The three individuals whom Jesus raises from the dead always fascinates me this time of year when we remember Jesus’ resurrection. I’m never fully satisfied with the answers from commentaries who write on the significance of the three that Jesus raises. Most commentaries just address them individually. Is there significance in the 3 or is there only significance individually?
There are actually 7 accounts in the Bible of people who were raised from the dead. They are the widow of Zarapeth’s son, raised by Elijah in 1 Kings 17:19-24, a man who came back to life after his body came into contact with Elisha’s bones (2 Kings 13:21), Jairus’s daughter in Matthew 9:23-25, the widow of Nain’s son in Luke 7:11-15, Lazarus in John 11:38-44, all by Jesus, Tabitha in Acts 9:40 by Peter, and Eutychus by Paul in Acts 20:7-12.
Each one was meant as a demonstration of the Lord’s power, and all of them subsequently died again. Most scholars don’t see these life restoring miracles as being connected.