Who Was Jairus and What Did He Ask Jesus For?
After months at the side of my daughter’s hospital bed, the Bible story of Jairus took on new meaning. Jairus and I had a lot in common. We were separated by thousands of years, but we both asked Jesus for the same thing: “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live” (Mark 5:23 ESV).
Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue of Capernaum, pled for his twelve-year-old’s life. My daughter was twenty-six with two little children of her own. A brain stem lesion took her from a healthy wife and mother to the edge of death. Within days, she was completely paralyzed.
I knew without any doubt if Jesus still walked this earth, I too would have run to Him with the same request.
Where Does the Bible Mention Jairus?
The story of Jairus appears in three of the New Testament gospels: in Matthew 9:18-26, Mark 5:21-43, and Luke 8:40-56. Both Mark and Luke detail the anguished plea of a father for his dying child. Matthew seems to pick up the account a bit later. All three come together to form a gut-wrenching image.
Jairus had only one daughter, and she was dying. Undoubtedly Jairus was moved by deep love and urgency to reach Jesus. Although the passage doesn’t say what the illness was, he seemed sure that she was in her last moments of life.
He found Jesus near the sea. A great crowd of people surrounded him. In desperation, he fell before Jesus. Jairus was a father with an anguished soul, and the picture stirs our hearts. The position he took as he knelt demonstrated his humility and belief.
Desperately, Jairus implored Jesus to come to his house. “Implore,” in the original Greek, “parakaleo” describes him begging, entreating, imploring Jesus. “Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live” (Mark 5:23 ESV).
As we read the passage in Mark 5, the intensity of Jairus is palpable. All his hope lay in Jesus getting to the bedside of his daughter in time so she could get healing. He believed Jesus could make her well again. I have lived that fervent need. Perhaps you have as well.
Jesus went with Jairus.
Imagine the passion of a dad about to lose his only daughter. He would have pushed through the crush of people, intent on moving forward, searching behind for Jesus. As time ticked, death drew nearer. His progress would have been impeded by the crowds wanting to see Jesus, stop and talk to Him. Distractions would have been everywhere, sounds deafening. Jostling and shoving would have been unavoidable.
Is it Important that Jairus was a Synagogue Ruler?
As ruler of the synagogue, Jairus would likely have been a well-known figure in the community. Those around him probably observed the situation his family faced.
Many synagogue leaders were prominent laypeople. He may have cared for the building, organized events, conducted meetings, and supervised teaching. Nearly every town had a synagogue, making it an ideal meeting point for evangelism after Christ’s death and resurrection.
Many of the Jewish leaders of the day did not like Jesus. Few were His followers. They were jealous of Him. He scandalized their sensibilities, challenged their beliefs and actions. To side with Jesus meant risk to a person’s standing within the synagogue.
The synagogue was focal for Judaism and the community. Torah readings and discussions occurred there, and people held religious debates. However, the synagogue was so much more than a religious center. It was used as a school, meeting place, courtroom, and even governing of the community. Within its walls, worship, prayer, friendship, religious and political conversations transpired. Unlike the temple, with its restricted participants, the synagogue was central not only to religious practices but also to social life.
As ruler and leader, Jairus would have been accustomed to managing situations. But, as his daughter lay dying, he found himself swept into a personal tragedy over which he had no control.
Why Did Jesus Stop on the Way?
Jairus’ story connects with other accounts of Jesus’ teaching and healing. It comes on the heels of stilling seas and casting out demons. Ministry demands were growing. Crowds surrounded Him. Word of His healings had become well-known and spread widely. During Jairus’ death and life emergency, the famous teacher was in great demand.
As the path to the ruler’s house wove through a mass of people, their progress suddenly stopped.
Inside Jairus’ story is sandwiched another story about a woman who also needed healing. Jairus’ request was for all to see, and his plea reached the ears of everyone around; her request was private.
She had endured a hemorrhage for twelve years. “If I can just touch His clothes,” she thought, “I will be healed.”
She reached out to touch Jesus, and that action split the Bible’s account of Jairus into two. In the valuable moments that passed, a twelve-year-old child lost her battle.
“Who touched My clothes?” Jesus asked, looking around.
Twelve long years the woman had suffered. The child had lived twelve short years. Jesus shows His authority not only over sickness in two stories blended into one, but also demonstrates His authority over death.
The woman, healed of her affliction, fell at Jesus’s feet. While Jesus was still speaking to her, people from Jairus’ house came with news: “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” (Mark 5:35 ESV)
When Jesus heard what the men said, he told Jairus, “Do not fear, only believe.”
The command urges Jairus to keep on believing even as he had before. In the actuality of his daughter’s death, with the devastating news, Jesus gave hope. He assured Jairus that nothing had really changed. He had power even over death.
Why Did Jesus Tell Jairus to Keep the Miracle Secret?
Several times in Scripture, Jesus commanded silence after His miracles. This is one of those times.
They arrived at the house amid the wailing of mourners. Jesus only allowed the girl’s mother, father, Peter, James, and John into the room where the little girl lay. Jesus took the child’s hand and said, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” (Mark 5:41 ESV). And she did. Jairus’ daughter got up, walked, and ate.
“And he strictly charged them that no one should know this and told them to give her something to eat” (Mark 5:43 ESV).
There may be various reasons Jesus commanded silence. Perhaps Jesus knew awareness of the miracle would bring harm to others or restrict His ability to move about freely. Maybe He wanted to protect the family or curb sensationalism. Jesus may have desired His miracles to support His message but not overshadow it. Possibly He didn’t want people to follow a phenomenon rather than a Savior. Some people may have wanted to press a position on Him, making Him a political figure. Maybe his followers would have become sidetracked.
The truth is Scripture does not tell us why. But we know His time had not yet come for people to know what had happened in that room.
Jesus knew what lay ahead of Him. He recognized the work He still had to do. He knew the road ahead would be full of others who needed Him, of teaching to more crowds, and of instructing His disciples. His life ahead was marked with intention, purpose, and meaning. He knew His time would come. The cross awaited.
What Can We Learn from the Story of Jairus and his Daughter?
Jesus’ answer to Jairus’ plea reminds us of His power. It also speaks of His will.
My daughter is alive today, yet, if Jesus walked on earth in the flesh, I still would find a way to take her to Him. He would make her walk again, and like Jairus and his family surely were, I would be bursting to tell everyone.
Jesus understood all the implications of telling no one. His way is always best, right and good. The restored life of a healthy twelve-year-old must have testified loudly without words, as did the joy which enveloped a mother and a little girl’s father named Jairus.
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Her love for pasta and all things Italian stems from years of ministry abroad. She’d love to tell you about it over a steaming cup of cappuccino. Connect with Sylvia on her blog, When the House is Quiet, her Facebook page, or Twitter.
