7:12 Came nigh to the gate. Like most Oriental towns it had walls and a gate. Just outside of the gate he met the funeral procession. The dead were always carried out of a Jewish city for burial.
A dead man carried out. On a bier, the body covered by a cloth, but not in a coffin.
The only son. Such a loss to a Jewish widow would be too great for consolation. See Jer 6:26 Am 8:10 Zec 12:10.
7:11-18 When the Lord saw the poor widow following her son to the grave, he had compassion on her. See Christ's power over death itself. The gospel call to all people, to young people particularly, is, Arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light and life. When Christ put life into him, it appeared by the youth's sitting up. Have we grace from Christ? Let us show it. He began to speak: whenever Christ gives us spiritual life, he opens the lips in prayer and praise. When dead souls are raised to spiritual life, by Divine power going with the gospel, we must glorify God, and look upon it as a gracious visit to his people. Let us seek for such an interest in our compassionate Saviour, that we may look forward with joy to the time when the Redeemer's voice shall call forth all that are in their graves. May we be called to the resurrection of life, not to that of damnation.
