When Christians say that Jesus "raised the dead"?

Question

How do they know that he didn't just give them CPR? Or something similar that jump-started their heart? Doesn't that make more sense than "magic"?

How do you know that this "lazarus" wasn't just in a coma?

Answer 1

Stop denying the power of God. Jesus has the keys of death and hell because He has defeated them. We can share in that life everlasting by simpley beliving what God has said. If you don't want to take part in that so be it.

Answer 2

Well, let's use the story of Lazarus for example. Jesus took his time when he was told that Lazarus was near death. He did not rush to his aid to help him. By the time he finally arrived, Lazarus had been long-dead and placed in a tomb. There was no mistaking that he was dead. People simply did not bury someone that could merely be unconscious. If the heart had merely stopped and could be restarted, even with today's medical technology, one would have to re-start the heart with CPR or a defibrillator within a few minutes, or else the brain will lose oxygen and cease to function and the body will be permanently dead. By the time Jesus arrived to help Lazarus, Lazarus was long past any hope of CPR or other type of medical intervention. He was stone cold dead.

Jesus waited intentionally and allowed Lazarus to die instead of tending to him before his death and saving his life because He wanted to show the true miracle of raising him from the dead. When he called out to Lazarus "Lazarus, come forth!", and out of the tomb Lazarus walked, it was truly a miracle because he went from completely dead to completely alive at the command of Jesus. This was not magic. There were many witnesses and word spread quickly about this miracle.

Answer 3

Actually, Lazarus was dead for FOUR days, not three as some of the other responders have said. There's a neat bit of specifics behind why Lazarus was left dead for 4 days. Science has proven that the beginning of the decomposition process starts about 4 days after death. The Scripture even says that "surely he (Lazarus) stinketh," having been dead long enough to begin to decompose. The "neat" part is in Christ's death. It was foretold that "His flesh shall not see corruption" meaning He wouldn't even be dead long enough to start decomposing! Jesus was dead only THREE days before He arose. Lazarus' resurrection wasn't permanent; he died again. Jesus had to avoid corruption not only to prove the prophecy, but so that his flesh in sacrifice wouldn't take on corruption (decomposing) and nullify the purity of the sacrifice.

Answer 4

As a catholic I simply cannot believe Lazarus was dead when Christ supposedly raised him, three days dead means the body would have already started to decompose rapidly in the heat, dead people after three days simply do not come back to life, and that is a medical fact, the bottom line is there was no magic or divine intervention about it, simply put Lazarus was still alive, and Christ already new that, and that's why he was able to pull it off, and the people at that time would have seen that as a miracle end of story.

Answer 5

It would still be as amazing if lazarus was in a coma and Jesus brought him out of it...not even doctors can do that now a days. So either He raised the dead or He brought him out of a coma, either way it was miraculous.

Answer 6

It's possible that when Evangelist Smith Wigglesworth threw a dead woman across the room it jump started her heart or the same with the dead baby he dropkicked back to the mother...but they still came back to life...It's a miracle that that worked. And that was a time before CPR was known.

Answer 7

Are you trying a feeble attempt at humor or truly goofy?

Christians believe that God spoke everything into existance. He said it, it happened.

Christians believe Jesus said "Lazarus arise!", and he arose after being dead for 4 days.

Believe what you will. But for your own sake, don't make light of things you don't understand. I'm not saying anyone will put a hit on you, but what if all that is for real? I don't know for sure it is, and you don't know for sure that it isn't. I choose to believe it is.

Answer 8

Jesus actually rose people from the dead. Literally. The best example of this is Lazarus who had been dead for some time and rose from the dead according to Jesus' power. He even appeared in his death shroud.

Answer 9

Lazarus was dead for 3 days before Christ brought him back from the dead. I'd be interested to see any medical procedure pull that one off.

in response to your second question: "How do you know that this "lazarus" wasn't just in a coma?"...

Lets say he was...dont you think it a fantastic coincidence that when Jesus called him out of the grave, it was at that exact moment that he came out of the coma?...come on...your reaching on this one.

Answer 10

Jesus rose from the dead not raised the dead. there is no such word or sentence that Jesus raised the dead.

It means that Jesus Christ has risen from the dead when he was nailed to the cross by the Jews to cause his death.

raised means with projecting surface.

Your question have no sense.

Answer 11

I thought the dead were supposed to wait for Judgement Day.
I wonder if Jesus had lots of forms to fill out when he got back to Heaven, to rectify 'His little error'.
I bet his boss wasn't pleased, either.
I can see it now..."The next time you pull a stunt like that, I'm bustin' you back to angel. I've had enough of you and your showing off... I run a tight ship here...".
Mmmm. Bad day at the office.