Reference: Miracles
Fausets
Three distinct New Testament Greek words represent miracles: seemeion, "a sign"; teras, "a prodigy"; dunamis, "a mighty work." Septuagint uses seemeion and teras for Hebrew 'owt and mopheth (Ex 7:9). Seemeion, "sign," views the miracle as evidence of a divine commission: Joh 3:2, "no man can do these signs (Greek) which Thou doest except God be with him" (Joh 9:30,33; 15:24; Lu 7:19-22); teras, "prodigy" or "wonder," expresses the effect on the spectator; dunamis, "mighty work," marks its performance by a superhuman power (Ac 2:22; 2Co 12:12; 2Th 2:9). The "sign" is God's seal, attestation, or proof of a revelation being genuine. Jesus' miracles were not merely wonders but signs; signs not merely of His power, but of the nature of His ministry and of His divine person.
A grand distinction peculiar to Christianity is, it won the world to it in an age of high civilization, through a few preachers of humble position, on the evidence of miracles. Basing its claim on miracles the creed of the slave became eventually the faith of the Caesars. Muhammed on the contrary, even in a half-enlightened age and country, pretended no miracle. Christ and His apostles still less than Mahomet among friends would have dared to allege miracles, in the midst of hostile Jews and skeptical Romans, unless they were true. This claim is the more striking, since John the Baptist, though coming "in the spirit and power of Elias," the great miracle worker of the Old Testament, never claimed miraculous power; so far is Scripture from indiscriminately gratifying men's love of the marvelous at the cost of truth.
Similarly, Abraham, David, and other Old Testament heroes never appear as miracle workers. Early Christian writers, Justin Martyr, Tertullian, and Origen, occasionally appeal to miracles in proof of Christianity; but state that their pagan opponents, admitting the facts, attributed them to magic; which accounts for the fewness of their references to miracles. The Jewish writings, as the Sepher Toldoth Jeshu, also the extant fragments of Celsus, Porphyry, and Julian, admit the fact of the miracles, though ascribing them to magic and evil spirits. In the case of the resurrection (Mt 28:11-15) and the cure of the blind man (John 9) the Jews made a self confuted charge of fraud. The early Christian apologists allege in support of Christianity:
(1) the greatness, number, completeness, and publicity of the miracles;
(2) the beneficial tendency of the doctrine;
(3) the connection of the miracles with prophecy and the whole scheme of redemption from Adam to Christ. The miracles must have been altogether different from the wonders of exorcists, magicians, etc.; else they would not have gained for the gospel so wide and permanent an acceptance. The effect of Philip's ministry on the Samaritans, in opposition to Simon Magus (Acts 8), proves this. The holy character of Christ and His apostles, and the tendency of Christianity to promote truth and virtue, are against the origination of the miracles from evil spirits or jugglery. In the fourth century miracles had ceased (Chrysostom on 1 Corinthians 11-13); in the third, miracles are alleged, but are suspicious, as wrought among those already believing and predisposed to accept prodigies credulously. The ecclesiastical miracles are not attested by inspired writers. The apostles alone could transmit the power of working miracles to others. Cornelius was an exception, being the firstfruit of the Gentiles.
But Philip could not impart it; Peter and John must come to confer on his Samaritan converts miraculous gifts, by laying on of hands (Ac 8:15-20; 10:44-46; 19:6; Mr 16:17-18). Christianity being once proved and attested to us, the analogy of God's dealings leads us to expect He would leave it to make its way by ordinary means; the edifice being erected, the scaffolding is taken down; perpetual miracle is contrary to His ways. The ecclesiastical miracles alleged are ambiguous, or tentative, or legendary, i.e. resembling known products of human credulity and imposture. Many are childish, and palpably framed for superstitious believers, rather than as evidences capable of bearing critical scrutiny. Most of them are not told until long after their presumed occurrence. Herein the New Testament miracles wholly differ from them. The Christian miracles are:
(1) Recorded by contemporaries.
(2) In the same country.
(3) Not based on transient rumor, but confirmed by subsequent investigation, and recorded in independent accounts.
