Les Feldick Bible Study

Were Lazarus and the widow's son resurrected or just brought back to life?

They were not resurrected. Lazarus and the widow’s son were merely brought back to life and died again. Resurrection refers to Christ rising from the dead into eternal life, never to die again. When believers experience resurrection, it will be final.

Les explains that the term resurrected is often used incorrectly. The widow’s son under Elijah and Lazarus were raised from the dead miraculously, but they were not resurrected; they were merely brought back to life and later died again. Resurrection speaks of that which only Christ began: He arose from the dead into the eternal, never to die again. Christ was the first to be resurrected. When we experience resurrection, it will be final, and we will not again have to die and be brought back to life. Les warns against speaking of Lazarus as resurrected, because he was brought back to life but was not resurrected, since he died again at some later date.