What resurrections besides Jesus should I know about?
Question 3062
When we think of resurrection in the Bible, our minds naturally go straight to Jesus rising from the dead on Easter morning. And rightly so, His resurrection is the central event of all history. But Scripture records other instances where people were raised from the dead, both before and after Jesus’ own resurrection. Understanding these helps us appreciate what makes Jesus’ resurrection unique and gives us insight into God’s unfolding plan for conquering death once and for all.
Old Testament Resurrections
The Old Testament contains three recorded instances of people being raised from the dead, and all three involve the prophets Elijah and Elisha.
The first occurs in 1 Kings 17:17-24, where Elijah raises the son of the widow of Zarephath. This woman had shown extraordinary faith by feeding Elijah during a famine, trusting that God would provide. When her son became ill and died, Elijah stretched himself over the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, “O LORD my God, let this child’s life come into him again.” God heard the prophet’s prayer, and the boy’s life returned to him. The widow responded with the words, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth.” (I always thought this strange for she was living miraculously through Elijah already but that is human nature, I suppose, that the extraordinary become ordinary and diminishes our faith). This miracle authenticated Elijah’s prophetic ministry and demonstrated God’s power over death itself.
The second resurrection is found in 2 Kings 4:18-37, where Elisha raises the Shunammite woman’s son. This wealthy woman had provided hospitality for Elisha, and in return, Elisha had promised she would bear a son, a remarkable gift since she was childless and her husband was old. When the child grew and then suddenly died, she made the journey to find Elisha on Mount Carmel. Elisha sent his servant Gehazi ahead with his staff, but that proved insufficient. When Elisha arrived, he went into the room, shut the door, prayed, and stretched himself upon the child. The boy’s flesh grew warm, he sneezed seven times, and opened his eyes. Once again, God demonstrated His sovereign power over life and death through His prophet.
The third Old Testament resurrection is perhaps the strangest. In 2 Kings 13:20-21, a dead man comes back to life simply by touching Elisha’s bones. Some Israelites were burying a man when they spotted a band of Moabite raiders. In their haste, they threw the body into Elisha’s tomb. The moment the corpse touched Elisha’s bones, the man revived and stood on his feet. No prayer was offered, no prophet was present to intercede, the power of God that had worked through Elisha was so great that even his bones carried a residual testimony to the life-giving power of the Lord. This account has puzzled readers for centuries, but it serves as a powerful reminder that the God who raised the dead through Elisha was not limited even by the prophet’s own death.
Resurrections During Jesus’ Ministry
Jesus Himself raised three people from the dead during His earthly ministry, each instance revealing something different about His authority and compassion.
The first is the raising of Jairus’ daughter, recorded in Mark 5:21-43 (with parallels in Matthew 9 and Luke 8). Jairus was a ruler of the synagogue whose twelve-year-old daughter lay dying. Before Jesus could reach her, messengers arrived with the devastating news: “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” But Jesus said to Jairus, “Do not fear, only believe.” When they arrived at the house, Jesus took the girl by the hand and said, Ταλιθὰ κοῦμι (Talitha koum), which is Aramaic for “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” Immediately she got up and walked. The mourners were overcome with amazement. Did you note that Jesus spoke with His own authority? He did not pray to the Father as Elijah and Elisha had done. He simply commanded, and death obeyed.
The second resurrection is found in Luke 7:11-17, where Jesus raises the widow’s son at Nain. As Jesus approached the town gate, a funeral procession was coming out. A widow was burying her only son; her sole support and hope for the future. Luke tells us that “when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.'” Then He touched the bier and said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. The crowd’s response is telling: “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” They recognised that something of Elijah’s ministry was being repeated but in Jesus, something even greater had arrived.