(4) Not naked history, but the history combined with the institution and with the religion of our day, as also with the time and place of the miracle recorded and of Christianity's origin.
(5) With particular specification of names, places, dates, and circumstances.
(6) Not requiring merely otiose assent, as the popular superstitions on which nothing depends, but claiming to regulate the opinions and acts of people.
(7) Not like popish miracles in Roman Catholic countries, in affirmation of opinions already formed, but performed amidst enemies, converting men from their most cherished prejudices; there was no anterior persuasion to lay hold of, Jesus' miracles gave birth to the sect; frauds might mix with the progress, but could not have place in the commencement of the religion.
(8) Not an imaginary perception, as Socrates' demon; the giving sight to the blind leaves a lasting effect; in those of a mixed nature the principal miracle is momentary, but some circumstance combined with it is permanent; Peter's vision might be a dream, but the message of Cornelius could not have been; the concurrence could only be supernatural.
(9) Not tentative, where out of many trials some succeed, as the ancient oracles, cures wrought by relics, etc.
(10) Not doubtful miracles, as the liquefaction of Januarius' blood, cures of nervous ailments.
(11) Not stories which can be resolved into exaggerations.
(12) Not gradual, but instantaneous for the most part (Lu 18:43); not incomplete; not merely temporary, but complete and lasting.
(13) Witnessed to at the cost of suffering and death. (Paley, Evidences of Christianity.)
A miracle is not a "violation of the laws of nature" (Hume), but the introduction of a new agent. Such introduction accords with human experience, for we see an intelligent agent often modifying the otherwise uniform laws of nature. "Experience" informs us of human free will counteracting the lower law of gravitation. Infinitely more can the divine will introduce a new element, counteracting, without destroying, lower physical law; the higher law for a time controls and suspends the action of the lower. Or, "law" being simply the expression of God's will, in miracles God's will intervenes, for certain moral ends, to suspend His ordinary mode of working. The wise men following the star, and then receiving further guidance from the Scripture word, illustrate the twofold revelation, God's works, and God's word, the highest guide. Both meet in the Incarnate Word (Matthew 2; 2Pe 1:19-21). As disturbance has entered the world by sin, as nature visibly attests, God must needs miraculously interfere to nullify that disturbance.
Hume alleged against miracles their contrariety to "experience," and that experience shows testimony to be often false. But "experience" is not to be limited to our time and knowledge. The "experience" of the witnesses for Christianity attests the truth of miracles. However improbable miracles are under ordinary circumstances, they are probable, nay necessary, to attest a religious revelation and a divine commission. "In whatever degree it is probable that a revelation should be communicated to mankind at all, in the same degree is it probable that miracles should be wrought" (Paley, Evidences of Christianity). That they are out of the ordinary course of nature, so far from being an objection, is just what they need to be in order to be fit signs to attest a revelation. It is as easy to God to continue the ordinary course of the rest of nature, with the change of one part, as of all the phenomena without any change. It is objected, miracles "interrupt the course of nature."
But as that course really compri
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Then he went all over Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing any disease or sickness among the people.
And a leper came up to him and fell on his knees before him, saying, "If you only choose, sir, you can cure me!"
When he got back to Capernaum, a Roman captain came up and appealed to him,
Jesus went into Peter's house, and there he found Peter's mother-in-law sick in bed with fever.
In the evening they brought to him many who were possessed by demons, and he drove the spirits out with a word, and cured all who were sick, in fulfilment of the words of the prophet Isaiah, "He took our sickness and carried away our diseases."
And he said to them, "Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!" Then he got up and reproved the wind and the sea, and there was a great calm.
Some people came bringing to him on a bed a man who was paralyzed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, "Courage, my son! Your sins are forgiven."
Just as he said this to them, an official came up and bowing low before him said to him, "My daughter has just died. But come! Lay your hand on her and she will come to life!"
And a woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel of his cloak.
As Jesus was passing along from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, "Take pity on us, you Son of David!" When he had gone indoors, the blind men came up to him, and he said to them, "Do you believe that I can do this?" They said to him, "Yes, sir." read more. Then he touched their eyes and said, "You shall have what your faith expects." And their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly not to let anyone hear of it.
