Raising the Widow's Son

Syllabus tag: Kenya CBC | Grade 9 Christian Religious Education | Strand 3.0 The Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ | Sub-Strand 3.1 Raising the Widow's Son (8 Lessons)

Lesson objectives

By the end of this sub-strand, you should be able to:

• Elaborate the miracle of raising the widow's son at Nain.
• Explain the significance of the miracle for Christian belief.
• Relate the miracle to Christian belief in the resurrection of the dead.
• Appreciate compassion towards those who are bereaved or vulnerable.

Summary

Luke records that as Jesus approached the town of Nain, he met a funeral procession carrying out the only son of a widow. Without being asked, Jesus told the woman not to weep, touched the bier, and commanded the young man to get up. The account is short, but it is significant on three levels: it shows Jesus acting out of compassion rather than in response to a request, it demonstrates authority over death itself, and it addresses the desperate social position of a widow who had lost her only son.