Church Fathers Commentary Luke 8:49-56

"While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue`s [house], saying, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Teacher. But Jesus hearing it, answered him, Fear not: only believe, and she shall be made whole. And when he came to the house, he suffered not any man to enter in with him, save Peter, and John, and James, and the father of the maiden and her mother. And all were weeping, and bewailing her: but he said, Weep not; for she is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. But he, taking her by the hand, called, saying, Maiden, arise. And her spirit returned, and she rose up immediately: and he commanded that [something] be given her to eat. And her parents were amazed: but he charged them to tell no man what had been done." — Luke 8:49-56 (ASV)

St. John Chrysostom: Our Lord purposefully waited until the girl's death so that the miracle of her resurrection would be made public. For this reason, he also walks more slowly and speaks longer with the woman, so that the daughter of the synagogue ruler would die and messengers would come to tell him. As it is said, while he was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead.”

St. Augustine of Hippo: Since Matthew states that the ruler of the synagogue told our Lord his daughter was not on the point of death but already dead, while Luke and Mark say she was not yet dead—and even go so far as to say that others came later to report her death—we must examine this, so they do not seem to contradict each other.

We must understand that for the sake of brevity, Matthew chose to report that our Lord was asked to do what he obviously did: raise the dead. For our Lord does not need the father's words about his daughter but, more importantly, his desires.

Certainly, if the other two Gospels, or even one of them, had mentioned that the father agreed with the messengers who said Jesus need not be troubled because the girl was dead, then the father's words, as Matthew relates them, would seem to contradict his thoughts. But as it is, when the messengers brought that news and said the Master need not come, it is not said that the father agreed. Therefore, the Lord did not blame him for being distrustful but instead strongly confirmed his faith, as it follows: But when Jesus heard it, he answered the father of the girl, “Believe only…”

St. Athanasius of Alexandria: Our Lord requires faith from those who call upon him, not because he needs the assistance of others (for he is both the Lord and Giver of faith), but so that he does not seem to bestow his gifts based on favoritism. He shows that he favors those who believe, so that they do not receive benefits without faith and then lose them through unbelief. For when he bestows a favor, he wishes it to last, and when he heals, for the cure to remain permanent.

Theophylact of Ohrid: When he was about to raise the dead, he put everyone out, teaching us to be free from vainglory and to do nothing for show. For when someone is to perform a miracle, he should not be in the middle of a large crowd, but alone and apart from others. As it follows: And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John. He permitted only these to enter, as they were the leaders among his disciples and able to keep the miracle secret. For he did not wish to be revealed to many people before his time, perhaps because of the envy of the Jews. Likewise, when someone envies us, we should not display our righteousness to him, lest we give him an occasion for greater envy.

St. John Chrysostom: He did not take his other disciples with him, so as not to provoke them to a strange jealousy, because they were not yet fully prepared. But he took Peter, and with him the sons of Zebedee, so that the others might also imitate them. He also took the parents as witnesses, so that no one could say the evidence of the resurrection was false.

Luke also adds that he shut out from the house those who were weeping, showing that they were unworthy of such a sight. For it follows: And they all wept, and bewailed her. But if he shut them out then, how much more now. For at that time, it had not yet been revealed that death was turned into sleep. Therefore, let no one from now on demean himself by insulting the victory of Christ, by which he has overcome death and turned it into sleep. In proof of this, it is added: But he said, “Weep not; she is not dead, but sleeps,” showing that all things were at his command and that he would bring her to life as if he were awakening her from sleep.

Nevertheless, they laughed him to scorn. For it follows: And they laughed him to scorn. He did not rebuke them or stop their laughter, so that their laughter itself might be a sign of her death. For since people often remain unfaithful even after a miracle is performed, he convicts them by their own words. But so that he might visually lead them to believe in the resurrection, he takes the girl by the hand, as it follows: But he took her by the hand, and called, saying, “Maid, arise.”