But just as they were going out, some people brought to him a dumb man who was possessed by a demon,
Jesus went round among all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing any disease or illness.
Now when John heard in prison of what the Christ was doing, he sent by his disciples and said to him, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we look for someone else?" read more. Jesus answered, "Go and report to John what you hear and see.
There was a man there with one hand withered. And in order to get a charge to bring against him, they asked him, "Is it right to cure people on the Sabbath?"
But Jesus knew of this, and he left that place. And numbers of people followed him about, and he cured them all,
And all the crowds of people were astounded, and said, "Can this be the Son of David?"
So when he got out of the boat he found a great crowd gathered, and his heart was touched at the sight of them, and he cured those of them that were sick.
But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away. Give them food yourselves."
And the men of the place recognized him, and sent all over that district and brought to him all who were sick, and they begged him to let them touch just the tassel of his cloak, and all who touched it were cured.
And a Canaanite woman of that district came out and screamed, "Son of David, take pity on me, sir! My daughter is dreadfully possessed by a demon!"
Then great crowds came to him bringing with them those who were lame, crippled, blind, or dumb, and many others. And they laid them down at his feet, and he cured them,
and he took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks and he broke them in pieces and gave them to his disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
"It is a wicked and faithless age that insists on a sign, and no sign will be given it but the sign of Jonah." And he left them and went away.
Six days after this, Jesus took Peter and James and his brother John, and led them up on a high mountain, by themselves.
"Master, take pity on my son, for he has epilepsy, and is very wretched; he often falls into the fire or into the water.
But rather than give offense to them, go down to the sea and throw in a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, open its mouth and you will find in it a dollar. Take that and pay the tax for us both."
Great crowds followed him about and he cured them there.
And Jesus went into the Temple and drove out all who were buying or selling things in it, and he upset the money-changers' tables and the pigeon-dealers' seats,
And blind and lame people came up to him in the Temple, and he cured them.
for false Christs and false prophets will appear, and they will show great signs and wonders to mislead God's chosen people if they can.
"But immediately after the misery of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not shed its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the forces of the sky will shake.
While they were on their way, some of the guard went into the city and reported to the high priests all that had happened. And they got together and consulted with the elders, and gave the soldiers a large sum of money, read more. and said to them, "Tell people that his disciples came in the night and stole him away while you were asleep. And if news of it reaches the governor, we will satisfy him, and see that you do not get into trouble." So they took the money and did as they were told. And this story has been current among the Jews ever since.
"What do you want of us, Jesus, you Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, you are God's holy One!"
As soon as he got out of the boat, a man possessed by a foul spirit came out of the burial places near by to meet him.
And he strictly forbade them to let anyone know of it, and told them to give her something to eat.
He could not do any wonder there, except that he put his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he wondered at their want of faith. Then he went around among the villages teaching.
He said to her, "If you can say that, go home; the demon has left your daughter."
And Jesus forbade them to tell anyone about it, but the more he forbade them the more they spread the news far and wide.
And they came to Bethsaida. And people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him.
And signs like these will attend those who believe: with my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in foreign tongues; they will take snakes in their hands, and if they drink poison it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will get well."
When he stopped speaking, he said to Simon, "Push out into deep water, and then put down your nets for a haul."
Soon afterward he happened to go to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great throng of people were with him. As he came up to the gate of the town, a dead man was being carried out; he was his mother's only son, and she was a widow. A crowd of the townspeople was with her.
And he went up and touched the bier, and the bearers stopped. And he said, "Young man, I tell you, wake up!"
and he called two of them to him, and sent them to the Master to ask him, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we look for someone else?" And the men went to him and said, "John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, 'Are you the one who was to come, or should we look for someone else?' " read more. Just then he cured many of diseases and ailments and evil spirits, and he gave sight to many who were blind. And he answered them, "Go and report to John what you have seen and heard. The blind are regaining their sight, the lame can walk, the lepers are being cured and the deaf can hear, the dead are being raised and good news is being preached to the poor.
