Luke 8:41-56:
And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus’ feet, and besought him that he would come into his house:
For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him.
And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,
Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.
And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.
And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.
And he said to her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.
While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.
But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not, believe only, and she shall be made whole.
And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.
And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not, she is not dead, but sleepeth.
And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.
And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.
And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.
And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.
Notes on Luke 8:41-56:
Jesus was not a liar. He used the phrase “sleeping” to describe being dead, although the people did not understand it that way.
Jesus told the man to fear not and only believe that his daughter would be raised. “Fear not, believe only” is good advice for any sick person, but what about a situation where someone is dead? We have no generic mandate to raise the dead. However, this man had a direct word from the Lord that his daughter would be raised up if he would believe.
This also indicates that faith and fear pull you in opposite directions. In order to “only believe,” you must “fear not.”
This shows that even in cases where manifestations of the Spirit operate, the faith of the recipients can still play a part in determining whether the miracle occurs. If this were not the case, Jesus would not have made believing a condition for receiving this miracle.
See also: