Mark 5:37

And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

Mark 5:37. John, the brother of James — John is thus described here, because, when Mark wrote his gospel, not long after our Lord’s ascension, the memory of James, lately beheaded, was so fresh, that his name was more known than that of John himself.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

5:35-43 We may suppose Jairus hesitating whether he should ask Christ to go on or not, when told that his daughter was dead. But have we not as much occasion for the grace of God, and the comfort of his Spirit, for the prayers of our ministers and Christian friends, when death is in the house, as when sickness is there? Faith is the only remedy against grief and fear at such a time. Believe the resurrection, then fear not. He raised the dead child to life by a word of power. Such is the gospel call to those who are by nature dead in trespasses and sins. It is by the word of Christ that spiritual life is given. All who saw it, and heard of it, admired the miracle, and Him that wrought it. Though we cannot now expect to have our dead children or relatives restored, we may hope to find comfort under our trials.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Why troublest thou ... - It seems that the people had not yet confidence that Jesus could raise the dead. He had not yet done it; and as the child was now dead, and as they supposed that his power over her was at an end, they wished no farther to trouble him. Jesus kindly set the fears of the ruler at rest, and assured him that he had equal power over the dead and the living, and could as easily raise those who had expired as those who were expiring.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

37. And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James—(See on [1438]Mr 1:29).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Mark 5:35"

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And he suffered no man to follow him,.... To the house of the ruler, but dismissed the multitude, being not desirous of the honour and applause of men: probably what he said to the ruler, was privately, and with a low voice, so that the multitude did not hear him; and understanding by the messengers that the child was dead, were the more easily prevailed upon to depart, since they might conclude there was nothing now to be done;

save Peter, and James, and John, the brother of James: three favourite disciples, who were a sufficient number of witnesses; and who were taken alone along with Christ on some other occasions, as at his transfiguration, and when in the garden.

Geneva Study Bible

And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Mark 5:37. συνακολουθῆσαι: here with μετά, in Mark 14:51, and Luke 23:49 with dative.—τὸν Πέτρον, etc., Peter, James, and John; earliest trace of preference within the disciple-circle. Not in Mt., but followed by Lk. The three chosen to be witnesses of a specially remarkable event. Perhaps the number of disciples was restricted to three not to crowd the house.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

37. save Peter, and James, and John] This is the first time we hear of an election within the election. “That which He was about to do was so great and holy that those three only, the flower and crown of the Apostolic band, were its fitting witnesses.” The other occasions when we read of such an election were equally solemn and significant, (1) the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:2); and (2) the Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:37).

Bengel's Gnomen

Mark 5:37. Τὸν ἀδελφὸν, the brother) Mark wrote his Gospel not long after the Ascension, at the time when the memory of James, who had been beheaded, was still fresh in the disciples’ minds, so that he was better known than even John himself.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 37. - Here we have the first occasion of the selection of three of the apostles to be witnesses of things not permitted to be seen by the rest. The other two occasions are those of the transfiguration, and of the agony in the garden. We now follow our Lord and these three favored disciples, Peter and James and John, to the house of death. They are about to witness the first earnest of the resurrection. Mark 5:37