Jesus Awakens Girl in Coma 

The day after Jesus encountered the Kheresa lunatic, he arrived by boat in Bethsaida and was greeted by a crowd who had already heard of this seemingly miraculous event. One of those in the crowd who managed to come close to Jesus was Jairus, a synagogue ruler. He implored Jesus to come to his house and minister to his little daughter, who was close to death. Jesus agreed. As they arrived, a servant came out and announced that the girl had died, but Jesus seemed unconcerned and told her father not to be afraid but only to believe.

Upon entering the house, Jesus encountered mourners already making a loud racket and family members weeping. Jesus told her mother that her daughter was not dead. He discerned that the child was only asleep and was in a coma caused by a fever. He went with the parents into the girl’s room, where he took the child’s hand and told her to wake up. At these words, the girl rose from her bed and walked across the room.

Jesus tried to explain that he had not brought the girl back from the dead, but no one believed him. They insisted that Jesus had miraculously resurrected her. After a while, Jesus and his three apostles left to return to Bethsaida, and Jesus told them not to say anything about what had happened.

When Jesus and his associates landed on the shore of Bethsaida on March 22, 29 CE, a great crowd awaited him. The story of Amos, the Kheresa lunatic, had already reached Bethsaida and Capernaum, and Jesus graciously spoke with those who had assembled, many of whom were seeking healing.

Jairus, one of the synagogue rulers, managed to come so close to Jesus that he could fall at his feet. Jairus took Jesus’ hand and begged him to come to his house because his only child, his little daughter, was at home, close to death. He said: “I pray that you will come and heal her.” And Jesus answered: “I will go with you.” So Jesus and three of his apostles – James, Peter, and John – walked with Jairus towards his house, surrounded by the crowds.

On the way, Jesus stopped to minister to Veronica, the woman with the scourging hemorrhage, who was cured of her malady through her faith. But now, Jairus was getting impatient and wanted to hurry to his house. So they walked along quickly. But before they could get there, one of Jairus’ servants came out to say that his daughter had died. Jesus didn’t seem troubled by this news. He said to Jairus, “Fear not; only believe.”

Jesus, his three apostles, and Jairus entered the house and found the mourning had already begun. There was a lot of noise from the relatives weeping, wailing, and flute players making an undignified racket. Jesus told them that the girl was not dead, but they laughed at him. Then he turned to the mother and said, “Your daughter is not dead; she is only asleep.” So he had all of the mourners leave the house, and he went with the father, mother, and three apostles into the now-quiet room. Jesus went to where the girl was lying and took her hand. He told her, "Daughter, I say to you, awake and arise!” She immediately got out of bed and walked across the room, and Jesus advised that they give her something to eat because she had been without food for a long time.

Jesus tried his best to explain to the parents and his apostles that the girl had merely been in a deep coma caused by a long fever. All he did was to wake her up. He had not resurrected her from the dead, but no one believed him. They were all “miracle-minded” and, regardless of what Jesus said, held firm that he had performed yet another miracle. Eventually, Jesus and his apostles returned to Bethsaida. But he asked the apostles to keep quiet about it and not to tell anyone what had happened.

When Jesus came out of Jairus’ house, he was followed by a mute boy who was leading two blind men, and they, too, cried out for healing. No matter where he went, Jesus was surrounded by the sick and afflicted.