But some of them said, "It is with the aid of Beelzebub, the prince of the demons, that he drives the demons out." Others to test him asked him for a sign from heaven.
and there was a woman there who for eighteen years had had a sickness caused by a spirit. She was bent double and could not straighten herself up at all.
And as he was going into one village he met ten lepers, and they stood at some distance from him,
As he approached Jericho, a blind man happened to be sitting by the roadside begging.
And he regained his sight immediately, and followed Jesus, giving thanks to God. And all the people saw it and praised God.
But Jesus answered, "Let me do this much!" And he touched his ear and healed him.
Then the Jews addressed him and said, "What sign have you to show us, for acting in this way?" Jesus answered, "Destroy this sanctuary, and I will raise it in three days!" read more. The Jews said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this sanctuary, and are you going to raise it in three days?" But he was speaking of his body as the sanctuary.
Now when he was at Jerusalem, at the Passover Festival, many, when they saw the signs that he showed, came to believe in him.
This man went to Jesus one night, and said to him, "Master, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can show the signs that you do, unless God is with him."
When he heard that Jesus had come back from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and begged him to come down and cure his son, for he was at the point of death.
There was one man there who had been sick for thirty-eight years.
But he answered them, "My Father is still at work, and I work too."
But many of the people believed in him, and said, "Will the Christ show more signs when he comes than this man has shown?"
The attendants went back to the high priests and Pharisees, and they said to the attendants, "Why have you not brought him?" The attendants answered, "No man ever talked as he does!"
As he passed along, he saw a man who had been blind from his birth.
The man answered, "There is something very strange about this! You do not know where he came from, and yet he has made me able to see!
And Jesus said, "I have come into this world to judge men, that those who cannot see may see, and that those who can see may become blind." Some Pharisees who were present heard this, and they said to him, "Then are we blind too?" read more. Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would be guilty of no sin, but as it is, you say 'We can see'; so your sin continues.
If I had not done things before them that no one else ever did they would not be guilty of sin. But as it is, they have seen both me and my Father, and they have hated us both.
If I had not done things before them that no one else ever did they would not be guilty of sin. But as it is, they have seen both me and my Father, and they have hated us both.
When Jesus said to them, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground.
There were many other signs that Jesus showed before his disciples which are not recorded in this book. But these have been recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and through believing you may have life as his followers.
"Throw your net in on the right of the boat," he said to them, "and you will find them." They did so, and they could not haul it in for the quantity of fish in it.
"Men of Israel, listen to what I say. Jesus of Nazareth, as you know, was a man whom God commended to you by the wonders, portents, and signs that God did right among you through him.
"Men of Israel, listen to what I say. Jesus of Nazareth, as you know, was a man whom God commended to you by the wonders, portents, and signs that God did right among you through him.
But Peter said, "I have no silver or gold, but I will give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!"
you and the people of Israel must all know that it is through the power of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that he stands here before you well. He is the stone that you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone. read more. There is no salvation through anyone else, for there is no one else in the world who has been named to men as their only means of being saved."
When they came, they prayed that the Samaritans might receive the holy Spirit, for it had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. read more. Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the holy Spirit. But when Simon saw that the holy Spirit was imparted through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, saying, "Give me also this power to communicate the holy Spirit to anyone I place my hands upon." But Peter said to him, "Go to destruction with your money, for thinking you could buy God's gift with it!
Before Peter had finished saying these words, the holy Spirit fell on all who were listening to his message. The Jewish believers who had come with Peter were amazed because the gift of the holy Spirit had been showered upon the heathen too, read more. for they heard them speaking in foreign languages and declaring the greatness of God. Then Peter said,
and when Paul laid his hands on them, the holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in foreign tongues and with prophetic inspiration.
But even if we or an angel from heaven preach to you good news that contradicts the good news we have preached to you, a curse upon him! We have said it before, and I repeat it now??f anyone is preaching to you good news that contradicts the good news you have already received, a curse upon him!
