Miracles Of Jesus Christ
The gospel miracles begin with a miraculous birth. Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, is born in a dark stable to a young Jewish virgin. The messianic prophecies of the Old Testament, after centuries of silence, were being fulfilled in the village of Bethlehem. About thirty years later, the miracles of Jesus Christ began with the turning of water into wine at a wedding in Cana. Throughout His three-year ministry, Jesus performed many wondrous deeds as a testimony that He is the promised Messiah. The greatest miracle came at the end of the ministry with the Resurrection, post-Resurrection appearances, and ascension. In between the Cana wedding and the ascension, Jesus performed so many miraculous deeds that the apostle John wrote that "if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen" (John 21:25).
John had first-hand knowledge, as an eyewitness, of Jesus' many miracles. Even so, he selects only seven for the gospel bearing his name. Commentators list these as the seven signs. John's purpose for writing is to convince his readers that the Christ is the Son of God. The account, at times, seems to be testifying on Jesus' behalf. The miracles of Jesus Christ that John includes provide evidence of the claims that He is the Son of God. John tells about the following gospel miracles: changing the water into wine at the wedding in Cana (2:1-11); healing the official's son (4:43-54); healing the invalid near the pool of Bethesda (5:1-15); feeding the five thousand with two loaves and five fishes (6:1-15; 25-69); walking on water out to the apostles' boat (6:16-21); healing the man who had been blind from birth (9:1-41); and the raising of Lazarus from the dead (11:1-44). Each miracle demonstrates a spiritual truth about the Son of God.
Scholars are inconsistent in how they categorize the gospel miracles. One system uses two broad categories: 1) healing and exorcism; and 2) nature. The former includes healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind, and casting out of demons. The latter includes such events as walking on water, calming the storm, and raising the dead. Sad to say, some so-called Bible scholars accept that the Jesus performed the miracles in the first category, but not the ones in the second. They prefer to see these as symbolic narratives told by the Son of God or parables told by the early Christians about the Christ. Those who deny that Jesus has power over nature also deny the Resurrection. Somehow, despite their earthly wisdom, they won't admit that the truth of the Resurrection is vital to Christian faith. As Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth, "And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins" (1 Corinthians 15:17). Without a doubt, the Resurrection is the most significant Biblical event.
Other scholars categorize the miracles of Jesus Christ into four groups: 1) nature; 2) demons; 3) disease; 4) death. In his gospel, Mark shows Jesus' power over each of these in one specific passage (4:35-5:43). Here, in quick succession, Mark tells that the Son of God calmed a storm, cast demons out of the man from Gadarenes and sent them into a herd of pigs, healed a woman suffering from bleeding for twelve years, and raised Jairus' young daughter from death. Each of these gospel miracles proves that the Messiah was not just a man or a wise teacher. He has dominion over the creation, the spiritual realm, and even death.
Because the Bible is a book of miracles, people sometimes get the idea that miraculous events took place all the time. However, this wasn't the case. From the moment of creation to the days of the Great Flood, only one miraculous event is recorded in Scripture: a man named Enoch was taken to heaven without experiencing death. A careful reading of Scriptures shows that God works in miraculous ways when His people are in crisis. Some scholars see four distinct periods when miracles occurred. When the Hebrews were in bondage to the Egyptians, God sent seven plagues so that Pharaoh would release the people. Also, throughout the Exodus, food and water was providentially provided for the wandering tribes. When Israel was in bondage to the idol-worship of Baal, the prophets Elijah and Elisha performed miracles to show that God is the true God. During the time of the Exile, when the Israelites were in bondage to a foreign power, three of God's faithful followers were kept from harm even after being thrown in a white-hot furnace. The prophet Daniel was protected from starving lions. Finally, because the world is in bondage to sin, Jesus came and performed wondrous miraculous deeds to prove His divinity.
The miracles of Jesus Christ created controversy among the religious leaders of the day. They became furious when the Christ forgave the sins of a paralytic man. Jesus confronted their anger: "For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee, or to say, Arise and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up they bed, and go unto thine house" (Matthew 9:5-6). The religious leaders also expressed anger at healings that took place on the Sabbath. Here again, the Son of God confronted their hypocrisies.
