And he charged them sternly that no man should know it; and told them that something should be given her to eat.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
It is not said that he assented to his friends who brought the tidings and wished to prevent the Master from coming, so that our Lord’s saying, “Fear not, only believe,” is not a rebuke for his want of faith, but was intended to strengthen the belief which he had already. But if the Evangelist had related, that the ruler of the synagogue joined the friends who came from his house, in saying that Jesus should not be troubled, the words which Matthew relates him to have said, namely, that the damsel was dead, would then have been contrary to what was in his mind. It goes on, “And He suffered no man to follow Him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.”
Wherefore one believing woman touches the Lord, whilst the crowd throngs Him, because He, who is grieved by divers heresies, or by wicked habits, is worshipped faithfully with the heart of the Catholic Church alone. But the Church of the Gentiles came behind Him; because though it did not see the Lord present in the flesh, for the mysteries of His Incarnation had been gone through, yet it attained to the grace of His faith, and so when by partaking of His sacraments, it merited salvation fromits sins, as it were the fountain of its blood was dried up by the touch of His garments. And the Lord looked round about to see her who had done this, because He judges that all who deserve to be saved are worthy of His look and of His pity.
For to men she was dead, who were unable to raise her up; but to God she was asleep, in whose purpose both the soul was living, and the flesh was resting, to rise again. Whence it became acustom amongst Christians, that the dead, who, they doubt not, will rise...
And commanded that something should be given her to eat, that He might show that she not only had arisen, but was in good health and hungry. For boys and girls are wont, when they awake out of sleep, if they are well and strong, to ask for food. And death was to her in the place of sleep, as Christ says in the39th verse. (Top)
1Zuinglius fell in battle. Does à Lapide refer to his body being burnt after his death?—(Trans.) (Back to the place)
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Morally again, our Redeemer raised the damsel in the house, the young man without the gate, Lazarus in the tomb; he still lies dead in the house, whose sin is concealed; he is carried without the gate, whose sin has broken forth into the madness of an open deed; he lies crushed under the mound of the tomb, who in the commission of sin, lies powerless beneath the weight of habit.
For whenever he raised anyone from the dead he ordered that food should be given him to eat, lest the resurrection should be thought a delusion. And this is why Lazarus after his resurrection is described as being at the feast with our Lord.
It was told the ruler of the synagogue, Thy daughter is dead. But Jesus said to him, She is not dead, but sleepeth. Bother are true, for the meaning is, She is dead to you, but to Me she is asleep.
Some one may accuse the Evangelist of a falsehood in his explanation, in that he had added, “I say unto thee,” when in Hebrew, “Talitha cumi” only means, “Damsel, arise;” but He adds, “I say unto thee, Arise,” to express that His meaning was to call and command her. It goes on, “For she was of the age of twelve years. "It continues, “And they were astonished with a great astonishment.”
Or else, to take away all display, He suffered not all to be with Him; that, however, He might leave behind Him witnesses of His divine power, He chose His three chief disciples and the father and mother of the damsel, as being necessary above all. And He restores life to the damsel both by His hand, and by word of mouth. Wherefore it says, “And He took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, Arise. "For the hand of Jesus, having a quickening power, quickens the dead body, and His voice raises her as she is lying. Wherefore it follows, “And straightway the damsel arose and walked.”.
Hom. in Matt., 81: To show that Hehad raised her really, and not only to the eye of fancy.
Those who were about the ruler of the synagogue, thought that Christ was one of the prophets, and for this reason they thought that they should beg of Him to come and pray over the damsel. But because she had already expired, they thought that He ought not tobe asked to do so.Therefore it is said, “While He yet spake,there came messengers to the ruler of the synagogue, which said, Thy daughteris dead; why troublest thou the Master any further? "But the Lord Himself persuades the father to have confidence. For it goes on, “As soon as Jesus heard the word which was spoken, He saith to the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid; only believe.”.
For Christ in His lowliness would not do any thing for display. It goes on, “And He cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.”Wherefore it says, “And when He was come in, He saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.”.
But they laugh at ...
