Jesus raised 3 people from death
Jesus is recorded as raising three individuals from the dead in the New Testament Gospels. These miracles are significant because they demonstrate his power over death and foreshadow his own resurrection. Below are the details of each event, based on the accounts in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John:
1. Jairus’ Daughter
References: Matthew 9:18-26, Mark 5:21-43, Luke 8:40-56
Who: The daughter of Jairus, a synagogue leader. Her age is specified as 12 years old in Mark 5:42 and Luke 8:42.
Circumstances:
Jairus approaches Jesus, begging him to heal his dying daughter. In Matthew’s account, he says she has already died, while Mark and Luke suggest she’s near death when he first pleads.
While Jesus is on the way, a messenger reports that the girl has died, telling Jairus not to bother Jesus further. Jesus responds, "Don’t be afraid; just believe" (Mark 5:36).
A delay occurs when a woman with a hemorrhage touches Jesus’ cloak and is healed (a miracle within this story).
The Miracle:
Jesus arrives at the house, where mourners are already weeping. He says, "The child is not dead but asleep" (Mark 5:39), which they laugh at, assuming she’s truly dead.
He clears the house, taking only the parents and three disciples (Peter, James, and John) into the room.
Jesus takes her hand and says, "Talitha koum!" (Aramaic for "Little girl, I say to you, get up!" in Mark 5:41). In Luke, it’s simply "Child, arise" (Luke 8:54).
She immediately gets up, walks around, and Jesus instructs them to give her something to eat. He tells the family not to tell others, though the news spreads anyway.
Significance:
Shows Jesus’ authority over death and his compassion for a desperate father.
The phrase "not dead but asleep" may hint at a temporary state, though the mourners’ reaction suggests they believed her truly dead.
2. The Widow’s Son at Nain
Reference: Luke 7:11-17
Who: The only son of a widow in the village of Nain.
Circumstances:
Jesus encounters a funeral procession as he approaches Nain with his disciples and a crowd.
The young man is being carried out on a bier (an open coffin), and his widowed mother is weeping. As her only son, his death leaves her socially and economically vulnerable in that culture.
Jesus acts spontaneously, moved by compassion, without being asked.
The Miracle:
Jesus says to the widow, "Don’t cry" (Luke 7:13), then approaches the bier and touches it, stopping the procession.
He commands, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" (Luke 7:14).
The man sits up and begins to speak. Jesus gives him back to his mother.
The crowd is awestruck, proclaiming, "A great prophet has appeared among us!" and "God has come to help his people" (Luke 7:16).
Significance:
Highlights Jesus’ empathy and initiative—he acts purely out of mercy.
Echoes the prophet Elijah raising a widow’s son (1 Kings 17:17-24), reinforcing Jesus as a prophetic figure with divine power.
3. Lazarus of Bethany
Reference: John 11:1-44
Who: Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, from Bethany. He’s a close friend of Jesus.
Circumstances:
Lazarus falls ill, and his sisters send word to Jesus, saying, "Lord, the one you love is sick" (John 11:3). Jesus delays going, stating, "This sickness will not end in death" (John 11:4), and waits two days before heading to Bethany.
By the time he arrives, Lazarus has been dead and in the tomb for four days—a detail emphasizing the finality of his death (Jewish belief held that the soul lingered near the body for three days, making this beyond hope).
Martha meets Jesus and expresses faith mixed with frustration: "If you had been here, my brother would not have died" (John 11:21). Mary echoes this sentiment.
Jesus weeps (John 11:35), showing his human emotion, then goes to the tomb.
The Miracle:
The tomb is a cave with a stone across it. Jesus orders, "Take away the stone" (John 11:39), despite Martha’s objection about the stench after four days.
After praying aloud to the Father for the crowd’s sake, Jesus shouts, "Lazarus, come out!" (John 11:43).
Lazarus emerges, still wrapped in burial cloths. Jesus says, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go" (John 11:44).
Many who witness this believe in Jesus, though it also intensifies opposition from religious leaders (John 11:45-53).
Significance:
The most dramatic of the three, as Lazarus was dead longer, underscoring Jesus’ power over even advanced decay.
Prefigures Jesus’ own resurrection and serves as a sign of his claim, "I am the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25).
Key Observations
Timing:
Jairus’ daughter: Likely dead only hours (or moments, depending on the account).
Widow’s son: Dead less than a day, during the funeral.
Lazarus: Dead four days, emphasizing the miracle’s magnitude.
Method: Jesus uses direct commands ("Get up!" or "Come out!") and physical touch in two cases, showing both verbal authority and personal involvement.
Purpose: Each miracle reveals Jesus’ compassion, divine power, and messianic identity, while also strengthening faith in those who witness it.
Reactions: Amazement and belief dominate, though Lazarus’ raising also provokes hostility from Jesus’ opponents.
