A dead girl and a sick woman (part 2)

Meanwhile, of course, Jairus had been anxiously waiting. This delay was making him desperate. His worst fears were confirmed when a message came from his house that his daughter had died. Already, the professional mourners had arrived.

New life for a little girl

Jesus told Jairus not to fear but to trust him – how extremely difficult that must have been!

Then, leaving the crowds at the door (that must have been difficult too), Jesus went in just with the parents and his closest three friends. ‘She’s asleep,’ said Jesus – sleep was another word for death in that culture. The mourners must have heard him and not understood. They laughed and scorned him, just as they have laughed at his followers ever since.

But Jesus approached the girl, held her hand and said, ‘Talitha cumi. Little girl, get up!’ And get up is exactly what she did. The gospels are written in Greek, but ‘talitha cumi’ is Aramaic – the language Jesus usually spoke. Those words stuck in the memories of his friends. They were not a magic formula. They were words that those who heard could never forget.

You see, this is not a children’s story. It is real. It is the eyewitnesses’ story. So is the kindness in the detail: ‘Now she needs something to eat!’

The girl was 12 years old. The woman had been ill for 12 years. That number 12 links the two stories together. And they point us to the strong person of Jesus who has power to heal, yes – and even power over death.