What is the significance of Nain in the Bible?

This short story given in Luke's gospel has impressed me very much and I trust you will consider it with me with an open Bible so that the links with the Word of God might be verified in the mind of the reader. The narrative in this passage is unique to Luke's gospel, the gospel of widows. Luke presents Christ with human sympathies. The True man comes face to face with man in all his troubles and sorrows. The story occurs in a small insignificant tribal village in Issachar, which today is known as Nein, six miles south-east of Nazareth* and some way south of Capernaum, north of modern Jenin. Commentators in the 1800s noted that it was a squalid little place, which had probably not much changed for two millennia. The instance of the Lord's first recorded raising of a person from among the dead makes it stand out in history. It was there that the Lord of glory deigned to come. He brought the love and light of God into the dark recesses of human society, wherever there was misery and need He would address the situation with fullest grace and power. The Lord was the constant and ready servant of all who were in need. His love and compassion for the fallen, suffering children of Adam and Eve was unsurpassed, and unmitigated by any compromising selfish motives. He was on a mission to please His Father and went about doing good.

(2) The story of Nain is found in Luke only. Nain means "pleasant," what the world was as God made it; what it is still naturally to the natural man. But at the gate of it, carried out, is a dead man, death being still the way out of the world, as it is the shadow over it. The widowed mother, whose only son he is, and the sympathetic crowd that follows, show in how many ways death affects the survivors. The consequences of it, which lie in another world, are not introduced into this picture, but man's conscience will not allow him to forget them: "the sting of death is sin," which threatens the soul with judgment.

The Widow of Nain. — But not only could sickness be healed, recovery from death could take place as well. Of this we next learn in that touching account of the raising of the widow's son, related only in this gospel. On the next day after healing the centurion's servant, according to some authorities, or shortly afterwards according to others, the Lord went to a city called Nain, which lay a good deal south of Capernaum. His disciples went with Him, and a great company. Drawing nigh to the gate of it, He and those with Him were confronted by a great company coming out. The Lord of Life was entering in. One in death was being carried out to burial — the only son of his mother, and she a widow. All hope of that son's recovery, who very likely had been her stay and support, had been extinguished in her heart. Death had claimed him, and burial must follow. Now the two companies met. No one had previously entreated the Lord on her behalf. No one with her had accosted Him to attract His attention, or to explain the distressing circumstances. Nor did she herself speak. "When the Lord," we read, "saw her, He had compassion on her." All was known to Him. He was not indifferent to that widow's bereavement. Power He could indeed put forth, the power of resurrection. Ere, however, doing that, He evidenced His tender pity. "Weep not," were the first words that He uttered. He spake them to the widow. Then advancing He touched the bier, and they that bare the corpse stood still. Again His voice was heard, as He addressed the dead. That voice, by which all that are in the graves will some day be awakened, was directed to the dead. "Young man, I say to thee, Arise." He had previously spoken to the mother; He had now also spoken to the son.

What effect His words had on her we are not told; what effect the word of command had on the son we learn: "He that was dead sat up." Life had returned to the frame, and he began to speak. It was not a galvanised corpse; it was a living man. But, not content with displaying power, the Lord thought of the widow, for He delivered the son to his mother. He saw her. He had compassion on her. He comforted her. He touched the bier. He commanded the young man to arise. He gave him to his mother. Such are the successive steps in this most interesting story. Henceforth, Nain stands out on the page of history; a little place, probably with no previous eventful record to make it famous, its name will never be forgotten, nor has the site of the village ceased to be known.

The next scene (verses 11-17) is peculiar to Luke. The Lord not only heals, but with a grace and majesty altogether proper to Himself, brings in life for the dead, yet with remarkable consideration for human woe and affection. Not only did He, in His own quickening power, cause the dead to live, but He sees in him, whom they were even then carrying out to burial, the only son of his widowed mother; and so He stays the bier, bids the deceased to arise, and delivers him to his mother. No sketch can be conceived more consonant with the spirit and aim of our gospel.

