Matthew 9:24
"Go away," He told them. "The girl is not dead, but asleep." And they laughed at Him.
Go away
In this passage, Jesus begins with a command, "Go away," which is directed towards the mourners and those who were creating a commotion. The Greek word used here is "ἀναχωρέω" (anachōreō), which means to withdraw or depart. This command signifies Jesus' authority over the situation and His intention to change the atmosphere from one of despair to one of hope. In a broader spiritual sense, it can be seen as a call to remove doubt and disbelief from our lives, making room for faith and divine intervention.

for the girl is not dead
Here, Jesus makes a profound statement, "for the girl is not dead," which challenges the perception of those present. The Greek word for "dead" is "νεκρός" (nekros), which typically means lifeless or deceased. However, Jesus is speaking from a divine perspective, seeing beyond the physical reality to the spiritual truth. This phrase emphasizes the power of Christ over death and His ability to bring life where there seems to be none. It serves as a reminder of the hope and resurrection power available through faith in Jesus.

but asleep
The phrase "but asleep" uses the Greek word "καθεύδω" (katheudō), which means to sleep. In the New Testament, sleep is often used metaphorically to describe death, particularly in the context of the believer's hope in resurrection (e.g., 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14). By using this term, Jesus is indicating that death is not the final state for those who are in Him. It is a temporary condition, akin to sleep, from which one can be awakened. This reflects the Christian belief in eternal life and the assurance that physical death is not the end for those who trust in Christ.

And they laughed at Him
The reaction of the crowd, "And they laughed at Him," highlights the skepticism and unbelief that often accompany divine truth. The Greek word for "laughed" is "καταγελάω" (katagelaō), which implies ridicule or scornful laughter. This response underscores the contrast between human understanding and divine wisdom. It serves as a reminder that faith often requires us to trust in God's promises, even when they seem impossible or are met with derision by the world. This moment foreshadows the ultimate victory of Christ over death and the vindication of His words through the miracle that follows.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jesus
- The central figure in this passage, demonstrating His authority over life and death.

2. The Girl
- The daughter of a synagogue leader, presumed dead by those around her.

3. The Mourners
- Individuals present at the house, likely professional mourners, who laughed at Jesus' statement.

4. The House
- The setting of this event, where the girl lay and the mourners gathered.

5. The Synagogue Leader (Jairus)
- Though not named in Matthew, other Gospel accounts identify him as Jairus, a man of faith seeking Jesus' help for his daughter.
Teaching Points
Faith Over Fear
Jesus' statement challenges us to trust in His power over life and death, even when circumstances seem hopeless.

Perspective on Death
Jesus redefines death as sleep, offering a perspective of hope and resurrection for believers.

Responding to Skepticism
The laughter of the mourners highlights the world's skepticism towards divine power, encouraging believers to stand firm in faith.

Authority of Jesus
This passage underscores Jesus' divine authority, inviting us to rely on Him in all aspects of life.

Hope in Christ
The assurance that Jesus can bring life from death provides hope and comfort in times of loss.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Jesus' statement about the girl being "asleep" challenge our understanding of death and resurrection?

2. In what ways can we demonstrate faith in Jesus' power over seemingly impossible situations in our lives?

3. How do the reactions of the mourners reflect common attitudes towards faith and miracles today?

4. What can we learn from Jesus' calm authority in this situation, and how can we apply it to our own challenges?

5. How does this passage connect with other biblical teachings on life after death, and how can it provide comfort in times of grief?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Mark 5:35-43 and Luke 8:49-56
These parallel accounts provide additional details about the event, including the name of the synagogue leader, Jairus, and the reaction of the crowd.

