Luke 7:14

Touched the bier. The bier, an open coffin with the corpse shrouded in folds of linen, led the funeral procession (see DA 318). In Bible times such a “bier” was probably made of wickerwork (see on Mark 6:43). The touch of Jesus on the coffin was a signal to the pallbearers to halt. According to the law of Moses, contact with the dead in any way, such as even touching the bier, brought ceremonial defilement for seven days (see on Num. 19:11). But to Jesus, who knew neither sin nor defilement, and who was the Source of life, there could be no defilement from contact with death.

I say unto thee. In the Greek the word “thee” is emphatic: “To thee I say, Arise!” To the mother, Jesus had just said, “Weep not.” He had the right to bid her to weep no more because He had the power to rebuke death, the cause of her weeping.