The Raising of a Widow’s Son (Luke 7:11-17)

Luke’s next exploration of faith responses to Jesus does not involve a person approaching Jesus with faith. Instead, we see Jesus approach someone with compassion. As Jesus travels with His disciples, they encounter a funeral procession near a small village. The dead man is the only son of a widow, so the woman is understandably sad, but also in dire need. She has lost all family and all support. The whole village seems to be mourning with her in her tragic experience. Jesus sees her and approaches her to tell her to stop weeping. He has compassion for her, but also power to help. He doesn’t just tell her to stop weeping, He continues and approaches the dead body, wrapped and laid out on a plank of wood. He touches the bier, an act that would render Him ceremonially unclean. His compassion outweighs His ceremonial purity. He simply speaks to the dead man, and the man sits up and speaks! Jesus restores the family and ends the mourning!

The people around this event are amazed. They know something tremendously miraculous has taken place. Jesus doesn’t just heal the sick, He can restore the dead to life! This is not unheard of in Biblical history, but it is extremely rare. Jesus is not firmly in the most upper echelons of holy figures of Jewish history. He is clearly a great prophet. Is He THE prophet? THE messiah? This question is not raised in this moment, but Luke is clearly anticipating that question being raised soon.

Jesus is, of course, the Messiah. He is not just sent by God, HE is God. Our response to the things He did during His earthly ministry leads us to that inevitable conclusion. What He did on the cross and what He has done through His people since is a cause for faith to be placed in Him. Faith is our right response to Christ.