The third and most dramatic is the raising of Lazarus in John 11:1-44. Lazarus had been dead four days by the time Jesus arrived, long enough that decomposition had set in. Martha said bluntly, “Lord, by this time there will be an odour, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus wept at the tomb, deeply moved by the grief of Mary and Martha and by the ravages of death itself. Then He prayed, not to receive power, but so that the crowd would know the Father had sent Him, and cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, still bound in grave clothes. Jesus said, “Unbind him, and let him go.” This miracle was so undeniable that the Jewish leaders began plotting not only to kill Jesus but to kill Lazarus as well, because many were believing in Jesus on account of him (John 12:10-11).
Resurrections at Jesus’ Death and After
A mysterious event occurs at the moment of Jesus’ death, recorded in Matthew 27:52-53: “The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.” This is one of the most puzzling passages in the Gospels. Who were these saints? How long did they remain alive? What happened to them afterwards? Matthew gives us no further details. What we can say is that the death of Jesus set in motion a chain of events that demonstrated His victory over death itself. Even before Jesus rose, His death was already breaking the power of the grave.
After Jesus’ ascension, the apostles continued to raise the dead as a sign of their apostolic authority. In Acts 9:36-42, Peter raises Tabitha (also called Dorcas) in Joppa. She was a disciple “full of good works and acts of charity,” and when she died, the believers sent urgently for Peter. He knelt and prayed, then turned to the body and said, Ταβιθά, ἀνάστηθι (Tabitha, anastēthi) that is, “Tabitha, arise.” She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up. The result was that “it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.” Like the Old Testament prophets, Peter prayed before raising the dead; he acted as an instrument of God’s power, not the source of it.
In Acts 20:7-12, Paul raises a young man named Eutychus in Troas. During a lengthy evening sermon by Paul, Eutychus fell asleep sitting on a windowsill, tumbled three storeys, and was “taken up dead.” Paul went down, bent over him, and embraced him, saying, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.” The boy was taken away alive, and the congregation was “not a little comforted.” Some have questioned whether Eutychus actually died or was merely injured, but Luke, a doctor himself, uses language that strongly suggests death: he was “taken up dead” (ἤρθη νεκρός, ērthē nekros).
What Makes Jesus’ Resurrection Different
All of these resurrections, from the widow of Zarephath’s son to Eutychus, share one thing in common: they were resuscitations to mortal life. These people were brought back, but they would die again. Lazarus, despite being raised after four days in the tomb, eventually died once more and awaits the final resurrection like all other believers.
Jesus’ resurrection is categorically different. He was not resuscitated; He was resurrected to immortal, glorified life. He passed through death and came out the other side, never to die again. Romans 6:9 puts it plainly: “We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.” His resurrection body was transformed, still physical, still bearing the marks of crucifixion, but now imperishable and glorious.
This is why Jesus is called “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20). The Old Testament and apostolic miracles demonstrated God’s power over death, but they were temporary reversals. Jesus’ resurrection inaugurated something new: the beginning of the end of death itself. His resurrection guarantees ours. Because He lives, we too shall live (John 14:19).
Conclusion
The Bible records at least nine resurrections besides that of Jesus: three in the Old Testament through Elijah and Elisha, three by Jesus during His ministry, the mysterious raising of the saints at Jesus’ death, and two through the apostles Peter and Paul. Each of these demonstrates God’s sovereign power over death and points forward to the ultimate resurrection that awaits all believers. But none of them compare to the resurrection of Jesus, who alone rose never to die again. He is the firstfruits, the pioneer, the guarantee. And because of Him, death has lost its sting and the grave has lost its victory.
“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?'”John 11:25-26
Bibliography
- Bruce, F.F. The Book of Acts. New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1988.
- Carson, D.A. The Gospel According to John. Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991.
- Fruchtenbaum, Arnold G. The Messianic Bible Study Collection. Tustin: Ariel Ministries, 1983.
- House, Paul R. 1, 2 Kings. New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1995.
- Morris, Leon. The Gospel According to John. New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995.
- Pentecost, J. Dwight. The Words and Works of Jesus Christ. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1981.
