Luke 8:41 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus’ feet, he implored him to come to his house,

NIV: Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus' feet, pleading with him to come to his house

NASB: And a man named Jairus came, and he was an official of the synagogue; and he fell at Jesus’ feet, and began urging Him to come to his house;

CSB: Just then, a man named Jairus came. He was a leader of the synagogue. He fell down at Jesus's feet and pleaded with him to come to his house,

NLT: Then a man named Jairus, a leader of the local synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come home with him.

KJV: 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:

NKJV: And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house,

Jesus has returned to Galilee after a quick trip to the other side of the sea (Luke 8:22–39). Once again (Luke 8:19), a crowd mobs Him, one so great they are "pressed around him" (Luke 8:42), most likely trying to touch Him so they can be healed (Luke 6:19). Jairus may be a respected leader of the local synagogue, but he is no less desperate. His young daughter is dying.

Synagogues were gathering places where Jews read Scriptures—the Old Testament—and discussed the text. They did not have a sole religious leader, like a typical modern church, but they did have an administrator. The ruler—or rulers (Mark 5:22)—was responsible for maintaining the facilities; ensuring the scrolls were in order; choosing who would read, pray, and teach; and making sure the teaching was not heretical.

As a synagogue leader, Jairus occupies a high social position. He must also know the issues other synagogue members have had with Jesus (Luke 6:6–11). When his child falls deathly ill, however, none of the controversy matters. Jairus isn't unique. People today may reject God for any number of reasons including pride or rejection of His authority. Sometimes it takes a situation we can't control to finally submit to the one who can.

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.