There are so many details about Jesus found in the Bible that put Him in His own class. His birth was the first and last of its kind. When the angel Gabriel announced that Mary would conceive and give birth to the Saviour, she probed how that could be possible without relating with a man. The response was that the conception would be by the enveloping power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus became the first to be born without the normal relation between a man and a woman. He scored another first in His work. He gave sight to a man born blind. When the Pharisees tried to dismiss the miracle and label Christ a sinner, the healed man faulted their theology: “Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind” (John 9:31-32).
His birth was the first and last of its kind…Jesus scored first – He rose from the dead…Since Christ is raised to immortality, those who are saved by Him are also sure of a better life after death.
Our lead scripture shows another critical area where Jesus scored first – He rose from the dead. Now, there were a number of miracles both in the Old and New Testament where the dead were raised back to life. The difference, however, is that none raised himself by his own power as did Christ. In addition, they were not raised to immortality. They fulfilled their days and still went the way of all life – death. It is Christ alone who was raised to immortality. For believers, death has lost its power! Since Christ is raised to immortality, those who are saved by Him are also sure of a better life after death.
