When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.” Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened. (Luke 8:51-56)

He Told Them To Tell No One

A grieving father came frantically to Jesus seeking an impossible task that he knew could only be made possible by the greater healer of Israel, Jesus of Nazareth. Jairus was a ruler of the synagogue and his twelve-year-old daughter lay dying at home. Hope rested in Jesus coming in time to heal her and sparing the family the loss of their precious daughter. The Lord agreed to come to the home of Jairus but on the way was interrupted by a woman whose faith exceeded that of Jairus as she believed by touching the garment of Jesus she would be healed of a disease that racked her body for twelve long years. While the discussion was being made with the woman Jairus must have been frantic in trying to get Jesus to come to the house before it was too late. As the event of the woman subsided, someone from the home of Jairus came with the terrible news that his daughter had died. They told him not to trouble the Lord for there was nothing more to do. Jesus exhorted the grief-stricken father to not be afraid and believe because his daughter would be made well. How conflicted Jairus must have felt at this time. His daughter had been dying and coming to Jesus he had hoped to find her relief before she died. Now his daughter was dead. Did Jesus have that much power to raise the dead? The Lord assured him to have faith and his daughter would be made well. Jesus comes to the house and many of the crowd ridiculed Him for thinking there was more to do. From their viewpoint, death was final and any work of healing was passed. They knew the girl was dead. Nothing remained but to mourn and prepare for a funeral. Jesus had other ideas. He put everyone out of the room except Peter, James, John and the parents. This would give Him more quiet time to commune with the little girl. It would also make for a better circumstance for the young lady to awaken with the hysteria of the crowd. Anxiously the parents waited to see what Jesus would do. There was no great ceremony, exuberant expression of theatrics or showmanship on the part of the Lord. He took the girl by the hand and said, “Little girl, arise.” And she did. As if in a quiet sleep the girl rose up and looked into the eyes of her adoring parents. Jesus told the parents to get their daughter something to eat. The disciples Peter, James, and John looked in wonderment at what they had witnessed with their own eyes as they saw life have victory over death.

Luke writes the parents were amazed and astonished at what they had witnessed. Embracing their daughter they held her tightly about them rejoicing in the knowledge that Jesus had brought their daughter back from the dead. And then in one of the more remarkable statements of Jesus, the great Physician instructs the parents to tell on one what had happened. For Jairus and his wife, this was the most extraordinary event of their life. Their precious twelve-year-old daughter had suffered a great deal in sickness that eventually took her life. While her father was away seeking the help of Jesus, her mother had stayed at her bedside and watched as her precious bundle of life slipped the bonds of life. How much the heart of the mother must have burst in that final moment when her daughter died? It took a little time for her husband and Jesus to arrive to see the stained filled eyes of a mother’s grief fill the room. Lying on the bed was the lifeless form of their daughter. And now she is alive and fully recovered without fever or sickness. Few have experienced the joy of a loved one who dies to see them again in full life. Mr. and Mrs. Jairus had a story that would seldom be matched by any other. And then Jesus commands they tell no one what had happened. Matthew records that after Jesus departed the parents spread the news about Him in all that country. Why did Jesus exhort the parents to not tell anyone? How could they not tell the wondrous news of their daughter who was dead is alive again? Many were gathered on that day and knew the girl was dead. When did they saw her alive what were they to do? Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one knows it.”

The Holy Spirit never tells us why Jesus told many of those He healed not to tell anyone. Some miracles were a little hard to hide. When Jesus healed a blind man, He instructed him to tell no one yet that would be a little hard to hide. In the case of the daughter of Jairus, it was impossible for others not to know what had happened. Likewise, it would seem impossible the joy of the parents would not be heralded throughout the country at this their daughter who was dead is alive again. Jesus had incredible self-control over the power He wielded among the affairs of men and the power of healing. There was nothing Jesus could not do. He walked on water, raised the dead, healed every disease known to man and had power over the demon world. When He fed 5,000 men (not counting the women and children) He exhibited a power to feed the masses with a great supply that any king would die for in his country. The basic needs of men were met in the miracles of Jesus. By the power of the Holy Spirit men could be freed from the curse of the garden. The pain and sorrow of life were removed, the stain of death was washed away by His power and Jesus could reign as King over the earth in fulfillment of the words of Satan who said to Jesus, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” The Son of God could be king on earth to feed the hungry, heal the sick and raise the dead. Consider what the world would be if Jesus were here today to accomplish all these miracles. The answer is simple: a dark and decaying world filled with the wrath of God on a world unrepentant and unremorseful. Jesus did not come to take away the sorrow of the body but the tragedy of sin. He knew Jairus could not contain himself and He expected the mother to tell everyone how the daughter that died in her arms was alive again. They did not say anything until after Jesus left. The Lord was here for a greater mission and He did not want the distractions of His power to raise the dead to hinder His purpose. What He did in raising the daughter of Jairus was for the glory of His Father so that all men could see and know Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God. A day was coming when the man from Nazareth would be crucified and it was then, like Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness, that all men would be drawn to the Son of God. When Jesus raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead He told her parents to say nothing. This would not be the case when Jesus was raised from the dead. Now He wants all of His disciples to tell everyone of the greatest miracle of all – the risen Savior. That is the message that takes away sorrow, death and the sting of sin.