Tag Archives: talitha koum

LUKE’S GOSPEL…TWELVE YEARS – 18b

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“While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.” Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother. Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.” They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭49‬-‭56‬ ‭NIV‬‬

We pick up the story of Jairus and his dying child again. 

In the interim, Jairus’s daughter died. What did the father feel about the interruption that lead to his child’s death? Was he angry, bitter against the woman, especially because it was a woman who had caused the delay? Little did he know that Jesus was weaving a complex situation into a perfect process. 

Jesus was about to step into a home where death had occurred. As a rabbi, it was unlawful for Him to do so. When the sick woman touched Him, she had automatically made Jesus “unclean” according to the law. Jesus asked…loudly…twice, “Who touched me?” Didn’t He know? Of course He knew! 

He wanted to ensure that the people around Him would know that He was ceremonially unclean. Therefore, for Him to go into the room where a dead body lay wouldn’t matter because He was already “unclean”!

Jesus took with Him His three most trusted disciples and the parents of the child as witnesses to what He was about to do. Just as the healing of the woman was connected to the prophetic word about His tallith, so the tallith would again play a central role in the healing of the little girl. 

“But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up.”

What did Jesus say to her? The words in Aramaic are translated, “Child, get up!” However, if we examine the words carefully…

“He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”).”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭5‬:‭41‬ ‭

…they can mean either…

“Talita koum!…”Child, get up!”…or

“Tallith, ha koum!”…“The tallith is here,” depending on the punctuation…

Which translation is more likely?

Since we have already seen how the faith of the woman was in the prophetic word about the Messiah’s wings…kanaph…the corners of the tallith…

“But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays (wings…kanaph – corners of the tallit – prayer shawl). And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves.”

‭‭Malachi‬ ‭4‬:‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

…Isn’t it logical that Jesus would refer to His tallith as the symbol of her healing as well? 

Of course, Jairus, as a man well- educated in the Tanach, the Hebrew Scriptures, would immediately get the connection. Is that not the reason for Jesus’ warning…

“Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.”

As usual, Jesus’ method was to convince people that He was the Messiah by aligning Himself with prophecy rather than by what one person told another.  

So, we have an amazing story of two suffering people, beginning twelve years previously and woven together into one continuous whole. Together, they bear witness, again, to the readers of Scripture that what Jesus had done perfectly confirmed who He was, the Messiah, the Son of God. 

To be continued…

THE GOSPEL OF MARK – FROM GRIEF TO JOY

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FROM GRIEF TO JOY

35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”

36 Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” 40 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. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 42 Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat. Mark 5:35-43

After an agonising interruption for the grief-stricken father, Jesus and His disciples moved towards Jairus’ house, surrounded by the ever-present throng. A delegation from Jairus’ house met them with a message that Jairus was dreading to hear, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacher any more?” Their words seemed like the cut-off point. Alive – Jesus could still step in and heal her. Dead – she was beyond His reach, so Jairus thought.

I can imagine the strangled cry of grief that escaped from his throat. But this was no time for turning from Jesus, and Jesus was quick to reassure him. I love His words, “Don’t listen to them. Just trust me.” How many times do I need to hear Him say that? It’s always about the choice of, “Whom do I trust?” As this story proceeds, it becomes quite clear who knew what He was talking about and who was proved wrong. Jesus said she was sleeping; they ridiculed Him. They said she was dead.

How did the child’s parents feel at this point? I cannot imagine. They had no experience of ever seeing a dead person live. It all seemed so final and yet; they were about to witness something in their own home that fully satisfied their prophetic expectation – Malachi 4:2 – coming alive before their very eyes. Jesus stepped forward, spread His talith over the child and said, “The Messiah is here. Little girl, get up.” And she did.

What was the significance of Jesus’ cautioning words, “Don’t tell anyone what happened here”? This seems crazy when everyone outside would know that the dead child had come back to life in that room. That was not the issue. The issue was that Jesus’ action was the fulfillment of Old Testament and especially Malachi’s prophecy and they had witnessed it. At that point, He did not want them to broadcast what had happened. People needed to come to faith by being fully convinced themselves that He was Messiah, not because of other people’s faith.