Matthew 9:24
he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The mourners laughed because they were convinced the girl was truly dead, having seen all the physical signs. Jesus, however, used the word "sleeping" not to deny her physical death, but to indicate it was not a permanent state and that he could easily rouse her back to life, just as one wakes from sleep.
Jesus enters the home of Jairus, the synagogue ruler, to find a scene of loud mourning and music for the ruler's deceased daughter. He dismisses the commotion, stating the girl is only sleeping, which is met with scornful laughter from the professional mourners who are certain of her death.
When Jesus said the girl was 'sleeping,' the mourners scoffed. What did He see that they missed?
The people in the house saw only finality. They heard the word 'dead' and immediately thought of permanent separation, of an end. This led to their wailing and funeral preparations.
But Jesus, with divine insight, looked beyond their understanding of death. He used the word 'sleeping.' While it's true the girl's body had died, Jesus saw past the physical cessation of life. He understood that death, in the grand scheme of God's plan, is temporary for those who belong to Him. It's a pause, not a conclusion.
He wasn't denying the reality of her death; He was reframing it. 'Sleeping' implies a future awakening. For Jesus, who is the resurrection and the life, this girl wasn't truly 'gone' in the way the mourners feared. Her spirit would soon return, and she would wake up.
They 'laughed at Him.' Why would people mock a potential miracle worker, and what does this reveal about their hearts?
The immediate reaction of the mourners was not awe or even curiosity, but scorn. They 'laughed Him to scorn.' This wasn't a gentle chuckle; it was outright derision. Why such a harsh response?
This moment highlights a critical truth: Jesus's power is often met with skepticism. Those who are too entrenched in their own understanding or too caught up in the world's way of doing things will often mock what they cannot comprehend. Their laughter was a barrier, not just to Jesus's comfort, but to witnessing His power.
Understand the original words
apothnēskō · Greek Verb/Adjective
A term indicating a state of biological cessation of life, though frequently used by Jesus to describe a temporary state from which He has the authority to awaken someone, equating death to sleep in the context of His power to resurrect.
katheudō · Greek Verb
A state of physical rest; in the teachings of Jesus, it is a euphemism for death, signaling that for Him, death is not a final state but a temporary one over which He exercises authority to "awaken" the person.
The mourners' scoffing highlights the stark contrast between human perception of death and Jesus's divine power over it, underscoring the need for faith even when circumstances seem hopeless.
Early 1st century AD
Jairus, a synagogue ruler, seeks Jesus
Jairus, a respected leader in the local synagogue, desperately sought Jesus to heal his dying daughter.
Early 1st century AD
News arrives of the daughter's death
Messengers interrupted Jairus's plea to Jesus, delivering the devastating news that his daughter had died.
Early 1st century AD— this verse
Jesus dismisses mourners
Upon arriving at Jairus's home, Jesus encountered a scene of loud, professional mourning and told the crowd the girl was only sleeping.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus raises the girl
Jesus entered the room, took the girl's hand, and commanded her to arise, bringing her back to life. He then instructed her parents to give her food.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus also uses the metaphor of sleep when speaking about death, comparing Lazarus's death to sleep before waking him, highlighting that 'death' in his terms can be temporary and reversible.
1 Corinthians 15:6This passage speaks of believers who have died as having 'fallen asleep,' framing death as a temporary state before resurrection, similar to how Jesus described the girl.
1 Thessalonians 4:13The Apostle Paul uses the 'sleep' metaphor for deceased believers, offering comfort about their future resurrection, which echoes Jesus's gentle re-framing of the girl's condition.
Luke 8:52This parallel account emphasizes the weeping and lamenting of the crowd, directly contrasting with Jesus's calm declaration that the girl is 'not dead but sleeping,' underscoring the crowd's lack of faith and their scorn.
Mark 5:39Mark's Gospel also records the crowd's ridicule, showing that Jesus's unconventional description of death as sleep was met with disbelief and mockery by those who saw only the physical reality.
bensonMatthew 9:24: "He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn."
Matthew 9:24 . He said unto them, Give place — Mark, whose narrative is more particular, says, When he was come in, namely, into the house, he said unto them, Why make ye this ado and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. — As the company at the ruler’s house, when Jesus entered it, were employed in making such lamentation for the damsel as they used to make for the dead,…
barnesMatthew 9:24: "He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn."
The maid is not dead, but sleepeth - It cannot be supposed that our Lord means "literally" to say that the child was not dead. Every possible evidence of her death had been given, and he acted on that himself, and conveyed to the people the idea that he raised her "from the dead." He meant to speak in opposition to their opinions. It is not unlikely that Jairus and the people fa…
The mourners laughed because they were convinced the girl was truly dead, having seen all the physical signs. Jesus, however, used the word "sleeping" not to deny her physical death, but to indicate it was not a permanent state and that he could easily rouse her back to life, just as one wakes from sleep.
Jesus enters the home of Jairus, the synagogue ruler, to find a scene of loud mourning and music for the ruler's deceased daughter. He dismisses the commotion, stating the girl is only sleeping, which is met with scornful laughter from the professional mourners who are certain of her death.
Jesus enters the home of Jairus, the synagogue ruler, to find a scene of loud mourning and music for the ruler's deceased daughter. He dismisses the commotion, stating the girl is only sleeping, which is met with scornful laughter from the professional mourners who are certain of her death.
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Jesus instructs silence
Jesus told the parents not to spread the news of the miracle, a common practice when he sought to avoid undue sensationalism or premature public acclaim.
Early 1st century AD
Report of the miracle spreads
Despite Jesus's instructions, the report of the resurrection of Jairus's daughter eventually spread throughout the surrounding region.
"he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him." — The mourners laughed because they were convinced the girl was truly dead, having seen all the physical signs. Jesus, however, used the word "sleeping" not to deny her physical death, but to indicate…
