." The verb is sunthilibw "to press together, to press on all sides." Lk. (8:42) uses the word sumpnigw "to press round or throng one so as almost to suffocate him." Translation: "And He went off with him. And there kept on following Him a large crowd, and they kept on pressing upon Him almost to the point of suffocation." NTC-MARKhendriksen203 - It is no surprise to read: So he (Jesus) went with him. Is he not the Savior, and this not only for the soul but for the entire person, soul and body? However, a statement follows which is both closely connected with that which precedes and also introduces what follows in verses 25-34. The statement is: A large crowd was following him and pressing upon him. This was not unusual; see 3:9; 4:1. What adds significance to it in the present situation is a). The very size of the crowd, together with the fact that the people were pressing upon or thronging Jesus, made progress toward the house of Jairus difficult. b). The presence of this crowd explains the action of the woman whose story follows. She thought that because of the enormous crowd she would be able to do what she wanted to do, and escape undetected (cf. Lk. 8:47). The first miracle interrupted by the second miracle - (a) Faith concealed - It has already been shown that the swirling crowd, delaying the performance of the first miracle and to a certain extent explaining what happened in connection with the second, connects the two stories. Two consecutive verses in Luke's Gospel (8:42,43) also supply a connection: the daughter of Jairus was twelve years of age; the woman had been suffering for a period of twelve years. But the two narratives can also be viewed as one, namely, the narrative of an interrupted and therefore all the more glorious miracle (Mk. 5:21-43 and parallels). In telling the story of Jesus and the woman, Matthew is again very brief. Note his three verses (9:20-22). Luke has nine (8:40-48). Mark, the action Gospel, spreads the various vivid details over ten verses (5:25-34). It is true here, as well as everywhere else in the Gospels, that none of the accounts is mere repetition. Each evangelist contributes something not reported by the others. Thus we would not want to miss Matthew's reference to the woman talking "to herself" (9:21), or his report of Jesus turning to the woman and saying to her, "Take heart" (or: "Take courage," "Be of good cheer"). Neither would we want to do without the clever manner in which Dr. Luke (8:43b), without contradicting Mark, yet prevents a possible misunderstandingof what Mark says about the physicians of that day (Mark 5:26, "a woman...who had suffered much from many physicians"). Luke is also the only one who brings Peter into the story (8:45). And as for Mark, neither Matthew nor even Luke presents the details of this story as vividly as he does. See especially 5:29-33. On the other hand, Mark does not even mention the tassel, only the garment (5:27,28). Contrast Matt. 9:20; Lk. 8:44. TNICotNT-MARKlane189,90 - The narrative of the radical healing of Jairus'daughter is presented in two parts (Ch. 5:21-24,35- 43) which are separated by the account of the healing of the woman who had lived with a hemorrhage for twelve years. The two incidents may have become associated in this way merely because there was an interruption to the journey which proved disastrous for the young girl. But it is possible that Mark saw more in this association: the healing of a woman who has lived with the impingement of death anticipates the healing of a girl who has actually experienced death. The structural device of intercalating one incident within another is paralleled by other instances in which Mark uses the device of anticipation. The detail with which Mark recalls the woman with the hemorrhage indicates that his concern extends beyond the mere passage of time. The healing experienced by the woman is itself a reversal of death and a pledge of the raising of Jairus' daughter. Jesus returned to the western shore of the lake, perhaps to Capernaum, and a multitude gathered around him while he was yet by the Sea. No indication is given whether the crowd came together as soon as he arrived or after an extended period of time; it is simply the first fact that Mark records, offering a contrast to Jesus' experience on the eastern shore where the inhabitants urged him to depart. All of the interest is focused upon Jairus and his urgent appeal to Jesus. He may have had contact with Jesus previously, since as synagogue-ruler he was a lay official responsible for supervision of the building and arranging the service. His request that Jesus should come and lay hands in healing upon his daughter reflects a common practice of the day. What was unusual was his confidence that if Jesus would come, his daughter's life would be saved. Jesus went with him, followed by the crowd. Mark's reference to the fact that they were pressing all around him prepares for the following account of the woman who touched Jesus in order to be healed. MARKj&d148,9,50 - "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 (Deut. 3:14), and later of one of the Judges of Israel (Jud. 