But He is the only one to rise from the dead in a resurrected body

My son argued that Jesus was not unique in being resurrected. He pointed me to numerous sources of others who had been brought back to life.

As a matter of fact, he even gave me examples from the Bible.

Elijah raised 2 boys from the dead:

The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived (1 Kings 17:22, NIV).

Then he got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched himself out on him, the boy’s body grew warm (2 Kings 4:34, NIV).

Jesus raised a boy, a girl, and Lazarus from the dead:

Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” (Luke 7:14, NIV)

Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.” They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened (Luke 8:52–56, NIV).

Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go” (John 11:38–44, NIV).

Peter raised a woman from the dead:

Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up (Acts 9:40, NIV).

Paul raised a man from the dead:

Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!” Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted (Acts 20:9–12, NIV).

So although there are many examples of people being brought back to life, what my son neglected to notice was that although each of these resurrections was true, they were all brought back to life by someone else.

And all of them — the young boys, the girls, Lazarus — they will all die again.

But Jesus brought Himself back to life.

And He is the only one to rise from the dead in a resurrected body. He will never die again. He conquered death.

Jesus not only prophesied His own death and resurrection but He accomplished both.

Then Jesus began to tell them that the Son of Man must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead (Mark 8:31, NLT).

Throughout Jesus’ life, He claimed to be God. His own prophesied death and resurrection confirm His claims that He is God.

Jesus conquered death, giving us hope for our future and faith for the redemption of our sins.