Upon his arrival at the home of Jarius, Jesus saw that those who were in the house were in great confusion and weeping uncontrollably (Mark 5:38). Matthew tells us there were minstrels or flute-players there, and they seemed to be exciting the crowd to a mood of sadness and hysterical weeping (Matthew 9:23). So, he first addressed the people, saying the child was only asleep and not dead (Mark 5:39).[1] So, when they laughed him to scorn, for they knew she was dead (Luke 8:53), Jesus, acting as though he were the master of the house (cp. Matthew 3:27), put them out of the dwelling (Mark 5:40).
One has to wonder how folks, who are one moment weeping uncontrollably, are able to suddenly turn to laughter and sarcasm the next. I believe what we find in Jarius’ home are professional or hired mourners. The presence of Matthew’s flute-players tell us this is probably so. Moreover, their reaction to Jesus seems to indicate they were not moved by his miracle working power, as the multitudes were. They are probably Pharisees who have intimidated others, including Jarius, into rejecting Jesus’ claim to be Messiah. Nevertheless, Jesus shows himself to be the Master of the house, by removing his enemies, leaving only himself together with the parents of the child and his witnesses, Peter, James and John.
Thus, Mark helps his readers to understand varying degrees of faith in this chapter. First, we have those with no faith at all. These are they who not only reject Jesus as the Messiah, they also labor to destroy the Gospel. Such are the Pharisees and the Jewish authorities. Next, we have those who seem to have faith, but are really only curious about what Jesus is doing. The multitude that gathers around Jesus fall into this category. They may seem to have faith, but, in reality, they serve only to hinder those who do have faith and are beginning to walk with Christ. Next, we have the demoniac, who seems to stand for folks who all their lives have been taught one thing, but come to understand they’re wrong. They are troubled with their new understanding, so they need help to know that the truth they see is real (Mark 5:10, 12-13). Moreover, they also need to tell others what has been done for them in order to solidify their new found faith in Christ (Mark 5:19-20).
In the woman with the flow of blood we discover folks with saving faith, but they need to be informed of the truth. The woman thought there was power in Jesus’ robe (Mark 5:25, 27-28), but Jesus told her the power was in her faith (Mark 5:34). These folks also need to come out of hiding and publicly admit to their walk with Jesus in order to solidify their new understanding (Mark 5:30). Finally, in Jarius, we find faith that must be strong enough to face down a third party (Mark 5:22-23). These folks also need to be encouraged to keep that faith. Discouraging things happen and left to themselves, they might give up, but Jesus kept encouraging Jarius (Mark 5:35-36) and kept ridding him of those folks who held him back (Mark 5:37) and intimidated him and ridiculed the presence of Jesus in his life (Mark 5:40).
So, as the child’s parents and Jesus’ three disciples entered the room, where the young girl lay, Jesus told her to arise, and she did, to the astonishment of all present. Jarius’ faith blossomed into new life. His daughter arose out of the grip of death (Mark 5:41-42), and Jarius would never be the same again. Jesus refers to himself as the resurrection and the life (John 11:25), and the rising of this young girl is a picture of the resurrection of all believers who have repented and come to Jesus (cp. Ephesians 2:1-5). She was twelve years of age, the time of her life when she would come of age. That is, she was now of marriageable age,[2] and at twelve she was considered responsible enough to keep the Law. So, her first steps in her new life (Mark 5:42) pictures the repentant believer’s new walk with Christ.
What I find interesting is that, first, Jesus told the demoniac he needed to tell others what the Lord had done for him. Secondly, he wouldn’t let the woman with the flow of blood, who had been healed, remain unknown. Nevertheless, Jarius and his wife were told to be silent (Mark 5:43). They were told not to say anything about what occurred. Now, the fact that the young girl had arisen from the dead (cp. Luke 8:53) couldn’t be hid, so what did Jesus mean that no man should know[3] of it?
What I believe Jesus meant by keeping silent was that the parents shouldn’t use their daughter as evidence that Jesus is the Messiah. Let unbelieving folks have an excuse to think the girl had merely swooned or something similar. Otherwise, they would be putting the young girls’ life, as well as their own, in danger. We can understand this to be so by considering what occurred when Lazarus was raised from the dead. When Lazarus was raised after being dead for four days, no one could deny the miracle. Therefore, Jesus’ enemies not only sought Jesus’ life, but Lazarus’ as well (John 12:9-11).
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[1] Some say the young girl wasn’t dead, because Jesus said she was only sleeping, but the fact is, she was dead (cp. Luke 8:53), as the text clearly claims. Jesus sees death as one being asleep, because one day all will arise. So, when he told his disciples that Lazarus was asleep (John 11:11) but seeing they didn’t understand, he told them plainly that he was dead (John 11:12-14).
[2] That is, a marriage could be arranged for her by her parents. It was a binding contract, an engagement, but the young girl remained with her parents, and the marriage would be consummated at a later date. Consider the arrangement between Joseph and Mary. She remained a virgin, and the engagement required a ‘divorce’ (cp. Matthew 1:18-25).
[3] The Greek word used by Mark is ginosko (G1097) and means to know by experience. Nathanael’s question how Jesus knew (G1097) him, since they never met (John 1:48). Therefore, if Jarius began telling others that Jesus was the Messiah by using his daughter as physical evidence, Jesus’ enemies would be pushed to getting rid of the “evidence” as well as silencing Jarius.
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