Matthew 9:18
While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.
Jairus, a Jewish ruler of the synagogue, comes to Jesus in great grief and reverence, falling down and worshiping at His feet and pleading for Him to come to his home and lay His hand upon his daughter that she may live. The girl is presented as already dead, even as having just died, while other accounts present her as lying at the point of death and given up to die by physicians. His appeal joins grief with confidence and trust that Jesus can preserve her life and even bring her back to life. Jesus at once complies in compassion and goes with him, moving slowly through the pressing crowd to minister as He goes, then bidding the fearful father only believe when death is announced. Taking the dead child's hand and telling her to get up, He instantly restores her to life, confirming His power to raise the dead, though she remained subject to death and was not given immortality.
The Ruler and His Request
The verse concerns Jairus, a Jewish ruler of the synagogue. The appeal happens while Jesus is eating in the house of Levi after returning across the sea to a large waiting crowd of rich and poor, high and low, including Pharisees, doctors, lawyers, and many sick and afflicted seeking teaching and healing. The ruler comes to Jesus in great distress, grief, and reverence, falling down and worshiping at His feet.
The verse presents his daughter as already dead, in one account as having just died. Other accounts present her in the verse as lying at the point of death and near death, given up to die by physicians and the most learned physicians. Though physicians had given her up, the father seeks Jesus at once for help for his dying child.
He pleads for Jesus to come to his home and lay His hand or hands on her so that she may be healed and live. His request expresses grief joined with confidence, faith, and trust that Jesus can preserve her life and even bring her back to life. He asks in desperate faith and reverence, confident she will live even though she is dead, believing Jesus can bring her back by that touch.
Jesus Goes and Restores Life
Jesus at once complies in compassion and tender sympathy and goes with the ruler toward his home, an act that surprises the disciples. He responds immediately to grief joined with confidence and faith that a touch of His hand will bring life even where death has entered. His willingness to go sets in motion the raising that follows the appeal.
Though the distance is short, progress is very slow because the crowd presses on every side eager to see Him and to seek help, while the anxious father urges his way through fearing delay. Jesus pities the people in their spiritual darkness and physical maladies and stops to minister to their wants even as He goes. That pause includes healing the diseased woman on the way, and the delay strengthens the father's faith and hope even as he urges Jesus to hasten to his home.
When a messenger announces that the daughter is dead and that it is useless to trouble the Master further, Jesus in pity tells the father not to be afraid but only to believe, and she will be made whole. The father presses closer to Jesus at that word. At the house Jesus permits only Peter, James, and John with the father and mother to enter the death room. He rebukes the hired mourners making a loud show of grief and describes her as sleeping rather than dead, at which they mock Him and leave at His command.
The verse introduces a raising that confirms His power to raise the dead: He takes the dead child's hand and softly tells her in her home language to get up. Life instantly returns with beating pulse, breathing, opened eyes, and a smile. She rises weak from long illness but free from disease and walks while her parents weep for joy, with life and health returning at once. He orders food to be given her and charges the household to keep it quiet, yet news spreads far and near that He raised the dead to life.
The incident shows Christ in His humanity healing the sick and restoring sight to the blind. Having left His royal throne He veiled His glory in humanity so humanity could touch humanity, afflicted in all points as people are yet without sin and feeling human woes and temptations so He knows how to help the tempted. He is the only way to the Father, and rightly studying and knowing what He is to the world and to each person individually is everlasting life. Though restored to life during His ministry, the ruler's daughter remained subject to death and was not given immortality.