Almost every modern treatment of the miracles of Jesus is prefaced with some discussion of the problem that the very notion of “miracle” poses for the contemporary mind. There are many that disbelieve in the supernatural. Some will always look for a natural explanation for some things that have no natural explanation. Others will attribute a supernatural explanation when there is none. Such is that which we refer to as a “miracle” – a suspension of the laws of nature whereby an effect cannot be explained sufficiently by its most reasonable cause.However, very few of us have witnessed something that we can confidently call a miracle in the strictest sense. Thus, many modern believers who turn to the pages of the gospels have stirrings of skepticism over the reality of miracles. But a believer of the first century did not think of miracles in such terms. Instead, a miracle is understood as a manifestation of God’s control over the world, not as a suspension of natural laws but as wonderful signs of God’s active reign in our lives.
The gospel portrait of Jesus would not be accurate or complete if our image of him were that of a mere teacher or dispenser of religious truth. A major part of the gospel material concentrates not on what Jesus says but on what Jesus does – his miracles of healing, of exorcism, of power over the forces of nature.
From the beginning we find Jesus' ministry having miracles. From changing the water to wine for the celebration of a marriage to increasing the amount of food from the sparse amount his disciples already had. In fact, the four gospels record about thirty-five separate miracles Jesus performed. In a way, these were not the only ones he did, but the specific ones the writers picked out under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to represent his ministry.
To round out our gospel portrait of Jesus, we need to examine this substantial point of the gospels – the miracles – to discover what it might tell us about him. The New Testament, particularly the gospels, understands miracles under two broad classifications:1. Deeds of might and power
- Root: dynamis (Greek), meaning “power”
- The Jews believe that God has control over His creation. He shapes human destiny and rules the awesome forces of nature (e.g. Creation story, deluge in Noah’s story, plagues and parting of the Red Sea in Exodus, etc.). Hence, anyone who manifests a deed that shows God’s control over the world/nature/creation must have received such authority from God Himself.
- Evident on the miracles highlighted in the synoptic gospels.
- Under this classification are further sub-groups of miracles:
- Cures and healings - The largest group of miracle stories mentioned in the New Testament is that which concerned disease and disability. In the Bible, the vast array of ills that tortured human beings (e.g. sin, sickness, chaos, and death) was labeled ultimately as the work of evil. There was also the belief that each manifestation of sickness and death could be traced to the responsibility of personal sin, either on the part of the one who suffered the affliction or on the part of that person’s family or friends. The Gospels give varying amounts of detail for each episode, sometimes Jesus cures simply by saying a few words, or laying on of hands, and at other times employs elaborate rituals using material (e.g. spit or mud). As what we learned in our discussion on the human portrait of Jesus, it was the compassion and deep sense of justice on the part of Jesus that fueled his healing ministry.
- Exorcisms - The biblical mind acknowledged that the power of evil had nudged its way into daily life. There were moments, however, where this mystery of evil transcended individual choice as it could stifle the innocent as well as the guilty in its grip. The gospels give special attention to Jesus’ exorcisms, those acts of healing whereby Jesus liberates the victim from an evil spirit. The exorcisms in the gospels are central to Jesus’ ministry as they are further signs of the unique authority and power of God’s son who reveals in what he says and does the compassionate love of God for us.
- Nature miracles - These acts of power demonstrate Jesus’ mastery over the forces of creation (e.g. stilling of the storm on the Lake of Galilee, walking on water, miraculous catch of fish, or his feeding of the multitudes with just five loaves and two fish.)
- Root: semeion (Greek), meaning “sign”
- Exclusive in the gospel of John and featured in seven miracles in this gospel
2. Healing the Nobleman's Son (John 4: 46-54)
3. Healing of the lame man to walk (John 5:1-17)
4. Feeding the Thousands with Bread and Fish (John 6:1-13)
5. Jesus calms the disciples during a storm (John 6:16-21)
6. Blind eyes opened (John 9:1-41)
7. Resurrection of Lazarus from death to life (John 11:1-45)
- Besides demonstrating the power of God breaking into human history through Jesus’ miracles, these miracles always point toward some deeper or greater reality:
2. Healing the Nobleman's Son: Our cured Life and Nobility in Jesus Christ
3. Healing of the lame man to walk: The Christian can now walk a Christian lifestyle
4. Feeding the Thousands with Bread and Fish: Fellowship of strengthening, building up, and nourishment in the faith among the believers
5. Jesus calms the disciples during a storm: Jesus calms our fears during the storms of life
6. Blind eyes opened: Apostles with their eyes opened to the hopeless plight of humanity are sent out to non-believers
7. Resurrection of Lazarus from death to life: Resurrection of the believer from physical death to eternal life
The gospels seldom, if ever, portray Jesus as taking the initiative in using his healing powers. He does not roam around curing everyone in sight. In fact, the sick and the poor come to him. This reflects the active role of those who are healed in the gospels: they sought to be healed in order to be part of the community once again. Yet more than this, the miracles point out to the main point behind his mission and message: the time is fulfilled, the Kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe in the Good News!
To summarize the discussion, the following points can be said about miracles:1. All the miracles of Jesus pointed to him as the Messiah. Jesus did not just heal the sick and raise the dead for the express purpose of taking suffering away, but to produce the credentials of his kingdom. Yet he did have compassion on the people and felt their suffering enough to relieve them by showing his concern through love. More than just being a man who shows God’s control over the world/nature/creation, he used such healing power within the bounds of his own mission and purpose of his ministry. His words and works point out his role as the Messiah – not a political leader who would bring Israel to victory against the Romans, but a suffering servant who fulfills the will of his Father.
2. All the miracles ultimately point to the Kingdom of God. The four evangelical gospels are unanimous on this point: that Jesus was a healer, a man whom God sent with miracles, wonders, and signs that ultimately point to His own Kingdom. For the gospel tradition, all these miracles have the same basic significance. All of these have crises that manifest the threat of evil, and in all of these, Jesus’ response point to the central message of his mission and message: the Kingdom of God actively reigning in our lives – yesterday, today, and forever!
3. Our response to miracles is that of faith. There is a consistent link between miracles and faith. What Jesus demands of those who come to him, either to learn or to be cured, is that they should totally trust him and his message and act on it. The response of those who were cured and healed were that of faith – of trusting obedience to Jesus, the son of God. Those who came with faith, totally willing to accept Jesus and his mission and to act on that faith, are healed by the power of his love. To all, Jesus’ message is basically the same: “Your faith has been your salvation.” (Luke 7:50)
As the song goes, “There can be miracles when you believe.” Our response to miracles is that of faith – Jesus presents to us these miracles in order to strengthen and deepen our faith in him, our response to his mission and message as a disciple. Though miracles in the world today occur rather rarely, such should not hinder us from “making our own miracles.” In our own little way, we can make miracles, because miracles are our own little acts done with faith in response to Jesus’ call to us as his disciples in the present times.
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