safe^ and when he rises again he shall see God's face in peace.
Notes. Lukb VII. 11—17.
11. — [The day after.] It would appear from this expression, that the miracle recorded Id these verses, was the first instance of our Lord raising a dead person to life. The daughter of Jairus was the second instance, and Lazarus the third. This order of the three miracles is disputed by some. But the internal eridence in favour of it, seems too strong to be put aside. Remembering this, we may understand the sensation that the miracle would create among all Jews who heard of it. No person had been raised fi*om the dead, since the days of Elisha, a period of nine hundred years.
[A city called Nain.] This place is n<)where else mentioned in the Bible. It is a small town on the northern slope of the lesser Mount Hermon, of which the ruins -and the name re- main to the present day. Mr. Burgon says, that an ancient biuying place is even now distinguishable at the lower part of thehiU, not far from the ruins.
12. — [A dead man carried out.] Let us note that the place of burial was outside the city. It is curious to observe how strongly almost all commentators dwell on this point, and urge the impropriety of the practice of burying the dead in church yards, and among the living.
[Much people,^.wa8 with her.] This expression should not be overlooked. It shows the publicity of the great miracle here recorded. It was wrought before many witnesses.
13. — [When the Lord saw Tier He had compassion.] Poole*s re- marks on this expression are worth reading : " None moved our Lord on behalf of the widow, neither do we read that she herself spake to Him. But our Saviour's bowels were moved at the sight of her sorrows, and consideration of her loss. It is ob- servable that our Saviour wrought His healing miracles, 1, sometimes at the motion and desire of the parties to be healed ; 2, sometimes at the desire of others on their behalf; 3, some- times of His lOwn free motion, neither themselves nor others soliciting Him for any such mercies toward them." — The leper was healed (Luke v. 12,) in reply to his own personal applica- tion; — the centurion's servant, (Luke vii. 1,) in reply to the prayer of his master, — and the widow's son was raised without any one interceding on his behalf.
14. — [The hier!] The Greek word so translated, is only found here in the New Testament. It would not have been correct to trans- late it " coffin." The practice of burying in coffins was apparently unknown among the Jews. In the case before us, the young