Mark 5:22-23 - Exposition

One of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name . He appears to have been one of the "college of elders," who administered the affairs of the synagogue. The name Jairus, or " Ya eiros ," is probably the Greek form of the Hebrew Jair , "he will illuminate." He fell at his feet, and besought him greatly ; it is literally ( πίπτει καὶ παρεκάλει ), he falleth at his feet , and beseecheth him. We picture him to ourselves, making his way through the crowd, and as he approached Jesus, kneeling down, and then bending his head towards him, until his forehead touched the ground. My little daughter is at the point of death . St. Matthew says, "is even now dead;" St. Luke says, "she Jay a dying." The broken sentences of the father are very true to nature. All the expressions point to the same conclusion, that she was in articulo mortis. In each narrative the ruler is represented as asking that Christ would hasten to his house. He had not reached the higher faith of the Gentile centurion, "Speak the word only."