What does Jesus' compassion in Luke 7:14 teach us about His character? Setting the Scene • Jesus enters the village of Nain and finds a funeral procession for a widow’s only son (Luke 7:11-13). • Verse 14 captures the turning point: “Then He went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. ‘Young man,’ He said, ‘I tell you, get up!’ ” (Luke 7:14). What Compassion Looks Like in Action • Immediate proximity – He “went up and touched the coffin,” stepping right into the sorrow rather than keeping ceremonial distance (compare Numbers 19:11). • Interrupting death – His first impulse is to halt the procession of grief. The pallbearers “stood still” at His touch. • Personal address – “Young man, I tell you,” revealing relational care, not a distant command. • Restorative intent – Compassion drives Him to restore life, not merely express sympathy. Revelations About Jesus’ Character • Willing to bear defilement for the grieving – Touching a coffin rendered a Jew ceremonially unclean, yet Jesus chooses identification with the widow’s pain (Isaiah 53:4). • Absolute authority over death – With a single sentence He reverses death itself, foreshadowing John 11:43-44 and ultimately His own resurrection (Revelation 1:18). • Tender empathy fused with power – “Moved with compassion” (Luke 7:13) shows His heart; “I tell you, get up!” shows His might (Hebrews 4:15). • Initiative in grace – Neither widow nor son asks for a miracle; Jesus acts first, illustrating Romans 5:8. • Validation of messianic identity – Fulfills prophetic signs of the Messiah “opening the eyes of the blind, raising the dead” (Isaiah 35:5-6; Luke 7:22). Implications for Believers Today • We can trust His willingness to draw near to our deepest losses. • No circumstance is beyond His reach; His word still carries creative, life-giving authority. • Compassion is not passive sentiment but sacrificial, risk-taking action—our model for ministry (Ephesians 5:1-2). • His victories over small funerals preview His final victory over all funerals (1 Corinthians 15:54-57). |
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