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Jesus' Miracles, Signs of Divine Powers?

"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
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
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




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