Jesus' Miracles, Signs of Divine Powers?

"This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performedStill, from an evidence perspective, the most awesome
at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and hisconfirmations of Jesus' deity are the nature miracles.
disciples put their faith in Him" (John 2:11).There is just no explanation for walking on water,
Anyone who does not believe in God finds thecalming a storm, feeding huge crowds from a single
concept of a miracle, any event that contradicts andlunch box, or turning water into wine. Such events are
even suspends the laws of nature, impossible toreal miracles and they show Jesus' divine power. Keep
accept. That is, if God does not exist, only naturein mind that such miracles have never been claimed by
controls life. Therefore no miracle is possible and anyother professed miracle workers. Only Jesus has
account of a miracle cannot be true. This logicaldisplayed such power. Look closely at the nature
argument against miracles was first formulated bymiracles and probe them for the characteristics for a
Benedict Spinoza (1632-1677). Spinoza's argument cangenuine miracle. We learn:
be summarized as follows:• Significance: There is no doubt the nature
• A miracle violates natural laws.miracles are significant. It is unlikely that anyone present
• Natural laws are immutable.was not awed! This is clear from people's reactions,
• It is impossible to violate immutable laws.such as when Jesus climbed into the boat after
• Therefore, miracles are impossible.walking on the water: "Then those who were in the
However, if God exists, He created the natural laws,boat worshiped him, saying, 'Truly you are the Son of
so it should be no problem for Him to move beyond orGod'" (Matthew 14:33). After Jesus calmed the storm:
outside these laws, nor can He be restrained by these"In fear and amazement they asked one another,
laws.'Who is this? He commands even the winds and the
Jesus used miracles as signs to his credentials as thewater, and they obey him'" (Luke 8:25.
Son of God. Without miracles it would be exceptionally• Immediate: All of Jesus' miracles had
difficult to believe His claims. As John wrote in Johnimmediate results. Both healings and nature miracles
20:30-31:were instantaneous.
"Jesus' disciples saw Him do many more other• Defy the laws of nature: This cannot be
miraculous signs besides the ones recorded in thisdisputed, for this is the exact definition of a miracle.
book. But these are written so that you may believe• Multiple witnesses: As a last resort,
that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that bynon-believing critics try to refute Jesus' nature miracles
believing in Him you will have life."by dismissing them as myths or legends. However, the
Observe that the miracles of Jesus not only showedevidence is overwhelming. First, the miracles were
His power over nature, but also revealed His approachdone in groups of varying sizes, either the disciples
to ministry: helping others, speaking with authority, and(one can argue they are not objective) or a crowd of
connecting with people. The keyword is compassion.several thousands. Second, five of the nature miracles
Almost all His miracles were driven by compassion. Heare recorded in multiple gospels, one even in all four
healed people who sought His help. He raised the deadgospels. Third, Jesus' opponents never denied or even
to comfort grieving families. He quieted storms to calmdisputed his miracles. They admitted Jesus performed
the fears of His friends. He fed multitudes to avertmiracles and tried to claim Jesus had teamed with the
their hunger. Don't fail to notice that Jesus neverdevil: "But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, 'It is
performed a miracle for His own benefit or gain. Theonly by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this
miracles aided others, not Him. On five occasionsfellow drives out demons'" (Matthew 12:24). Or they
Jesus performed a miracle as a sign solely for thetried to destroy the evidence: "So the chief priests
disciples: walking on water; cursing of the fig tree; bothmade plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of
miraculous catches of fish by the disciples; and thehim many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and
coin for the temple tax. All other miracles sprang fromputting their faith in him" (John 12:10-11).
compassion for the people around Him.Among all miracles the astonishing feeding of a crowd
The New Testament gospels record thirty-fiveof five thousand men plus women and children, likely a
miracles. Only one miracle (the feeding of the fivetotal of ten to twelve thousand or more people, stands
thousand) is described in every gospel. About half ofout. This may well be the most impressive nature
the miracles are recorded in two or more of themiracle of all. Some see a symbolic link between Jesus
gospels. As expected, quite a few, eleven in fact, areas the "Bread of Life" and God's gift of manna to the
shared between all the synoptic gospels (Matthew,Israelites in the desert long before.
Mark and Luke), but only seven are recorded in onlySecond, it is the only miracle found in all four gospels.
two of the three synoptic accounts. Two miracles inEach describes the events on that hillside near the
John also appear in one or more of the synopticSea of Galilee: only five loaves and two fishes to feed
gospels. Matthew has three unique miracles, Mark hasthe large gathering. Jesus broke the bread and the
two, while Luke and John each record six.disciples handed out the food. There was enough for
This distribution once more demonstrates Matthew,everybody and the leftovers filled twelve baskets.
Mark, and Luke are personal testimonies. Even Mark,Comparing the four accounts is rewarding. As to be
the gospel "copied" by Matthew and Luke, has twoexpected with eyewitness recollection, they all
miracles not mentioned in the other two. Why are theydescribe the same storyline, but each provides
omitted if Matthew and Luke leaned on Mark as theirdifferent details. For instance, Mark and John estimated
primary source as the synoptic theory claims?"eight months of a man's wages" would be necessary
As miracles are evidence of Jesus deity, it is useful toto feed all the people. All gospels relate that the people
categorize them into:were to be seated, but only Mark and Luke tell they
• Healing miracles: The vast majority (26) ofsat in groups of "fifties and hundreds." John mentions
miracles in which Jesus heals one person or more orthe Sea of Galilee, Mark and Matthew just mention a
even raises (Jairus' daughter, a widow's son andboat, and Luke adds that they are close to a town
Lazarus) from the dead.called Bethsaida. John also reveals it was a boy who
• Nature miracles: Nine miracles are recordedhad brought along the Barley loaves and fishes. John
where Jesus does something impossible simply withinidentified a number of disciples by name. Again there is
our natural world. He defied the laws of nature.a random pattern of details in the various gospels.
The healing miracles are easy targets for critics. ManyContrary to synoptic theory, Mark, supposed to be the
simply insist that the healed person was not ill, thebriefest and simplest gospel, actually has the most
person might be "self-healed" (the "power of positiveextensive account with the most details. A total of
thinking") or there might even have been a type offour independent witness accounts to this remarkable
hypnosis or other "magic." Obviously our ancestors didevent.
not have our knowledge of science, but they were notThird and last, this miracle is performed in the presence
stupid either! Even a first century uneducated Jewof five thousand men, not counting women and
could distinguish between a magician's trick and achildren. Nothing was done in secret. It was born out of
genuine miracle. They would have identified a fakecompassion for the hungry crowd, but the number of
healing. The healed people were not selected from thewitnesses is momentous. And at least three of the
audience willingly participating in a performance. Thesefour gospels were written within a generation of this
were locals, known by the community for theirevent, many of these witnesses were still alive as
handicaps, perhaps long-term blindness or injury.these accounts began to circulate. There were plenty
Resurrecting someone moments after his death wouldof opportunities for someone to confirm or deny this
suggest he had not actually died. Lazarus, however,miracle.
was in the grave four days (John 11:39: "'But, Lord,' saidIn the words of famous Christian philosopher,
Martha, the sister of the dead man, 'by this time theretheologian and author G.K. Chesterton:
is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.'"), so"The most incredible thing about miracles is that they
one can hardly argue that "he was not really dead."happen.