The people laughed because Jesus made light of the girl’s condition. She really was dead, and to them death is final. Death was an obstacle for Jesus, too, but it was not the end of everything. Like other human disorders, death could be removed only by his saving work of dying on the cross in order to destroy death’s power forever. This work of his remained in the future. Yet, time made no difference. From God’s standpoint the work was as good as done. Jesus was already the Lord of life, and he had all authority over death…
Mark 5: 35-43
She Is Just Sleeping…
While Jesus was saying this, some messengers came from Jairus’ house and told him, “Your daughter has died. Why bother the Teacher any longer?” Jesus paid no attention to what they said, but told him, “Don’t be afraid, and only believe.” Then he did not let anyone else go on with him except Peter and James and his brother John.
They arrived at Jairus’ house, where Jesus saw the confusion and heard all the loud crying and wailing. He went in and said to them, “Why all this confusion? Why are you crying? The child is not dead—she is only sleeping!”
They started making fun of him, so he put them all out, took the child’s father and mother and his three disciples, and went into the room where the child was lying. He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha, koum,” which means, “Little girl, I tell you to get up!”
She got up at once and started walking around. (She was twelve years old.) When this happened, they were completely amazed. Then Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell anyone, and he said, “Give her something to eat.”
