Mark 5:39 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.”

NIV: He went in and said to them, 'Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.'

NASB: And after entering, He *said to them, 'Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child has not died, but is asleep.'

CSB: He went in and said to them, "Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep."

NLT: He went inside and asked, 'Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.'

KJV: And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.

NKJV: When He came in, He said to them, “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.”

Jesus is at the home of Jairus, the synagogue leader, confronting the professional mourners. Jairus' daughter is dead. Her death was reported by a servant to Jairus moments before (Mark 5:35). Luke specifically states that when Jesus resurrects her, "her spirit returned" (Luke 8:55). So why does Jesus claim she is just sleeping?

Speakers in the New Testament often used the euphemism of sleep to represent the physical death of believers. Matthew uses it of the believers who come back to life at the crucifixion (Matthew 27:52). Jesus uses it of Lazarus before He raises him (John 11:11). Luke uses it when Stephen is stoned (Acts 7:60). And Paul uses it to describe the premature death of those who take communion unbiblically (1 Corinthians 11:30). But in all those cases, the Greek root word koimao is used.

The Greek root word used here for "asleep" is katheudo, and literally means to be asleep. It means "sleep" in several places in Matthew (Matthew 8:24; 13:25; 25:5; 26:40). And when used as a metaphor, it doesn't refer to death but to spiritual numbness (Ephesians 5:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:6–7).

Jesus is not lying, and cannot lie, so we need to understand this statement carefully. A special use infers a special meaning; the girl is dead, but Jesus intends her condition to be impermanent like sleep. As creator of the universe and performer of miracles that break the laws of nature, Jesus intends the girl to rise and therefore her condition is like that of sleep. He doesn't misrepresent reality, He changes it and uses language that reflects the new reality.

This is the story of the gospel. We are born enemies of God (Romans 5:10). Jesus, who defines spiritual reality, broke the laws of nature to call us first servants and then friends (John 15:15). God calls us His children and co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:15–17). God the Father and Jesus are able to speak these words because they change the reality.

Mark 5:35–43 returns to Jesus' encounter with a synagogue leader and his ailing daughter, after pausing to describe Jesus healing a woman who had suffered for years with a debilitating hemorrhage. The scope of Jesus' power and authority has built to this moment. He controlled a fierce storm (Mark 4:35–41), expelled a legion of demons (Mark 5:1–13), and healed a chronically ill woman without even trying (Mark 5:25–34). Now He will raise the dead. This is the first of three times Jesus is recorded as raising the dead (John 11:1–44; Luke 7:11–17). Despite this display, Jesus will soon go to His hometown of Nazareth where He will be rejected by the people who have known Him longest. This account can also be found in Matthew 9:23–26 and Luke 8:49–56.

Jesus arrives on the other side of the Sea of Galilee and heals a man afflicted by a ''legion'' of demons. In the aftermath of this event, Jesus once again crosses the waters within this region, known as the Decapolis. There, He is approached by a synagogue leader, begging Him to come and save a dying girl. In the midst of this trip, Jesus stops the crowd to identify a woman who attempted to covertly touch his robes; her faithful act results in healing. Jesus then continues on to the home of the synagogue leader and resurrects his recently-deceased child.

Mark 4:35—5:43 sees an increase in the scope of Jesus' miracles. He has just calmed a violent storm on the Sea of Galilee. Now, He expels a legion of demons, heals a woman without overtly acting, and brings a girl back to life. All three situations—related to tombs, blood, and death—show Jesus bringing healing to unclean circumstances. In chapter 6, the tone of His ministry will develop. He will be rejected by those who should know Him best, He will send out His followers to do His work, and His direct link to the Old Testament prophets will be explained.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.