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Jairus was a ruler of the synagogue — a man of standing, authority, and public reputation. When his daughter was dying, he fell at Jesus' feet in the middle of a crowd and begged him. The Greek word for "besought" — parekalei — means to urge earnestly, to plead repeatedly. Jairus did not maintain his dignity. He fell down. A father facing the death of his child collapsed his public position in an instant to get to the one who could help. When word came that his daughter had already died, Jesus said: "Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole." And she was. The father who fell at Jesus' feet did not regret it.
Get These Verses Daily — Free“But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.”
Jesus spoke these words to Jairus at the moment he received news of his daughter's death. The father who had fallen at Jesus' feet in public humiliation received this specific word at the worst moment: fear not, believe only. The child who was already dead was made whole.
“Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.”
The Greek word 'always' — diapantos — means continuously, without interruption. The children have angels in continuous audience before the Father. The child facing illness is not outside this continuous divine attention. The watch does not pause for medical crises.
“For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.”
The Hebrew word 'keep' — shamar — means to guard, to watch specifically. The oversight described is active and assigned: charge given, ways covered. The sick child is under the same charge. This is not general divine goodwill — it is specific, assigned protection.
“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
The Greek word 'passeth' — huperechousa — means to surpass, to exceed what the circumstances can explain. The peace that a parent experiences in a hospital room that should be producing only fear is not a sign of denial. It is something that exceeds what the medical situation can produce.
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
Three parallel promises — strengthen, help, uphold — spoken to the person in dismay, in the place where the ground is not stable. The parent at a child's bedside is standing in exactly the position these words were written for.
Matthew 18:10 contains a statement from Jesus about children that is easy to read past: "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven." The Greek word for "always" — diapantos — means continuously, without interruption. The children have angels who are in continuous audience before the Father. The child facing illness is not outside continuous divine attention.
Psalm 91:11 says "he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways." The Hebrew word for "keep" — shamar — means to guard, to watch, to preserve. This is active, assigned, specific oversight — not general goodwill. The child who is ill is under the same charge.
Commentary is from a charismatic Protestant perspective, drawing on KJV text and public-domain sources including Spurgeon, Andrew Murray, and Matthew Henry.
Mark 5:36 records the precise moment when Jairus received news of his daughter's death and Jesus spoke into it: "Be not afraid, only believe." The Greek construction is stark — two imperatives, both in the present tense, both direct. Stop being afraid. Keep believing. The sequence is not natural. The natural response to death news is the opposite. Jesus addresses it in the moment before Jairus could process it and turn toward despair. The word arrived before the grief could settle.
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