Hi everyone,

Some of you may remember that I am leading a Bible Study for a group of moms. We were reading about Jesus raising the little girl from the dead in Mark chapter 5, and one of my ladies asked a question that I just couldn't quite answer. I would love some input from anyone about this.

In Mark 5, a man by the name of Jarius pleaded with Jesus to come and heal his daughter who was very sick. As Jesus was on his way there, people came and told Jarius that his daughter had died, and he should not trouble the teacher any longer. But Jesus said not to be afraid and proceeded to the house where she was. In verse 39 He says, "Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep."

The question was raised, "Did Jesus lie?" My immediate response was "No, of course he did not lie". But why did he say she was asleep? Is this just a problem of translation? I know that many times in the New Testament "death" is referred to as "sleep". Was He trying to differentiate somehow between various meanings of death? Would the people have understood what he was saying? I don't think so, because the same story is told in Matthew 9 and it says that "they ridiculed him".

I guess I'm asking, why did He say she was asleep?

I appreciate your help with this.

cksunshine

P.S. Although our Bible Study is going somewhat slowly (we usually manage 1/2 a lesson in a session), I am excited as the ladies are continuing to increase in their knowledge of scripture and it is increasing their faith. One lady today talked about hearing the readings from last Sunday, and she was so happy because when they talked about John the Baptist she remembered studying about him and subsequently deepened her understanding of the homily that the priest gave.

-- cksunshine (cksunshine@hotmail.com), December 18, 2002

Answers

Hi cksunshine. Jesus cannot lie, He never sinned, therefore if He said that the child was not dead, but asleep that this must definitely mean that the child was not dead but asleep. One possibility could be that the child was in a coma. Another possibility is that the child had been dead but Jesus raised her and caused her to sleep. Note He said the child is asleep, not was asleep. And He said the child is not dead , not was not dead.

That's all I could come up with.

Olly.

-- Oliver Fischer (spicenut@excite.com), December 18, 2002.

Yeah, two ways to look at it (that I can think of). One is that He meant she was not "dead" as in her soul was lost but "asleep" in that her body was dead. The other way is that He already restored her and at the time He spoke she really was living and just asleep. I suppose a third thing is He could have been joking with them, but I kind of doubt this last one ;-)

Frank

-- Someone (ChimingIn@twocents.cam), December 18, 2002.

If you look at Mark 5:36, it says, "Do not be afraid; just have faith." Then later in the gospel, Jesus says the child is only sleeping.

In my take, I see that in Jesus telling the synagogue official to have faith in his request to seek healing for his dying daughter, Jesus saw his trust/faith. When Jesus came to the daughter of Jarius, and said she was only asleep, commanding her to rise, it was because of the faith of Jarius. I don't see this as a lie that Jesus told. It was a measure of showing what faith in Him really is.

It is like the centurion asking to have his servant healed. The faith in asking was enough to receive a miracle.

-- Melissa Wilson (meanolemelissa@hotmail.com), December 18, 2002.

Those were great answers! I never really though about Jesus' statement.

Another interesting thing to mention to your group ck, is that Jesus restored the little girl based not on her faith, but on the faith of the one who asked (her intercessor).

This can be likened to infant baptism, because Christ restores the infant to grace based not on their faith (because they are so young), but on the faith of their Godparents!

-- Jake Huether (jake_huether@yahoo.com), December 18, 2002.

While there is no definitive answer on this, the way I take it is that since Jesus is God, His divine word brings into existence whatever He commands, simply by virtue of His commanding it, and at the very moment he commands it. God said "let there be light", and there was light! Whenever He says "it is so", then it IS so at that very moment, simply by virtue of his having said it. When the official came to Jesus because his son was dying, Jesus said "your son lives". The next day, when the official got home, he found that his son had fully recovered at the exact time Jesus pronounced it to be so. I think the same thing applies here. The little girl was in fact dead, and all those present knew that. When Jesus said "she is asleep", they took Him to be denying the reality of her death, which is why they ridiculed Him. But He was not denying it at all - rather, He was changing that reality by His divine word. At the very moment Jesus said "she is not dead, but only sleeping", she was in fact, at that very moment, not dead but only sleeping, by virtue of His saying so. Then he went into the house and woke her up and gave her back to her parents.

-- Paul (PaulCyp@cox.net), December 18, 2002.

If anyone ever asks us, Did Jesus ever say something funny in some part of the Gospel narrative? I would point to Mark 5 :38-9) ''They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue and He saw a tumult, people weeping and wailing greatly. And going in He said to them, ''Why do you make this din, and weep? The girl is asleep, not dead.'' I always get a chuckle when I read those words. ''Wow! Pipe down, youse guys!''

-- eugene c. chavez (chavezec@pacbell.net), December 18, 2002.

Hi CK: good to hear from you.

I think He was emphasizing, or pointing out to His followers what they would soon have to look forward to, i.e., eternal life in that death is only a temporary condition for the believer of Christ.

Love,

Gail

-- Gail (rothfarms@socket.net), December 18, 2002.