1 Kingdoms (1 Samuel) 2:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He executed the one who had numerous descendants and revitalized the barren one who had borne seven. However, it is more fitting to interpret that He restores to life those whom He had previously allowed to die. This can be understood as an elaboration: He leads them into the realm of the dead and resurrects them. To this, the Apostle directs his message: If you have been raised with Christ, strive for the heavenly realms where Christ sits at the right hand of God; they are indeed brought to death by the Lord, but this serves the purpose of salvation. The Apostle continues by urging, Set your minds on things above, not on earthly matters; for these are the very individuals who, consumed by desire, overlooked the things of this world.

If you condemn the one who claims, "The Lord kills and gives life," how can you praise Peter for resurrecting Tabitha and for Sapphira, who passed away?

Is there a necessity for a definitive solution to crises, in addition to a comforting support? Religion offers a more reliable answer than any other source. There are ailments that the field of medicine cannot heal; there is poverty that no level of effort can alleviate; there are pains from injustice that no human adjudication can remedy, primarily because humanity lacks omniscience and omnipotence. Religion, on the other hand, is free from such constraints and limitations. Its strength is derived from the Almighty, Who “maketh dead and maketh alive, bringeth down to hell and maketh up, maketh poor and maketh rich, maketh humble and maketh high” (1 Sam. 2:6-7); Who “healeth every disease and every plague” (Matt. 4:23).

It is evident that revival can occur after death. Just as He brings about death through dying, He will also bring about life through resurrection. Furthermore, while the body is slain by death, it too will be revived through resurrection. In truth, if dying signifies the loss of the flesh's vitality, then revival signifies the restoration of life to the flesh; thus, the body must, by necessity, rise, with the soul, having been separated by death, being reunited through revival.