The story of the brokenhearted widow reminds us that over the fairest scenes of this world there lies the dark shadow of death. Nain means "pleasant," and the situation of the city was beautiful, but death was there. Then for our comfort we learn that into this world of death the Lord of life had come, and not alone with power to raise the dead, but with the love and sympathy that can feel for us in our sorrows, dry our tears, and heal the brokenhearted. So "it came to pass" that Jesus went into the city of Nain, and "His disciples went with Him and much people." This company with the Lord of life in the midst, meets another company with a dead body in the midst; for, as the Lord came nigh to the city, "a dead man was carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her." How beautiful is the way the Lord takes to heal her broken heart. Moved with compassion, He first dries her tears, and then removes the cause of her sorrow. Had we the power we should probably have first raised the dead, and then said to the woman, "Weep no more." But Jesus takes another way — a better way — that makes the story so full of comfort for us all. He first says to the brokenhearted mother, "Weep not," and then He raises the dead. Thus the woman would have been able to say, "In my great sorrow He came so near to me, that He wiped away my tears. He not only took me out of my sorrowful circumstances, but He walked beside me in them." Thus He shows by His compassion and sympathy that He can wipe away our tears, before He raises our dead. This suits our case, for Jesus is gone, and He does not yet raise our loved ones when taken from us, but He speaks comfort to our broken hearts, and dries our tears, while we wait for the day when He will raise our loved ones who have fallen asleep in Jesus. His compassions go before His mercies. We have the comfort of His love while we wait for the display of His resurrection power. Then indeed, that word will be fulfilled, "God shall wipe away all tears … and there shall be no more death."

It is noticeable in the ways of the Lord here below, that before removing the cause of a person's grief by His mighty power, He bestowed a word of cheer for the assurance and support of the soul. Thus, when He met the funeral procession issuing from the gates of Nain, carrying forth that widow's only son, He did not proceed at once to raise him to life. But when the Lord saw the grief-stricken woman, "He had compassion on her," and banished her tears by His compassionate words "Weep not." The words were effectual, for they were not' the formal utterance of some shallow-minded unfeeling mortal; but they came from the lips and heart of the One Who Himself wept at the grave of Lazarus. He was able to enter into and fully appreciate the inward pangs of her heart as no other could. Bereft of adequate human sympathy, this in itself was as balm to her wounded soul. Besides, there was not only exquisite compassion in the words of Jesus, but power and promise and hope. He was able not only to comfort in the very presence of tribulation, but to deliver out of it. (Compare 2 Cor. 1:3-10.) The divine voice, that first of all spoke peace to the troubled heart of the bereaved widow, spoke life to the dead youth upon the bier. "And He came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still, And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother" (Luke 7:12-15).

The account of the raising of the widow's son is peculiar to Luke. The story brings out the deep compassion of the Son of Man and that is why it is exclusively reported in the third Gospel. The only son of a widow had died. Here is human sorrow in the fullest sense. A widow losing her only son, her only support. He had compassion on her. How human and filled with sympathy were His words "Weep not." And the second Word He spoke in touching the bier was "Arise." And when the young man came back to life, He delivered him to his mother. "Weep not!" the word of His sympathy; "Arise" the word of His power. No wonder that the people declared, "God hath visited His people." Elijah raised the son of a widow, but he had to humble himself and had to cry to the Lord. Elisha also raised the son of the Shunamite, but only after having stretched himself over the child. But the Lord commands and death has to release its prey at the one word. The Second Man has power to deal with sin and death and man's need is fully met.

But there follows, the day after, another scene of great interest, carrying out the picture of our Lord's power more completely; and it is a scene peculiar to Luke. "It came to pass afterwards, that he went into a city166 called Nain; and many† of his disciples and a great crowd went with him. And as he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was carried out, the only son167 of his mother, and she a widow." Two touches very characteristic of our Evangelist, as indeed the whole scene is peculiar to him: he was the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. It is the heart of a man touched by the circumstances of desolation, and open to the affections that suited such a case. The Lord of glory deigned to feel, and to bring out by the Holy Ghost these circumstances. "A very considerable crowd [was] ‡ with her." Even man showed his sympathy. What did the Lord? "And the Lord168 seeing her, was moved with compassion for her, and said to her, Weep not."169 He came to banish the tears which sin and misery had brought into the world. I do not say that He came not to weep Himself; for, in banishing it, He must weep as none other wept. But to her He would say in His gracious power, "Weep not; and coming up he touched the bier,170 and the bearers stopped. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Wake up." Vain words had they not been His words, or from any other mouth! What a difference it is who says it! That is what men forget when they think of Christ, or speak of Scripture. They forget it is God's Word, they overlook God in man and by man, the Man Christ Jesus. "And the dead sat up and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother." "Afterwards": so W. H., Blass, as AB, Syrsin. "The day after": so Tisch. after ℵCDKM. Nearly all cursives, most Syrr. and other versions. †"Many of": so Tisch. with ACXΔ, most cursives, Goth. Other Edd. omit, after ℵBDLΞ and some versions, as Syrsin and Old Lat. ‡["Was"]: so Edd. after ℵBLΞ, 33, 69, Syrsin Memph. AE, etc., Latt., other Syrr., and Goth. omit.

