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LUKE - Christ, the Savior of the World
A Bible Study Course on the Gospel of Christ according to Luke
PART 3 - JESUS' MINISTRY IN GALILEE (Luke 4:14 - 9:50)
9. Jesus Raises the Son of the Widow of Nain (Luke 7:11-17)
LUKE 7:11-17
11 It happened soon afterwards, that he went to a city called Nain. Many of his disciples, along with a great multitude, went with him. 12 Now when he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, one who was dead was carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. Many people of the city were with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said to her, “Don’t cry.” 14 He came near and touched the coffin, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!” 15 He who was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother. 16 Fear took hold of all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited his people!” 17 This report went out concerning him in the whole of Judea, and in all the surrounding region.
Guided by the Holy Spirit, Jesus went to the city of Nain, 50 km. from Capernaum. Nain signifies “delightful”, but death attacked this delightful town as a monster, and cut off a young man. To the Jews, the death of a man in the prime of youth was considered a divine judgment (Psalms 55:23; 102:26). Though the young man was the only son of his widowed mother, and the hope of his family for the continuance of their seed, his death was considered as a punishment to all his house. His mother had already suffered the death of her husband, and now the second heavy blow strikes her. She saw in those afflictions the proclamation of God’s condemnation of her, and was crushed, through faithful, and God fearing. Many of the people of her town accompanied her at the funeral of her only child. The mother wept, shed tears, and tore her hair. The procession of death went on towards the open tomb to receive the dead body of the young man.
Opposite to this despairing procession came the procession of life led by the Prince of Life. Jesus saw the mother’s repentant heart, which neither complained nor blasphemed against God, but only complained about the sorrows of a mother who wept bitterly and penitently. The weeping of the repentant mother moved the heart of God. Christ said to her his comforting word, “Do not weep.” The Son of Man says this kind, tender, and powerful word to all those who weep if they repented, for he comes to them with the full comfort of the power of God present in his person.
Jesus Christ came quietly toward the coffin and touched it. The procession of death stopped. Then Christ followed his consoling, merciful word with his saving authoritative work. Christ did not call God to help and support him, but immediately commanded the dead man by his own name and authority, “I say to you, arise.” This word pierced the kingdom of the dead, and the dead youth heard the call of his Lord. The word of the Creator breathed the power of life into the dead body, and the man sat up and did not need anybody to support him. His spirit and his soul came back to him, and he spoke and breathed as if he had never died. Christ raised the young man quickly from his coffin, as a father raises his sleeping son from his bed. Christ’s power is great.
The crowds attending Christ became frightened, and those attending the funeral fixed their eyes on Christ’s mouth when they heard his words and saw the dead man starting up alive out of his coffin. They all felt the presence of God among them, trembled, and glorified the Holy One saying, “The prophet promised by Moses has truly come (Deuteronomy 18:15,18). He will make an new covenant with our God, and will guide his straying people into salvation.” They thought that Jesus was Christ himself, for every Jew was aware that the raising of the dead is one of the signs of Christ; so some of them dared to say, “God himself is present among us in the man Jesus, for he has visited his despised people.” The report about the raising of the dead spread everywhere like a thunderbolt, and excited the hearts and minds of all who heard.
Dear brother, do you realize the meaning of raising the dead by the hand of Christ? Whoever realizes and confesses that Jesus is Lord over death, must speak with boldness and testify that he is the true God and the Son of the Highest, filled with the Spirit, for God alone can raise the dead.
Do you realize the meaning of the raising of the young man outside the walls of Nain with relation to yourself? You are like the young man in his coffin, full of corrupt thoughts and rotten sins, with the seed of death in you. Now, Jesus Christ stands personally before you, blocks your way to the open tomb, touches you and says, “Young man, I say to you arise.” And you arise and live full of the power of God, and serve your Lord and Savior thankfully, and living forever.
PRAYER: We glorify you O Lord, and praise you with joy and gladness for as you raised the young man in Nain, you raised us to life from the death of sin, and gave us eternal life. We worship you as Victor. We drink of the water of life you offer us. Please call thousands of young men of our nation to your triumphal procession. Amen.
QUESTION 57: How could Jesus raise the dead young man?