The other's appearance, by the contrivance of Satan, will be full of power and pretended signs and wonders,
Understand this, that in the last days there are going to be hard times. People will be selfish, avaricious, boastful, arrogant, abusive, undutiful, ungrateful, irreverent, read more. unfeeling, irreconcilable, slanderous, with no self-control, brutal, with no love for what is good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, caring more for pleasure than for God, keeping up the forms of religion, but resisting its influence. Avoid such people. They are the kind of men who make their way into people's houses and make captives of poor, weak women, loaded down with their sins and under the control of all sorts of impulses, always ready to learn but never able to comprehend the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, these people in turn oppose the truth; they are men of depraved minds and counterfeit faith.
while God himself corroborated their testimony with signs, portents, and various wonders, and by impartations of the holy Spirit when he saw fit.
So we have the message of the prophets more fully guaranteed. Please pay attention to that message as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. You must understand this in the first place, that no prophecy in Scripture can be understood through one's own powers, read more. for no prophecy ever originated in the human will, but under the influence of the holy Spirit men spoke for God.
See! He is coming on the clouds, and every eye will see him, even the men who pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth will lament over him. So it is to be, Amen.
Then I saw another animal come up out of the land. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. It exercises the full authority of the first animal on its behalf. It makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first animal, whose mortal wound had been healed. read more. It performs great wonders, even making fire come down from heaven to earth before men's eyes. It leads the inhabitants of the earth astray by the wonders it is allowed to do on behalf of the animal, telling the inhabitants of the earth to erect a statue to the animal that bears the mark of the sword-thrust and yet lives. It is also allowed to impart life to the animal's statue so that the animal's statue can speak, and to have all who do not worship the animal's statue killed.
And the animal was captured and with it the false prophet who performed wonders on its behalf by means of which he led astray those who had let the animal's mark be put on them and who worshiped its statue. Both of them were flung alive into the fiery lake of burning brimstone.
Hastings
MIRACLES
1. The narratives
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and said to him, "If you are God's son, throw yourself down, for the Scripture says, " 'He will give his angels orders about you, And they will lift you up with their hands So that you may never strike your foot against a stone!' " Jesus said to him, "The Scripture also says, 'You shall not try the Lord your God.' "
So he stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I do choose! Be cured!" And his leprosy was immediately cured.
Then Jesus said to the captain, "Go! You shall find it just as you believe!" And the servant was immediately cured.
And he touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and waited on him.
And he said to them, "Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!" Then he got up and reproved the wind and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men were amazed and said, "What kind of man is this? For the very winds and sea obey him!" read more. When he reached the other side, in the region of Gadara, two men possessed by demons came out of the tombs and confronted him; they were so extremely violent that nobody could go along that road.
But I would have you know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth." Then he said to the paralytic, "Get up, pick up your bed and go home!"
But I would have you know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth." Then he said to the paralytic, "Get up, pick up your bed and go home!"
And Jesus turned and saw her, and he said, "Courage, my daughter! Your faith has cured you!" And from that time the woman was well.
But when he had driven the people out, he went in and grasped her hand, and the girl got up.
Then he touched their eyes and said, "You shall have what your faith expects."
and as soon as the demon was driven out, the dumb man was able to speak. And the crowds were amazed, and said, "Nothing like this was ever seen in Israel!"
Cure the sick, raise the dead, heal lepers, drive out demons. Give without payment, just as you received without payment.
Then he began to reproach the towns in which his numerous wonders had been done, because they did not repent.
Then he said to the man, "Hold out your hand!" And he held it out, and it was restored and became as well as the other.
At that time some people brought to him a man blind and dumb, who was possessed by a demon, and he cured him, so that the dumb man could speak and see.
And he did not do many wonders there, because of their want of faith.
Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and he took the five loaves and the two fish and looked up to heaven and blessed them, and he broke the loaves in pieces and gave them to the disciples and they gave them to the people.
Peter answered, "If it is you, Master, order me to come to you on the water."
Then Jesus answered, "You have great faith! You shall have what you want." And her daughter was cured from that time.
"It is a wicked and faithless age that insists on a sign, and no sign will be given it but the sign of Jonah." And he left them and went away.
And Jesus reproved the demon and it came out of him, and from that moment the boy was cured.
