What does Luke 8:55 mean?

A leader of the local synagogue sees his faith justified. He had "implored" Jesus to come to his home and heal his dying daughter. By the time they arrived, his girl was dead, but Jesus told him to have faith. When they reach the girl, Jesus takes her hand and simply says, "Child, arise" (Luke 8:41–42, 49, 54). Amazingly, she does.

Luke gives three indications that the girl has come back to life: her spirit returns to her body, she sits up, and she eats. Elsewhere, Luke associates the loss of the spirit with death (Luke 23:46; Acts 7:59). When Jesus resurrected the only son of a widow in Nain, his restoration was marked by him sitting up and speaking (Luke 7:11–15). When Jesus rises from the dead, He also proves He is real by eating (Luke 24:41–43).

This is the third story in a row on healing. The first was the man rescued from possession by a legion of demons (Luke 8:26–39). The second was a woman with an issue of blood (Luke 8:43–48). In the first two, Jesus made the healings public, letting the locals know these people could rejoin society. In this case, He tells everyone involved to keep it quiet. Most likely, He feels a grown man and a grown woman can handle the notoriety of their rescue and lead others to praise God in the process. A young girl, however, doesn't need to be made a spectacle. The "mourners" who switched so quickly from wailing to mocking (Luke 8:52–53) show not everyone has her best interests at heart.