John 11:11-14
Jesus uses similar language when referring to Lazarus, indicating that death is not final for those who believe in Him.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14
Paul speaks of believers who have "fallen asleep," echoing Jesus' perspective on death for those who have faith.
Dread of RidiculeS. Baring-GouldMatthew 9:24
Concessions to FaithJ.A. Macdonald Matthew 9:18-26
The Advance of Faith Upon SenseP.C. Barker Matthew 9:18, 19, 23-26
The Ruler's DaughterW.F. Adeney Matthew 9:18, 19, 23-26
A Dying DaughterMatthew 9:23-25
A Science of PalmistryJ. Parker, D. D.Matthew 9:23-25
Differing Expressions of GriefF. W. Robertson.Matthew 9:23-25
God Confers His Gifts with Distinct Reminders that They are HisF. W. Robertson, M. A.Matthew 9:23-25
Hired MournersMrs. Rogers.Matthew 9:23-25
Jesus Moved by All Kinds of SorrowF. W. Robertson, M. A.Matthew 9:23-25
The Death of ChildrenGrosart.Matthew 9:23-25
The Healing of Jairus's DaughterF. W. Robertson, M. A.Matthew 9:23-25
The Insolence of Sense, as Opposed to FaithJ. Puckle, M. A.Matthew 9:23-25
The Ruler's DaughterA. M. Stuart.Matthew 9:23-25
The Shaggiest Use of Sorrow is to Remind of GodF. W. Robertson, M. A.Matthew 9:23-25
People
David, Jesus, John, Matthew
Places
Capernaum
Topics
Asleep, Damsel, Dead, Depart, Derided, Deriding, Die, Died, Girl, Isn't, Laughed, Laughing, Leave, Maid, Ridiculing, Room, Scorn, Sleep, Sleepeth, Sleeping, Sleeps, Withdraw
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Matthew 9:24

     5535   sleep, and death
     5818   contempt
     5900   laughter
     8027   faith, testing of

Matthew 9:18-25

     2012   Christ, authority
     2066   Christ, power of
     5194   touch

Matthew 9:18-30

     6689   mercy, of Christ

Matthew 9:20-25

     5194   touch

Matthew 9:23-24

     5314   flute

Matthew 9:23-25

     5279   crowds
     5669   children, examples
     9310   resurrection

Library
June 26. "When He Saw the Multitudes He was Moved" (Matt. Ix. 36).
"When He saw the multitudes He was moved" (Matt. ix. 36). He is able to be "touched with the feeling of our infirmities." The word "touched" expresses a great deal. It means that our troubles are His troubles, and that in all our afflictions He is afflicted. It is not a sympathy of sentiment, but a sympathy of suffering. There is much help in this for the tired heart. It is the foundation of His Priesthood, and God meant that it should be to us a source of unceasing consolation. Let us realize, more
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

Christ's Encouragements
'Son, be of good cheer.'--MATT. ix. 2. This word of encouragement, which exhorts to both cheerfulness and courage, is often upon Christ's lips. It is only once employed in the Gospels by any other than He. If we throw together the various instances in which He thus speaks, we may get a somewhat striking view of the hindrances to such a temper of bold, buoyant cheerfulness which the world presents, and of the means for securing it which Christ provides. But before I consider these individually, let
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

A Christlike Judgment of Men
'But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.' --MATT. ix. 36. In the course of our Lord's wandering life of teaching and healing, there had naturally gathered around Him a large number of persons who followed Him from place to place, and we have here cast into a symbol the impression produced upon Him by their outward condition. That is to say, He sees them lying there weary, and footsore, and
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Soul-Healing First: Body-Healing Second
'That ye may know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins (then saith He to the sick of the palsy), Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.'--MATT. ix. 6. The great example of our Lord's teaching in the Sermon on the Mount is followed, in this and the preceding chapter, by a similar collection of His works of healing. These are divided into three groups, each consisting of three members. This miracle is the last of the second triad, of which the other two members are the
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Touch of Faith and the Touch of Christ
'While He spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped Him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay Thy hand upon her, and she shall live. 19. And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did His disciples. 20. And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind Him, and touched the hem of His garment: 21. For she said within herself, If I may but touch His garment, I shall be whole. 22. But Jesus turned Him about,
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Call of Matthew
'And as Jesus passed forth from thence, He saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and He saith unto him, Follow Me. And he arose, and followed Him. 10. And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. 11. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto His disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? 12. But when Jesus heard that, He said unto them, They that be whole need not
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Compassion of Jesus
THIS is said of Christ Jesus several times in the New Testament. The original word is a very remarkable one. It is not found in classic Greek. It is not found in the Septuagint. The fact is, it was a word coined by the evangelists themselves. They did not find one in the whole Greek language that suited their purpose, and therefore they had to make one. It is expressive of the deepest emotion; a striving of the bowels--a yearning of the innermost nature with pity. As the dictionaries tell us-- Ex
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 60: 1914

