A.D. 367 – 1863 10 witnesses 14 excerpts
“Mystically; The Lord enters the ruler’s house, that is, the synagogue, throughout which there resounded in the songs of the Law a strain of wailing.”
“(in Luc. 8. 52.) For by the ancient custom minstrels were engaged to make lamentation for the dead.”
“We may suppose that He proceeded slowly, and spake longer to the woman whom He had healed, that He might suffer the maid to die, and thus an evident miracle of restoring to life might be wrought. In the case of Lazarus also He waited till the third day. And when he saw the minstrels and the people making a noise; this was a proof of her death.”
“But Christ put forth all the pipers, but took in the parents, that it might not be said that He had healed her by any other means; and before the restoring to life He excites their expectations by His words, And he said, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth.”
“By this saying, He soothes the minds of those that were present, and shews that it is easy to Him to raise the dead; the like He did in the case of Lazarus, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth. (John 11:11.) This was also a lesson to them not to be afraid of death; forasmuch as He Himself also should die, He made His disciples learn in the persons of others confidence and patient endurance of death. For when He was near, death was but as sleep. When He had said this, They mocked him. And He did not rebuke their mocking; that this mocking, and the pipes and all other things, might be a proof of her death. For ofttimes at His miracles when men would not believe, He convicted them by their own answers; as in the case of Lazarus, when He said, Where have ye laid him? so that they that answered, Come and see, and, He stinketh, for he hath now been dead four days, could no longer disbelieve that He had raised a dead man.”
“To this day the damsel lays dead in the ruler’s house; and they that seem to be teachers are but minstrels singing funeral dirges. The Jews also are not the crowd of believers, but of people making a noise. But when the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in, then all Israel shall be saved.”
“Morally; The damsel dead in the house is the soul dead in thought. He says that she is asleep, because they that are now asleep in sin may yet be roused by penitence. The minstrels are flatterers who cherish the dead.”
“The maiden is raised in the house with few to witness, the young man without the gate, and Lazarus in the presence of many; for a public scandal requires a public expiation; a less notorious, a lesser remedy; and secret sins may be done away by penitence.”
“Having set forth the miracles by which remedies are applied against the dangers of sin, here he sets forth those by which remedies are applied against the dangers of death. And it is divided into two parts: for first he narrates how he restored life; second, how the works of life proceed, there at "And as Jesus passed from thence." Concerning the first, first the invitation to perform the miracle is set forth; second, a sign, there at "And behold a woman," etc.; third, the preparation for the miracle, there at "And when the crowd had been put out." Concerning the first he does four things. First the time of the invitation is described; second, the person inviting; third, the invitation itself; fourth, the acceptance of the invitation. He says therefore, "As he was saying these things," namely in the house of Matthew. But there is an objection: because Mark and Luke recount it in a different order, namely that this man came to Jesus after he had crossed over. Augustine resolves this: that when something pertaining to time is set down in the Evangelists, if it is set down immediately in sequence, then the order of the history is represented; and therefore when it is said here "as he was saying these things," the order of the history is signified; but in Mark and Luke it is referred to the order of his own memory. Or it can be said that there was some intermediate place where this happened. For sometimes they do not say whether something happened immediately, afterward, or at what time it was done. There follows, "Behold, a ruler." Here the person inviting is set forth, namely the ruler of the synagogue, and he is called Jairus, meaning "enlightening" or "enlightened." In Genesis 23:6: "You are a prince of God among us." There follows the invitation: and he does two things. First he showed reverence, because he approached in person. Likewise he adored. Likewise he confesses his power, because he says "Lord." This ruler signifies the ancient fathers, because they approached through desire, and believing that Christ would come, they worshipped him; Psalm 131:7: "We will worship in the place where his feet have stood." Likewise they confessed: "Know that the Lord himself is God," Psalm 99:3. There follows the danger: "My daughter has just now died." The contrary is found in Luke 8:41 and in Mark 5:22, for there it says: "My daughter is at the point of death." "And while they were on the way, servants met him," etc. Augustine resolves this: that when this Jairus set out, she was already at the point of death, and he believed that he would not find her alive; therefore he was asking more that Christ would come and raise her, than that he would heal her; hence he says "my daughter has just now died," etc., as if to say: I believe that she is already dead. The others therefore spoke according to what had actually happened; but Matthew reported according to the intention. Therefore Augustine gives a good instruction, that it is not necessary that the same words be reported; but it suffices that only the