Mark 5:38 - Exposition

St. Matthew here says ( Matthew 9:23 ) that when Jesus came into the ruler's house, he" saw the minstrels ( τοὺς αὐλητὰς )," i.e. the flute-players, "and the people making a noise." This was the custom both with Jews and with Gentiles, to quicken the sorrow of the mourners by funeral dirges. The record of these attendant circumstances is important as evidence of the fact of death having actually taken place.