Mark 5:23

And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(23) Lieth at the point of death.—Literally, is at the last point; in extremis.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

5:21-34 A despised gospel will go where it will be better received. One of the rulers of a synagogue earnestly besought Christ for a little daughter, about twelve years old, who was dying. Another cure was wrought by the way. We should do good, not only when in the house, but when we walk by the way, De 6:7. It is common with people not to apply to Christ till they have tried in vain all other helpers, and find them, as certainly they will, physicians of no value. Some run to diversions and gay company; others plunge into business, or even into intemperance; others go about to establish their own righteousness, or torment themselves by vain superstitions. Many perish in these ways; but none will ever find rest to the soul by such devices; while those whom Christ heals of the disease of sin, find in themselves an entire change for the better. As secret acts of sin, so secret acts of faith, are known to the Lord Jesus. The woman told all the truth. It is the will of Christ that his people should be comforted, and he has power to command comfort to troubled spirits. The more simply we depend on Him, and expect great things from him, the more we shall find in ourselves that he is become our salvation. Those who, by faith, are healed of their spiritual diseases, have reason to go in peace.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Lieth at the point of death - Is dying; in the last agonies.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

23. And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter—Luke (Lu 8:42) says, "He had one only daughter, about twelve years of age." According to a well-known rabbin, quoted by Lightfoot, a daughter, till she had completed her twelfth year, was called "little," or "a little maid"; after that, "a young woman."

lieth at the point of death—Matthew (Mt 9:18) gives it thus: "My daughter is even now dead"—"has just expired." The news of her death reached the father after the cure of the woman with the issue of blood: but Matthew's brief account gives only the result, as in the case of the centurion's servant (Mt 8:5, &c.).

come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live—or, "that she may be healed and live," according to a fully preferable reading. In one of the class to which this man belonged, so steeped in prejudice, such faith would imply more than in others.

The Woman with an Issue of Blood Healed (Mr 5:24-34).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Mark 5:21"

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And besought him greatly,.... Used much importunity with him, and was very urgent in his requests:

saying, my little daughter lieth at the point of death, or "is in the last extremity"; just breathing out her last; for she was not actually dead when he left her, though she was before he returned, and was at this time, as he might expect, expiring, or really gone; See Gill on Matthew 9:18.

I pray thee come and lay thine hands on her, that she may be healed, and she shall live; expressing faith in the power of Christ to restore his daughter, though in the utmost extremity; yet seemed to think his presence, and the imposition of his hands were necessary to it.

Geneva Study Bible

And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Mark 5:23. θυγάτριόν μ.: an instance of Mk.’s love of diminutives, again in Mark 7:25.—ἐσχάτως ἔχει, is extremely ill, at death’s door (in Mt. dead), stronger than κακῶς ἔχει; a late Greek phrase (examples in Elsner, Wetstein, Kypke, etc.), disapproved by Phryn. (Lobeck, p. 389).—ἵνα ἐλθὼν ἐπιθῇς: either used as an imperative (cf. 1 Timothy 1:3, ἵνα παραγγείλῃς), or dependent on some verb understood, e.g., δεόμαί σου (Palairet), ἥκω (Fritzsche); better παρακαλῶ σε, the echo of παρεκάλει going before (Grotius. Similarly Euthy. Zig.).

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

23. My little daughter] His “only daughter,” Luke 8:42. The use of diminutives is characteristic of St Mark. Here we have “little daughter;” in Mark 5:41 “damsel,” or “little maid;” in Mark 7:27, “dogs = “little dogs,” “whelps;” in Mark 8:7, a few “small fishes;” in Mark 14:47, his ear, literally “a little ear.” She was about 12 years of age, Luke 8:42.

at the point of death] The original word here used is one of the frequent Latinisms of St Mark. See Introduction. She lay a dying (Luke 8:42), and all but gone when he left her, the sands of life ebbing out so fast, that he could even say of her that she was “dead” (Matthew 9:18), at one moment expressing himself in one language, at the next in another.

Bengel's Gnomen

Mark 5:23. Ἐσχάτως ἔχει, is at the point of death) It was great faith which impelled Jairus to leave her when just breathing her last.—ἵνα, that) This being put in recitative style, shows what was the mental feeling [intention] which led Jairus to mention the sickness of his daughter. [Eng. Ver. loses the beauty of the abrupt ἵνα, by inserting, I pray thee.]

Mark 5:23

Vincent's Word Studies

My little daughter (τὸ θυγάτριον)

This little endearing touch in the use of the diminutive is peculiar to Mark.

Lieth at the point of death (ἐσχάτως ἔχει)

One of the uncouth phrases peculiar to Mark's style, and which are cited by some as evidence of the early composition of his gospel.

I pray thee come (ἵνα ἐλθὼν)

The words I pray thee are not in the Greek. Literally the ruler's words run thus: My little daughter lieth at the point of death - that thou come, etc. In his anguish he speaks brokenly and incoherently.

He went (ἐπῆλθεν)

Lit., went away. The aorist tense, denoting action once for all, is in contrast with the imperfects, ἠκολούθει, kept following, and συνέθλιβον, kept thronging. The multitude kept following and thronging as he went along. The preposition σύν, together, in the latter verb, indicates the united pressure of a crowd. Compare Tynd., Mark 5:31. Thrusting thee on every side.