The scriptures for both #61 and #62 are woven together
with each event having an influencing affect upon the other. Please first read
the scriptures as a single unit to get the feeling of those who experienced
both events. Matthew 9:18-26; Mark 5:22-43; and Luke 8:41-56.
#61
Raising of the Daughter of Jairus
Our Lord of the Gospels
President J. Reuben Clark Jr.
“Jairus,
a ruler of the synagogue, whose daughter lies dying, comes and asks Jesus to
come and lay his hands on her that she may live; while they are on the way,
messengers come saying the daughter is dead; Jesus bids Jairus have faith,
saying all will be well; reaching the house Jesus tells the people there that
the child is not dead but sleeps; they laugh him to scorn; taking Peter, James,
and John, and the father and mother into the room with him, and putting all
others out, he takes the daughter by the hand and commands her to rise; she
rises straightway and he commands that they give her something to eat and
charges them they shall tell no man what was done.”
Jesus the Christ
Apostle James E. Talmage
“Jesus
and his attendants recrossed the lake from the land of Gadara to the vicinity
of Capernaum, where He was received with acclamation by a multitude of people,
“for they were all waiting for him.” Immediately after landing, Jesus was
approached by Jairus, one of the rulers of the local synagogue, who “besought
him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray
thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall
live.”
“The
fact of this man’s coming to Jesus, with the spirit of faith and supplication,
is an evidence of the deep impression the ministry of Christ had made even in
priestly and ecclesiastical circles. Many of the Jews, rulers and officials as
well as the people in common, believed in Jesus; though few belonging to the
upper classes were willing to sacrifice prestige and popularity by
acknowledging their discipleship. That Jairus, one of the rulers of the
synagogue, came only when impelled by grief over the impending death of his
only daughter, a girl of twelve years, is no evidence that he has not before
become a believer; certainly at this time his faith was genuine and his trust
sincere, as the circumstances of the narrative prove. He approached Jesus with
the reverence due One whom he considered able to grant what he asked, and fell
at the Lord’s feet, or as Matthew says, worshiped Him. When the man had started
from his home to seek aid of Jesus, the maiden was at the point of death; he
feared lest she had died in the interval. In the very brief account given in
the first Gospel, he is reported as saying to Jesus: “My daughter is even now
dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her and she shall live.” Jesus went with
the imploring father, and many followed.
“On
the way to the house an incident occurred to hinder progress. A sorely
afflicted woman was healed, under circumstances of peculiar interest; this
occurrence we shall consider presently. No intimation is given that Jairus
showed impatience or displeasure over the delay; he had placed trust in the
Master and awaited His time and pleasure; while Christ was engaged in the
matter of the suffering woman, messengers came from the ruler’s house with the
saddening word that the girl was dead. We may infer that even these dread
tidings of certainty failed to destroy the man’s faith; he seems to have still
looked to the Lord for help, and those who had brought the message asked, “Why
troublest thou the Master any further – ?” Jesus heard what was said, and
sustained the man’s sorely taxed faith by the encouraging behest: “Be not
afraid, only believe.” Jesus permitted none of His followers save three of the
apostles to enter the house with Himself and the bereaved but trusting father.
Peter and the two brothers James and John were admitted.
“The
house was no place of such respectful silence or subdued quiet as we now
consider appropriate to the time and place of death; on the contrary it was a
scene of tumult, but that condition was customary in the orthodox observances
of mourning at the time. Professional mourners, including singers of weird
dirges, and minstrels who made great noise with flutes and other instruments,
had already been summoned to the house. To all such Jesus said, on entering,
“Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead but sleepeth.” It was
in effect a repetition of His comment uttered on a then recent occasion –
Peace, be still. His words drew scorn and ridicule from those who were paid for
the noise they made, and who, if what He said proved true, would lose this
opportunity of professional service. Moreover, they knew the maid was dead;
preparations for the funeral, which custom required should follow death as
speedily as possible, were already in progress. Jesus ordered these people out,
and restored peace to the house. He then entered the death chamber, accompanied
only by the three apostles and the parents of the girl. Taking the dead maiden
by the hand He “said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is being interpreted,
Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.” To the astonishment of all but the Lord, the
girl arose, left her bed, and walked. Jesus directed that food be given her, as
bodily needs, suspended by death, had returned with the girl’s renewal of
life.
“The
Lord imposed an obligation of secrecy, charging all present to refrain from
telling what they had seen. The reasons for this injunction are not stated.”
Note: Peter, James, and John were the only three of
the Twelve selected by Jesus to witness the raising of the daughter of Jairus.
They will be the same three to witness the transfiguration of Jesus, and then
the sole witnesses of our Lord’s agony in Gethsemane.
The Mortal Messiah, book 2
Apostle Bruce R. McConkie
“[Jesus]
has just spoken peace to a Galilean tempest and called a legion of devils out
of a wracked and tormented body, acting in each case on his own authority,
taking no steps to build up the faith of the beneficiaries of his goodness.
Each of these miracles manifest the absolute power inherent in him; sometimes
Jesus healed the sick because he had faith to heal and not because they had faith
to be healed.
“But
now in the case of Jairus’s daughter and the woman with the issue of blood, we
are about to see healings because those who sought the blessing had faith to be
healed. And in each instance we shall see the Blessed One – bearing in himself,
as it were, the sicknesses and infirmities of his brethren – we shall see him,
with tender solicitude, encourage and increase the faith of those who see his
goodness; we shall see him strengthen their faith lest by any chance they fail
to obtain the blessings they seek.
“One
of the first to meet Jesus as he came ashore was Jairus, “ruler of the
synagogue” in Capernaum. We know Jesus had preached often and wrought miracles
in that very house of worship, and we know that such preaching was done at the
solicitation of the Jewish elders who held local synagogue rule. Thus Jesus and
Jairus knew and respected each other; this devout Jew had heard Jesus preach,
had believed his words, and had rejoiced in the knowledge of other miracles. Is
it too much to suppose he was present on that glorious Capernaum Sabbath when
Jesus cast the evil spirit from the man in the synagogue of that city?
“But
whatever their prior association, Jairus had faith in Christ, and coming this
day, “he fell down at Jesus’ feet” “and worshipped him.” “My little daughter
lieth at the point of death,” he said. “I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on
her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.”
“Can
anyone doubt the faith of Jairus? Or that he knew and understood the ordinance
of administration to the sick? “Come and lay thy hands on her,” he pled, “and
she shall live!” “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the
church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the
Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him
up.” (James 5:14-15) “And the elders of the church, two or more, shall be
called, and shall pray for and lay their hands upon them in my name.” (D &
C 42:44)
Glenn R. McGettigan
May 2019
References
“Our Lord of the Gospels.” Clark
“The Mortal Messiah. Book 2.” McConkie
