Mark 5:21-24 · Bible study
Mark 5:21-24 Commentary: Study: Jairus's Desperate Plea and Jesus's Popularity
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Exegetical study of Mark 5:21-24: the transitional setting of Jairus's request, crowd dynamics, and the literary preparation for the interwoven
Research Summary
- Meaning: Mark 5:21-24 transitions Jesus from Gadara to Capernaum, introduces Jairus's humble plea for his dying daughter, and sets the scene of a pressing crowd that will frame the interwoven healing of the woman with the issue of blood.
- Key words: θυγάτριον (diminutive "little daughter"), ἐσχάτως ἔχει ("at the last extremity"), συνέθλιβον ("they were pressing together"), ἀπῆλθεν (aorist "he went") vs. ἠκολούθει (imperfect "kept following").
- Main debate: The relationship between Mark's account (daughter "at the point of death") and Matthew's compressed version ("daughter has just died"), a difference in narrative detail and chronology, not contradiction of theology.
- Theological theme: Desperate faith humbles status; Jesus's immediate response to urgent need; the crowd as both witness and obstacle.
- Best use: Preaching on the nature of faith in crisis, the accessibility of Jesus amid crowds, and the literary structure of Mark's gospel as a means of highlighting divine timing.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
21When Jesus had again crossed by boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him beside the sea.
22A synagogue leader named Jairus arrived, and seeing Jesus, he fell at His feet
23and pleaded with Him urgently, “My little daughter is near death. Please come and place Your hands on her, so that she will be healed and live.”
24So Jesus went with him, and a large crowd followed and pressed around Him.
WEB World English Bible 2000
21When Jesus had crossed back over in the boat to the other side, a great multitude was gathered to him; and he was by the sea.
22Behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, came; and seeing him, he fell at his feet
23and begged him much, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Please come and lay your hands on her, that she may be made healthy, and live.”
24He went with him, and a great multitude followed him, and they pressed upon him on all sides.
KJV King James Version 1769
21And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea.
22And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,
23And 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.
24And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
21And when Jesus had crossed over again in the boat unto the other side, a great multitude was gathered unto him; and he was by the sea.
22And there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jaïrus by name; and seeing him, he falleth at his feet,
23and beseecheth him much, saying, My little daughter is at the point of death: I pray thee, that thou come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be made whole, and live.
24And he went with him; and a great multitude followed him, and they thronged him.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
21And Jesus having passed over in the boat again to the other side, there was gathered a great multitude to him, and he was near the sea,
22and lo, there doth come one of the chiefs of the synagogue, by name Jairus, and having seen him, he doth fall at his feet,
23and he was calling upon him much, saying--`My little daughter is at the last extremity--that having come, thou mayest lay on her thy hands, so that she may be saved, and she shall live;'
24and he went away with him. And there was following him a great multitude, and they were thronging him,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
21And Jesus having passed over in the ship again to the other side, a great crowd gathered to him; and he was by the sea.
22And [behold] there comes one of the rulers of the synagogue, by name Jairus, and seeing him, falls down at his feet;
23and he besought him much, saying, My little daughter is at extremity; [I pray] that thou shouldest come and lay thy hands upon her so that she may be healed, and may live.
24And he went with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed on him.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
21And when Jesus had passed again in the ship over the strait, a great multitude assembled together unto him, and he was nigh unto the sea.
22And there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue named Jairus: and seeing him, falleth down at his feet.
23And he besought him much, saying: My daughter is at the point of death, come, lay thy hand upon her, that she may be safe, and may live.
