Mark 5:40 (AV)
And they laughed¹ him to scorn.
But when he had put² them all³ out,
he taketh⁴ the father and the mother of the damsel⁵,
and them that were with him,
and entereth in where the damsel⁵ was lying.
¹) Laugh to scorn.
²) Put out: to compel one to depart; to bid one to depart, in stern though not violent language.
³) Everyone present.
⁴) To join to oneself.
⁵) Literally: A young child, a little boy, or like in this case: a little girl
Other translations
And they laughed and jeered at Him. But He put them all out, and, taking the child 's father and mother and those who were with Him, He went in where the little girl was lying. [AMP] And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. [ESV] Provoked to sarcasm, they told him he didn't know what he was talking about. But when he had sent them all out, he took the child's father and mother, along with his companions, and entered the child's room. [MSB] And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. [KJV] But they laughed at him. [NIV] The crowd laughed at him, but he told them all to go outside. Then he took the girl's father and mother and his three disciples into the room where the girl was lying. [NLT] And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying. [NKJV]
Some further information
They laughed him to scorn
Rather, simply, “laughed at Him”, because they were knowing that she was dead, as it also says in Luke 8:53. This is an important testimony to the fact that she had really died.
Scorn
Those who mock and scorn the Christ are unworthy to be witness of his goodness.
He had put them all out
The word is strong “put them all out”.
He went with a select company to the house where the dead child was. He had, given advantage to the poor woman he last healed, and, having done that, now he shook off the crowd.
Them
Them: are all those who were there crying because of her death, and any others that may have been there showing sympathy.
He taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him.
Only those were present who were most nearly concerned.
Them that were with him
These were the three disciples.
He suffered no man to follow him (to follow with him, so the word is), but his three bosom-disciples, Peter, and James, and John; a competent number to be witnesses of the miracle, but not such a number as that his taking them with him might look like vainglory (Marcus 5:37).
James
Two persons are called by this name in the New Testament.
- James the son of Zebedee, an apostle Matthew 10:2 and the brother of the apostle John, apart from whom he is never mentioned, and with whom, together with Peter, he was admitted to the especial intimacy of our Lord. (Matthew 17:1; Mark 5:37; 9:2; 14:33) He was martyred by Herod (Acts 12:2).
- A son of Alphaeus (or Cleopas) and Mary the sister of Mary the mother of Jesus. (Matthew 1:16) and brother of Joses (Mark 15:40). He was, therefore, a cousin of the Lord Jesus.
He is called James “the less” (Mark 15:40) literally “little”, i.e. of shorter stature than James the son of Zebedee. He was an apostle (Matthew 10:3). It has been conjectured that “Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus (Matthew 10:3) was identical with the Juda of Luke 6:16 who is there called “of [i.e. ‘son’ or ‘brother’ as is has been variously translated] James.”
A Judah is mentioned with a James and Joses and Simon in Mark 6:3 as “brother” of our Lord (Matthew 13:55).
The Gospels mention no other James who could be called the brother of the Lord Jesus, but James the less was certainly the son of Alphaeus and Mary the sister of our Lord’s mother.
The conclusion seems, therefore most probable that ; Matthew 10:3; 13:55; Mark 3:18; 6:3; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13; 12:17; Mark 15:13; 21:18; Galatians 1:19; 2:9; 2:12; James 1:1 refer to James the less, son of Alphaeus and Mary, and cousin, or, according to Jewish usage, “brother” of the Lord Jesus.
He was also the author of the Epistle of James.
Now let us reflect on this
Jesus has promised that He will go with Jairus, so He is going with him, even though the news has come that his daughter has died. And so they arrive at the house, which is now a house of death. In the meantime, all kinds of people have gathered there to offer condolences and mourning. According to Eastern custom this is very noisy. What consolation would there be in this for the distressed parents?
When Jesus sees this going on, He intervenes. He asks why they make such a noise. Isn’t that out of place? And then he adds that the child is not dead, but is sleeping. He means to say she will not remain in death. She will wake up again.
But those people don’t understand that. Absolutely not.
As a result, they do not rejoice over what Jesus says, but they laugh at Him. In brutal, gross unbelief they mock Him. What manners!
So it turns out that these people are also dead. Spiritually dead.
Jesus’ words are misunderstood and rejected in unbelief.
And so they bring new suffering to the Savior.
Where does such an attitude end?
If we reject Him, He will say to us one day, ‘Depart from Me …’
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