When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing,
Parallel translations
- WEB When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players, and the crowd in noisy disorder,
- KJV And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,
- BSB When Jesus entered the house of the synagogue leader, He saw the flute players and the noisy crowd.
- NASB When Jesus came into the official’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd in noisy disorder,
- NLT When Jesus arrived at the official’s home, he saw the noisy crowd and heard the funeral music.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus arrives at the ruler's house amid mourners and flute players. The scene of grief sets the stage for his power over death.
Overview
Professional mourners and flutists, customary at a Jewish funeral, fill the house with noisy lament, confirming the girl is truly dead. The chaos of mourning heightens the contrast with the calm authority Jesus is about to show. Death has done its worst, but the Lord of life has come.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- 2 Chr 35:25Jeremiah lamented for Josiah, and all the singing men and singing women spoke of Josiah in their lamentations to this day; and they made them an ordinance in Israel. Behold, they are written in the lamentations.
- Mark 5:35–40While he was still speaking, people came from the synagogue ruler’s house saying, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacher any more?”
- Luke 8:49–51While he still spoke, one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house came, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Don’t trouble the Teacher.”
- Matt 9:18–19While he told 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.”
- Matt 11:17and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you didn’t dance. We mourned for you, and you didn’t lament.’
- Jer 9:17–20Yahweh of Armies says, “Consider, and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for the skillful women, that they may come.
- Luke 7:32They are like children who sit in the marketplace, and call to one another, saying, ‘We piped to you, and you didn’t dance. We mourned, and you didn’t weep.’
- Acts 9:39Peter got up and went with them. When he had come, they brought him into the upper room. All the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 9:23 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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