But rather than give offense to them, go down to the sea and throw in a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, open its mouth and you will find in it a dollar. Take that and pay the tax for us both."
But rather than give offense to them, go down to the sea and throw in a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, open its mouth and you will find in it a dollar. Take that and pay the tax for us both."
And Jesus took pity on them and touched their eyes, and they immediately regained their sight, and followed him.
and seeing a fig tree by the roadside, he went up to it, but found nothing on it but leaves. And he said to it, "No more fruit shall ever grow on you!" And the fig tree withered up at once.
and seeing a fig tree by the roadside, he went up to it, but found nothing on it but leaves. And he said to it, "No more fruit shall ever grow on you!" And the fig tree withered up at once.
And Jesus came up to them and said, "Full authority in heaven and on the earth has been given to me.
and teach them to observe all the commands that I have given you. I will always be with you, to the very close of the age."
Jesus reproved him, and said, "Silence! Get out of him!"
And his ears were opened and his tongue was released and he talked plainly.
Then he laid his hands on his eyes again, and he looked steadily and was cured, and saw everything plainly.
And signs like these will attend those who believe: with my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in foreign tongues; they will take snakes in their hands, and if they drink poison it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will get well."
So they did so, and inclosed such a shoal of fish that their nets began to break.
When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' feet and said, "Leave me, Master, for I am a sinful man."
And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and he gave him back to his mother.
When Jesus saw her he called to her, "You are freed from your sickness!"
And they did so. When the master of the feast tasted the water which had now turned into wine, without knowing where it had come from??hough the servants who had drawn the water knew??10 he called the bridegroom and said to him, "Everyone else serves his good wine first, and his poorer wine after people have drunk deeply, but you have kept back your good wine till now!"
This, the first of the signs of his mission, Jesus showed at Cana in Galilee. By it he showed his greatness, and his disciples believed in him.
Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and marvels you will never believe!"
Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and marvels you will never believe!"
Jesus said to him, "You can go home. Your son is going to live." The man believed what Jesus said to him and went home.
But I have higher testimony than John's, for the things that my Father has intrusted to me to accomplish, the very things that I am doing, are proof that my Father has sent me,
When the people saw the signs that he showed, they said, "This is really the Prophet who was to come into the world!"
and said to him, "Go and wash them in the Pool of Siloam"?? name which means One who has been sent. So he went and washed them, and went home able to see.
So they moved the stone away. And Jesus looked upward and said, "Father, I thank you for listening to me, though I knew that you always listen to me. But I have said this for the sake of the people that are standing around me that they may believe that you have made me your messenger."
The dead man came out, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and with his face muffled with a handkerchief. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him and let him move."
but some of them went back to the Pharisees and told them what he had done.
But for all the signs he had shown among them, they refused to believe in him,
You must believe that I am in union with the Father and that the Father is in union with me, or else you must believe because of the things themselves.
"Throw your net in on the right of the boat," he said to them, "and you will find them." They did so, and they could not haul it in for the quantity of fish in it.
Everyone felt a sense of awe, and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and his feet and ankles immediately became strong,
When Ananias heard these words he fell down and expired, and everyone who heard them spoken was appalled.
She instantly fell down at his feet and expired. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
They would all meet together in Solomon's Colonnade.
so that people would carry their sick out into the streets, and lay them down on beds and mats, to have at least Peter's shadow fall on some of them as he went by.
and they had the apostles arrested and put in the common jail.
Stephen, greatly strengthened by God's favor, did remarkable signs and wonders among the people.
Even Simon himself believed and after his baptism devoted himself to Philip, and he was amazed at seeing such signs and great wonders taking place.
Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ cures you! Get up, and make your bed!" And he got up immediately.
But Peter put them all out of the room. Then he knelt down and prayed, and then turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, stand up!" She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up.
and the angel said to him, "Put on your belt and your sandals!" And he did so. Then he said to him, "Put on your coat and follow me!"
The Lord's hand is right upon you, and you will be blind and unable even to see the sun for a time." Instantly a mist of darkness fell upon him, and he groped about for someone to lead him by the hand.
