Thursday 14 March 2013

Background

Today's passage describing Jesus bringing back to life the onlyson of a widow only appears in Luke's Gospel. It follows anotherstory where Jesus heals a centurion's servant (Luke7:1-10). In that story Luke's Gospel is making it clear thatJesus is prepared to heal a gentile servant, a signal that God'sgood news is for both gentiles (non-Jews) as well as the Jews. Intoday's account Jesus shows compassion to a Jewish woman and inparticular a widow, affirming that God's love knows no genderdivide and will reach out to the poorest in society.

In addition both stories have strong links with the acts of OldTestament prophets Elijah and Elisha. Luke has already highlightedthat comparison (Luke 4:25-27) and there is no doubt that hisreaders will have been very familiar with the story in 1Kings 17:8-24 where Elijah meets a poor widow and later raisesher dead son. Similarly in 2Kings 4:8-37 Elisha brings back to life the only son of awoman. Luke's Gospel is deliberately comparing Jesus with these twogreat prophets and underlines this by recording the reaction of thecrowd who exclaim that "a great prophet has risen among us!" (v.16). As the Gospel account has progressed the status of Jesus hasbecome greater, so that now he is regarded as a healing prophetfollowing directly in the line of the revered prophets of old.

Luke's Gospel rarely draws attention to Jesus' emotions and yethere his encounter with a widow who has lost her only son leadsJesus to act with compassion (verse 13). Previously it has beenother people approaching him asking for help, but in Nain Jesusrecognises that without her son, this poor woman who had alreadylost her husband, could well become destitute. Jesus continues tobe followed by a large crowd, but he is still able to spot the needin those who do not ask for help and reach out to them in theirtime of crisis.

To Ponder

• It is increasingly suggested that our society ifssuffering from 'compassion fatigue'. How do we avoid that whenthere are so many competing demands for our attention?

• Luke's Gospel compared Jesus with two revered Old Testamentprophets. Who are your own role models? Give thanks for them.

• Pray for those you know who have been bereaved.