When Jesus heard what was being said, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid, only believe.”
This brief saying is one of the most comforting exhortations in the Gospel: “Do not be afraid, only believe.” With these words Christ calls Jairus to keep and continue the faith by which he had already come to Him. He does not begin to give a long explanation about the nature of death or the girl’s condition, but immediately addresses his heart. Here fear and faith are set opposite each other. The point here is not that a believer never feels fear, but that in the moment of trial he is called not to let fear rule over him more than trust in Christ. The Lord often gives this simple and powerful exhortation of faith at the very moment of the heaviest news. When a person no longer sees any refuge, then the words “only believe” become his only firm support.