God was there; God was with that Man in His own power: for what is more characteristic of God than raising the dead? It was even more wondrous than creation. That God should create is, so to speak, natural. That God should raise the dead to life again, after that which is created is fallen into ruin, that He should show his all-compassing power of retrieving to the uttermost, supposes indeed man's weakness and evil, and the enemy's temporary success, but God superior to all circumstances of hostile power in the creature, and His own just judgment of sin. And this is true most evidently in the Gospel. It is viewed as the quickening voice of the Son of God, and this in view of sin and of eternity. But the Lord shows it in matters of time here. "And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Wake up." And our Evangelist closes with words in keeping with all his spirit: "And he gave him to his mother." If he was a man acquainted with grief, He was a man acquainted with the power of sympathy. He knew how to minister to the heart that was bereaved.171 "And fear seized on all and they glorified God, saying, A great prophet has been raised up amongst us; and God has visited his people." He had the power of life in the midst of death. He was a prophet, and more than a prophet. God had anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power, Who went about indeed doing good.172 "And this report went out in all Judea173 concerning him, and in all the surrounding country."174 "Has been raised up" so Edd. after ℵABCΙΞ, 1, 33. ERXΔ, 69, Syrsin have "is risen up."

Was this the first occasion on which a dead person was by the Lord restored to life? We read of no instance earlier, and the impression made by it would quite accord with such a supposition. "There came a fear," wrote Luke, "upon all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God has visited His people" (7:16). Great prophets, as Elijah and Elisha, restored dead ones to life. They had prayed about it, and their prayers were answered. He who was walking about among men was not inferior to them, for He could command where they did not: a great prophet then He must be, at whose word death relaxed its grasp. "God had visited His people." The prophetic words of Zacharias were in process of fulfilment: "He has visited and redeemed His people, and has raised up an horn of salvation for us, in the house of His servant David" (1:68-69). So spoke the aged priest. "God has visited His people" was, as it were, the response of the multitude at the gate of the city of Nain. But the report of the Lord's miracle reached beyond the bounds of Galilee. "This rumour of Him went forth throughout all Judea, and throughout all the region round about." And John the Baptist, in his prison in the castle of Machaerus, on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea, heard of it through the instrumentality of his disciples.

Not only was this illustrious Person able to heal the dread diseases of mankind, for we now find that death itself is no problem for Him. In the centurion's servant we witness the healing and blessing of Gentiles at a time when Israel was stumbling in unbelief, and in the case of the son of the widow of Nain we see a picture of the great grace and power of the Son of God as able to bring the nation Israel from a state of death to that of life, as will be the case yet for that desolate nation when she is completely restored after centuries of death and decay, for the receiving of Israel again by the Lord will be figuratively "life from the dead" (Rom.11:15). The young man being carried out for burial (v.12) was the only son of his mother, whose heart was surely desolate with sorrow. Here is the same lesson as seen in Naomi in the Book of Ruth. Naomi is typical of Israel's former blessing reduced to widowhood and desolation, so that, just as it required Ruth also to fill out the picture of Israel restored to blessing, so it takes the resurrection of a son to show this picture of Israel's future rising from death. The Lord's compassionate words, "Do not weep," are backed up by immediate action. He touched the coffin and spoke with calm authority to the young man who sat up and began to speak. Wonderful anticipation of the day when good words will be put into the mouth of Israel (Hos.14:1-3), "a pure language" in contrast to the vain words of unbelief (Zeph.3:9). The Lord then delivered him to his mother. How great a comfort this must have been to her desolate heart, just as Naomi was comforted in the marriage of Ruth to Boaz, the mighty man of wealth, bringing new life in the child born as a result of his happy union (Ruth 4:13-15).

This great miracle of resurrection stirred a wholesome, reverential fear among the people. This, with other occasions of His raising the dead, provides proof that Jesus is "the Son of God with power" (Rom.1:4). The people glorified God for raising up a great prophet, and realized that this was a manifest visitation of God among His people (v.16). The report went out to all the surrounding area and to Judea, some distance removed from Galilee.