As we follow after Jesus in Luke's record, we find that after Jesus had made this circuit of cities teaching, healing and driving out demons, not only His disciples, but a whole group of people began to follow:
7:11 Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. 16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” 17 And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.
Before Jesus had done the unthinkable: He had touched a leper. Now He does the totally unthinkable: He touches the stretcher of a dead man, which would make Him totally ceremonially unclean. But now, in the presence of Jesus, the young man was no longer dead; he sat up and began to speak. Jesus gave this widow her son back. There is a two-fold response: fear and praise. They recognized that He was a great prophet Who spoke for God, who indeed had the power and authority of God to give life. Here there are no naysayers like the Pharisees, criticizing every word and every move; there are only pure, raw witnesses who realize Jesus is like no other. It was not just a handful of lunatics, rebels, or deceived country bumpkins, but the general public. Who do you say Jesus is. Just ask this widow; He is the One who gives life.
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