Mark 5:37 Commentary and Bible Study

The Lord Jesus wanted something small and intimate for this miracle. This is going to be a very personal matter. In the law legal matters were witnessed by two or three, and three disciples were chosen to see this child raised from the dead. Only those three were allowed to go on to Jairus’ house from where the woman had been healed. He selected Peter, James and John, the same three disciples selected to witness the transfiguration and the agony of Christ in Gethsemane. Peter was to become the leader of the twelve disciple, James was to be an early martyr, and John was the beloved disciple. Even within the circle of the disciples, some were given more privileges than others. These three alone were admitted, and obviously as Luke records, the father and mother of the child. Why limit the observers? This ties in with last verse of Mark’s account of this miracle: ‘And he charged them straitly that no man should know it’ (Mark 5:43). The wide publication of the raising of the dead was bound to produce an intense response in the people at large which would interfere with Christ’s primary purpose – to preach the gospel. Nothing must get in the way of that. He certainly had the power to raise all who died, but that was not his purpose. Death could not be ended simply by an act of divine power. It would require Christ’s atoning death on the cross for death to be truly defeated, because since death is the result of sin, sin must first be removed. The resurrection to life is a gift only for those who trust Christ and then: ‘the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death’ (1 Corinthians 15:26). ‘He charged them straitly that no man should know it.’ In short term they obeyed this command. Later they made known known all that he had done, as the Spirit guided them. Otherwise Christ would have needed to withdraw. If larger crowds gathered, he would never have got out of district. Many could have wanted this. He is going to need to move on. He also is not going to raise the dead as a general rule. He raised only three people from the dead – Jairus’ daughter, the widow’s son, and Lazarus. Afterwards the disciples would speak about this. This was also done out of great sympathy for girl. There were not to be great crowds of curious people, but she was but raised in easy surroundings. Also, unbelief will be shut right out.