He was listening to Paul as he talked, when Paul looked at him and, seeing that he had faith that he would be cured,
She did this for a number of days, until Paul, very much annoyed, turned and said to the spirit in her, "In the name of Jesus Christ I order you to come out of her!" And it came out instantly.
suddenly there was such an earthquake that the jail shook to its foundations; all the doors flew open, and everybody's chains were unfastened.
that people took to the sick handkerchiefs or aprons he had used, and they were cured of their diseases, and the evil spirits went out of them.
But Paul went downstairs, and threw himself upon him, and put his arms around him. "Do not be alarmed," he said, "he is still alive."
Paul gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, when a viper crawled out of them because of the heat and fastened on his hand.
Publius' father happened to be sick in bed with fever and dysentery, and Paul went to see him and after praying laid his hands on him and cured him.
another, the working of wonders, another, inspiration in preaching, another, the power of distinguishing the true Spirit from false ones, another, various ecstatic utterances, and another, the ability to explain them.
And God has placed people in the church, first as apostles, second as inspired preachers, third as teachers, then wonder-workers; then come ability to cure the sick, helpfulness, administration, ecstatic speaking.
For I passed on to you, as of first importance, the account I had received, that Christ died for our sins, as the Scriptures foretold, that he was buried, that on the third day he was raised from the dead, as the Scriptures foretold,
that he was buried, that on the third day he was raised from the dead, as the Scriptures foretold,
The other's appearance, by the contrivance of Satan, will be full of power and pretended signs and wonders,
Morish
No sincere believer in the inspiration of scripture can have a doubt as to real miracles having been wrought by the power of God both in O.T. and N.T. times. It is philosophy so-called, or scepticism, that mystifies the subject. Much is said about 'the laws of nature;' and it is confidently affirmed that these are irrevocable and cannot be departed from. To which is added that laws of nature previously unknown are frequently being discovered, and if our forefathers could witness the application of some of the more recent discoveries, as the computer, mobile telephone, etc., they would judge that miracles were being performed. So, it is argued, the actions recorded in scripture as miracles, were merely the bringing into use some law of nature which had been hidden up to that time.
All this is based upon a fallacy. There are no laws of nature, as if nature made its own laws: there are laws in nature, which God in His wisdom as Creator was pleased to make; but He who made those laws has surely the same power to suspend them when He pleases. Though laws in nature hitherto unknown are being discovered from time to time, they in no way account for such things as dead persons being raised to life, the blind seeing, the deaf hearing, the lame walking, and demons being cast out of those who were possessed by them. Neither has natural philosophy discovered any law that will account for such a thing as an iron axe-head swimming in water. The simple truth is that God, for wise purposes, allowed some of the natural laws to be suspended, and at times He put forth His almighty power, as in supplying the Israelites with manna from heaven, and in feeding thousands from a few loaves and fishes, or by recalling life that had left the body.
The words translated 'miracle' in the O.T. are
1. oth, 'a sign,' as it is often translated, and in some places 'token.' Nu 14:22; De 11:3.
2. mopheth, 'a wonder,' as it is mostly translated: it is something out of the ordinary course of events. Ex 7:9; De 29:3.
3. pala, 'wonderful, marvellous.' Jg 6:13.
Moses was enabled to work miracles for two distinct objects. One was in order to convince the children of Israel that God had sent him. God gave him three signs to perform before them: his rod became a serpent, and was again a rod; his hand became leprous, and was then restored; and he could turn the water of the Nile into blood. Ex 4:1-9.
