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Mark 5:38

in Mark 5

When they arrived at the house of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw the commotion and the people weeping and wailing loudly.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And they come to the house of the ruler of the synagogue; and he beholdeth a tumult, and many weeping and wailing greatly.

KJV

And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.

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This verse in Mark 5

Commentary

9 notes on this verse
And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue,.... Along with him, and the three disciples above mentioned; and the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions read, "and they came", the above persons: and seeing the tumult; the throng and crowd of people, of relations, friends, neighbours, and acquaintance, on this occasion, all in a hurry, and in one motion or another, expressing their concern by words and gestures.

This site's exposition

Your daughter is dead

on Mark 5:35-40

Messengers arrived with the word Your daughter is dead, and the delay in the crowd has cost, humanly speaking, everything. Jesus said to Jairus Do not be afraid, and He asks for the faith the woman had just shown.

This site's exposition

weeping and wailing loudly

Ambrose notes that the funeral had already begun, with mourners weeping and flute players piping. Such rites showed that everyone was convinced she had died. John Gill counts relations, friends, neighbours and acquaintances in the crowd at the house.

The record, by era

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Bede

On the Gospel of Mark · Written before 735.

proposed

And they come to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and see the tumult, and they weep and wail greatly. And, he says, let all who hope in you rejoice, they will exult forever, and you will dwell in them. However, because the …

A commentator

Bede

Catena Aurea by Aquinas · Written before 735.

proposed

(ubi sup.) Mystically; the woman was cured of a bloody flux, and immediately after the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue is reported to be dead, because as soon as the Church of the Gentiles is washed from the stain of vice, and called daughter by the merits of her faith, at once the synagogue is broken up on account of its zealous treachery and envy; treachery, because it did not choose to believe in Christ; envy, because it was vexed at the faith of the Church. What the messengers told the ruler of the synagogue, Why troublest thou the Master any more, is said by those in this day who, seeing the state of the synagogue, deserted by God, believe that it cannot be restored, and therefore think that we are not to pray that it should be restored.

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

The miserable condition that this poor creature was in; he was under the power of an unclean spirit, the devil got possession of him, and the effect of it was not, as in many, a silent melancholy, but a raging frenzy; he was raving mad; his condition seems to have been worse than any of the possessed, that were Christ's patients.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

He cometh - But ερχονται, they come, is the reading of ABCDF, four others, and several versions. Wept and wailed - See on Mat 9:23 (note).
A great miracle is recorded in these verses. A dead girl is restored to life. Mighty as the "King of terrors" is, there is One mightier than he. The keys of death are in our Lord Jesus Christ's hands. He will one day "swallow up death in victory." (Isaiah 25:8.) Let us learn from these verses, that rank places no man beyond the reach of sorrow . Jairus was a "ruler;" yet sickness and trouble came to his house.
1 more voice on this verse

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A great miracle is recorded in these verses. A dead girl is restored to life. Mighty as the "King of terrors" is, there is One mightier than he. The keys of death are in our Lord Jesus Christ's hands. He will one day "swallow up death in victory." (Isaiah 25:8.) Let us learn from these verses, that rank places no man beyond the reach of sorrow . Jairus was a "ruler;" yet sickness and trouble came to his house. Jairus probably had wealth, and all the medical help that wealth can command; yet money could not keep death away from his child. The daughters of rulers are liable to sickness, as well as the daughters of poor men. The daughters of rulers must die. It is good for us all to remember this. We are too apt to forget it. We often think and talk as if the possession of riches was the great antidote to sorrow, and as if money could secure us against sickness and death. But it is the very extreme of blindness to think so. We have only to look around us and see a hundred proofs to the contrary. Death comes to palaces, as well as to cottages — to landlords as well as to tenants — to rich as well as to poor. It tarries no man's leisure or convenience. It will not be kept out by locks and bars. "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." (Heb. 9:27.) All are going to one place, the grave. We may be sure there is far more equality in the portions appointed to men than at first sight appears. Sickness is a great leveler. It makes no distinction. Heaven is the only place where "the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick." (Isa. 33:24.) Happy are they who set their affections on things above! They, and they only, have a treasure which is incorruptible. Yet a little while, and they will be where they shall hear no more evil tidings. All tears shall be wiped from their faces. They shall mourn no more.

The words behind it

15 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

7 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Luke 8:52–53Meanwhile, everyone was weeping and mourning for her. But Jesus said, “Stop weeping; she is not dead but asleep.”3 worksMatthew 9:23–24When Jesus entered the house of the synagogue leader, He saw the flute players and the noisy crowd.3 worksMark 5:22A synagogue leader named Jairus arrived, and seeing Jesus, he fell at His feet3 worksActs 9:39So Peter got up and went with them. On his arrival, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood around him, weeping and showing him the tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.2 worksJeremiah 9:17–20This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Take note, and summon the wailing women; send for the most skillful among them.2 worksMatthew 11:17‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’2 works
The other 1 cross-references, with their words ▾
Job 3:8May it be cursed by those who curse the day—those prepared to rouse Leviathan.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Mark 5:22

    A synagogue leader named Jairus arrived, and seeing Jesus, he fell at His feet

    it leads to

    • Luke 13:14

      But the synagogue leader was indignant that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath. “There are six days for work,” he told the crowd. “So come and be healed on those days and not on…

    • Acts 18:8

      Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his whole household believed in the Lord. And many of the Corinthians who heard the message believed and were baptized.

    • Acts 18:17

      At this, the crowd seized Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the judgment seat. But none of this was of concern to Gallio.

    • Acts 13:15

      After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent word to them: “Brothers, if you have a word of encouragement for the people, please speak.”

    • Mark 5:35–36

      While He was still speaking, messengers from the house of Jairus arrived and said, “Your daughter is dead; why bother the Teacher anymore?”

  • Through

    Acts 9:39

    So Peter got up and went with them. On his arrival, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood around him, weeping and showing him the tunics and other clothing that…

    it leads to

    • Proverbs 31:30–31

      Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

    • 1 Thessalonians 1:3

      and continually recalling before our God and Father your work of faith, your labor of love, and your enduring hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

    • Ephesians 4:28

      He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with the one in need.

Where this verse is studied

About Mark

Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, Rembrandt, 1633, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Public domain.
Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, Rembrandt, 1633, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Public domain.
Mark: the study guide →Read Mark 5 →
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Gospels; Ambrose of Milan, On the Decease of His Brother Satyrus, Book 2; Bede, On the Gospel of Mark; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Mark 5 →