Smoodock's Blog

Matthew tells us that a “certain ruler” came to Jesus (Matthew 9:18), but both Mark and Luke tell us his name, Jarius. Why would Matthew leave out his name in the text? Near the time of his crucifixion, we are told that many rulers believed in Jesus, but they didn’t confess him out of fear of being cast out of the synagogues (John 12:42). Therefore, if the rulers of the synagogues were under the threat of excommunication, if they supported Jesus, shouldn’t we conclude that, at some point in his public ministry, Jesus must have been put out of the synagogue?

Consider, for example, that Jesus healed a woman, who for 18 years had been bowed down and couldn’t straighten up. The ruler of the synagogue, became indignant over what was done, and ignoring Jesus, the Healer, chastised the people, telling them the Sabbath was a day of rest, so healing shouldn’t be done, until after the Sabbath was past (Luke 13:11-14). Before this point in Luke the text has Jesus entering and teaching in the synagogues, especially in Galilee. However, after he healed this woman, there is no record of Jesus ever having entered another synagogue.

What’s my point? From the very beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, he was held in suspicion and opposed by the Jewish authorities, who had sought opportunities to accuse him and even to have him arrested and imprisoned or even slain by Herod. Jesus was never held in a good light by the Jewish authorities. Therefore, if, as I believe, Matthew’s narrative was the first Gospel narrative written, and written early to give to pilgrims, who had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the annual feasts, Jarius may have still ruled a synagogue in Galilee, when Matthew wrote his narrative. To name him could have brought him trouble, so Matthew leaves the ruler anonymous. Of course, my opinion of Matthew’s intention can’t be proved, but it is a logical conclusion, considering my early placement of Matthew’ work and the religious and political climate of Jesus’ day.

So, a certain ruler of a local synagogue came to Jesus, apparently while he was still feasting with Matthew, who made a feast in honor Jesus, so his friends could meet him (Matthew 9:18; cp. 9:10-11). The ruler, Jarius by name (Mark 5:22; Luke 8:41) bowed before Jesus and asked him to come and heal his daughter who was already dead, but if he would lay his hands on her she would live.[1] Therefore, Jesus arose and followed Jarius to his home, where the minstrels and the people were already making mournful noise (Matthew 9:19, 23; cp. 2Chronicles 35:25).

When Jesus arrived and saw all the mourning, he told the mourners that the young girl was but sleeping. Nevertheless, they didn’t appreciate Jesus’ words of comfort, believing they were empty words that offered false hope (Matthew 2:24). Therefore, Jesus had the people put outside, leaving only himself, his disciples and Jarius and his wife present with the young maiden lying dead on her bed.

When Jesus laid his hands upon her, she arose (Matthew 9:25). Some scholars want to take Jesus’ words “…the maid is not dead, but sleeps” literally, but to “sleep” is often used figuratively for death (John 11:11-14; 1Corinthians 15:51-52), and for the most part, when folks claimed a person was dead, he was dead, indeed. So, I believe Jesus was speaking figuratively of the young girl. With only the parents and three of Jesus’ disciples present, when he raised the young girl to life, we have five witnesses of what was done, vis-à-vis Jesus had power to raise the dead (cp. John 5:21). Thus, Jesus’ fame over this event spread throughout the land (Matthew 9:26).

[1] Matthew’s statement is correct, but according to the other Synoptics, Jarius said she was at the point of death. Nevertheless, before he had left the multitude, one of Jarius’ servants came to inform him of her death, and Jesus shouldn’t be troubled, which he would have been, if he came to Jarius’ home where many of the Jewish authorities were gathered, as they sought to comfort Jarius and his wife (Mark 5:35, 40; Luke 8:49, 53).