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Luke 8: 40-42, 49-56 [40] Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. [41] Then a man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus' feet, pleading with him to come to his house [42] because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him.... [49] While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," he said. "Don't bother the teacher any more." [50] Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, "Don't be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed." [51] When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child's father and mother. [52] Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. "Stop wailing," Jesus said. "She is not dead but asleep." [53] They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. [54] But he took her by the hand and said, "My child, get up!" [55] Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. [56] Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.

Exposition
When tragedy strikes, it often comes with no warning, crashing down upon us. It happens that way, I believe, to Jairus. His name Jairus is a common Hebrew name (Numbers 32:41; Judges 10:3, 5), ya'ir, "he (God) enlightens."[1]

Synagogue Rulers in Jewish Communities

Jairus is a prosperous man, and well-regarded in his community. Luke calls him "a ruler (Greek archos) of the synagogue," and a few verses later (vs. 49), the Greek term archisunagogos, "the official who has charge of the arrangements for the synagogue services."[2] He isn't the attendant (Greek huperetes, Luke 4:20) who does the actual work, but the synagogue president, the leader. His duties include conducting the synagogue worship and selecting of those who are to lead the prayer, read the scriptures, and teach in the service.[3]

Grief-stricken Jairus' Request (8:40-42)

"Then a man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus' feet, pleading with him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying." (8:41-42) But now this highly respected citizen of Capernaum (for that is where we assume this took place) comes up to Jesus in the multitude of pushing and shoving individuals. They make way for him out of respect, but he is not there to pay his respects to the rabbi. He has been the one responsible for inviting Jesus to participate in the synagogue services since Jesus has taken up residence in

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 His face is ashen, his hands tremble, and when he finally reaches the Master he falls upon his knees before Jesus. The Greek word in Luke's and Mark's accounts is pipto, " 'fall down, throw oneself to the ground' as a sign of devotion, before high ranking persons or divine beings, especially when one approaches with a petition."[4] Matthew uses the more specific word proskuneo, "(fall down and) worship, do obeisance to, prostate oneself before, do reverence to, welcome respectfully."[5] I see his head bowed, his shoulders trembling with emotion. Here is a paradoxical scene: the well- to-do synagogue president utterly humbling himself before the simply-dressed Jesus. He has been waiting for Jesus to return -- hoping he would return in time, and now his is here. Jesus is Jairus' last hope. Capernaum. But he doesn't come to greet an old friend.

Mark records Jairus' plea: "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live" (Mark 5:23). Jairus is on his knees "pleading" with Jesus. The Greek word is parakaleo, which is variously translated, depending upon the context. Here it means, Bo Se "request, implore, appeal to, entreat."[6] Please come! Please! So Jesus goes with him.

Ma (em Have you been where Jairus is? Desperate? Exhausted with worry? Sick with concern? This isn't just (em

a daughter, one of a dozen children. Luke tells us that this is "an only daughter" (Greek monogenes). You get the idea that she is the apple of her father's eye -- "Daddy's girl." And now she lies near death. She is twelve years old. We would consider her a child; I'm sure Jairus still did. But girls were considered adults at twelve, and boys not until thirteen.[7] She was of marriageable age, and yet she lies at the point of death. Jairus is grief-stricken.

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You can probably identify with Jairus. Perhaps you've been where he is. But now step back for a moment, oh disciple, and consider his faith. What is the condition of his faith? He has heard the report that Jesus' boat is coming, and so he has left his daughter's side and gone down to the beach to see Jesus as soon as he lands -- he and hundreds of others. From his words in Mark he seems to believe: "Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live" (Mark 5:23). He believes that if Jesus will just touch the girl, she will be healed and live. The centurion knew that Jesus didn't even need to be present to heal, just to speak the word (7:7). The hemorrhaging woman had faith that if she could touch even the fringe of his cloak, she would be healed (Mark 5:28). But Jairus is staking his faith on a touch from Jesus' hand to pull his daughter back from the brink of death.

Fa Tw Pr Go Fa Di De St Me Em Jesus consents, and begins to move toward Jairus' home across town. But the crowd is so My overwhelming that it is difficult to move at all, much less make rapid progress. Then, on the way, a Mo woman touches him for healing, causing Jesus and the entire crowd to stop and listen to her story. Jairus hopes they will not arrive too late.

The Temptation of Not Troubling the Lord (8:49)

Jesus has just risen from talking with the woman and sending her on her way a whole woman for the first time in a dozen years. But at the edge of the tightly-pressed crowd Jairus can see one of his close friends pushing to where he is. The man's face reflects the message he carries, and when he gets close enough, his words are grim. "While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. 'Your daughter is dead,' he said. 'Don't bother the teacher any more.' " (8:49) At the words of his daughter's death, Jairus' heart is broken and he begins to weep. But the man's

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