And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.
When the Lord met the widow of Nain as she followed her only son to burial, who had been her sole earthly support, He was moved with tender compassion, came beside her in concern for her loss, and asked her to cease grieving to comfort her. By His word He raised the young man to life and gave him back alive to his mother, so that sorrow was turned to joy and the people rejoiced and praised God. The son was restored only to mortal life and remained subject to death and decay, without receiving immortality, unlike those raised at Christ's resurrection who were given everlasting life. The raising also points to the future resurrection, when His voice will call the dead in Christ from their tombs to immortal life to be with the Lord. That same tender sympathy is still present with every mourner today, for He is touched by the grief of bereaved mothers and remains a living Saviour ready to comfort and help all who trust in Him.
Widow's Loss and Compassion
The woman was the widow of Nain, whose only son had died and was being carried to burial while she followed him to the grave, and he had been her sole earthly support. When the Lord saw her, He was moved with tender compassion and came beside her, showing His tender concern for the bereaved. That same compassion remains His attitude toward grieving mothers in sorrow and need today.
He gently told her not to weep, and the command was an expression of tender sympathy and comfort. He spoke it even though He was about to restore her son to life and turn her grief to joy.
By His word He raised the young man to life, taking him by the hand and giving him back alive to his mother. The people returned home rejoicing and praising God. His word thus brings comfort and life, doing what human effort cannot do.
Mortal Raising and Future Resurrection
The raising at Nain restored the widow's son to mortal life, not to immortality, and he remained subject to death and decay. He was brought back to the life he had before, without being given the incorruptible life that removes dying forever. This is unlike those raised when Christ rose, who were given immortality and everlasting life. The difference is that the raisings during His ministry left the restored ones still under death, while the raisings at His own resurrection carried them beyond it.
Jesus met the widow as her dead son was being carried to the grave, took the young man by the hand, raised him to life, and gave him back alive to his mother. The people then returned home rejoicing and praising God for what His word had done. That restoration also points forward to the future resurrection, when Christ's voice will call the dead in Christ from their tombs to immortal life. Then they will be raised no longer to die again, but to be with the Lord forever.
Comfort for Mourners Today
The same tender sympathy felt for the grieving mother at Nain is present with every mourner now, and the power to give life remains effective, for he is still a living Saviour to all who believe in him. He is touched by the grief and sorrow of bereaved mothers, and he remains ready to comfort and help mothers in sorrow and need today and all who trust in him.
He knows the burden of every mother and is touched by the woe of the bereaved mother today. As her best friend in every emergency he sympathizes with her work, hears her earnest prayers, and upholds her with his everlasting arms. If she will trust him he is ready to aid her in her need, giving peace and joy and strength with courage and wisdom for the most trying hour. In this way he makes her burdens lighter and gives her rest.
The raising of the widow's son while friends were carrying him to burial is an example of his work as a genuine medical missionary. It shows the kind of labor his followers are to learn from his life.
When the Lord met the widow of Nain as she followed her only son to burial, who had been her sole earthly support, He was moved with tender compassion, came beside her in concern for her loss, and asked her to cease grieving to comfort her.
By His word He raised the young man to life and gave him back alive to his mother, so that sorrow was turned to joy and the people rejoiced and praised God.
The son was restored only to mortal life and remained subject to death and decay, without receiving immortality, unlike those raised at Christ's resurrection who were given everlasting life.
The raising also points to the future resurrection, when His voice will call the dead in Christ from their tombs to immortal life to be with the Lord.
That same tender sympathy is still present with every mourner today, for He is touched by the grief of bereaved mothers and remains a living Saviour ready to comfort and help all who trust in Him.
Widow's Loss and Compassion
The woman was the widow of Nain, whose only son had died and was being carried to burial while she followed him to the grave, and he had been her sole earthly support. When the Lord saw her, He was moved with tender compassion and came beside her, showing His tender concern for the bereaved. That same compassion remains His attitude toward grieving mothers in sorrow and need today.
He gently told her not to weep, and the command was an expression of tender sympathy and comfort. He spoke it even though He was about to restore her son to life and turn her grief to joy.
By His word He raised the young man to life, taking him by the hand and giving him back alive to his mother. The people returned home rejoicing and praising God. His word thus brings comfort and life, doing what human effort cannot do.
Mortal Raising and Future Resurrection
The raising at Nain restored the widow's son to mortal life, not to immortality, and he remained subject to death and decay. He was brought back to the life he had before, without being given the incorruptible life that removes dying forever. This is unlike those raised when Christ rose, who were given immortality and everlasting life. The difference is that the raisings during His ministry left the restored ones still under death, while the raisings at His own resurrection carried them beyond it.
Jesus met the widow as her dead son was being carried to the grave, took the young man by the hand, raised him to life, and gave him back alive to his mother. The people then returned home rejoicing and praising God for what His word had done. That restoration also points forward to the future resurrection, when Christ's voice will call the dead in Christ from their tombs to immortal life. Then they will be raised no longer to die again, but to be with the Lord forever.
Comfort for Mourners Today
The same tender sympathy felt for the grieving mother at Nain is present with every mourner now, and the power to give life remains effective, for he is still a living Saviour to all who believe in him. He is touched by the grief and sorrow of bereaved mothers, and he remains ready to comfort and help mothers in sorrow and need today and all who trust in him.
He knows the burden of every mother and is touched by the woe of the bereaved mother today. As her best friend in every emergency he sympathizes with her work, hears her earnest prayers, and upholds her with his everlasting arms. If she will trust him he is ready to aid her in her need, giving peace and joy and strength with courage and wisdom for the most trying hour. In this way he makes her burdens lighter and gives her rest.
The raising of the widow's son while friends were carrying him to burial is an example of his work as a genuine medical missionary. It shows the kind of labor his followers are to learn from his life.