Topical Bible: Power of Christ: Raising the Dead

Bible > Topical > Power of Christ

◄ Power of Christ: Raising the Dead ►

Jump to: Nave's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

The power of Christ to raise the dead is a profound testament to His divine authority and the fulfillment of His messianic mission. Throughout the New Testament, Jesus demonstrates His sovereignty over life and death, affirming His identity as the Son of God and offering a foretaste of the resurrection promise for all believers.

Instances of Raising the Dead

1. The Widow's Son at Nain (Luke 7:11-17): In this account, Jesus encounters a funeral procession in the town of Nain. Moved with compassion for the grieving widow, He approaches the bier and commands the young man to arise. "Young man, I say to you, get up!" (Luke 7:14). The dead man sits up and begins to speak, and Jesus gives him back to his mother. This miracle not only restores life but also provides hope and comfort to the bereaved.

2. Jairus' Daughter (Mark 5:21-43; Luke 8:40-56): Jairus, a synagogue leader, pleads with Jesus to heal his dying daughter. Before they reach his home, news arrives that the girl has died. Undeterred, Jesus tells Jairus, "Do not be afraid; just believe" (Mark 5:36). Upon arriving, Jesus takes the girl by the hand and says, "Talitha koum!" which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!" (Mark 5:41). Immediately, she rises and walks, astonishing all present.

3. Lazarus (John 11:1-44): Perhaps the most dramatic of Jesus' resurrections, the raising of Lazarus occurs after he has been dead for four days. Jesus declares, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies" (John 11:25). At the tomb, Jesus calls out, "Lazarus, come out!" (John 11:43), and Lazarus emerges, still wrapped in grave clothes. This miracle not only demonstrates Jesus' power but also foreshadows His own resurrection.

Theological Significance

The acts of raising the dead underscore several key theological themes:

· Divine Authority: Jesus' ability to restore life affirms His divine nature and authority over creation. These miracles serve as signs pointing to His identity as the Messiah and the Son of God.

· Compassion and Mercy: Each resurrection account highlights Jesus' deep compassion for human suffering. His miracles are not merely displays of power but acts of mercy that address the immediate needs of those He encounters.

· Foreshadowing the Resurrection: The raising of the dead prefigures the ultimate resurrection of Jesus Himself and the future resurrection of all believers. It provides a tangible demonstration of the hope and promise of eternal life.

· Faith and Belief: In each instance, Jesus calls for faith from those around Him. The miracles challenge witnesses to move beyond fear and doubt, embracing belief in His power and promises.

Implications for Believers

For Christians, the power of Christ in raising the dead is a source of hope and assurance. It reinforces the belief in life after death and the promise of resurrection for those who trust in Him. These miracles encourage believers to live with the confidence that death is not the end, but a transition to eternal life with Christ.

Nave's Topical Index

John 5:28,29
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
Nave's Topical Index

Library

The Raising of the Dead.
... The position to be assigned to the miracle of the raising of the dead will ... have been
a miracle, demanding for its accomplishment a Divine power in Christ. ...
/.../the life of jesus christ in its historical connexion/iii the raising of the.htm

The Power of Christ's Resurrection
... The resurrection of Christ's body he was satisfied would avail him nothing, unless
he experienced the power of it in raising his dead soul. ...
/.../selected sermons of george whitefield/the power of christs resurrection.htm

Christ, by Raising the Dead, Attested in a Practical Way the ...
... for the mere exhibition of His power, or to ... these preliminary illustrations of a
raising of the ... the less significance"less, indeed, than Christ will express ...
/.../on the resurrection of the flesh/chapter xxxviii christ by raising the.htm

The Healing of the Woman - Christ's Personal Appearance - the ...
... but from the Saviour, that the Power proceeded; she ... that the Gospel-writers regarded
the raising of the ... something miraculous even among the miracles of Christ. ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xxvi the healing of.htm

The Touch of Faith and the Touch of Christ
... But Matthew passes them by, as he seems here to have desired to emphasise the power
of Christ's touch. ... These miracles of raising the dead are three in number ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture b/the touch of faith and.htm

Whether the Miracles which Christ Worked were a Sufficient Proof ...
... of Christ seem to be greater than the raising of the ... Yet Christ did some works 'which
no other man hath done ... But to heal with so great a power so many defects ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the miracles which christ.htm

Whether Christ Worked Miracles by Divine Power?
... When it is said that in raising Lazarus He lifted up ... Reply to Objection 3: Christ
cast out demons otherwise than they are cast out by the power of demons. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether christ worked miracles by.htm

The Death of Lazarus. --Christ's Conversation with Martha (John ...
... Lazarus had been rewarded by a life beyond the power of death ... invention, the inventor
must have heard other narratives of Christ's raising the dead; and had ...
/.../section 232 the death of.htm

Address on Easter Eve
... to the Ephesians, the quickening with Christ, the raising together with Him ... once
more that greatest of Christian truths, the power of Christ's Resurrection. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/beibitz/gloria crucis/x address on easter eve.htm

He Briefly Takes up Again the Same Points of Dispute...
... Who wrought in Christ, raising Him from the dead, and setting Him at His own right
hand in the heavenly places, above principality and power and might and ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter xv he briefly takes.htm