Mark 5:35-43
35. Thy daughter is dead; why troublest thou the Master any further?—the Teacher.
36. he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe—Jesus, knowing how the heart of the agonized father would sink at the tidings, and the reflections at the delay which would be apt to rise in his mind, hastens to reassure him, and in His accustomed style: "Be not afraid, only believe"—words of unchanging preciousness and power! How vividly do such incidents bring out Christ's knowledge of the human heart and tender sympathy! (Heb 4:15).
37. And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James—(See on Mr 1:29).
38. And he cometh—rather, "they come."
to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly—"the minstrels and the people making a noise" (Mt 9:23) —lamenting for the dead. (See 2Ch 35:25; Jer 9:20; Am 5:16).39. And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth—so brief her state of death as to be more like a short sleep.
40. And they laughed him to scorn—rather, simply, "laughed at Him"—"knowing that she was dead" (Lu 8:53); an important testimony this to the reality of her death.
But when he had put them all out—The word is strong—"turned them all out"; meaning all those who were making this noise, and any others that may have been there from sympathy, that only those might be present who were most nearly concerned, and those whom He had Himself brought as witnesses of the great act about to be done. he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him—Peter, and James, and John. and entereth in where the damsel was lying.41. And he took the damsel by the hand—as He did Peter's mother-in-law (Mr 1:31).
and said unto her, Talitha cumi—The words are Aramaic, or Syro-Chaldaic, the then language of Palestine. Mark loves to give such wonderful words just as they were spoken. See Mr 7:34; 14:36.42. And straightway the damsel—The word here is different from that in Mr 5:39-41, and signifies "young maiden," or "little girl."
arose, and walked—a vivid touch evidently from an eye-witness. And they were astonished with a great astonishment—The language here is the strongest.43. And he charged them straitly—strictly.
that no man should know it—The only reason we can assign for this is His desire not to let the public feeling regarding Him come too precipitately to a crisis. and commanded that something should be given her to eat—in token of perfect restoration.