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“Your daughter is dead. Don’t bother him.”
Jarius’ friends said she died so he had no further need to ask Jesus to heal her. Evidently, they believed Jesus could heal sick people, but they didn’t think he could raise dead people.
Jesus and the others still went to Jarius’ house where Jesus said, “She isn’t dead. She’s asleep.”
They laughed at him.
Jesus paid no attention to Jarius’ incredulous friends. He simply wanted Jarius to believe in him. Jesus would soon bring to life a dead daughter in front of those who didn’t think he could do it.
* * *
But I want to first note something interesting that happens between Jarius’ initial plea to Jesus and the arrival of Jarius’ friends to tell him his daughter already died.
Mark interrupts the Jarius scene to depict the actions of a diseased woman. She believed she could be healed by touching Jesus.
She fought the crowd and touched him. The disease left her.
Jesus responded, “Your faith has made you well.” The faith of the diseased woman healed her, but Jarius nor his friends or family had faith in Jesus.
They didn’t believe he could heal the girl who was just twelve years old. Once the girl’s breath ceased from her lungs, so did their hope of her restoration.
* * *
After arriving to Jarius’ house, Jesus took James, John, Jarius, and Jarius’ wife with him to the room of the dead girl. He said, “Talitha Koum,” which means “young girl, arise.”
The dead girl did not resurrect in the sense that Jesus resurrected and received his new body. Jesus resuscitated her in her old body.
She arose and walked around. Jesus told the astonished parents to feed her and keep quiet about this miracle.
The faith of the diseased woman compelled her to seek restoration in Jesus, but Jesus’ compassion for Jarius, and his daughter, compelled him to heal her.
Jesus displayed his power over death before his resurrection.
He displayed this power so that people would believe he is who he says he is, come to him, and receive restoration.
He displayed his power over death not only to comfort those who already believe in him, but also to create belief in those who do not now do so.