Jairus' Daughter is Restored to Life.
The Curing of the Woman With a Hemorrhage
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[21] And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about Him; and He was beside the sea. [22] Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing Him, he fell at His feet, [23] and besought Him, saying, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live." [24] And He went with him.
And a great crowd followed Him and thronged about Him. [25] And there was a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years, [26] and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. [27] She had heard the reports about Jesus, and came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. [28] For she said, "If I touch even His garments, I shall be made well." [29] And immediately the hemorrhage ceased; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. [30] And Jesus, perceiving in Himself that power had gone forth from Him, immediately turned about in the crowd, and said, "Who touched My garments?" [31] And His disciples said to Him, "You see the crowd pressing around You, and yet You say, `Who touched Me?'" [32] And He looked around to see who had done it. [33] But the woman, knowing what had been done to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before Him, and told Him the whole truth. [34] and He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."
[35] While He was speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?" [36] But ignoring what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe." [37] And He allowed no one to follow Him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. [38] When they came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, He saw a tumult, and people weeping and wailing loudly. [39] And when He had entered, He said to them, "Why do you make a tumult and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping." [40] And they laughed at Him. But He put them all outside, and took the child's father and mother and those who were with Him, and went in where the child was. [41] Taking her by the hand He said to her, Talitha cumi; which means, "Little girl, I say to you arise." [42] And immediately the girl got up and walked; for she was twelve years old. And immediately they were overcome with amazement. [43] And He strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.
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Commentary:
21-43. Both Jairus and the woman with the flow of blood give us an example of faith in Christ's omnipotence, for only a miracle can cure Jairus' daughter, who is on her death-bed, and heal this lady, who has done everything humanly possible to get better. Similarly, the Christian should always expect God to help him overcome the obstacles in the way of his sanctification. Normally, God's help comes to us in an unspectacular way, but we should not doubt that, if it is necessary for our salvation, God will again work miracles. However, we should bear in mind that what the Lord expects of us is that we should every day fulfill His will.
22. At the head of each synagogue was the archisynagogist, whose function it was to organize the meetings of the synagogue on Sabbaths and holy days, to lead the prayer and hymns and to indicate who should explain the Sacred Scripture. He was assisted in his task by a council and also had an aide who looked after the material side of things.
25. This woman suffered from an illness which implied legal impurity (Leviticus 14:25ff). Medical attention had failed to cure her; on the contrary, as the Gospel puts it so realistically, she was worse than ever. In addition to her physical suffering--which had gone on for twelve years--she suffered the shame of feeling unclean according to the Law. The Jews not only regarded a woman in this position as being impure: everything she touched became unclean as well. Therefore, in order not to be noticed by the people, the woman came up to Jesus from behind and, out of delicacy, touched only His garment. Her faith is enriched by her expression of humility: she is conscious of being unworthy to touch our Lord. "She touched the hem of His garment, she approached Him in a spirit of faith, she believed, and she realized that she was cured [...]. So we too, if we wish to be saved, should reach out in faith to touch the garment of Christ" (St. Ambrose, Expositio Evangelii Sec. Lucam, VI, 56 and 58).
30. In all that crowd pressing around Him only this woman actually touched Jesus--and she touched Him not only with her hand but with the faith she bore in her heart. St. Augustine comments: "She touches Him, the people crowd Him. Is her touching not a sign of her belief?" (In Ioann. Evang., 26, 3). We need contact with Jesus. We have been given no other means under Heaven by which to be saved (cf. Acts 4:12). When we receive Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, we obtain this physical contact through the sacramental species. We too need to enliven our faith if these encounters with our Lord are to redound to our salvation (cf. Matthew 13:58).
37. Jesus did not want more than these three Apostles to be present: three was the number of witnesses laid down by the Law (Deuteronomy 19:15). "For Jesus, being humble, never acted in an ostentatious way (Theophilactus, Enarratio In Evangelium Marci, in loc.). Besides these were the three disciples closest to Jesus: later, only they will be with Him at the Transfiguration (cf. 9:2) and at His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane (cf. 14:33).
39. Jesus' words are in contrast with those of the ruler's servants; they say: "Your daughter is dead"; whereas He says: "She is not dead but sleeping". "To men's eyes she was dead, she could not be awoken; in God's eyes she was sleeping, for her soul was alive and was subject to God's power, and her body was resting, awaiting the Resurrection. Hence the custom which arose among Christians of referring to the dead, whom we know will rise again, as those who are asleep" (St. Bede, In Marci Evangelium Expositio, in loc.). What Jesus says shows us that, for God, death is only a kind of sleep, for He can awaken anyone from the dead whenever He wishes. The same happens with the death and resurrection of Lazarus. Jesus says: "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him out of sleep." And, when the disciples think that it is ordinary sleep He is referring to, our Lord tells them plainly: "Lazarus is dead" (cf. John 11:11ff).
