‘And when he was entered in he says to them, “Why do you make a tumult and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.” And they laughed him to scorn.'
‘When He was entered in.' He said nothing to those who wept outside. They were just doing their job. But He wanted to give assurance to the family and servants. There was no need to arrange all this show of mourning, for the child would once more arise.
‘The child is not dead, but sleeping.' It is strange how some who argue that Jesus did not really raise a dead girl are quite ready to say that He could diagnose the situation at a distance without seeing the girl. Everyone was saying that the child was dead. Why should He think otherwise? And He does not usually give a diagnosis. No, His point was that although the child was dead He was about to raise her. This description of ‘sleep' as softening the idea of death when He intended to do something about it also occurs in John 11:11-15 where there can be no doubt that His words indicated that death was involved from the start (compare also 1Co 11:30; 1 Corinthians 15:6; 1 Corinthians 15:18; 1Co 15:51; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15; 1 Thessalonians 5:10; 2 Peter 3:4). The general idea is also found in Pharisaic teaching. ‘You will sleep, but you will not die' (Genesis Rabba on Genesis 47:30). They believed in the resurrection from the dead.
It is also possible that He wanted to sow the idea in their minds so that when He had raised the daughter they would remember what He had said and doubts would arise in their minds so that they would not immediately tell everyone what had happened (compare Mark 5:43). He did not want all to know that He was about to raise the dead.
‘They laughed Him to scorn.' In their grief they showed their amazement at His insensitivity and foolishness. Did He think that they did not know the difference between sleep and death? It had been coming for a long time and she had ceased breathing and was growing cold. He was talking nonsense. They all knew that she was dead.