Scripture records four times that someone was raised from the dead.  Jesus was the fourth and He raised the other three.

The first occurrance was in the town of Nain when Jesus had compassion on the widow who followed the buriel bier carrying her only son.  He stopped the bier and declared to the young man, " . . I say to you arise." And the dead man sat up and began to speek, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.  Luke 7:11-17

The second occurrance was when a ruler of the synagogue, Jairus, fell at Jesus' feet and begged him to come and heal his lilttle daughter who was at the point of death.  Before Jesus could respond a woman with an issue of blood touched his garment getting his attention and her healing.  All saw the woman's healing as the patient Jairus received the news that his daughter had died.  But Jesus quickly cautioned him, "Do Not Fear, only believe." And as they departed for Jairus' house Jesus allowed no one to follow except Peter, James and John.  When they came to Jairus' house the dead girl arose at Jesus' command.  Mark 5:21-43

The third time Jesus raised his friend Lazarus.  When traveling to his sick friends's house Jesus delayed his arrival with a detour, as if to give Lazarus' the time to thoroughly die.  And Lazarus' sister challenged Jesus, with, "Lord if you had been here my brother would not have died."  Jesus understood the confession and asked, "Where have you laid him?"  He wept and at the grave called Lazarus forth and had the grave cloths removed.  Luke 11:1-44

I found no back-story concerning the widow from Nain and her son, and no back-story concerning Jairus' daughter, no prior relationahip, no why?  With Lazarus there was a back-story.  Jesus knew Lazarus and both his sisters, Mary and Martha.  And the detour?

The one thing certain is all three were dead and Jesus raised them from the dead and gave them back to their loved-ones.  Nothing spooky, they all lived again.

Jesus showed that he had the power to bring people back to life.  And in the first two cases, there were no requests for Him to do so.  With Lazarus, there was a plea of defiance.

We don't know any of the whys.  But we do not believe any of His power has been diminished in Resurrection. These stories are recorded for a reason.  Can we stand on it?  Can we ask the big ask that has never really been asked before?

from my fields