Mark 5:35
in Mark 5While He was still speaking, messengers from the house of Jairus arrived and said, “Your daughter is dead; why bother the Teacher anymore?”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
While he yet spake, they come from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Teacher any further?
KJV
While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?
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This verse in Mark 5
Commentary
12 notes on this verseWhy troublest thou the Master - These people seem to have had no other notion of our Lord than that of an eminent physician, who might be useful while there was life, but afterwards could do nothing.
This site's exposition
Thy daughter is dead
on Mark 5:35-40
Thy daughter is dead: the delay in the crowd has cost, humanly speaking, everything, and the message adds why troublest thou the Master any further. Jesus overhears and answers the ruler before despair can, Be not afraid, only believe, the word the interrupting woman's story had just illustrated. He takes only Peter, James, and John, meets the hired tumult of weeping and wailing, and declares the damsel not dead but sleeping; the mourners' laughter proves at least that the death was real and publicly known. The bench reads sleepeth as the Lord's own word for a death he is about to reverse, not a denial of it, the same usage he gives Lazarus.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(ubi sup.) It is not said that he assented to his friends who brought the tidings and wished to prevent the Master from coming, so that our Lord's saying, Fear not, only believe, is not a rebuke for his want of faith, but was intended to strengthen the belief which he had already. But if the Evangelist had related, that the ruler of the synagogue joined the friends who came from his house, in saying that Jesus should not be troubled, the words which Matthew relates him to have said, namely, that the damsel was dead, would then have been contrary to what was in his mind. It goes on, And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.
The Medieval Church4 voices
Those who were about the ruler of the synagogue, thought that Christ was one of the prophets, and for this reason they thought that they should beg of Him to come and pray over the damsel. But because she had already expired, they thought that He ought not to be asked to do so. Therefore it is said, While he yet spake, there came messengers to the ruler of the synagogue, which said, Thy daughter is dead; why troublest thou the Master any further?
It was told the ruler of the synagogue, Thy daughter is dead. But Jesus said to him, She is not dead, but sleepeth. Both are true, for the meaning is, She is dead to you, but to Me she is asleep.
The people of the ruler of the synagogue regarded Christ as one of the ordinary teachers, which is why they asked Him to come and pray over the girl, and in the end, when she died, they thought that He was no longer needed after …
(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.
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Be not afraid, only believe. We may suppose Jairus at a pause, whether he should ask Christ to go on or no; but have we not as much occasion for the grace of God, and his consolations, and consequently of the prayers of our ministers and Christian friends, when death is in the house, as when sickness is?
While he yet spake,.... The above things to the poor woman, in commendation of her faith, and for her future encouragement, peace, and comfort in soul and body: there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain that said.
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
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
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.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
proposed
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
18 Greek wordsEvery 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.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἔτι | eti | Still | G2089 → | 140 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | when He | G846 → | 5565 times |
| λαλοῦντος | lalountos | is speaking | G2980 → | 294 times |
| ἔρχονται | erchontai | they come | G2064 → | 628 times |
| ἀπὸ | apo | from | G575 → | 640 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀρχισυναγώγου | archisunagogou | ruler of synagogue’s [house] | G752 → | 9 times |
| λέγοντες | legontes | saying | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| ἡ | he | The | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θυγάτηρ | thugater | daughter | G2364 → | 28 times |
| σου | sou | of You | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἀπέθανεν· | apethanen | is dead; | G599 → | 110 times |
| τί | ti | why | G5101 → | 563 times |
| ἔτι | eti | still | G2089 → | 140 times |
| σκύλλεις | skulleis | trouble you | G4660 → | |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| διδάσκαλον;¶ | didaskalon | Teacher? | G1320 → | 58 times |
ἔτιStill
etiG2089 →140 times
αὐτοῦwhen He
autouG846 →5565 times
λαλοῦντοςis speaking
lalountosG2980 →294 times
ἔρχονταιthey come
erchontaiG2064 →628 times
ἀπὸfrom
apoG575 →640 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
ἀρχισυναγώγουruler of synagogue’s [house]
archisunagogouG752 →9 times
λέγοντεςsaying
legontesG3004 →1325 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
ἡThe
heG3588 →19766 times
θυγάτηρdaughter
thugaterG2364 →28 times
σουof You
souG4771 →2973 times
ἀπέθανεν·is dead;
apethanenG599 →110 times
τίwhy
tiG5101 →563 times
ἔτιstill
etiG2089 →140 times
σκύλλειςtrouble you
skulleisG4660 →
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
διδάσκαλον;¶Teacher?
didaskalonG1320 →58 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
John 5:25Truly, truly, I tell you, the hour is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.
it leads to
- John 5:28
Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice
- Ephesians 5:14
So it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
- Ephesians 2:5
made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved!
- John 4:23
But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him.
- Colossians 2:13
When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses,
- John 5:28
Through
Mark 5:22A 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 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.”
- Luke 13:14
Through
John 11:39“Take away the stone,” Jesus said. “Lord, by now he stinks,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man. “It has already been four days.”
it leads to
- John 11:17
When Jesus arrived, He found that Lazarus had already spent four days in the tomb.
- John 11:17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Mark
This page draws on 11 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; Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; 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); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Pseudo-Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Mark.