The Widow’s Son at Nain is the young man Jesus met on a bier outside the gate and gave back to his mother.
As He drew near to the gate of the town,
behold,
a man who had died was being carried out,
the only son of his mother.
And she was a widow.
When the Lord saw her,
He had compassion on her and said to her,
Do not weep.
He came up and touched the bier,
and the bearers stood still.
Young man, I say to you, arise.
The dead man sat up and began to speak,
and Jesus gave him to his mother.
Fear seized them all,
and they glorified God,
saying,
A great prophet has arisen among us!
and God has visited His people.
Luke alone keeps Nain. A crowd with Jesus meets a crowd with a corpse. No one fetches Him. No ruler kneels. He sees a woman who has already buried a husband and is now burying the son who was her remaining name and stay. Compassion is the engine. Do not weep is not etiquette. It is a promise about to grow a body. Touching the bier is touching uncleanness under the Law; holiness again travels the wrong way on the chart. Young man, arise—the same voice that will say Little girl, arise and Lazarus, come out. He sits. He speaks. He is given back. Elijah had stretched himself on a widow’s son at Zarephath and cried to the Lord. Elisha had sent a staff and then lain on a Shunammite child. This prophet does not pray for permission in the street. He commands. The report runs Judea. God has visited His people is temple language for a funeral road. Nain is not a request story. It is a seeing story. The Lord saw her.
The only son of his mother, and she was a widow. When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her. Do not weep.
He touched the bier. Young man, I say to you, arise. The dead man sat up and began to speak. Jesus gave him to his mother.
A great prophet has arisen among us. God has visited His people.
See, your son lives. Women received back their dead by resurrection.
He has visited and redeemed His people. He will swallow up death forever.
Do not wait to be impressive before He comes near. He saw her. Compassion moved first. Death’s parade can be stopped at a gate. Take the son if He gives him back. Glorify God. This is a visit—not a rumor from another town.
Entry compiled for the JESUSaves.com Bible Glossary. Optimized for wiki.js Visual Editor.