Prophets produce miracles so that bewildered and wayward man may be led from his chaotic state to a state of firm faith in God. The showing of miracles was not peculiar to Jesus. Other prophets also demonstrated the miraculous power of God. According to the Bible, not only Jesus, but other prophets also made the dead to live again. Elisha was one of such prophets:

“And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed.

“Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him, and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes”. (II Kings 4:32, 35)

It is just a figure of speech when the dead are said to be raised to life by holy divines. Here, life means the spiritual life. The life instilled by the faith in One God:

“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent”. (John 17:3)

The following use of the word “dead” beautifully brings out its metaphorical character:

“But Jesus said unto him, Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead”. (Matthew 8:22)

The word “sick” has likewise been used metaphorically in the Bible.

“And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?”

“When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, they that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance”. (Mark 2:16-17)

Besides Jesus, others also have been reported to heal the sick. Elijah cured Naaman of his leprosy.

“Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean”. (II Kings 5:14)

Other prophets also performed the kind of miracles Jesus displayed. According to the Bible, Jesus walked on the sea. The Bible also makes mention of Elijah’s having divided the waters:

“And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they too went over on dry ground”. (II Kings 2:8)

Jesus instructed his disciples to raise the dead:

“Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils; freely ye have received, freely give”. (Matthew 10:8)

Jesus also said:

“And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive”. (Matthew 21:21-22)

At another place Jesus very clearly said:

“If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you”. (Matthew 17:20)

Jesus even assured his believers that they could do greater deeds than those he did:

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth in me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

“And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it’. (John 14:12-14)

From the foregoing Biblical verses it follows that the physically dead have never been brought to life by anyone. If it were possible to do so, a believer in Jesus would be able to give life to the dead buried in the grave. However, Jesus did perform great miracles by bringing spiritually dead persons to life. The lives of the prophets provide us with numerous brilliant examples of such miracles.