intention be stated. But why did the servants say, "Do not trouble the master"? This seems to have been a mark of unbelief. It must be said that this would be true if they said this from the Lord's own intention; but they did not know his intention. Chrysostom expounds it thus: it is the custom of some, when they wish to move someone to pity, to exaggerate the evil; therefore, in order to move him the more, he said "she has died." This daughter is the synagogue, which is the daughter of the ruler, namely Moses, which died through unbelief; Luke 19:42: "but now it is hidden from your eyes," etc. But it seems that in this man faith was joined together with unbelief, because his believing that Christ could raise her was of faith; but his believing that Christ, being absent, could not do it, this was of unbelief. Hence this man seems similar to Naaman, who said: "I thought that he would come out to me, and standing, would call upon the name of the Lord his God, and touch the place of the leprosy with his hand, and heal me," etc., 4 Kings 5:11. "But come, lay your hand upon her, and she will live." Mystically, here is signified the longing of the fathers for the Christ who was to come; hence they said: "Come, lay your hand," that is, Christ, as in Psalm 143:7: "Send forth your hand from on high." "And Jesus, rising up, followed him." "Rising up," namely from the meal. Here is found an instruction concerning the mercy of Christ, because at that man's petition he went at once, as is found in Isaiah 30:19: "As soon as he shall hear, the Lord will answer you." Likewise he gives an example to prelates concerning solicitude, that they should be solicitous at once to come to the aid of sinners. Likewise he gives an instruction about obeying, because he took his disciples with him, as is found in Hebrews 13:17: "Obey your superiors." But he did not take Matthew, because he was still weak. "And behold, a woman." He gives an example of power: and he does three things. First her infirmity is described; second, the commendation of the woman, there at "for she said within herself," etc.; third, the kindness of Christ in healing, there at "But Jesus, turning," etc. He says therefore, "And behold, a woman." As is found in Leviticus 12, a woman who suffered a flow of blood was unclean, and did not dwell among people; therefore she did not approach him in the house, but on the road. And this signifies the Gentile world, which entered in at the fullness of the Jews, as is found in Romans 11:25: "Blindness in part has happened in Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles should come in." This woman, that is, the synagogue, has a flow of blood, namely the error of sacrificial blood. Or it can be turned to refer to carnal sins; hence "flesh and blood shall not possess the kingdom of God," 1 Corinthians 15:50. This woman had been suffering for twelve years, and the ruler's daughter was twelve years old; hence this woman began to suffer when the ruler's daughter was born. "She came up from behind and touched the hem of his garment." Here is set forth the commendation of the woman, from her own humility, and from the faith which is of the greatest avail for obtaining what is sought. She came up, and touched the hem from behind. Why from behind? Because she was reckoned unclean; hence whatever she touched was unclean according to the law, and therefore she feared that he would reject her. Likewise she did not dare to touch anything but the hem. It was commanded in the law that on the four corners of the garment they should wear fringes, and there they had little bells for the remembrance of the commandments of God, and so that they might be distinguished from others by this; and Christ wore this garment. Mystically this signifies the Gentile world, which approached through faith. But from behind, because not while he himself was living. Likewise she touched the garment, that is, his humanity, and only the hem, because she touched him only through the apostles. "For she said within herself: If I shall touch only his garment, I shall be healed." Hilary says: great is the power of Christ, because it overflows not only in the soul, but from the soul into the body, and from the body into the garments. And thus all things that touched the body of Christ we ought to hold in reverence; Psalm 132:2: "Like the ointment on the head, that ran down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron, which ran down upon the hem of his garment," etc. That which ran down upon the beard, that is, the divinity into the flesh; and upon the hem of his garment, that is, into the apostles. "I shall be healed." Thus if we do likewise, and cling to him, we shall be saved. For "everyone who shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." "But Jesus, turning, and seeing her, said: Have confidence, daughter." Here the kindness of Christ is set forth. And first it is shown by deed, because he "turned to her." And why? Lest she lose confidence: for since she had approached furtively, she did not believe that he would turn toward her. Likewise, so that her faith might be drawn forth as an example. Likewise, so that he might show himself to be God: hence he turned with a turning of mercy, and looked upon her with the eye of pity; Zechariah 1:3: "Turn to me, and I will turn to you." Likewise his kindness is shown by word, when he says "have confidence": because she had approached in fear, therefore he addresses her gently; Isaiah 30:15: "If you return and be quiet, you shall be saved." Likewise he calls her daughter, lest she lose confidence; John 1:12: "He gave them power to become the sons of God." Likewise he gives her hope: "your faith