Matthew 9:25 But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose. Took her by the band, and the maid arose. This is the first instance of our Lord's dealing with death, which represents the extreme effect of sin. "Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death;" "The wages of sin is death." If our Lord had not delivered from the power of physical death, it would have been open to his enemies to say that the supreme evil of humanity he had failed to reach, That reproach cannot be made, for our Lord recovered one who had only just died; one who was being carried out for burial; and one who had lain in the grave four days. And he himself burst asunder the bands of death, when they had been fastened upon him. But the point which is more especially presented to view, in this incident, is the glorious manner in which our Lord dealt with death. There is a revelation of his glory and claim in the calmness of his mastery over the supreme human foe. I. HE RESTORED THE DEAD WITHOUT MAKING EVEN A SHOW OF AGENCIES. Here is a striking fact, which has not been duly noticed. In opening blind eyes Jesus used agencies - he made clay and anointed the eyes - but in neither of the cases of restoring the dead did he use any agencies. This comes to be more striking when we contrast the cases in which the great prophets, Elijah and Elisha, dealt with the dead. Elijah stretched himself upon the dead child three times. Elisha went "up" to the chamber "and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands, and stretched himself upon him." The contrast is even seen in the matter of prayer. Elijah cried unto the Lord; and his prayer is given. Elisha prayed unto the Lord. But in two of the cases our Lord did not associate even prayer with the putting forth of his power to recover the dead. II. HE RESTORED TEE DEAD BY THE POWER OF A SIMPLE COMMAND. In this case our Lord's actual words are given, "Talitha cumi." At Nain, he simply said, "Young man, I say unto thee, arise." At Bethany the words of power were, "Lazarus, come forth." What is clear is that Elijah and Elisha acted as servants; Jesus acted as Master. He claimed, and he exerted, power and authority over death. It had to take the place of one of his servants, respond to his commands, and do his bidding. What, then, must he be who can thus deal with the one power which man has, by the experience of long ages, learned to regard as irresistible? - R.T. Parallel Verses KJV: But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.WEB: But when the crowd was put out, he entered in, took her by the hand, and the girl arose. |
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