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