Luke 7:15

7:11-18 When the Lord saw the poor widow following her son to the grave, he had compassion on her. See Christ's power over death itself. The gospel call to all people, to young people particularly, is, Arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light and life. When Christ put life into him, it appeared by the youth's sitting up. Have we grace from Christ? Let us show it. He began to speak: whenever Christ gives us spiritual life, he opens the lips in prayer and praise. When dead souls are raised to spiritual life, by Divine power going with the gospel, we must glorify God, and look upon it as a gracious visit to his people. Let us seek for such an interest in our compassionate Saviour, that we may look forward with joy to the time when the Redeemer's voice shall call forth all that are in their graves. May we be called to the resurrection of life, not to that of damnation.

And he that was dead,.... That had been dead, (for he was now alive,) as it was a clear case to all his relations and friends, or they would never have brought him out to bury him: sat up; upon the bed, or bier: and began to speak; both which, his sitting up and speaking, were plain proofs of his being brought to life: and he delivered him to his mother; for whose sake he raised him from the dead, commiserating her case: wherefore, as Christ showed his power in raising the dead man, he discovered great humanity, kindness, and tenderness, in delivering him alive to his mother; which might be done after he came off of the bier, by taking him by the hand, and leading him to his mother, and giving him up into her arms: think what affecting scene this must be!

Luke 7:15 . ἀνεκάθισεν , sat up: the ἀνὰ is implied even if the reading ἐκάθισεν be adopted; to sit was to sit up for one who had been previously lying; sitting up showed life returned, speaking, full possession of his senses; the reality and greatness of the miracle thus asserted.

Luke 7:15 . Ἔδωκεν , gave ) For the youth had already ceased to belong to his mother.[72] Comp. ἀπέδωκε , ch. Luke 9:42 ; 1Ma 10:9 . [72] By His death: therefore he used ἔδωκεν , not a ἀπέδωκεν , which however A c reads, though BD ab Vulg. Iren. support ἔδωκεν .—ED. and TRANSL. Luke 7:15

(15) He delivered him to his mother. —Literally, He gave him. The mother was, probably, following at some little distance with the other mourners. As she came up she received her son as given to her once again, “God-given,” in a higher sense then when she had rejoiced that a man-child was born into the world.

The gate of the city - Cities were surrounded by walls, to defend them from their enemies. They were entered through "gates" placed at convenient distances from each other. In most cities it was not allowed to bury the dead within the walls; hence, they were carried to some convenient burial-place in the vicinity of the city. A dead man carried out - A funeral procession. Anciently no Jews were buried within the walls of the city, except the kings and distinguished persons, 1 Samuel 28:3; 2 Kings 21:18. The custom of burying within cities, and especially within the walls of churches or in their vicinity, had its origin among Christians very early; yet perhaps few customs are more deleterious to health than burials within large cities, especially within the walls of frequented buildings. The effluvia from dead bodies is excessively unwholesome. Burial-places should be in situations of retirement, far from the tread of the happy and busy world, where all the feelings may be still and calm, and where there can be no injury to health from the mouldering bodies of the dead.

Acts 22:2 . προσεφώνει : only in Luke and Paul, except Matthew 11:16 , cf. Matthew 6:13 ; Matt 7:32; Matthew 13:12 ; Matthew 23:20 , Matthew 21:40 , see Friedrich, p. 29, for the frequency of other compounds of φωνεῖν in Luke.— μᾶλλον παρ . ἡσυχ : the phrase is used similarly in Plut., Coriol. , 18, Dion Hal., ii., 32, and LXX, Job 34:29 ; on the fondness of St. Luke for σιγή , σιγᾶν , ἡσυχάζειν , and the characteristic way in which silence results from his words and speeches, or before or during the speech, see Friedrich, p. 26, cf. Luke 14:4 ; Luke 15:26 , Acts 11:18 ; Acts 15:12 , Acts 12:17 ; Acts 21:40 , and for ἡσυχάζειν , 1 Thessalonians 4:11 , Luke 14:4 , Acts 11:18 ; Acts 21:14 , so too παρέχειν with accusative of the thing offered by any one, Acts 19:24 , Acts 28:2 ( Acts 16:16 ). The verb is used only in Matthew 26:10 , and parallel, Mark 14:6 , except in Luke and Paul, Luke 6:29 ; Luke 7:4 ; Luke 11:7 ; Luke 18:5 , Acts 16:16 ; Acts 17:31 , and as above, and five times in St. Paul’s Epistles.

In the former sense, as referring to nearness of place, see Matthew 21:1; Mark 11:1; Luke 7:12; Luke 15:25; Luke 18:35, Luke 18:40; Luke 19:29, Luke 19:37, Luke 19:41; Luke 24:15; Acts 9:3; Acts 10:9; Acts 21:33; in the latter sense, as referring to time as being near, see Matthew 3:2; Matthew 4:17; Matthew 10:7; Matthew 21:34; Matthew 26:45; Mark 1:15; Luke 21:20, Luke 21:28; Acts 7:17; Romans 13:12; Hebrews 10:25; 1 Peter 4:7. The idea as applied to time, or to an approaching event, is undoubtedly that it is close by; it is not far off; it will soon occur. If this refers to the end of the world, it would mean that it was soon to occur; if to death, that this was an event which could not be far distant - perhaps an event that was to be hastened by their trials. The fact that it is such language as we now naturally address to people, saying that in respect to them "the end of all things is at hand," shows that it cannot be demonstrated that Peter did not use it in the same sense, and consequently that it cannot be proved that he meant to teach that the end of the world was then soon to occur. Be ye therefore sober - Serious; thoughtful; considerate. Let a fact of so much importance make a solemn impression on your mind, and preserve you from frivolity, levity, and vanity. See the word explained in the notes at 1 Timothy 3:2. And watch unto prayer - Be looking out for the end of all things in such a manner as to lead you to embrace all proper opportunities for prayer.