Luke 7:14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

When Jesus arrived, He approached the bier, causing those who were bearing it to halt, and proclaimed, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” In doing so, He took hold of the essence of youth and vanquished death. His proclamation, “To you, I say, arise,” underscores the immediacy of resurrection, for “I am the life and the resurrection” (John 11:25). He summoned Lazarus from the grave, and despite being four days dead and having begun to decompose, he emerged at once. The voice of life awakened the deceased, transforming his decayed body into an offering of fragrance, turning the tomb into a womb for the one who had rested there.

After healing the centurion's servant even while not physically present, the Lord performs yet another astounding miracle. To counter any doubts such as “What significance does His action on behalf of the servant hold? Perhaps this servant would have lived,” the Lord resurrects a dead man who had already been laid to rest. His miracle is not accomplished through mere words; instead, He makes contact with the bier, demonstrating that His Body is indeed the embodiment of Life. Because His Flesh is the very Flesh of the Word, the Sustainer of all, it inherently has the power to bring life and to overcome death and decay. Then, moved by compassion, the Lord touches the coffin. The physical body can be seen as a coffin for the spirit. By touching this body, the Lord breathes life into the spirit, restoring it to a state of youthfulness and bravery.

He approached the coffin and, by speaking his divine command, he revived the one who lay upon it, for he declared: 'Young man, I say to you. Arise;

When the young man had been deceased for a significant period and had just been laid to rest, the Lord enacted an even greater miracle upon him, although the instruction remained unchanged (Mark 5:41).

Upon hearing the Word of God, the resolute bearers of the dead, who weigh heavily on the human form with the fatal decay of worldly existence, came to a halt. This signifies that we lie motionless upon a stretcher, a conveyance for our final journey, while around us the flames of insatiable greed blaze, or a chilling stream flows, or the lethargy of the body dulls the spirit, or our soul, bereft of pure light, nourishes the mind with thickening decay. Such are the bearers of our deathbed.

He addressed her, saying, “Do not cry.” Then He approached and touched the bier, the platform where the deceased was laid. Upon touching it, those who were transporting the body halted, and He proclaimed, “Young man, I command you, arise.” The deceased rose, sat up, and began to speak, returning to his mother. Just as iron interacts with fire to take on its properties, so too does His sacred flesh, in unity with the Divine, impart the essence of the Divine. Thus, His hand supports the lifeless body that had separated from Him, and His voice recalls the soul that had departed.

Yet, being omnipotent and requiring no assistance from His followers, He approached and made contact with the bier upon which the deceased was being transported. This act demonstrated that His glorified body possessed life-giving authority. He declared, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” In hearing His single command, everyone witnessed how He resurrected the dead man, reflecting His humanity, thereby revealing that through this act, He aimed to guide all toward salvific faith in Him.

Why did the God-Man, disregarding the Jewish law that deemed those who contacted a deceased person or their belongings as unclean, approach the lifeless and touch the bier, known as the tomb (Num. 19:14, 15)? The foundation of the law emphasized complete avoidance of all acts associated with sin, particularly murder. If even the act of touching a deceased individual or their dwelling was viewed as sinful, how much more significant is the sin of murder. How did the God-Man restore a withered hand on the Sabbath, simultaneously revealing misconceptions regarding Sabbath observance? Similarly, while He resurrected the widow’s son, He transcended the ritual of uncleanness without violating the law, illustrating that compassion triumphs over legalism (Luke 6:6).

The profound sorrow of the grieving mother resonated deeply within the boundless compassion of the Savior. Moved by her pain, He gently instructed her, “Weep not,” and approached the bier, or rather, the open grave where the deceased young man lay. Ignoring the customary regulations, He dared to touch him. In that moment, everyone stood still, filled with a sense of awe. The pallbearers paused, overtaken by trepidation. Then, amid the sorrowful relatives and the hushed crowd surrounding them, the serene voice of Christ broke through, proclaiming, “Young man, I say to you, arise.”

He approached the funeral bier, indicating for the procession to halt. In ancient times, coffins were not used; instead, the deceased were swathed in a pure cloth, tightly bound, and laid upon a bier or stretcher. This was then transported to the tomb or resting place, which remained accessible. Thus, when the Lord commanded the lifeless man to arise, he did so and ‘sat up’.