Luke 7:12Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

All sorrow, compassion, and profound empathy! When the only-begotten Son departed from this earthly realm, the grieving mother lamented: "In name only am I a mother, for the pains of childbirth have brought forth death. I had one branch on the vine, and the tempest of death has laid it low; one source of support I possessed, and that has been taken from me by death." The widow was left without support; she regarded her existence as devoid of meaning. The loss of her sole son brought her no comfort. She endured a dual sorrow; her suffering was beyond consolation, and no one could ease her anguish. Tears streamed down her face like rivers, and the weight of her grief was unbearable. She reflected on her son's maturity; love tore at her very soul.

A widow can also represent a soul that has been bereaved of her husband, which symbolizes the Word of God that sows righteous seeds. Her son signifies the intellect that perishes and is taken beyond the city, the exalted Jerusalem, the realm of the living.

Observe how He links miracle to miracle. While in the case of the centurion's servant, He was summoned, here He approaches without an invitation. No one called upon Him to revive the deceased, yet He came willingly. It appears that He intentionally arranged for this miracle to follow the previous one. For it was not unfathomable that someone might later arise to say, diminishing the Savior’s glory, ‘What miracle occurred with the centurion's son? Though he was ill, he was not on the brink of death, despite what the evangelist recorded, possibly shaping his account more to please than to convey the truth.’ To counteract such irreverent assertions, it is stated that Christ encountered a deceased young man, the sole offspring of a widow.

Additionally, a remarkable miracle surpasses this situation, revealing a greater power that prepares the hearts of people to trust in the resurrection. The Scriptures recount the story of a town called Nain in Judea, where a widow mourned for her only son, who had recently transitioned from childhood into young adulthood. The Scriptures refer to him as a young man. While history may recount many details briefly, the essence of the tale is one of deep mourning. The woman, grieving her loss, is identified as a widow, emphasizing the weight of her suffering and the poignancy of her situation. The lack of any further hope for children to alleviate her grief is significant since this young man was her sole descendant.

These passages reveal a profound grace. We observe that divine compassion is swiftly accessed by the plea of a grieving mother, crushed by the illness and passing of her only child. The throng accompanying the funeral underscores the dignity of this bereaved woman. This widow, encircled by onlookers, embodies more than just a mother imploring with tears for her son’s return to life. The holy Church, invoking empathy through her weeping, recalls the youth from the processions of death and the solemn rites of burial, as she is admonished not to weep for the one destined to rise again (cf. Lk. 23:28). The lifeless body was placed on a bier and carried toward its grave by the four elements of nature, yet he held a promise of resurrection, for he was borne on a tree. Formerly, this tree had little relevance for us, but it was transformed into a source of life through Christ's touch. It became a symbol indicating that salvation would come to humankind through the cross.

They shared in her sorrow, for she had experienced the loss not only of her husband but also her sole son.

Knowing the very moment of His bodily departure, He arrived at that hour. Therefore, the only son of his mother, who was a widow, was taken away in death. Initially, these events deepened her grief, but ultimately they led to her experiencing a remarkable deliverance from this sorrow.

The Lord observes a mother mourning for the loss of her son and is filled with compassion for her; on another occasion, He attended a wedding and celebrated with the family in their joy. Through this, He demonstrated that He is not opposed to sharing in the everyday joys and sorrows of life. This is the path of sincere, reverent Christians. They recognize the distinction between societal practices and divine commands, understanding that many customs are unworthy of God's approval. Some traditions arise from human passions and are crafted to fulfill these urges, while others are fueled solely by vanity. Those who embody the spirit of Christ can discern between what is righteous and what is not: they embrace the good while rejecting the bad.

According to Jewish tradition, those who came into contact with deceased bodies were regarded as impure. Consequently, the Jewish people established burial grounds outside their cities. As the God-man approached the city gates of Nain, a funeral procession led the deceased out for burial. This young man was the only son of a widow, who seemed to be of noble and affluent standing, as evidenced by the large crowd of townspeople accompanying her in her sorrow. It is important to recognize that the practice concerning ritual uncleanness associated with the dead was rendered obsolete by Christians with the advent of Jesus Christ, similar to the discontinuation of circumcision, the observance of the Sabbath, and other ceremonial laws.

Following this, during their travels through Galilee, the Apostles witnessed yet another remarkable and divine occurrence that unveiled the true majesty of the Savior. In front of the crowd, He restored to life a young man, the son of a widow, who was already en route to his burial. While Elisha had also revived a deceased individual, it required various methods to achieve that miracle. Conversely, Jesus accomplished this feat with merely a word and a gentle touch on the young man's bier.

The following day, Jesus entered the city of Nain with His disciples and a large crowd. As He approached the city gates, He encountered a sorrowful funeral procession. The overall mourning was intensified by the fact that the deceased was the sole son of a grieving widow. Upon seeing her, the Lord was moved with compassion and said, "Do not weep." He then approached the bier and touched it, indicating to those carrying it to halt. They ceased their march, and the Lord proclaimed, "Young man, I say to you, arise!" At once, the deceased stood up and began to speak, providing undeniable evidence that he had been brought back to life. The Lord returned him to his mother.

Having journeyed early in the cool morning hours, a common practice in the East, Jesus Christ arrived in this town just after noon. As He approached the entrance, a heart-wrenching sight awaited Him. A young man’s lifeless body was being carried out through the gate, destined for burial outside the city walls. The atmosphere was filled with a deeper sorrow than usual, likely marked by louder and more anguished cries than typically heard during times of mourning. This young man was ‘his mother's only son, and she was a widow.’ The profound grief of the mother resonated painfully within the infinitely compassionate heart of the Savior.

To the entrances of the city: numerous ancient towns were fortified with sturdy walls to protect against adversaries, with access provided through gates strategically positioned, particularly along major thoroughfares, a feature still observable in some historic cities. This seems to have also been the case for the small settlement of Nain. - Taken out for burial: Jewish custom permitted the interment of the deceased within the city walls only on rare occasions, typically for notable figures (1 Kings 28:3, 2 Kings 21:18). Generally, individuals were laid to rest outside the city in tombs hewn from rocky cliffs and stone (refer to Matthew 8:28). - She was a widow: the deceased was her only son, and as a widow, his absence was profoundly significant to her. His loss was irreplaceable, extinguishing her last hope for comfort in her advanced years.