Mark 5:35, 36 commentary: Be not afraid, only believe.

35 ¶ While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? 36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.

Many modern versions omit “As soon as” and “heard” from the Bible based on the authority of our two least favorite corrupt Roman Catholic manuscripts and a couple of less important ones. Jesus did not ignore or pretend not to hear the messengers. But, the verse says that as soon as He heard their statements He told Jairus to believe and not to fear.

Here is a clear expression for us to understand, that while the woman received an immediate answer to her desire to be healed, Jairus was told to not be afraid, only believe, and then he would see the answer later. This account is also found in Matthew 9. If the answer to your prayer is not immediate, if your child is still headed in the wrong direction, and if your situation seems hopeless but you are praying and submitting to Christ, walking along the road with Him, the answer He gives is “Be not afraid, only believe.”

In every thing trust in Christ, even unto death. No answer that makes you happy may come in this life. When the three young Hebrew men were threatened with death in a fiery furnace if they did not bow down to Nebuchadnezzar’s statue and were asked what God could possibly save them from it they said,

Daniel 3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

Job said that even though God would slay him that he would still trust in God in Job 13:15.

Paul’s eyesight never cleared up in spite of his prayers but he never stopped being faithful and trusting in Christ. David grew old and died after watching his own family ripped apart because of his sin. Faithful Jeremiah never got one person to believe his warnings from God. Daniel died a prisoner, never seeing his beloved Jerusalem again, as far as we know. Nehemiah and Ezra worked the rest of their lives on rebuilding the Jerusalem but it is certain they never saw Israel or Judah’s glory again on earth. John the Baptist was beheaded for his troubles. All of these people, including Nebuchadnezzar who was converted at the end after losing his mind for a season, we will meet in the heavenly city. But keep praying and depending on Christ and remember, be not afraid, only believe.