24And he went with him, and a great multitude followed him, and they thronged him.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Mark 5:21
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree these verses serve as a hinge between the healing of the Gerasene demoniac and the twofold miracle that follows: Jairus's daughter and the woman with the issue of blood. Jesus crosses back to the western shore of the Sea of Galilee near Capernaum, where a great crowd waits (Luke 8:40). Vincent notes Mark's use of the aorist ἀπῆλθεν ("he went away") for Jesus going with Jairus, contrasting with the imperfects ἠκολούθει ("kept following") and συνέθλιβον ("kept thronging"), a single decisive response against the continuous pressure of the multitude. The ruler's speech is grammatically broken: Vincent observes the absence of "I pray thee" in the Greek, so the plea reads simply "My little daughter is at the end, that you come and lay hands on her." The diminutive θυγάτριον ("little daughter") adds tenderness, unique to Mark (Cambridge, Clarke). All see this as a moment of desperate faith from a synagogue leader, a man of standing who falls at Jesus's feet, an act of profound humility. The crowd's thronging (συνθλίβω, literally "press together") sets the stage for the woman's surreptitious touch in verse 27.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: A synagogue ruler named Jairus publicly humbles himself before Jesus, begging for his dying daughter, and Jesus immediately agrees to go with him.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Synoptic timing of daughter's death | All agree the girl died before Jesus reached her; Jairus first receives news of her death (Mark 5:35). | Matthew 9:18 has the ruler say 'my daughter has just died,' while Mark has Jairus say 'she is at the point of death.' Some harmonize by saying Matthew condensed the story, giving the final outcome as the initial request; others see distinct traditions. Both aim to show Jesus's power over death. |
| Jairus's faith | All see Jairus's falling at Jesus's feet as an act of genuine faith and humility, even if his understanding of Jesus's identity was incomplete. | Some (e.g., some Reformed traditions) emphasize that his faith was imperfect, needing correction when the messengers announce death. Others see his initial plea as full faith, with the delay testing but not diminishing it. |
| Interruption by the woman with the issue of blood | Christians across traditions recognize this as a deliberate literary interweaving by Mark to highlight faith and divine sovereignty over circumstances. | Theological emphasis varies: Protestants often point to the woman's faith as a model; Catholic and Orthodox traditions also highlight the physical and sacramental nature of touching Jesus as a channel of grace. There is no core disagreement. |
Historical & Cultural Context
These verses place Jesus on the western side of the Sea of Galilee, likely near Capernaum (Gill). He has just returned from the Gentile region of the Gerasenes (Decapolis) after healing the demoniac. The crowd's eager welcome fulfills Luke's note that "they were all waiting for him" (Luke 8:40). The "ruler of the synagogue" (ἀρχισυνάγωγος) held a position of authority: he supervised the synagogue services, selected readers, and could excommunicate (Cambridge, Wesley). There were often several rulers in a synagogue (Acts 13:15). Jairus's name (Hebrew יָאִיר, "he will enlighten") appears only in Mark and Luke; Matthew omits it, compressing the story (Matthew 9:18). Gill notes that a bridge at Chammath of Gadara allowed crossing by land, so "by boat" is not redundant, Mark emphasizes the specific mode.
The father's use of the diminutive "my little daughter" (θυγάτριον) reflects deep affection; she was his only child, about twelve years old (Luke 8:42). The phrase "at the point of death" (ἐσχάτως ἔχει) employs one of Mark's characteristic Latinisms (Cambridge), indicating the last extremity. The crowd's thronging (συνέθλιβον) pictures a mass of people pressing in on all sides, making movement difficult and setting the stage for the woman's hidden approach. This densely packed scene contrasts the urgency of Jairus's request with the impersonal crush of the crowd, a tension that will resolve only after the delay caused by the woman's healing.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Mark 5:21-24. The manuscript tradition is stable across these verses.
Reception History
Throughout church history, this passage has been read as a demonstration of Christ's readiness to answer urgent prayer. Early church fathers like Gregory of Nazianzus saw Jairus's plea as a model of intercessory faith, a ruler humbling himself before the Divine Physician. In the Middle Ages, the interweaving of Jairus's story with the woman's healing was often allegorized: the ruler represented the Law, the woman the Gentile church, both receiving mercy. Reformation commentators such as Calvin focused on Jesus's immediate response as evidence of sovereign compassion, while Wesleyan tradition emphasized the urgency of Jairus's appeal as a pattern for importunate prayer. In modern preaching, the passage is frequently used to illustrate how personal crises meet the power of God, often within the context of a busy and pressing world, yet with a God who never turns away the desperate.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Jesus returns to a waiting crowd (vv. 21). After the Gentile region's rejection, Capernaum welcomes Him. Despised grace is not wasted; it crosses water and finds welcome elsewhere (Matthew Henry).
- A desperate father humbles himself (vv. 22-23). A synagogue ruler, a man of status, falls at Jesus's feet. His plea is broken, urgent. He asks for the laying on of hands, a physical gesture of power. He believes Jesus can restore his dying daughter.
- Jesus responds immediately, but the crowd presses in (v. 24). Jesus goes with Jairus. The aorist "he departed" shows a decisive commitment. Yet the multitude's thronging foreshadows the interruption: a desperate woman will seize the moment before the ruler's house is reached.
Five-point outline
- Setting the scene (v. 21). Transition from Decapolis. The large crowd represents eagerness after Jesus's teaching and earlier healings (Mark 4).
- Jairus's identity (v. 22). A synagogue ruler, a figure of religious authority, yet he falls at Jesus's feet. This signals the breaking of class and custom; faith humbles status.
- The plea (v. 23). Three elements: tender address ("little daughter"), dire condition ("at the point of death"), and specific request ("lay your hands on her, that she may be healed and live"). Jairus expects a tangible transfer of power.
- Jesus's response (v. 24a). He goes immediately. No hesitation, no lecture on faith. Grace moves toward need.
