power which commanded sickness so imperatively, and restored health to men: “Virtue went out of Him and healed all” (Luke 6, 19). — “In Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead corporally” (Col. 2, 9).
2. This cure also showed forth our Lord’s Omniscience. Unobserved, as she supposed, in the midst of the crowd, the poor woman crept up to Him, and touched the hem of His garment. Jesus, however, knew that she had touched Him, and knew, moreover, that the touch had made her whole; but in order that she might not fall into the error of thinking she had been cured by some strange, mechanical, involuntary force, He said aloud: “I know that virtue is gone out from Me.”
3. The raising to life of the dead maiden showed that Jesus had dominion over life and death, being the Author of life, or, in other words, being God. Truly, indeed, did He say of Himself (chapter XXVI): “As the Father raiseth up the dead, and giveth life; so the Son also giveth life to whom He will.” Of the real death of the maiden there can be no doubt, because 1. all who were in the house knew that she was dead. 2. Our Lord knew that she was dead, when He said: “Believe only, and she shall be safe.” 3. The Gospel (Luke 8, 55) says explicitly: “her spirit returned”. It is, therefore, an undoubted fact that the maiden had already departed this life.
The humility of Jairus and the infirm woman. Jairus, the rich and distinguished ruler of the synagogue, threw himself humbly on the ground at the feet of the poor Jesus of Nazareth, and begged for help. As for the woman, she felt herself to be so mean and wretched that she had not the courage to offer her petition to our Lord; and after she was healed, she fell trembling at His Feet, and related before the whole crowd from what misery she had been delivered. The very first maxim of the kingdom of God is this: “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble” (James 4, 6).
Without faith, neither one nor the other would have obtained help. Our Lord said to Jairus: “Believe only, and she shall be safe”, and to the woman He said: “Thy faith hath made thee whole.” “If thou hadst not had faith, the touch of My garment would have availed thee nothing.” Without faith there is no cure for the body, no salvation for the soul.
The prayer of Jairus was heard, because he prayed with confidence and humility.
The hour of death is uncertain. Some die when they are young, as did the daughter of Jairus and the young man of Naim; others reach middle age, and some reach old age. We must, therefore, be always prepared for death and eternity.
Death is a sleep: 1. because the dead “rest from their labours” (Apoc. 14, 13); 2. because they can work no longer; 3. because the bodies of the dead shall one day wake up again to life. The church
