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v by REV. E. STANLEY LEONARD Assistant Professor of Christian Education
Jairus had a problem. His daugh ter, twelve years old, was at the very point of death. If you have experienced the death of a loved one, you can perhaps know the struggle that was undoubtedly go ing on in Jairus' heart at this time. His wife and mother were there at the bedside and he had watched his little girl breathe her last. There was no hope. The other gospels say, "As good as dead." For all practical purposes, she was dead. In desperation, he goes to find Je sus. He did not say to Jesus, Speak the word so that my daughter may be healed. He had a misconcep tion. He said, Now Jesus, you must come to my house and lay your Page 49
Him. As you scan the passage, the story may be most familiar, but I want you to look at each individual. Notice first, Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. He had some authority and standing in the community. He was a layman. Not a rabbi, not a teacher, but in charge of the synagogue. We might think of him as a deacon, or responsible for the conducting of the services, or the upkeep of the building — a combination of trustee/deacon. He was a man of position. He was a ruler of the synagogue, and yet he came to Jesus. This man was con cerned with something other than his position. He fell at Jesus' feet. He entreated Him. He was con cerned about someone else.
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