The Widow of Nain.
11 And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called
Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. 12 Now
when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man
carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much
people of the city was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion
on her, and said unto her, Weep not. 14 And he came and touched the bier:
and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto
thee, Arise. 15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he
delivered him to his mother. 16 And there came a fear on all: and they
glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and,
That God hath visited his people. 17 And this rumour of him went forth
throughout all Judæa, and throughout all the region round about.
18 And the disciples of John showed him of all these things.
We have here the story of Christ's raising to life a widow's son at
Nain, that was dead and in the carrying out to be buried, which Matthew
and Mark had made no mention of; only, in the general, Matthew had recorded
it, in Christ's answer to the disciples of John, that the dead were raised
up, Matt. xi. 5. Observe,
I. Where, and when, this miracle was wrought. It was the next day after
he had cured the centurion's servant, v. 11. Christ was doing good every
day, and never had cause to complain that he had lost a day. It was done
at the gate of a small city, or town, called Nain, not far from Capernaum,
probably the same with a city called Nais, which Jerome speaks of.
II. Who were the witnesses of it. It is as well attested as can be,
for it was done in the sight of two crowds that met in or near the gate
of the city. There was a crowd of disciples and other people attending
Christ (v. 11), and a crowd of relations and neighbours attending the funeral
of the young man, v. 12. Thus there was a sufficient number to attest the
truth of this miracle, which furnished greater proof of Christ's divine
authority than his healing diseases; for by no power of nature, or any
means, can the dead be raised.
III. How it was wrought by our Lord Jesus.
1. The person raised to life was a young man, cut off by death in the
beginning of his days--a common case; man comes forth like a flower and
is cut down. That he was really dead was universally agreed. There could
be no collusion in the case; for Christ was entering into the town, and
had not seen him till now that he met him upon the bier. He was carried
out of the city; for the Jews' burying-places were without their cities,
and at some distance from them. This young man was the only son of his
mother, and she a widow. She depended upon him to be the staff of her old
age, but he proves a broken reed; every man at his best estate is so. How
numerous, how various, how very calamitous, are the afflictions of the
afflicted in this world! What a vale of tears is it! What a Bochim, a place
of weepers! We may well think how deep the sorrow of this poor mother was
for her only son (such sorrowing is referred to as expressive of the greatest
grief,-- Zech. xii. 10), and it was the deeper in that she was a widow,
broken with breach upon breach, and a full end made of her comforts. Much
people of the city was with her, condoling with her loss, to comfort her.
2. Christ showed both his pity and his power in raising him to life,
that he might give a specimen of both, which shine so brightly in man's
redemption.
(1.) See how tender his compassions are towards the afflicted (v. 13):
When the Lord saw the poor widow following her son to the grave, he had
compassion on her. Here was not application made to him for her, not so
much as that he would speak some words of comfort to her, but, ex mero
motu--purely from the goodness of his nature, he was troubled for her.
The case was piteous, and he looked upon it with pity. His eye affected
his heart; and he said unto her, Weep not. Note, Christ has a concern for
the mourners, for the miserable, and often prevents them with the blessing
of his goodness. He undertook the work of our redemption and salvation,
in his love and in his pity, Isa. lxiii. 9. What a pleasing idea does this
give us of the compassions of the Lord Jesus, and the multitude of his
tender mercies, which may be very comfortable to us when at any time we
are in sorrow! Let poor widows comfort themselves in their sorrows with
this, that Christ pities them and knows their souls in adversity; and,
if others despise their grief, he does not. Christ said, Weep not; and
he could give her a reason for it which no one else could: "Weep not for
a dead son, for he shall presently become a living one." This was a reason
peculiar to her case; yet there is a reason common to all that sleep in
Jesus, which is of equal force against inordinate and excessive grief for
their death--that they shall rise again, shall rise in glory; and therefore
we must not sorrow as those that have no hope, 1 Thess. iv. 13. Let Rachel,
that weeps for her children, refrain her eyes from tears, for there is
hope in thine end, saith the Lord, that thy children shall come again to
their own border, Jer. xxxi. 17. And let our passion at such a time be
checked and claimed by the consideration of Christ's compassion.
(2.) See how triumphant his commands are over even death itself (v.
14): He came, and touched the bier, or coffin, in or upon which the dead
body lay; for to him it would be no pollution. Hereby he intimated to the
bearers that they should not proceed; he had something to say to the dead
young man. Deliver him from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom,
Job xxxiii. 24. Hereupon they that bore him stood still, and probably let
down the bier from their shoulders to the ground, and opened the coffin,
it if was closed up; and then with solemnity, as one that had authority,
and to whom belonged the issues from death, he said, Young man, I say unto
thee, Arise. The young man was dead, and could not arise by any power of
his own (no more can those that are spiritually dead in trespasses and
sins); yet it was no absurdity at all for Christ to bid him arise, when
a power went along with that word to put life into him. The gospel call
to all people, to young people particularly, is, "Arise, arise from the
dead, and Christ shall give you light and life." Christ's dominion over
death was evidenced by the immediate effect of his word (v. 15): He that
was dead sat up. Have we grace from Christ? Let us show it. Another evidence
of life was that he began to speak; for whenever Christ gives us spiritual
life he opens the lips in prayer and praise. And, lastly, he would not
oblige this young man, to whom he had given a new life, to go along with
him as his disciple, to minister to him (though he owed him even his own
self), much less as a trophy or show to get honour by him, but delivered
him to his mother, to attend her as became a dutiful son; for Christ's
miracles were miracles of mercy, and a great act of mercy this was to this
widow; now she was comforted, according to the time in which she had been
afflicted and much more, for she could now look upon this son as a particular
favourite of Heaven, with more pleasure than if he had not died.
IV. What influence it had upon the people (v. 16): There came a fear
on all; it frightened them all, to see a dead man start up alive out of
his coffin in the open street, at the command of a man; they were all struck
with wonder at his miracle, and glorified God. The Lord and his goodness,
as well as the Lord and his greatness, are to be feared. The inference
they drew from it was, "A great prophet is risen up among us, the great
prophet that we have been long looking for; doubtless, he is one divinely
inspired who can thus breathe life into the dead, and in him God hath visited
his people, to redeem them, as was expected," Luke i. 68. This would be
life from the dead indeed to all them that waited for the consolation of
Israel. When dead souls are thus raised to spiritual life, by a divine
power going along with the gospel, we must glorify God, and look upon it
as a gracious visit to his people. The report of this miracle was carried,
1. In general, all the country over (v. 17): This rumour of him, that he
was the great prophet, went forth upon the wings of fame through all Judea,
which lay a great way off, and throughout all Galilee, which was the region
round about. Most had this notice of him, yet few believed in him, and
gave up themselves to him. Many have the rumour of Christ's gospel in their
ears that have not the savour and relish of it in their souls. 2. In particular,
it was carefully brought to John Baptist, who was now in prison (v. 18):
His disciples came, and gave him an account of all things, that he might
know that though he was bound yet the word of the Lord was not bound; God's
work was going on, though he was laid aside.
