Luke 8:40

And as Jesus returned, the multitude welcomed him; for they were all waiting for him. And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him to come into his house; for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as he went the multitudes thronged him.

The miracle of raising Jairus' daughter from the dead has been commented upon in detail in both my Commentary on Matthew and my Commentary on Mark in this series of commentaries; and reference is made to them for many comments that will not be repeated here.

The scene of this wonder was Capernaum, or very near it; and Jairus was one of the respected managers of the synagogue which had been given to the Jews by the centurion (Luke 7:5). His prostrating himself before Jesus was atypical of his class and probably earned him the sharp disapproval of his peers; but such was the agony of his heart that he braved all the consequences of seeking Jesus upon her behalf who was dying. Nothing is to be made of the fact that one Gospel reported her already dead at the time Jairus came to Jesus, and another that she was dying. The fact that death had indeed occurred must be allowed in view of Jairus' peers having already proceeded with the funeral when Jarius returned with the Master. There was therefore some time-lapse between Jairus' setting out to bring Jesus to his house and the actual arrival of the Lord. The daughter was dying when he left and dead at the moment of his request of Jesus.

The multitude welcomed him ... contrasts sharply with the multitude beyond Galilee who had just thrust him, as it were, out of their borders. The wonder recorded here could have taken place there, except for the unreceptiveness of the people.

Multitudes thronged him ... This shows the pressure of the multitudes upon Christ, making it impossible for him to move freely and causing a delay as he moved toward the home of Jairus. In such a throng, it was possible for the woman to touch Jesus inconspicuously.