What does Mark 5:38 mean?

Upon His return from freeing a man with a legion of demons, Jesus was approached by Jairus, a leader of the local synagogue, whose daughter was dying. Jairus learned that while he was traveling home, she had passed, but Jesus encouraged him to maintain his faith (Mark 5:36).

Jesus, Peter, James, John, and Jairus arrive to find the house filled with professional mourners (Matthew 9:25). Professional mourning was well-known in Jesus' day around the Middle East and Asia. Matthew 9:23 mentions flute players and a crowd. Oddly enough, the career is making a comeback in some western nations, where families can hire actors to provide a suitable atmosphere at funerals and memorial services.

Unlike modern professional mourners who study the life of the deceased and make small talk to friends and extended family of the deceased, these mourners are neither somber nor reserved. "Commotion" is from the Greek root word thorubos which means noise, clamor, and public disorder. "Wailing" is from the Greek root word alalazo. It's the "alala" sound soldiers made when rushing into battle, similar to what is referred to as ululation.

The custom of hired mourners shows how we have always been uncomfortable with our grief. Anger, control, and even detachment are easier places to dwell in than the raw vulnerability of acute loss. But God promises to meet us in grief. He sees our sadness (Psalm 56:8) and promises to turn it into joy if we will trust Him (Psalm 30:11–12).