A GREAT CROWD of people were on the shore at Capernaum, looking
earnestly over the sea. On the evening before they had seen Jesus with
his disciples in their boats pushing off from the beach and sailing out
into the lake; and now they were watching for their return. Close by the
water was standing one man, whose face showed that he was in great
trouble, as he gazed anxiously in every direction over the sea.
This man was named Jairus. He was the chief elder over the church in the
town, which they called the synagogue. At home his little daughter
twelve years old was lying very ill and likely to die at any moment.
Jairus knew that if Jesus should come ashore in time, before his
daughter would die, he could save her life; so with hope and fear
mingled, he stood on the shore watching for Jesus to come, but fearing
that he might come too late.
At last he could see the large boat rising in sight and drawing nearer,
with other smaller boats around it. Before Jesus could step ashore,
Jairus fell down upon his face before him and cried out:
"O Master, come to my house just as soon as you can! My little daughter
is lying at the point of death; I pray you, come and lay your hands upon
her so that she may live and be made well."
Jesus went with him, and all the crowd followed, pressing closely upon
him; some showing pity and hope for Jairus in his trouble, but more of
them wishing to see Jesus do one of his wonderful works. In the edge of
the crowd was standing a poor woman, wasted by sickness and as pale as
death. She had a running sore, which for twelve years had drained away
her blood. She was very eager to go to Jesus, for she believed that he
could cure her sore, although many doctors had tried in vain to help
her. She had spent all her money upon the doctors, one after another,
but no one of them had done her any good, and she was all the time
growing worse. Jesus was in the middle of this great crowd, and this
woman was very weak, but by making a strong effort she was able to get
near enough to Jesus, not to speak to him, but to reach her hand between
those who were walking nearest to him and to touch his clothes.
Suddenly a great hope arose in her heart. She said to herself, "I really
believe that if I can just touch the Master's clothes I will be made
well!"
She reached out with trembling hand and touched the outer robe of Jesus.
In an instant she felt a strange power come into her body and she knew
that the sore was cured. She was well and strong!
At that moment Jesus stopped in his walk, while Jairus was trying to
hurry him onward. He stood still, looked all around, and said, "Who
touched my clothes?"
His disciples were beside him, and Peter answered:
"Why, Master, the crowd is all around, pressing close upon you, and yet
you say, 'Who touched me?' while people are touching you all the time."
But Jesus said, "I am sure that somebody touched me, because I felt that
power had gone out from me."
As he stood still and looked all around to see who had done this, the
woman came forward out of the crowd and fell down at his feet, trembling
with fear, afraid that she had offended him. She told of what she had
suffered, how she had touched his clothing and had been made well.
Jesus said to her:
"Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be free from
your sickness."
But while Jesus was delaying for these few moments, Jairus was standing
by his side in growing alarm, for to him and his dying child every
minute was precious. Just then some one from his own house came up to
him through the crowd and said:
"Your daughter is dead; what is the use of asking the Teacher to come
any further? Not even he can help her now."
These people had not heard how Jesus some weeks before had raised to
life the widow's son at Nain, for that village was at least twenty-five
miles from Capernaum.
But Jesus spoke encouragingly to the sorrowing father. "Have no fear;
only believe, and she shall yet be well."
They went to the house of Jairus, and the crowd would have followed him
inside, but Jesus forbade them. He allowed none to go with him into the
house, except the father and three of his disciples, Peter, James and
John.
The house was full of people, weeping and wailing, playing on flutes and
making a great noise, as the manner was then and is even now in that
land. Men and women are paid to come to the house where one is lying
dead, and to scream and cry aloud, so that all in the town may know of
the death and of the sorrow of the family.
Jesus said to the people in the house, "Why do you make such a noise?
The little girl is not dead, but only sleeping."
[Illustration: Jesus went into the room where the daughter of Jairus was
lying dead on the bed, and taking her hand into his own said: "Little
girl, I say to you, rise up!"]
Jesus meant by these words that we need not be filled with sorrow when
our friends die; for death is only a sleep until the time when God shall
awaken them. But this they did not understand; and they would not be
comforted, for they knew that the child was dead.
Jesus ordered all these hired mourners to leave the house. He went into
the room where the dead child was lying on the bed, taking with him only
her father and mother, with his three chosen disciples. Standing beside
the dead body, he took its little hand into his own and said:
"Little girl, I say to you, rise up!"
And instantly the girl stood up, looked around and began to walk. How
happy were that father and mother as they clasped in their arms their
little girl, no longer dead, but living and well. All were filled with
wonder. They would have told everybody about this mighty work, but Jesus
said to them:
"Give the child something to eat, but do not talk about her being
brought back to life. Tell no one of it."
[Illustration: Jesus healing the sick]
Sight to the Blind and Voice to the Dumb