40-42. Like all the Gospel miracles the raising of the daughter of Jairus demonstrates Christ's divinity. Only God can work miracles; sometimes He does them in a direct way, sometimes by using created things as a medium. The exclusively divine character of miracles--especially the miracle of raising the dead--is noticed in the Old Testament: "The Lord wills and brings to life; He brings down to Sheol and raises up" (1 Samuel 2:6), because He has "power over life and death" (Wisdom 16:13). And also in the Old Testament God uses men to raise the dead to life: the prophet Elijah revives the son of the widow of Sarepta by "crying to the Lord" (cf. 1 Kings 17:21), and Elisha prevails on Him to raise the son of the Shunammite (2 Kings 4:33).
In the same way, in the New Testament the Apostles do not act by their own power but by that of Jesus to whom they first offer fervent prayer: Peter restores to life a Christian woman of Joppa named Tabitha (Acts 9:36ff); and Paul, in Troas, brings Eutychus back to life after he falls from a high window (Acts 20:7ff). Jesus does not refer to any superior power; His authority is sovereign: all He has to do is give the order and the daughter of Jairus is brought back to life; this shows that He is God.
| Mark | |||
| English: Douay-Rheims | Latin: Vulgata Clementina | Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000) | |
| Mark 5 | |||
| 21. | And when Jesus had passed again in the ship over the strait, a great multitude assembled together unto him, and he was nigh unto the sea. | Et cum transcendisset Jesus in navi rursum trans fretum, convenit turba multa ad eum, et erat circa mare. | και διαπερασαντος του ιησου εν τω πλοιω παλιν εις το περαν συνηχθη οχλος πολυς επ αυτον και ην παρα την θαλασσαν |
| 22. | And there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue named Jairus: and seeing him, falleth down at his feet. | Et venit quidam de archisynagogis nomine Jairus, et videns eum procidit ad pedes ejus, | και ιδου ερχεται εις των αρχισυναγωγων ονοματι ιαειρος και ιδων αυτον πιπτει προς τους ποδας αυτου |
| 23. | And he besought him much, saying: My daughter is at the point of death, come, lay thy hand upon her, that she may be safe, and may live. | et deprecabatur eum multum, dicens : Quoniam filia mea in extremis est, veni, impone manum super eam, ut salva sit, et vivat. | και παρεκαλει αυτον πολλα λεγων οτι το θυγατριον μου εσχατως εχει ινα ελθων επιθης αυτη τας χειρας οπως σωθη και ζησεται |
| 24. | And he went with him, and a great multitude followed him, and they thronged him. | Et abiit cum illo, et sequebatur eum turba multa, et comprimebant eum. | και απηλθεν μετ αυτου και ηκολουθει αυτω οχλος πολυς και συνεθλιβον αυτον |
| 25. | And a woman who was under an issue of blood twelve years, | Et mulier, quæ erat in profluvio sanguinis annis duodecim, | και γυνη τις ουσα εν ρυσει αιματος ετη δωδεκα |
| 26. | And had suffered many things from many physicians; and had spent all that she had, and was nothing the better, but rather worse, | et fuerat multa perpessa a compluribus medicis : et erogaverat omnia sua, nec quidquam profecerat, sed magis deterius habebat : | και πολλα παθουσα υπο πολλων ιατρων και δαπανησασα τα παρ αυτης παντα και μηδεν ωφεληθεισα αλλα μαλλον εις το χειρον ελθουσα |
| 27. | When she had heard of Jesus, came in the crowd behind him, and touched his garment. | cum audisset de Jesu, venit in turba retro, et tetigit vestimentum ejus : | ακουσασα περι του ιησου ελθουσα εν τω οχλω οπισθεν ηψατο του ιματιου αυτου |
| 28. | For she said: If I shall touch but his garment, I shall be whole. | dicebat enim : Quia si vel vestimentum ejus tetigero, salva ero. | ελεγεν γαρ οτι καν των ιματιων αυτου αψωμαι σωθησομαι |
| 29. | And forthwith the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the evil. | Et confestim siccatus est fons sanguinis ejus : et sensit corpore quia sanata esset a plaga. | και ευθεως εξηρανθη η πηγη του αιματος αυτης και εγνω τω σωματι οτι ιαται απο της μαστιγος |
| 30. | And immediately Jesus knowing in himself the virtue that had proceeded from him, turning to the multitude, said: Who hath touched my garments? | Et statim Jesus in semetipso cognoscens virtutem quæ exierat de illo, conversus ad turbam, aiebat : Quis tetigit vestimenta mea ? | και ευθεως ο ιησους επιγνους εν εαυτω την εξ αυτου δυναμιν εξελθουσαν επιστραφεις εν τω οχλω ελεγεν τις μου ηψατο των ιματιων |
