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Who Else Was Resurrected From The Dead In The Bible?

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michael finnegan Profile
In addition to Jesus and Lazarus?
The widow of Zarephath' son through Elijah's prayers (I Kings 17:19-22)
The Shunammite woman's son (2 Kings 4:17-36)
The daughter of Jairus, a synagogue ruler (Matthew 9:18-25; Mark 5:21-42; Luke 8:40-53)
When Jesus cried out and gave up His spirit, an earthquake broke open the tombs of many holy people who were raised to life and went into the holy city (Matthew 27:50-53)
Eutychus, a young man who fell asleep and fell from a third story window (Acts 20:9-12)

These are the ones I'm familiar with
thanked the writer.
Ann Dougherty
Ann Dougherty commented
That is a pretty exhaustive list, but the following could also be included:

The man who was raised when his body was lowered into Elisha's tomb and it touched Elisha's bones. (2Kings 13 v 20-21)

The raising of a widow's son at Nain (Luke 7 v 11-17)

Dorcas (Tabitha) raised in answer to Peter's prayer (Acts 9 v 36-42)
Ann Dougherty Profile
Ann Dougherty answered
There is a lot of confusion about resurrection from the dead and very careful definition of terms is needed.

The important man mentioned by Emansr was Jairus and Jesus specifically said that his little daughter was not dead, but only asleep, i.e. In a coma. In this case Jesus certainly saved her from being buried alive, but she was actually revived from a coma, not from death.

Most of the others mentioned, apart from Jesus himself, were raised from clinical death, as they were all returned to their earthly bodies and carried on with their earthly lives until they died again, this time for keeps. Personally, I usually define this as being raised from the dead, indicating that the previous threads of human life are taken up again.

Jesus, however, really died. He did not return to his earthly human life. He was not raised from the dead, but resurrected into his eternal body, which does seem to have been changed in some degree from his appearance during his earthly life, as at times people who knew him well did not recognize him. This is the true resurrection from the dead, in which the weak, earthly body is transformed into a glorious spiritual body, capable of living eternally in the glory of God's direct presence.

Therefore, if by "who else" you mean who else named in the Bible apart from Jesus is described as being resurrected to eternal life, whether that event was witnessed by other people or not, the list would have to be as follows:-

Enoch, who was translated directly into the presence of God (Genesis 5 v 24)

Moses, whom God himself buried (Deuteronomy ch 4 v 5-6)

Elijah, who was carried up to heaven in a chariot of fire as witnessed by his disciple, Elisha (2 Kings ch 2 v 11-12)

Elijah and Moses were both seen in their resurrected eternal bodies talking with Jesus when he was transfigured. This event was witnessed by Peter, James and John.

A large group of unnamed, and often overlooked, people (Matthew ch 27 vs 51-53) What happened was that there was a violent earthquake at the exact moment of Jesus' death. Many tombs in the cemetery were broken open and the bones of the people buried there were exposed to view. Because of the nearness of the Sabbath day nothing was done about this at the time. But very early the morning after the Sabbath, Jesus resurrected from the dead, that is in his eternal body. The bodies of numerous believers whose tombs had been broken open were also resurrected into their eternal bodies immediately afterwards, presumably also disappearing from their tombs, and they went into the city and appeared to many people. They did not return to their earthly human lives. Presumably they were not seen on earth again beyond the day that Jesus ascended into heaven, though that is not stated.

The term from the Creed "he descended into Hell" is relevant here. What it means is that Jesus really died, in other words, he passed right through death so that he was resurrected to eternal life on the other side rather than stopping short and being raised to continue his earthly life, as happened with Lazarus and all other individuals described in the bible as being miraculously raised from the dead to continue their earthly lives.
thanked the writer.
michael finnegan
michael finnegan commented
Thanks - I did forget those 3. Asleep at the keyboard, I guess!
I'm fairly convinced that Jaruis' daughter had died. Jesus did say that she "sleepeth", but in John's recount of Lazarus, Jesus also said that he "sleepeth", but as the disciples missunderstood His meaning, He had to tell them plainly "Lazarus is dead." The many referenced in Matthew 27:52 were the bodies of the saints which slept, and (Hallelujah!) now is Christ risen from the dead and become the firstfruits of them that slept!
Ann Dougherty
Ann Dougherty commented
Yes, but there is a big difference between the two stories. With the little girl Jesus said, "She is not dead, but asleep." With Lazarus he said "Lazarus has fallen asleep and I go to awake him out of his sleep." The disciples thought he meant that Lazarus was sleeping and would, therefore, recover. Jesus then said to them plainly: "Lazarus is dead". So with the little girl he said she was not dead, but with Lazarus he said that he was dead. I take what Jesus stated to be the case.
Terry Free Profile
Terry Free answered
Lazarus
Emanuel Watkins Profile
Emanuel Watkins answered
Along with Jesus, there was Lazarus and the daughter of the important man which I believe may be in John. To God be the glory!

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