Mark 5:36

Heard. Important textual evidence (cf. p. 146) may be cited for the reading “overheard.” The word spoken quietly to Jairus “caught the ear of Jesus” (DA 343 342, 343).

Be not afraid. Where there is fear there is little faith. Faith drives out fear. Jairus had been sufficiently strong in faith so that he found no difficulty in believing that Jesus could heal his daughter (see on v. 23). Now he was called upon to exercise even greater faith — faith that the clutch of death itself could be broken. When fear haunts our souls and taunts our feeble faith, let us do as Jesus bade Jairus — “only believe,” for “all things are possible to him that believeth” (ch. 9:23).