The accounts of the gospel miracles were written as testimony that Jesus is the promised Messiah. However classified, the miraculous events demonstrate Jesus' power over death, demons, disease, and nature. The greatest miraculous event, that of the Resurrection, is the linchpin for Christian faith. Knowing that the Son of God rose from the dead provides assurance of an eternal future with Him for those who accept Him as their Savior.
John had first-hand knowledge, as an eyewitness, of Jesus' many miracles. Even so, he selects only seven for the gospel bearing his name. Commentators list these as the seven signs. John's purpose for writing is to convince his readers that the Christ is the Son of God. The account, at times, seems to be testifying on Jesus' behalf. The miracles of Jesus Christ that John includes provide evidence of the claims that He is the Son of God. John tells about the following gospel miracles: changing the water into wine at the wedding in Cana (2:1-11); healing the official's son (4:43-54); healing the invalid near the pool of Bethesda (5:1-15); feeding the five thousand with two loaves and five fishes (6:1-15; 25-69); walking on water out to the apostles' boat (6:16-21); healing the man who had been blind from birth (9:1-41); and the raising of Lazarus from the dead (11:1-44). Each miracle demonstrates a spiritual truth about the Son of God.
Scholars are inconsistent in how they categorize the gospel miracles. One system uses two broad categories: 1) healing and exorcism; and 2) nature. The former includes healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind, and casting out of demons. The latter includes such events as walking on water, calming the storm, and raising the dead. Sad to say, some so-called Bible scholars accept that the Jesus performed the miracles in the first category, but not the ones in the second. They prefer to see these as symbolic narratives told by the Son of God or parables told by the early Christians about the Christ. Those who deny that Jesus has power over nature also deny the Resurrection. Somehow, despite their earthly wisdom, they won't admit that the truth of the Resurrection is vital to Christian faith. As Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth, "And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins" (1 Corinthians 15:17). Without a doubt, the Resurrection is the most significant Biblical event.
Other scholars categorize the miracles of Jesus Christ into four groups: 1) nature; 2) demons; 3) disease; 4) death. In his gospel, Mark shows Jesus' power over each of these in one specific passage (4:35-5:43). Here, in quick succession, Mark tells that the Son of God calmed a storm, cast demons out of the man from Gadarenes and sent them into a herd of pigs, healed a woman suffering from bleeding for twelve years, and raised Jairus' young daughter from death. Each of these gospel miracles proves that the Messiah was not just a man or a wise teacher. He has dominion over the creation, the spiritual realm, and even death.
Because the Bible is a book of miracles, people sometimes get the idea that miraculous events took place all the time. However, this wasn't the case. From the moment of creation to the days of the Great Flood, only one miraculous event is recorded in Scripture: a man named Enoch was taken to heaven without experiencing death. A careful reading of Scriptures shows that God works in miraculous ways when His people are in crisis. Some scholars see four distinct periods when miracles occurred. When the Hebrews were in bondage to the Egyptians, God sent seven plagues so that Pharaoh would release the people. Also, throughout the Exodus, food and water was providentially provided for the wandering tribes. When Israel was in bondage to the idol-worship of Baal, the prophets Elijah and Elisha performed miracles to show that God is the true God. During the time of the Exile, when the Israelites were in bondage to a foreign power, three of God's faithful followers were kept from harm even after being thrown in a white-hot furnace. The prophet Daniel was protected from starving lions. Finally, because the world is in bondage to sin, Jesus came and performed wondrous miraculous deeds to prove His divinity.
The miracles of Jesus Christ created controversy among the religious leaders of the day. They became furious when the Christ forgave the sins of a paralytic man. Jesus confronted their anger: "For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee, or to say, Arise and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up they bed, and go unto thine house" (Matthew 9:5-6). The religious leaders also expressed anger at healings that took place on the Sabbath. Here again, the Son of God confronted their hypocrisies.
The accounts of the gospel miracles were written as testimony that Jesus is the promised Messiah. However classified, the miraculous events demonstrate Jesus' power over death, demons, disease, and nature. The greatest miraculous event, that of the Resurrection, is the linchpin for Christian faith. Knowing that the Son of God rose from the dead provides assurance of an eternal future with Him for those who accept Him as their Savior.
Miracles Of Jesus Christ
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