Jesus Raises the Widow’s Son: A Miracle of Pure Compassion

We continue our series on the supernatural acts of the Lord Jesus during His time on earth. Today, we focus on the resurrection of a widow's son:

¹¹Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. ¹²As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out--the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. ¹³When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry." ¹⁴Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" ¹⁵The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. ¹⁶They were all filled with awe and praised God. "A great prophet has appeared among us," they said. "God has come to help his people." ¹⁷This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country (Luke 7:11-17).

A Heart for the Vulnerable: Why God Cares for the Widow

Widows and fatherless children have always been those whom God has shown special care and compassion. His heart reaches out to them in their time of need. James, the half-brother of the Lord Jesus, wrote, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27). It is a harsh world for unmarried mothers and their children. They are among the most vulnerable in our society. God has a heart for the defenseless, and His eye is always on them:

A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling (Psalm 68:5).

The Scene at Nain: When Death Meets Life

Let's try to visualize the scene of the widow from the town of Nain. In verse 11, we observe a large crowd following the disciples. Just as they approached the town gate of Nain, a funeral procession was coming out. The widow did not ask for a miracle; Jesus granted it without her asking. Author Ken Gire notes, “It is a miracle performed without human prompting. Without the intention of imparting lessons to the disciples. Without regard for demonstrating divinity to the skeptics. It is a miracle drawn entirely from the well of divine compassion. So free the water. So pure the heart from which it is drawn. So tender the hand that cups it and brings it to this bereaved mother’s lips.”

God does not always require faith before He moves supernaturally; He acts out of His compassion, grace, and mercy. This widow was helpless and alone in the world, with no one to provide for or protect her. She did nothing to earn or deserve Jesus' attention except to be in need. Like this widow, we have done nothing to merit God's favor. When we were lost in sin, Christ died for us and drew us to Himself.

 

The Power of Gut-Wrenching Compassion

Verse 13 states, "his heart went out to her, and he said, "Don't cry.'" Luke uses the strongest Greek word available to convey Jesus’ compassion. The term refers to the innermost parts of the body, the viscera (the heart, liver, and lungs). It describes an emotion that evokes a physical response: gut-wrenching compassion. Jesus was unconcerned about becoming ritually unclean as He stepped forward to touch the coffin (v. 14). People are the primary focus of the Lord. A greater law was at work, the law of love and compassion. He spoke with authority, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” In every Gospel account of a funeral where Jesus was present, He raised the deceased. There was Lazarus in John 11, the centurion's servant in Luke 7:1-10, and Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, whose daughter was raised from the dead (Luke 8:40-56).

 

God Has Come to Help His People

Those present were filled with awe (v. 16-17), demonstrating amazement at such a remarkable event. An extraordinary presence of God came over them, showing that God was truly visiting His people. How could this be? This man was dead! Think of the praise that erupted as relatives and the mother herself received her son back from the dead. Visualize the sorrow of losing your only son and then the joy of holding someone you thought was lost to death. Then a wonderful statement about Christ was made: “God has come to help His people!” (v. 16). We resemble our Lord most when we identify with the poor and suffering, showing God’s grace with compassionate hearts, and doing all we can to ease their pain and meet their needs. Keith Thomas

Continue Your Journey…

If you found this meditation meaningful, there is much more to explore about God’s plan in The Faith of the Centurion(Luke 7:1-17) in the series The Gospel of Luke.

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