has made you whole." Hence our salvation is from faith, as is found in Romans 3. And there follows the effect: "and the woman was made whole from that hour"; and not from the hour in which Christ spoke, but from the hour in which she touched him. "And when Jesus had come into the ruler's house, and had seen the flute players," etc. Here the raising is set forth: and he does four things. First the signs of death are described; second, hope is given, there at "Withdraw," etc.; third, the raising itself is set forth; fourth, the effect is set forth. He says therefore, "when he had come... and had seen," etc. And why did the flute players come? The crowd came as is customary to happen even now regarding the dead; but the flute players came because it was the custom that flute players would come, and sing mournful songs, so as to rouse others to weeping, as is found in Jeremiah 9:17: "Consider, and call for the mourning women, that they may come." These flute players are the false teachers: for their tongue and their devices are against the Lord, so as to provoke the eyes of his majesty. But the crowd is the Jewish people; Exodus 23:2: "You shall not follow the crowd to do evil." This one the Lord raised up in the house: for the Lord raised up three dead: the girl in the house, the young man at the gate, Lazarus in the tomb. For some die by sin, but are not carried outside, and this is through consent to sin, but they do not go forth outwardly through works. But another is carried outward to the act; and this one is signified by him whom he raises at the gate. But another, through habit, lies in the tomb, who is signified by Lazarus. This girl, therefore, signifies the sinner who is in hidden sin, namely in the mind. The flute players are those who foster him in sin; Psalm 10:3: "the sinner is praised in the desires of his soul." The crowd is thoughts: and this the Lord heals. Hence he says, "Withdraw, she is not dead." Here he gives hope: "she is not dead," that is, to himself; but "she sleeps," because it is as easy for him to raise her up as it is for someone to rouse another from sleep. The like is found in John 11:11: "Lazarus our friend sleeps," etc. "She is not dead." And why did he speak in this way? Because "they laughed him to scorn." But why did he wish to be mocked? This was so that they would not be able to speak against the miracle. Hence first he made the adversaries confess, so that afterward they could not contradict it. "And when the crowd had been put out, he went in." And why was the crowd put out? Because it was not worthy to see. The crowd are the Jews who are not converted. And morally, in order that the soul may be raised up, it is necessary that the crowd of thoughts be driven out; and then the Lord enters. "He went in, and took her by the hand," etc. Psalm 117:16: "The right hand of the Lord has wrought strength." He holds the hand of the sinner when he offers him help. "And the girl arose," namely to life; so too may we, through the help of God, arise from sin. There follows the spreading of the report through all the land.”
“And he said unto them, give place,.... Depart, be gone; for he put them out of the room, and suffered none to be with him, when he raised her from the dead, but Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the child, who were witnesses enough of this miracle. For the maid is not dead, but sleepeth: not but that she was really dead; and Christ signifies as much, when he says, she "sleepeth"; a phrase that is often used in (e) Talmudic writings, for one that is dead: but Christ's meaning is, that she was not so dead as the company thought; as always to remain in the state of the dead, and not to be restored to life again: whereas our Lord signifies, it would be seen in a very little time, that she should be raised again, just as a person is awaked out of sleep; so that there was no occasion to make such funeral preparations as they did. The Jews say (f) of some of their dead, that they are asleep, and not dead: it is said, Isa 26:19 "Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust". "These, say they, are they that sleep and die not; and such are they that sleep in Hebron, for they , "do not die, but sleep", --the four couples in Hebron (Adam and Eve, &c.) they "sleep, but are not dead".'' And they laughed him to scorn; they mocked at his words, and had him in the utmost contempt, as a very weak silly man; taking him either to be a madman, or a fool; knowing that she was really dead, of which they had all the evidence they could have; and having no faith at all in him, and in his power to raise her from the dead. (e) T. Hieros. Beracot, fol. 6. 1. Avoda Zara, fol. 42. 3. Bereshit Rabba Parash. 91. fol. 79. 3. (f) Zohar in Exod. fol. 62. 4.”
“And when Jesus … saw the minstrels. It was a custom among the Jews at funerals to hire persons to make some doleful music, and great lamentations. (Witham) — Ovid also mentions the lugubrious music attendant on funerals. — Cantabat mœstis tibia funeribus. (4. Fast.)”
“The Greek term is used here to signify the noise of the hired mourners. It is hard to render it exactly. " Making a rout," is too familiar.”
“(non occ.) After the healing of the woman with the issue of blood, follows the raising of the dead; And when Jesus was come into the ruler’s house.”
“(non occ.) The fame, namely, of the greatness and novelty of the miracle, and its established truth; so that it could not be supposed to be a forgery.”
The in-app commentary runs from the Fathers to the early-modern record, then stops — that's where the public-domain sources end, not where the reading does. For the modern reading, follow the sources directly.