Matthew 9:18 – 26

18 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.”

19 So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.

20 And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment.

21 For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.”

22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.

23 When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing,

24 He said to them, “Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him.

25 But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.

26 And the report of this went out into all that land.

As Jesus finished discussing fasting and the difference in circumstances with John's disciples and His followers, an officer of the Jewish synagogue approached Jesus. The man was a Jew and knew enough of Jesus, he knew Jesus was healing and casting out demons. He knew Jesus could raise his daughter from the dead.

Jesus and His disciples had been eating with the tax collectors, he recognized the faith of the man so He rose from the table and followed him to his home, so did Jesus disciples. Jesus in the last chapter had shown His ability to heal even though he was not in the location with the ill person, so this time He must have a reason for going to the ruler's home.

On His way to the ruler's home He is approached by a woman who had been hemorrhaging blood for 12 years. In other accounts it is reported she had spent all of her assets on medical treatments and they were not been successful. To be healed she came near enough to Jesus to touch the hem of his garment.

The clothing had no special powers, but the one wearing them did.

Her faith was only spoken in her mind, but Jesus knew what she thought.

Jesus knew her faith and she was healed immediately.

They reached the rulers home and as they entered they encountered the mourners who sometimes were paid to cry and make noise, the words used here are defined as “to wail tumultuously,” the instruments were flutes and could be used to produce turbulent “noise.”

Jesus used a figurative expression, when one is dead they appear to be sleeping, the crowd did not recognize the statement as figurative so they ridiculed him. Jesus also used the figurative in the case of Lazarus, but he explained it to His disciples. (John 11:11, 14)

After the distractions were removed from the room, Jesus took the girl by the hand and she arose. Jesus had used spoken commands and touch during the different miracles He had performed. This occasion He merely took the dead girl by the hand and she regained life. Touching a corpse and bringing it back to life is only possible with supernatural powers such as Christ was endowed with being the Son of God.

Jesus reputation as a healer and one who can raise the dead continued to spread throughout the land.