| 31. | And his disciples said to him: Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou who hath touched me? | Et dicebant ei discipuli sui : Vides turbam comprimentem te, et dicis : Quis me tetigit ? | και ελεγον αυτω οι μαθηται αυτου βλεπεις τον οχλον συνθλιβοντα σε και λεγεις τις μου ηψατο |
| 32. | And he looked about to see her who had done this. | Et circumspiciebat videre eam, quæ hoc fecerat. | και περιεβλεπετο ιδειν την τουτο ποιησασαν |
| 33. | But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. | Mulier vero timens et tremens, sciens quod factum esset in se, venit et procidit ante eum, et dixit ei omnem veritatem. | η δε γυνη φοβηθεισα και τρεμουσα ειδυια ο γεγονεν επ αυτη ηλθεν και προσεπεσεν αυτω και ειπεν αυτω πασαν την αληθειαν |
| 34. | And he said to her: Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole: go in peace, and be thou whole of thy disease. | Ille autem dixit ei : Filia, fides tua te salvam fecit : vade in pace, et esto sana a plaga tua. | ο δε ειπεν αυτη θυγατερ η πιστις σου σεσωκεν σε υπαγε εις ειρηνην και ισθι υγιης απο της μαστιγος σου |
| 35. | While he was yet speaking, some come from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying: Thy daughter is dead: why dost thou trouble the master any further? | Adhuc eo loquente, veniunt ab archisynagago, dicentes : Quia filia tua mortua est : quid ultra vexas magistrum ? | ετι αυτου λαλουντος ερχονται απο του αρχισυναγωγου λεγοντες οτι η θυγατηρ σου απεθανεν τι ετι σκυλλεις τον διδασκαλον |
| 36. | But Jesus having heard the word that was spoken, saith to the ruler of the synagogue: Fear not, only believe. | Jesus autem audito verbo quod dicebatur, ait archisynagogo : Noli timere : tantummodo crede. | ο δε ιησους ευθεως ακουσας τον λογον λαλουμενον λεγει τω αρχισυναγωγω μη φοβου μονον πιστευε |
| 37. | And he admitted not any man to follow him, but Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. | Et non admisit quemquam se sequi nisi Petrum, et Jacobum, et Joannem fratrem Jacobi. | και ουκ αφηκεν ουδενα αυτω συνακολουθησαι ει μη πετρον και ιακωβον και ιωαννην τον αδελφον ιακωβου |
| 38. | And they come to the house of the ruler of the synagogue; and he seeth a tumult, and people weeping and wailing much. | Et veniunt in domum archisynagogi, et videt tumultum, et flentes, et ejulantes multum. | και ερχεται εις τον οικον του αρχισυναγωγου και θεωρει θορυβον κλαιοντας και αλαλαζοντας πολλα |
| 39. | And going in, he saith to them: Why make you this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. | Et ingressus, ait illis : Quid turbamini, et ploratis ? puella non est mortua, sed dormit. | και εισελθων λεγει αυτοις τι θορυβεισθε και κλαιετε το παιδιον ουκ απεθανεν αλλα καθευδει |
| 40. | And they laughed him to scorn. But he having put them all out, taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. | Et irridebant eum. Ipse vero ejectis omnibus assumit patrem, et matrem puellæ, et qui secum erant, et ingreditur ubi puella erat jacens. | και κατεγελων αυτου ο δε εκβαλων παντας παραλαμβανει τον πατερα του παιδιου και την μητερα και τους μετ αυτου και εισπορευεται οπου ην το παιδιον ανακειμενον |
| 41. | And taking the damsel by the hand, he saith to her: Talitha cumi, which is, being interpreted: Damsel (I say to thee) arise. | Et tenens manum puellæ, ait illi : Talitha cumi, quod est interpretatum : Puella (tibi dico), surge. | και κρατησας της χειρος του παιδιου λεγει αυτη ταλιθα κουμι ο εστιν μεθερμηνευομενον το κορασιον σοι λεγω εγειραι |
| 42. | And immediately the damsel rose up, and walked: and she was twelve years old: and they were astonished with a great astonishment. | Et confestim surrexit puella, et ambulabat : erat autem annorum duodecim : et obstupuerunt stupore magno. | και ευθεως ανεστη το κορασιον και περιεπατει ην γαρ ετων δωδεκα και εξεστησαν εκστασει μεγαλη |
| 43. | And he charged them strictly that no man should know it: and commanded that something should be given her to eat. | Et præcepit illis vehementer ut nemo id sciret : et dixit dari illi manducare. | και διεστειλατο αυτοις πολλα ινα μηδεις γνω τουτο και ειπεν δοθηναι αυτη φαγειν |