The short answer is that Jairus’s daughter was dead. Not since the days of Elijah (1 Kings 17:17–24) and Elisha (2 Kings 4:29–37) had anyone been raised from the dead. Therefore the news that Jairus’s daughter was dead puts Jesus on the spot in some ways—raising the stakes. He has dramatically saved people from various hopeless situations (Mark 4:37–38; Mark 5:2–5)—most recently the woman who had suffered from a bleeding condition for twelve years (Mark 5:34)—and now he and the crowds with him are confronted by the great enemy: death.
35 While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler’s house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?”