Eleventh Day for More Labourers
WHAT TO PRAY.--For more Labourers "Pray ye the Lord of the harvest, that He send forth labourers into His harvest."--MATT. ix. 38. What a remarkable call of the Lord Jesus for help from His disciples in getting the need supplied. What an honour put upon prayer. What a proof that God wants prayer and will hear it. Pray for labourers, for all students in theological seminaries, training homes, Bible institutes, that they may not go, unless He fits them and sends them forth; that our churches may
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession

Dread of Ridicule.
24th Sunday after Trinity. S. Matt. ix. 24. "And they laughed Him to scorn." INTRODUCTION.--"All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Tim. iii. 12.) This is what S. Paul says. This is what everyone of you must make up your mind to, if you intend to live godly lives, and, moreover, to live in Christ. Do you know what that meant to the early Christians? It meant that if they were going to be firm in their faith, live up to their profession, and eschew evil, they should
S. Baring-Gould—The Village Pulpit, Volume II. Trinity to Advent

Evil Thoughts.
19th Sunday after Trinity. S. Matt. ix. 4. "Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?" INTRODUCTION.--Thoughts are only thoughts! who is to beheld accountable for them? They are clouds blown about by fancy, taking various shapes. God is not so hard as to judge us for our thoughts; He will try us by what we have done, not by what we have dreamed. No garden is without weeds; there are tares in every cornfield. Who speak thus? Is it those who are conscientious and scrupulous to drive away evil thoughts?
S. Baring-Gould—The Village Pulpit, Volume II. Trinity to Advent

Civilized Barbarism (Preached for the Bishop of London's Fund, at St. John's Church, Notting Hill, June 1866. )
ST. MATTHEW ix. 12. They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. I have been honoured by an invitation to preach on behalf of the Bishop of London's Fund for providing for the spiritual wants of this metropolis. By the bishop, and a large number of landowners, employers of labour, and others who were aware of the increasing heathendom of the richest and happiest city of the world, it was agreed that, if possible, a million sterling should be raised during the next ten years,
Charles Kingsley—The Water of Life and Other Sermons

The Physician's Calling (Preached at Whitehall for St. George's Hospital. )
ST. MATTHEW ix. 35. And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. The Gospels speak of disease and death in a very simple and human tone. They regard them in theory, as all are forced to regard them in fact, as sore and sad evils. The Gospels never speak of disease or death as necessities; never as the will of God. It is Satan, not God, who binds the woman with
Charles Kingsley—The Water of Life and Other Sermons

Of the Words Themselves in General.
We come now to the words themselves, wherein Christ asserts that he is, 1, "the way;" 2, "the truth;" 3, "the life;" and, 4, "that no man cometh to the Father but by him." In them we learn these two things in general. First, The misery of wretched man by nature. This cannot be in a few words expressed. These words will point out those particulars thereof, which we will but mention. 1. That he is born an enemy to, and living at a distance from God, by virtue of the curse of the broken covenant of
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

Christ
IF NOT GOD--NOT GOOD BY I. M. HALDEMAN, D.D. "Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is God" (Matthew 9:17). THE world has accepted Jesus Christ as a good man. The evidences of his goodness are manifold. He was full of compassion. He never looked upon the people as a crowd. He never thought of them as a mass. He saw them always as individuals. His heart went out to them. All his impulses were to pity them, sympathize with, and help them. He went among them. He entered into
I. M. Haldeman—Christ, Christianity and the Bible

Concerted Prayer
"A tourist, in climbing an Alpine summit, finds himself tied by a strong rope to his trusty guide, and to three of his fellow-tourists. As they skirt a perilous precipice he cannot pray, Lord, hold up my goings in a safe path, that my footsteps slip not, but as to my guide and companions, they must look out for themselves.' The only proper prayer in such a case is, Lord, hold up our goings in a safe path; for if one slips all of us may perish.'"--H. Clay Trumbull The pious Quesnel says that "God
Edward M. Bounds—The Essentials of Prayer

