And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.
He halted the burial of a widow's only son by touching the bier so the bearers stood still, then commanded the dead young man to arise and gave him back alive to his mother. His touch was not defiled by contact with death, but His authoritative voice reached the dead with divine power and raised him at once in health and vigor. The act shows Him touched by a mother's sorrow, as a friend and helper who sympathizes with bereaved mothers today, hears their prayers, and comforts and aids all who trust Him in grief and need. That same word remains fully powerful, for He is still a living Saviour whose power to give life has not diminished, giving mourners hope and an example of compassionate healing ministry for His followers to imitate. The son was restored only to mortal life subject to death again, unlike those raised when Christ rose and those raised at His return who will rise to everlasting and immortal life, and the command also pictures His call awakening those dead in sin to spiritual life.
Touching the Bier
He came to the funeral procession and laid His hand upon the bier, and those bearing it stood still at His touch. He then spoke directly to the dead young man, commanding him to arise. At that word the young man was brought back to life.
Contact with the bier and with death brought no defilement upon Him. His voice carries authority that reaches even the dead. In that command is power over death itself.
He took the young man by the hand and lifted him up alive and gave him back to his mother. The raising was done at once by a word of divine power, not by any long process of treatment. Those whom His voice thus reaches arise in health and vigor, healed and restored.
Mortal Return, Immortal Hope
The word that called the youth at Nain back to life has lost none of its force, and the tenderness and sympathy with which mourners were met then remain unchanged, for power to give life has not diminished and a living Saviour still meets human need. That life-giving command pictures God's call to people dead in sin, so that those who receive His word in faith are awakened to spiritual life and delivered from the power of darkness into His kingdom. The young man who heard that command returned only to earthly, mortal life, still subject to death and decay and certain to die again. That temporary restoration stands in contrast to those who came forth when Christ Himself rose, for they were raised to everlasting life as trophies of victory over death and as a pledge and symbol of the final resurrection of the righteous. The raising points to His return, when His voice will call the dead in Christ from their tombs to immortal life, and they will be with the Lord forever.
Compassion for Mourning Mothers
The verse belongs to the moment when Jesus met a funeral procession carrying a widow's only son to burial and restored him to life. In stopping the bier and giving the son back alive to his mother, He showed Himself touched by a mother's sorrow and grief. That compassion for the bereaved mother reveals His heart toward grieving mothers still.
He is thus a friend and helper to women in their need, indeed woman's best friend. He is touched by the bereaved mother's woe today, sympathizes with every mother in her work, and hears her earnest prayers. He gives comfort and help in grief and need, and stands ready to comfort, help, and aid mothers who will trust in Him.
The act is an example of His compassionate healing ministry, given for His followers to study and imitate. The life-giving word that called the youth to life remains fully powerful, for He meets mourners with unchanging tenderness and sympathy as a living Saviour whose power to give life has not diminished. The power belongs to Him, yet He also works through His servants, and His voice reached the dying so that they arose in health and vigor. The account therefore gives mourners hope, because He has overcome death and has power to deliver from its power and to heal and restore.
He halted the burial of a widow's only son by touching the bier so the bearers stood still, then commanded the dead young man to arise and gave him back alive to his mother. His touch was not defiled by contact with death, but His authoritative voice reached the dead with divine power and raised him at once in health and vigor. The act shows Him touched by a mother's sorrow, as a friend and helper who sympathizes with bereaved mothers today, hears their prayers, and comforts and aids all who trust Him in grief and need. That same word remains fully powerful, for He is still a living Saviour whose power to give life has not diminished, giving mourners hope and an example of compassionate healing ministry for His followers to imitate. The son was restored only to mortal life subject to death again, unlike those raised when Christ rose and those raised at His return who will rise to everlasting and immortal life, and the command also pictures His call awakening those dead in sin to spiritual life.
Touching the Bier
He came to the funeral procession and laid His hand upon the bier, and those bearing it stood still at His touch. He then spoke directly to the dead young man, commanding him to arise. At that word the young man was brought back to life.
Contact with the bier and with death brought no defilement upon Him. His voice carries authority that reaches even the dead. In that command is power over death itself.
He took the young man by the hand and lifted him up alive and gave him back to his mother. The raising was done at once by a word of divine power, not by any long process of treatment. Those whom His voice thus reaches arise in health and vigor, healed and restored.
Mortal Return, Immortal Hope
The word that called the youth at Nain back to life has lost none of its force, and the tenderness and sympathy with which mourners were met then remain unchanged, for power to give life has not diminished and a living Saviour still meets human need. That life-giving command pictures God's call to people dead in sin, so that those who receive His word in faith are awakened to spiritual life and delivered from the power of darkness into His kingdom. The young man who heard that command returned only to earthly, mortal life, still subject to death and decay and certain to die again. That temporary restoration stands in contrast to those who came forth when Christ Himself rose, for they were raised to everlasting life as trophies of victory over death and as a pledge and symbol of the final resurrection of the righteous. The raising points to His return, when His voice will call the dead in Christ from their tombs to immortal life, and they will be with the Lord forever.
Compassion for Mourning Mothers
The verse belongs to the moment when Jesus met a funeral procession carrying a widow's only son to burial and restored him to life. In stopping the bier and giving the son back alive to his mother, He showed Himself touched by a mother's sorrow and grief. That compassion for the bereaved mother reveals His heart toward grieving mothers still.
He is thus a friend and helper to women in their need, indeed woman's best friend. He is touched by the bereaved mother's woe today, sympathizes with every mother in her work, and hears her earnest prayers. He gives comfort and help in grief and need, and stands ready to comfort, help, and aid mothers who will trust in Him.
The act is an example of His compassionate healing ministry, given for His followers to study and imitate. The life-giving word that called the youth to life remains fully powerful, for He meets mourners with unchanging tenderness and sympathy as a living Saviour whose power to give life has not diminished. The power belongs to Him, yet He also works through His servants, and His voice reached the dying so that they arose in health and vigor. The account therefore gives mourners hope, because He has overcome death and has power to deliver from its power and to heal and restore.