He said unto them,
Depart: for the girl is not dead, but sleeps.
And they laughed him to scorn.
All Commentaries on Matthew 9:24 Go To Matthew 9
Theophylact of Ochrid
AD 1107
. Since she was unmarried, they were mourning her with flutes used at weddings, which was contrary to the law. Jesus said that she was sleeping, because He was able to resurrect her easily, and so to Him, death was sleep. Do not marvel that they laughed Him to scorn, for by scoffing they bear witness all the more to the miracle that He resurrected one who was truly dead. So that no one could later say that she had only suffered a seizure, it was confessed by all those present that she was dead.
