Mark 5:40 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was.

NIV: But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child's father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was.

NASB: And they began laughing at Him. But putting them all outside, He *took along the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and *entered the room where the child was in bed.

CSB: They laughed at him, but he put them all outside. He took the child's father, mother, and those who were with him, and entered the place where the child was.

NLT: The crowd laughed at him. But he made them all leave, and he took the girl’s father and mother and his three disciples into the room where the girl was lying.

KJV: And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.

NKJV: And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying.

When Jesus insists that Jairus' daughter is not dead but sleeping, "they" mock Him. Who exactly is meant by "they" is undefined in Mark, but Luke 8:52–53 identifies the individuals as the professional mourners. "Laughed" is from the Greek root word katagelao which means to deride. If the crowd had really cared about the girl, they might be hopeful or even angry, but by treating Jesus like a fool, they show that they see this event as just another day at work.

According to Matthew 9:25, the professional mourners are inside the house. "Putting [them] out" is from the Greek root word ekballo which means to cast someone out forcefully. In Mark 5:36, Jesus tells Jairus, "Do not fear, only believe." Jesus gives Jairus reason to hope. When faced with a crowd that threatens to kill that hope, Jesus responds by throwing the crowd out.

There is a time to wade into the sea of a faith-testing, hope-squashing, lost world and boldly preach the gospel of Christ. However, when we're in a spiritually vulnerable frame of mind, that is probably not what we need. The church is designed so that the members can encourage each other (Hebrews 10:25), love each other (1 John 4:12), and show kindness and compassion (Ephesians 4:32). God does not intend us to always be in the thick of spiritual battle. We also need times of rest and encouragement (Mark 6:31; 1 Thessalonians 5:11). If that means avoiding draining people for a time, that is perfectly fine.

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.