Jairus
| When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around Him while He was by the lake. Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at His feet and pleaded earnestly with Him, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live." So Jesus went with him. ...[INTERLUDE}.... While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher any more?" Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe." He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep." But they laughed at Him. After He put them all out, He took the child's father and mother and the disciples who were with Him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!"). Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat. (Mark5:21-43) |
Let's think about Jairus...
It must be said that most of the religious leaders where opposed to Jesus. Jairus must have been different or desperate to come to Jesus. I suspect it was a bit of both. His desperation is seen in how he fell at Jesus' feet and pleaded with Him. His differentness is seen in how he trusts Jesus even after the interruption and the news of his daughter's passing.
I'm fascinated at the moment where all the professional mourners and musicians laugh at Jesus. Mark simply says "After He put them all out..."
Don Fransisco puts it like this:
"With authority I've never heard from the lips of any man,
He spoke and every sound rolled out with the thunder of command,
And in the sudden silence they all hurried for the door
Wondering what the reason was they'd ever come there for."
Then look at the tenderness of the resurrection. He takes her hand and says "Little girl, get up"
And then, when she awakes, He tells them to keep this private and with the tenderness that we would associate with doting granny, He reminds them to give her something to eat."
Imagine the roller coaster Jairus must have been through.
Imagine his pictures of Jesus.
There's hope, then frustration as He stops, a glimmer of hope when he sees Jesus' compassion for the woman, blind trust when he hears of his daughter's passing and Jesus tells him to believe. Then horror when the mourners laugh and goosebumps when Jesus dismisses them and then awe and wonder when He raises his daughter from the dead.
What a story he would have to tell!
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You can listen to and watch Don Francisco's dramatic retelling of this story here: https://youtu.be/F8F4UyuzEO4
