Luke 7:15 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.

NIV: The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

NASB: And the dead man sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother.

CSB: The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.

NLT: Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother.

KJV: And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.

NKJV: So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.

Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself" (John 5:25–26). Now, He proves it. While entering the town of Nain, Jesus comes across a funeral procession. When He realizes the only son of a widow has died, He first comforts the widow, then goes to the bier and tells the dead man, "Young man, I say to you, arise" (Luke 7:11–14). To the astonishment of the crowd, the man obeys.

"Sat up" is biblically uncommon term, from the Greek word anakathizō. It seems to narrowly refer to a severely debilitated person becoming well and sitting up from their bed. The only other occurrence of this word in the original New Testament is when Peter raises Tabitha from the dead (Acts 9:40).

The phrase "gave him to his mother" is identical to the Septuagint version of 1 Kings 17:23. In that passage, Elijah raised the son of the widow of Zarephath and returned him to her. Again, Luke identifies Jesus with the prophetic and miraculous ministries of the Old Testament prophets.

Luke mentions that the young man immediately speaks. He may mention this as proof that the man is truly alive. According to Jewish folklore, a particularly powerful magician could make a golem out of clay. The golem would have a soul and could move, but it could not speak. Tractate Sanhedrin 38b.1, part of an ancient Jewish treatise on interpreting the Old Testament, says Adam was first formed as a golem: animated dust (Genesis 2:7). Only afterwards was he given real life, available only through the power of God.

Luke 7:11–17 is the story of Jesus in the village of Nain. There, Jesus raises to life the only son of a widow. The people are terrified, but praise God. The mother parallels the sinful woman caught powerless in a male-dominated society (Luke 7:36–38); the boy is like the demoniac who cannot ask for healing (Luke 8:26–39). Luke again ties Jesus to Old Testament prophets, specifically Elijah, with the healing of the son of the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:8–24), and Elisha, who raised the Shunammite woman's son (2 Kings 4:18–37).

Luke 7 presents a chiasm: a set of themes mirrored around a reflection point. The humble centurion (Luke 7:1–10) contrasts the legalistic Pharisee (Luke 7:39–50). The widow of Nain (Luke 7:11–17) and the sinful women (Luke 7:36–38) have nothing to offer but gratitude for Jesus' blessings. In the center are John the Baptist and his disciples who struggle to trust that Jesus is worth following (Luke 7:18–23), then the sinners who do choose to follow Jesus and the religious leaders who refuse (Luke 7:24–35).

Luke 7 continues Jesus' mission primarily to the people of Galilee expressed as a series of pointed events and teachings punctuated by calls to follow Him. He has finished teaching the rigors of discipleship (Luke 6:17–45) and invited the crowd to place their faith in Him (Luke 6:46–49). Here, Luke describes different reactions to Jesus' miracles and message. Next, Jesus will reveal the mechanics of and reactions to His call (Luke 8:4–21) before showing His great authority over nature, demons, sickness, and worldly powers (Luke 8:22—9:17). After a final call to the disciples to deepen their faith (Luke 9:18–50), Jesus will turn toward Jerusalem (Luke 9:51—19:27).

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.