Jesus put the crowd outside when healing Jairus’ daughter to show his majesty and to act decisively as empowered authority in the house of a ruler of the people. He then shows the legitimacy of his authority by taking the hand of the corpse and resurrecting the dead girl.
Jesus conducts the actual miracle in the presence of only a few, not because he did not want to reveal his divine power to the crowd, as this could no longer be kept secret (Matthew 9:26), but because he wanted only those who believe in him to be present when he did, so that the actual witnesses of the miracle would have the right perspective when testifying of what they saw. There were five witnesses present: Peter, James, John, and the girl’s two parents (see Mark 5:37, Mark 5:40). This miracle also showed that Jesus was the long-expected Messiah, for the raising of the dead was a clear sign of his appearance (Matthew 11:3–5). Those who saw this event spread the news throughout the district (Matthew 9:26). Indeed, in these events those who dwell in darkness have seen a great light (Matthew 4:16). Even though Jesus did this miracle privately, those who proclaimed it advanced the kingdom of God by publicly revealing Jesus’ divine power.
When the crowd erupted in laughter, Jesus violated established customs when it comes to mourning the dead by chasing the crowd out of the room (Matthew 9:25).1 He demonstrates his majesty by casting the crowd outside. Here Jesus and his disciples act decisively as empowered authority in the house of a ruler of the people. He then proceeds to demonstrate the legitimacy of his authority by taking the hand of the corpse and resurrecting the dead girl.2
Jesus conducts the actual miracle in the presence of only a few people, not because he did not want to reveal his divine power to the crowd, as this could no longer be kept secret (Matthew 9:26), but because he wanted only those who believe in him to be present when he did. This is because he wanted the actual witnesses of the miracle to exhibit the right perspective when testifying of what they saw.3 .
Jesus resurrected the girl from the dead in the same way that one wakes those who sleep. There were five witnesses present: Peter, James, John, and the girl’s two parents (see Mark 5:37,Mark 5:40). This miracle also bore witness to the fact that Jesus is the long-expected Messiah, for the resurrection of the dead was a clear sign of his appearance (Matthew 11:3–5).4
Those who witnessed this event spread the news throughout the district (Matthew 9:26). How could there possibly still be fasting when Jesus restores the joy of life to a woman, and resurrects a dead girl in the house of mourning to once again walk around the village? Indeed, here in these episodes the people who dwell in darkness have seen a great light (Matthew 4:16).5 Even though Jesus conducted the miracle privately, the proclamations thereof served to advance the kingdom of God as they publicly revealed Jesus’ divine power.6
25 Quand la foule eut été renvoyée, il entra, prit la main de la jeune fille, et la jeune fille se leva.