Welcome to “Ehrman Errs,” a blog series devoted to using our conversational AI to refute each alleged biblical contradiction that is posed in the article on Bart Ehrman’s website: 50 Contradictions in the Bible: The Biggest, Most Shocking Differences.
Today’s alleged contradiction:
#18 – Was Jairus’ Daughter Already Dead?
This example of biblical contradiction was at the heart of an online debate between Bart D. Ehrman and Matthew Firth that you can check out here! What is this inconsistency all about? In Mark 5:22-23 and Luke 8:41-42, Jairus approaches Jesus, pleading with him to heal his daughter, who is described as gravely ill but still alive. Jairus says: “My little daughter is dying” (Mark 5:23). However, while Jesus is on his way to Jairus’ house, a messenger arrives to report that the girl has died, leading to the dramatic miracle where Jesus raises her from the dead. In Matthew 9:18, the story takes a different turn. Here, Jairus tells Jesus from the outset that his daughter has already died: “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live” (Matthew 9:18). It’s a small contradiction, but indeed a contradiction!
How Does Ehrman Err?
This is a common example raised by skeptics like Bart Ehrman, and it’s important to approach it with both honesty and careful attention to the biblical text. Let’s look at the passages in question and see how Christians have historically understood them.
The Passages
Mark 5:22–23 (ESV):
“Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet and implored him earnestly, saying, ‘My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.’”
Luke 8:41–42 (ESV):
“And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus’ feet, he implored him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.”
Matthew 9:18 (ESV):
“While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, ‘My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.’”
The Apparent Contradiction
- Mark and Luke: Jairus says his daughter is dying (still alive).
- Matthew: Jairus says his daughter has just died.
How Do We Reconcile This?
1. Summary vs. Detailed Reporting
Matthew often summarizes events more briefly than Mark and Luke, who tend to provide more detail. It’s common in ancient literature (and even today) for different authors to condense or paraphrase dialogue for emphasis or clarity. Matthew’s account may be telescoping the story—summarizing Jairus’s desperate plea in light of what is about to happen.
2. Jairus’s Desperation and Faith
It’s possible Jairus, in his desperation, expressed both ideas: that his daughter was dying (Mark/Luke) and that she was as good as dead or perhaps had just died (Matthew). In the urgency of the moment, his words could have reflected the immediacy and gravity of the situation. The phrase “has just died” in Matthew can also be understood as “is at the point of death” or “has reached the end,” which is consistent with the other accounts.
3. Not a Contradiction, but Different Perspectives
The Gospel writers are not giving a verbatim transcript but are conveying the essence of Jairus’s plea. Matthew, writing to a Jewish audience and often abbreviating stories, may have chosen to present Jairus’s faith in Jesus’s power over death more directly. Mark and Luke, meanwhile, provide the unfolding drama as it happened.
4. Both Accounts Lead to the Same Miracle
All three Gospels agree on the core facts: Jairus’s daughter was in a desperate condition, and Jesus raised her from the dead. The slight variation in wording does not change the substance of the miracle or the faith Jairus displayed.
Biblical Precedent for Different Details
The Gospel writers often include or omit details based on their purposes and audiences. This is not a contradiction but a feature of eyewitness testimony and ancient biography. For example, in the resurrection accounts, different women are named at the tomb, but all agree Jesus rose from the dead (see Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:1, Luke 24:10).
Conclusion: No Real Contradiction
What appears to be a contradiction is actually a difference in emphasis and reporting style. The core truth remains unchanged: Jesus has authority over life and death, and the Gospel writers faithfully record this miracle.
Supporting Scriptures
- 2 Timothy 3:16 (ESV): “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”
- Luke 1:3–4 (ESV): “It seemed good to me also…to write an orderly account for you…that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.”
- John 20:31 (ESV): “But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”