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 (Lk. 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 fallng down at Jesus' feet and his entreating him greatly, "much" - i.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 of restoration - according 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 evening - only 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 give life 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 prefectly unselfish Being, never false to this divine character. God is the unselfish One, and Christ is the manifestation of God." (W.N. Clarke). MARKbarclay125,26,27,28 - There are all the elements of tragedy here. It is always tragic when a child is ill. The story tells us that the Ruler's daughter was twelve years and one day. This girl was just on the threshold of womanhood and when death comes at such a time it is doubly tragic. The story tells us something about this man who was the Ruler of the Synagogue. He must have been a person of some considerable importance. The Ruler of the Synagogue was the administrative head of the Synagogue. He was the president of the board of elders who were responsible for the good management of the Synagogue. He was responsible for the conduct of the services. He did not usually take part in them himself, but he was responsible for the allocation of duties, and for seeing that they were carried out with all seemliness and good order. The Ruler of the Synagogue was one of the most important and the most respected men in the community. But something had happened to him when his daughter fell ill and when he thought of Jesus. His prejudices were forgotten. There can be no doubt that he must have regarded Jesus as an outsider, as a dangerous heretic, as one to whom the Synagogue doors were closed, and one whom anyone who valued his orthodoxy would do well to avoid. But he was a big enough man to abandon his prejudices in his hour of need. Prejudice really means a judging beforehand. It is a judging before a man has examined the evidence, or a verdict given because of refusal to examine the evidence. Few things have done more to hold things up than prejudice. Nearly every forward step has had to fight against the initial prejudice against it. When Sir James Simpson discovered the use of chloroform as an anaesthetic, especially in the case of childbirth, chloroform was held to be, "a decoy of Satan, apparently opening itself to bless women, but in the end hardening them, and robbing God of the deep, earnest cries, that should arise to Him in time of trouble." A prejudiced mind shuts out a man from many a blessing. His dignity was forgotten. He, the Ruler of the Synagogue, came and threw himself at the feet of Jesus, the wandering teacher. Not a few times a man has had to forget his dignity to save his life and to save his soul. In the old story that is precisely what Naaman had to do (2 Kings 5). He had come to Elisha to be cured of his leprosy. Elisha's prescription was that he should go and wash in the Jordan seven times. That was no way to treat the Syrian Prime Minister! Elisha had not even delivered the message personally; he had sent it by a messenger! And, had they not far better rivers in Syria than the muddy little Jordan? These were Naaman's first thoughts; but he swallowed his pride and lost his leprosy. There is a famous story of Diogenes, the Cynic philosopher. He was captured by pirates and he was being sold as a slave. As he gazed at the bystanders who were bidding for him, he looked at a man. "Sell me to that man," he said. "He needs a master." The man bought him; handed over the management of his household and the education of his children to him. "It was a good day for me," he used to say, "when Diogenes entered my household." True, but that required an abrogating of dignity. It frequently happens that a man stands on his dignity and falls from grace. His pride was forgotten. It must have taken a conscious effort of humiliation for this Ruler of the Synagogue to come and ask for help from Jesus of Nazareth. It is true to say that no one wishes to be indebted to anyone else. We would like to run life on our own. The very first step of the Christian life is to realize that we cannot be anything other than indebted to God. Here we enter the realm of speculation, but it seems to me that we can say of this man that his friends were forgotten. It may well be that, to the end, they objected to him calling in this Jesus. It is rather strange that he came himself and did not send a messenger. It seems unlikely that he would consent to leave his daughter when she was on the point of death. Maybe he came because no one else would go. His household were suspiciously quick to tell him not to trouble Jesus anymore. It sounds almost as if they were glad not to call upon His help. It may well be that this ruler defied public opinion and home advice in order to call in Jesus. Many a man is wisest when his worldly wise friends think that he is acting like a fool. Here was a man who forgot everything except that he wanted the help of Jesus; and, just because he forgot, he would remember for ever after that Jesus is Saviour.