And when he had taken her by the hand, he awoke her. As it follows: And her spirit returned, and she arose straightway. For he did not pour a new soul into her, but restored the same one that she had breathed out. Nor does he only awaken the girl, but he also orders that she be given food. For it follows: And he commanded to give her meat. This was so that what was done would not seem like a vision. He did not give it to her himself, but commanded others to do it, just as he also said in the case of Lazarus, “Loose him.” And afterward, he had him share a meal with him.

Greek Expositors: He next commands the parents, who were astonished at the miracle and almost crying out, not to publicize what was done. As it follows: And her parents were astonished; but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done. This shows that he is the Giver of good things but not greedy for glory, and that he gives everything while receiving nothing. But the one who seeks glory for his works has indeed displayed something, but he also receives something in return.

The Venerable Bede: Mystically, when the woman was cured of the issue of blood, word is brought that the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue is dead. This is because while the Church was being cleansed from the stain of its sins, the Synagogue was immediately destroyed by unbelief and envy: by unbelief, because it refused to believe in Christ, and by envy, because it was grieved that the Church had believed.

St. Ambrose of Milan: But the ruler's servants were also incredulous about the resurrection, which Jesus had foretold in the Law and fulfilled in the Gospel. Therefore, they say, “Do not trouble him,” as if it were impossible for him to raise the dead.

The Venerable Bede: Or, this is said even to this day by those who see the state of the synagogue as so destitute that they do not believe it can be restored, and therefore think nothing of praying for its resurrection. But those things which are impossible for humans are possible with God. Therefore the Lord said to him, “Fear not, only believe, and she shall be made whole.” The father of the girl represents the assembly of the teachers of the Law, and if this assembly were willing to believe, the Synagogue, which is subject to it, would also be saved.

St. Ambrose of Milan: Therefore, upon entering the house, he called a few to be witnesses of the coming resurrection, for the resurrection was not easily believed by the many. What, then, was the cause of this great difference? In a former case, the widow’s son was raised before everyone; here, only a few are set apart to witness it.

But I think that in this the mercy of the Lord is shown, since the widowed mother of an only son suffered no delay. There is also a sign of wisdom in that we should see in the widow’s son the Church, which is quick to believe, and in the synagogue ruler's daughter, the Jews, who are indeed about to believe, but only a few out of a great many.

Lastly, when our Lord says, “She is not dead, but sleeps,” they laughed him to scorn. For whoever does not believe, laughs. Therefore, let those mourn their dead who think they are truly dead. Where there is a belief in the resurrection, the idea is not of death but of rest.

The Venerable Bede: The Synagogue also, because it has lost the joy of the Bridegroom, by which alone it can live, is lying dead, as it were, among those who mourn, and does not even understand the reason why it weeps.

St. Ambrose of Milan: Now the Lord, taking hold of the girl's hand, healed her. Blessed is the one whom wisdom takes by the hand to bring him into her secret places and command that he be given food to eat. For the bread of heaven is the word of God. From this also comes that wisdom which has filled its altars with the food of the body and blood of God. “Come,” she says, “eat my bread, and drink the wine which I have mixed for you.”

The Venerable Bede: Now the girl arose immediately, because when Christ strengthens the hand, a person revives from the death of the soul. For there are some who, only by a secret sinful thought, bring death upon themselves. Signifying that he brings such people back to life, the Lord raised the daughter of the synagogue ruler. But others, by committing the very evil in which they delight, carry their dead, as it were, outside the gates; and to show that he raises these, he raised the widow’s son outside the gates. Still others, through habitual sin, bury themselves, as it were, and become corrupt; and the grace of the Savior is not lacking to raise these as well. To signify this, he raised Lazarus from the dead, who had been in the grave for four days.

But the deeper the death of the soul, the more intense the fervor of repentance should be. Hence, he raises the girl who lay dead in the room with a gentle voice; he strengthens the youth who was carried out with many words; but to raise the one who had been dead four days, he groaned in his spirit, shed tears, and cried with a loud voice.

But here we must also observe that a public calamity needs a public remedy. Slight offenses are to be blotted out by secret repentance. The girl lying in the house rises again with few witnesses; the youth outside the house is raised in the presence of a great crowd that accompanied him. Lazarus, summoned from the tomb, was known to many nations.