Matthew 9:24

24 he saith to them, `Withdraw, for the damsel did not die, but doth sleep,' and they were deriding him;

Matthew 9:24 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 9:24

And he said unto them, give place
Depart, be gone; for he put them out of the room, and suffered none to be with him, when he raised her from the dead, but Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the child, who were witnesses enough of this miracle.

For the maid is not dead, but sleepeth:
not but that she was really dead; and Christ signifies as much, when he says, she "sleepeth"; a phrase that is often used in ^F5 Talmudic writings, for one that is dead: but Christ's meaning is, that she was not so dead as the company thought; as always to remain in the state of the dead, and not to be restored to life again: whereas our Lord signifies, it would be seen in a very little time, that she should be raised again, just as a person is awaked out of sleep; so that there was no occasion to make such funeral preparations as they did. The Jews say

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 of some of their dead, that they are asleep, and not dead: it is said, ( Isaiah 26:19 ) "Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust".

``These, say they, are they that sleep and die not; and such are they that sleep in Hebron, for they (Nykymd ala Nytm) (wal) , "do not die, but sleep", --the four couples in Hebron (Adam and Eve) they "sleep, but are not dead".''

And they laughed him to scorn;
they mocked at his words, and had him in the utmost contempt, as a very weak silly man; taking him either to be a madman, or a fool; knowing that she was really dead, of which they had all the evidence they could have; and having no faith at all in him, and in his power to raise her from the dead.

F5 T. Hieros. Beracot, fol. 6. 1. Avoda Zara, fol. 42. 3. Bereshit Rabba Parash. 91. fol. 79. 3.
F6 Zohar in Exod. fol. 62. 4.

Matthew 9:24 In-Context

22 And Jesus having turned about, and having seen her, said, `Be of good courage, daughter, thy faith hath saved thee,' and the woman was saved from that hour.

23 And Jesus having come to the house of the ruler, and having seen the minstrels and the multitude making tumult,

24 he saith to them, `Withdraw, for the damsel did not die, but doth sleep,' and they were deriding him;

25 but, when the multitude was put forth, having gone in, he took hold of her hand, and the damsel arose,

26 and the fame of this went forth to all the land.