Luke 8:49 - Printer Friendly

ESV: While he was still speaking, someone from the ruler 's house came and said, "Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more."

NIV: While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. "Your daughter is dead," he said. "Don’t bother the teacher anymore."

NASB: While He was still speaking, someone *came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, 'Your daughter has died; do not trouble the Teacher anymore.'

CSB: While he was still speaking, someone came from the synagogue leader’s house and said, "Your daughter is dead. Don’t bother the teacher anymore."

NLT: While he was still speaking to her, a messenger arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. He told him, 'Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.'

KJV: 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.

NKJV: While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.”

Luke 8:19–56 presents several different reactions to Jesus. Some, likely including His mother and brothers, think He's "out of his mind" (Mark 3:21; Luke 8:19–21). When He calms a storm with a quick rebuke, His disciples become afraid (Luke 8:22–25). In the same way, when people discover He has rescued a man who was possessed by a legion of demons, they are so frightened they beg Jesus to leave. Meanwhile, the man is so grateful he begs to accompany Jesus (Luke 8:37–38). The woman with a discharge of blood approaches Jesus with faith in His power to heal her but fear about what He would think of her for doing so (Luke 8:43–48).

Jairus had faith that Jesus could heal his sick daughter (Mark 5:22–23) and his faith stays strong when she dies (Matthew 9:18). Even though Jairus is desperate and anxious, he keeps his faith that Jesus has the power and the desire to raise his daughter.

The timing of Jairus's request (Luke 8:41–42), the arrival of the messenger from the house, and Matthew's account which says Jairus asked Jesus after his daughter has died is quite confusing. Matthew condenses the interaction, combining two interactions into one description. He wrote to Jews to prove Jesus is the Jewish Messiah; by condensing the story, he shows a Jewish religious leader's faith in Jesus. Luke's extended story keeps the focus on the girl as his theme is Jesus' compassion for outcasts like Gentiles, women, children, and sinners. It's quite possible that Jairus first talks to Jesus when his daughter is near death, the messenger comes and tells Jairus his daughter has died, Jesus builds his faith (Luke 8:50), and Jairus repeats his request (Matthew 9:18). Any other differences are merely literary choices.

Luke 8:40–56 records the third and fourth examples of Jesus providing salvation from worldly hardships—this time, illness, shame, and death. Jairus begs Jesus to come heal his daughter. Along the way, a chronically ill woman touches Jesus' robe. Jesus stops, blesses her faith, and calls her "daughter." He then raises the young girl from the dead. Jairus and the woman both show their faith through their diligence and boldness to procure Jesus' healing power. Next, Jesus will imbue His disciples with His power to continue His work. These stories are also found in Matthew 9:18–26 and Mark 5:21–43.

Luke 8 includes portions of three sections of Jesus' Galilean Ministry. The women who support Jesus' ministry bridge the faithful outcasts of chapter 7 to the sower who spreads the news of God's kingdom (Luke 8:1–3). Luke 8:4–18 includes the parables of the sower and the lamp under the jar. These illustrate the importance of hearing Jesus' message with a mind to believe and obey. Luke 8:19–56 presents different faith reactions when Jesus' life, power, and authority elicit questions about His identity.

This passage continues Luke's pattern in the account of Jesus' Galilean ministry: alternating calls to discipleship with stories that describe the discipleship He expects. In Luke 6:17, Jesus transitioned from calling and training the Twelve to a more general call; in Luke 7, Jesus interacted specifically with those with less privilege in society. Chapter 8 reveals how people react when Jesus reveals who He is, mostly through miracles. In Luke 9:18–50, Jesus returns to intense discipleship of the Twelve to give them courage and faith, preparing them for the journey to Jerusalem and what they will witness there.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.