Scripture Daily

Context No. 4142 of 4322 · Luke

Context · Reflection

Luke 8:50-56: in context

50But Jesus hearing it, answered him, “Don’t be afraid. Only believe, and she will be healed.” 51When he came to the house, he didn’t allow anyone to enter in, except Peter, John, James, the father of the child, and her mother. 52All were weeping and mourning her, but he said, “Don’t weep. She isn’t dead, but sleeping.” 53They were ridiculing him, knowing that she was dead. 54But he put them all outside, and taking her by the hand, he called, saying, “Child, arise!” 55Her spirit returned, and she rose up immediately. He commanded that something be given to her to eat. 56Her parents were amazed, but he commanded them to tell no one what had been done.

Word comes to Jairus that his daughter has died; there is no point troubling Jesus any further. But Jesus, overhearing, speaks a word of quiet strength: do not fear; only believe, and she will be well. He goes to the house, where the mourners are weeping and wailing, and tells them the girl is not dead but sleeping. They laugh at him, knowing she is dead.

But Jesus puts them all outside, takes the dead girl by the hand, and says, child, arise, and her spirit returns, and she gets up at once. Two things stand out. In the face of death and despair, Jesus calls for faith: do not fear; only believe. When all seemed hopeless, when even hope seemed foolish, Jesus asked Jairus to keep trusting him. And Jesus' power over death itself. To him, the dead girl was only sleeping, for he had the power to wake her; death, which is final and hopeless to us, is not final to him. Jesus meets our moments of fear and loss, even the face of death, with the same word: do not fear; only believe.

When I face fear, loss, or even death, do I hear Jesus' word, do not fear, only believe, and do I trust his power over death itself, which turns even death, for those who are his, into a sleep from which he will wake them?

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