Luke 8:55 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat.

NIV: Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat.

NASB: And her spirit returned, and she got up immediately; and He ordered that something be given her to eat.

CSB: Her spirit returned, and she got up at once. Then he gave orders that she be given something to eat.

NLT: And at that moment her life returned, and she immediately stood up! Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat.

KJV: And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.

NKJV: Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat.

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.

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.