- The crowd's thronging (v. 24b). A double-edged reality: it is the context of Jairus's hope, but it also brings an unnamed woman into proximity. The pressing creates an opportunity for someone else's faith.
Illustration hooks
- Hospital waiting room. A parent whose child has been rushed into surgery makes a frantic call to a doctor friend. The parallel: Jairus has heard of Jesus's power and now acts in crisis.
- Airport crowd. Imagine trying to walk through a tight, slow-moving crowd when every second counts. The thronging pressure mirrors the frustration of delay when urgent need presses.
- Job interview. A high-ranking official kneeling before a young carpenter, the picture of status set aside for help. It illustrates how desperation can shatter pride.
Questions your congregation is asking
- "Why would Jesus allow a delay when a child is dying?" (The woman's interruption will test Jairus's patience and faith.)
- "Does my social standing matter to Jesus? What do I need to leave behind to come to Him?"
- "The crowd pressed in, do I come to Jesus with that kind of urgency, or just as a passive observer?"
Leading a Discussion
This passage invites us to see Jesus as both powerful and interruptible. As we read, note the contrasts: a ruler kneeling, a crowd pressing, a father pleading. Ask: what does this scene teach about how we approach Jesus in our crises? About how the needs of others intersect with our own?
Discussion questions
- What do you learn about Jesus from the fact that he crossed back over to a waiting crowd after being asked to leave the Gerasene region?
- Jairus was a synagogue leader, a man of authority. Why is it significant that he "fell at his feet"? What does this posture communicate about his view of Jesus?
- Read Jairus's request in verse 23. How is it different from or similar to the way you pray in urgent situations? What does he ask Jesus to do?
- Verse 24 says Jesus "went with him" immediately. What does Jesus's willingness to go tell us about His heart toward human need?
- The crowd followed and thronged Him. In what ways can the "crowd" (busyness, other people's demands, distractions) press in on us as we try to follow Jesus? How might that be both a challenge and an opportunity?
- This passage sets up the interwoven story of the woman with the issue of blood. Why do you think Mark inserts this other story right in the middle of Jairus's desperate situation? What does that suggest about how Jesus prioritizes individual faith in a crowd?
- What would you say to someone who feels that Jesus is delayed in answering their urgent prayer, like Jairus likely felt when the woman's healing interrupted?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Matthew 9:1 | He entered into a boat and crossed over, and came into his own city. |
| Mark 4:1 | Again he began to teach by the seaside. A great multitude was gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat in the sea and sat down. All the multitude were on the land by the sea. |
| Luke 8:40 | When Jesus returned, the multitude welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. |
| Matthew 2:11 | They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. |
| Matthew 9:18 | While he told these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” |
| Matthew 9:26 | The report of this went out into all that land. |
| Mark 5:33 | But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had been done to her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. |
| Mark 5:35 | While he was still speaking, people came from the synagogue ruler’s house, saying, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacher any more?” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke draws attention to the father's tender language, "my little daughter," noting that Luke adds she was his only child, about twelve years old. He also explains the Greek phrase for "at the point of death" means the last extremity, the very final gasp.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes emphasizes that Jesus asked "Who touched my clothes?" not because He needed information, but so the woman would confess her faith publicly and give God glory. He also notes that Jesus gave the raised girl something to eat, proving she was truly restored to life by ordinary means.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentary observes that it is rare in the Gospels to learn the names of those whom Jesus helped. It notes that Jairus, who had once pleaded for a centurion’s servant, now comes for his own dying daughter. The writer also highlights Mark’s fondness for diminutives such as “little daughter” and his use of a Latin word for “at the point of death.”
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes the phrase "by ship" is not redundant; a bridge at Chammath of Gadara meant Jesus could have gone by land. This detail shows the journey was deliberate. He also observes that Jairus fell at Jesus’ feet as an act of deep respect, not necessarily worshiping Him as God.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that the crowd lingered on the shore after Jesus left, eagerly awaiting His return, and that the tide of His popularity was fast rising. He also observes that Jairus, a synagogue ruler from a class that seldom believed, showed remarkable faith by falling at Jesus' feet and begging for his daughter's healing.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights the contrast between rejection and welcome: when the Gadarenes send Jesus away, he simply crosses the water and finds a crowd ready to receive him. A despised gospel will not stay where it is refused but moves on to those who welcome it.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent notes Mark's tender diminutive "little daughter," unique among the gospels. The ruler's Greek is broken and anguished, lacking any polite request. The aorist for Jesus' departure contrasts sharply with imperfect verbs for the crowd, which kept following and pressing in from all sides.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley clarifies that the "ruler of the synagogue" was the president of the synagogue's ruling council, not merely a general official. He notes that while a council of grave men governed synagogue affairs, sometimes only one ruler held that presiding position.