Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Luke 8:55

"And her spirit returned, and she rose up immediately: and he commanded that [something] be given her to eat." — Luke 8:55 (ASV)

Occasionally Jesus selected Peter, James, and John alone to be with him —e.g., at the Transfiguration (9:28) and in Gethsemane (Mark 14:33). The secrecy involved and the command to silence fits in with Jesus’ frequent desire to avoid publicity to prevent premature or misguided declarations of his messiahship from being made (see comment on Mk 1:44). Of course, it would be hard to keep silent about the girl’s restoration to active life; but the use of the word “asleep” may suggest that the crowd assumed that she had, after all, only been in a coma. But the words “her spirit returned” plainly imply that the child actually was dead. The secrecy of this miracle is in contrast with the public nature of the raising of the young man from Nain (7:16–17).

The differences among the various gospels on the instructions to the disciples may be the result of an intertwining of traditions; but Jesus may also have given similar instructions on different occasions. What is described in these “sending” passages in the Gospels is not appointment to a permanent office but commissioning for an immediate task. Such an appointment could therefore be repeated using words essentially similar, though varying in detail. The common theme in all such passages, including 3Jn 5–7, is that the servants of Christ should go forth, not seeking support from unbelievers but trusting God completely to supply their needs through his people.