Scriptural text: Matthew 9:18-26
The Request of a Desperate Father (Matthew 9:18-19).
Jesus was sitting at the feast which Matthew gave on the occasion of his call, engaged in vindicating His sharing in innocent festivity against the cavils of the Pharisees, when the summons to the death-bed to Him from the lips of the father, who breaks in on the banquet with his imploring cry. Matthew does not mention the man’s name or his title. Mark and Luke tell us that his name was Jairus and that he was a local synagogue leader. The call of sorrows always reaches Christ’s ear, and the cry to help is never deemed by Him as an interruption. Jesus willingly and at once leaves the house of feasting for that of mourning.
A Sick but Determined Woman (Matthew 9:20-22).
As the crowd accompanies Jesus, His hasting love is, for a moment, was diverted by another sufferer. This woman is a poor shrinking creature, broken down by a long illness (which had lasted for the same length of time as the joyous life of Jairus’ daughter), made more timid by disappointed hopes of cure, and depressed by poverty to which her many doctors had bought her. She does not venture to stop this new Rabbi-physician, as He goes with the church dignitary of the town to heal his daughter, but lets Him pass before she can make up her mind to go near Him; and then she comes creeping up behind the crowd, puts out her wasted, trembling hand to the hem of His garment, and she is whole.
Jesus Demonstrates His Power over Death (Matthew 9:23-26).
Jairus’ fear for the life of his daughter is realized as men arrived from his home to report that during his delay, his daughter died. In the eyes of these men, death marked the end of Jesus’ ability to help, but Jesus plans and purposes are different from ours and Jesus reiterated His call to Jairus to continue in his belief, acknowledging Jairus’ reality with “Do not fear, and only believe” (Mark 5:36). Extricating Himself from the throng, Jesus proceeded with His inner three disciples (Peter, James, and John) to Jairus’ home. Upon their arrival, Jesus challenged the reality of the crowd of mourners already gathered stating that their pronouncement of the girl’s death was incorrect (Luke 8:520. Again, using touch and calling her in Aramaic, Jesus commanded the little girl to get up (Mark 5:41). From death to life, the 12 year old girl got up and walked around. Both the parents were astonished, “out of their minds and great amazement”(Bible Knowledge Commentary).
References: (Matthew Henry Commentary, Bible Knowledge Commentary)