The unusual case of Eutychus

Eutychus was a man of Troas who was at attendance of a sermon being preached by Paul. He had fallen asleep while Paul was speaking and fell out of a third story window and died. Eutychus' story doesn't end there. Paul performed a miracle and brought this young man back to life! Eutychus' name means "fortunate", which is quite fitting since he was fortunate to be present at Paul's preaching. Paul had planned to leave early the very next morning. Some argue that Eutychus wasn't dead, but the Bible clearly says that he "was taken up dead."

Acts 20:6 Luke rejoins Paul at Philippi as indicated by "we", and sailed to a place called Troas. Paul planned on staying at Troas seven days.

Acts 20:9-12 We don't really know how old Eutychus was, as the passage describes him as "young man". Maybe he was a kid or just spiritually young. We are not told. In either case he was pronounced dead, but Paul went down and "fell on him, and embraced him," and life was given back to him.

Even after this miraculous event Paul continued to preach his message "till day break." Luke, being an eyewitness and who also was a medical doctor, clearly states that Eutychus was dead. What happened at Troas is one of very few resurrections recorded in the Bible.

A few million during the Rapture

A few billion before the Great White Throne

To God all are alive, all the resurrections of scripture are just to make clear that to God all are alive

i don't see a reason to take 'young man' as 'spiritually young' -- the context of this description isn't anything like it is in Hebrews 5 where we're definitely talking about maturity in the faith.

so i'd guess he was somewhere in his teens to 20's, and i'd lean towards being a teenager because it says the people took him home, not that he left on his own, which to me indicates he's not a man living independently on his own but still in the care of his elders. one could argue they took him home ((instead of 'he went home')) because he was weak from his injuries, but i don't see why what's described as a miraculous healing should be only a 'half healing'

i notice that Paul 'throws himself' on the young man. to me this is a parallel to Elisha stretching himself out over the Shunamite woman's son in 2 Kings 4, and he is described as a child when he is raised from death. this, to me, would be further evidence ((tho oblique in this case)) that Eutychus isn't very far past his bar mitzvah when this happens to him.