Combination Illustrated.
To illustrate our method of combination, let us take Section 36, which is a fitting together of the following passages, namely: 9 And as Jesus passed by from thence, he saw a man, called Matthew, sitting at the place of toll: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.--Matt. ix. 9. 13 And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them. 14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphæus sitting at the place of toll,
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Call of Matthew.
(at or Near Capernaum.) ^A Matt. IX. 9; ^B Mark II. 13, 14; ^C Luke V. 27, 28. ^c 27 And after these thingsa [after the healing of the paralytic] he went forth, ^a again by the seaside [i. e., he left Capernaum, and sought the shore of the sea, which formed a convenient auditorium for him, and which was hence a favorite scene for his teaching]; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them. 14 And as he ^a Jesus passed by from thence, he saw ^c and beheld ^a a man, ^c a publican, named
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Matthew's Feast. Discourse on Fasting.
(Capernaum.) ^A Matt. IX. 10-17; ^B Mark II. 15-22; ^C Luke V. 29-39. ^c 29 And Levi [another name for the apostle Matthew] made him a great feast in his house: ^b 15 And it came to pass, that he was sitting { ^a as he sat} at meat in the { ^b his} ^a house, ^c and there was a great multitude of publicans [Matthew had invited his old friends] and of others ^b and ^a behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. ^b for there were many, ^c that were sitting at meat
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Jairus' Daughter and the Invalid Woman.
(Capernaum, Same Day as Last.) ^A Matt. IX. 18-26; ^B Mark V. 22-43; ^C Luke VIII. 41-56. ^c 41 And ^a 18 While he spake these things unto them [while he talked about fasting at Matthew's table], behold, there came, { ^b cometh} ^c a man named Jairus, { ^b Jairus by name;} ^c and he was a ruler { ^b one of the rulers} of the synagogue [He was one of the board of elders which governed the synagogue at Capernaum. These elders were not necessarily old men--Matt. xix. 16-22; Luke xviii. 18-23], and seeing
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Jesus Heals a Paralytic at Capernaum.
^A Matt. IX. 2-8; ^B Mark II. 1-12; ^C Luke V. 17-26. ^c 17 And it came to pass on one of those days, ^b when he entered again into Capernaum after some days, ^c that he was teaching; ^b it was noised that he was in the house. [Luke uses the general expression "those days," referring to the early portion of our Lord's ministry in Galilee. Mark says, "some days," which implies the lapse of a considerable interval. The healing of the leper created such excitement that for some time, several weeks,
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Lix. Healing Blind Men and a Dumb Demoniac.
(Probably Capernaum.) ^A Matt. IX. 27-34. ^a 27 And as Jesus passed by from thence [If construed strictly, this phrase means, as he departed from Jairus' house. But the phrase is indefinite], two blind men followed him, crying out, and saying, Have mercy on us, thou son of David. [This, among the Jews, was a common and thoroughly recognized name for the expected Messiah.] 28 And when he was come into the house [possibly Peter's. But the place is not important. The house is mentioned to show that
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Third Circuit of Galilee. The Twelve Instructed and Sent Forth.
^A Matt. IX. 35-38; X. 1, 5-42; XI. 1; ^B Mark VI. 6-13; ^C Luke IX. 1-6. ^b 6 And he ^a Jesus ^b went about ^a all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner sickness and all manner of sickness. [In the first circuit of Galilee some of the twelve accompanied Jesus as disciples (see [3]Section XXXIII.); in the second the twelve were with him as apostles; in the third they, too, are sent forth as evangelists to supplement
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Return to Capernaum - Concerning the Forgiveness of Sins - the Healing of the Paralysed
It is a remarkable instance of the reserve of the Gospel-narratives, that of the second journey of Jesus in Galilee no other special event is recorded than the healing of the leper. And it seems also to indicate, that this one miracle had been so selected for a special purpose. But if, as we have suggested, after the Unknown Feast,' the activity of Jesus assumed a new and what, for want of a better name, may be called an anti-Judaic character, we can perceive the reason of it. The healing of leprosy
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Healing of the Woman - Christ's Personal Appearance - the Raising of Jairus' Daughter
THERE seems remarkable correspondence between the two miracles which Jesus had wrought on leaving Capernaum and those which He did on His return. In one sense they are complementary to each other. The stilling of the storm and the healing of the demonised were manifestations of the absolute power inherent in Christ; the recovery of the woman and the raising of Jairus' daughter, evidence of the absolute efficacy of faith. The unlikeliness of dominion over the storm, and of command over a legion of
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Links
Matthew 9:24 NIV
Matthew 9:24 NLT
Matthew 9:24 ESV
Matthew 9:24 NASB
Matthew 9:24 KJV

Matthew 9:24 Commentaries

Bible Hub
Matthew 9:23
Top of Page
Top of Page