The other miracles, wrought by him in Egypt, were to show to Pharaoh the mighty power of God, who said, I will "multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt . . . . and the Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt." Ex 7:3-5. The ten plagues followed, which were miracles or signs of the power of God
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And a leper came up to him and fell on his knees before him, saying, "If you only choose, sir, you can cure me!" So he stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I do choose! Be cured!" And his leprosy was immediately cured. read more. Then Jesus said to him, "See that you tell nobody, but go! Show yourself to the priest, and in proof of your cure, offer the gift that Moses prescribed." When he got back to Capernaum, a Roman captain came up and appealed to him, saying, "My servant, sir, is lying sick with paralysis at my house, in great distress." He said to him, "I will come and cure him." But the captain answered, "I am not a suitable person, sir, to have you come under my roof, but simply say the word, and my servant will be cured. For I am myself under the orders of others and I have soldiers under me, and I tell one to go, and he goes, and another to come, and he comes, and my slave to do something, and he does it." When Jesus heard this he was astonished, and said to his followers, "I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such faith as this. And I tell you, many will come from the east and from the west and take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the Kingdom of Heaven, while the heirs to the kingdom will be driven into the darkness outside, there to weep and grind their teeth!" Then Jesus said to the captain, "Go! You shall find it just as you believe!" And the servant was immediately cured. Jesus went into Peter's house, and there he found Peter's mother-in-law sick in bed with fever. And he touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and waited on him.
And he got into the boat, and his disciples went with him. And suddenly a terrific storm came up on the sea, so that the waves broke over the boat, but he remained asleep. read more. And they came and woke him up, saying, "Save us, sir! We are lost!" And he said to them, "Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!" Then he got up and reproved the wind and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men were amazed and said, "What kind of man is this? For the very winds and sea obey him!" When he reached the other side, in the region of Gadara, two men possessed by demons came out of the tombs and confronted him; they were so extremely violent that nobody could go along that road. And they suddenly screamed out, "What do you want of us, you Son of God? Have you come here before the appointed time to torture us?" Now at some distance from them there was a great drove of pigs feeding. And the demons entreated him, saying, "If you are going to drive us out, send us into the drove of pigs." And he said to them, "Begone!" And they came out and went into the pigs. And suddenly the whole drove rushed over the steep bank into the sea, and perished in the water. And the men who tended them ran away and went off to the town and told it all, and the news about the men possessed by demons. And the whole town came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him they begged him to go away from their district.
Some people came bringing to him on a bed a man who was paralyzed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, "Courage, my son! Your sins are forgiven." Some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man is talking blasphemy!" read more. Jesus knew what they were thinking, and he said, "Why do you have such wicked thoughts in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? But I would have you know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth." Then he said to the paralytic, "Get up, pick up your bed and go home!" And he got up and went home.
Just as he said this to them, an official came up and bowing low before him said to him, "My daughter has just died. But come! Lay your hand on her and she will come to life!" And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples. read more. And a woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel of his cloak.
And a woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel of his cloak. For she said to herself, "If I can just touch his cloak, I will get well."
For she said to herself, "If I can just touch his cloak, I will get well." And Jesus turned and saw her, and he said, "Courage, my daughter! Your faith has cured you!" And from that time the woman was well.
And Jesus turned and saw her, and he said, "Courage, my daughter! Your faith has cured you!" And from that time the woman was well. When Jesus reached the official's house, and saw the flute-players and the disturbance the crowd was making, read more. he said, "You must go away, for the girl is not dead; she is asleep." And they laughed at him. But when he had driven the people out, he went in and grasped her hand, and the girl got up. And the news of this spread all over that part of the country. As Jesus was passing along from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, "Take pity on us, you Son of David!" When he had gone indoors, the blind men came up to him, and he said to them, "Do you believe that I can do this?" They said to him, "Yes, sir." Then he touched their eyes and said, "You shall have what your faith expects." And their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly not to let anyone hear of it. But they went out and spread the news about him all over that part of the country. But just as they were going out, some people brought to him a dumb man who was possessed by a demon, and as soon as the demon was driven out, the dumb man was able to speak. And the crowds were amazed, and said, "Nothing like this was ever seen in Israel!"
There was a man there with one hand withered. And in order to get a charge to bring against him, they asked him, "Is it right to cure people on the Sabbath?" But he said to them, "Who among you if he has even a single sheep and it falls into a hole on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? read more. And how much more a man is worth than a sheep! Therefore, it is right to do people good on the Sabbath." Then he said to the man, "Hold out your hand!" And he held it out, and it was restored and became as well as the other.
At that time some people brought to him a man blind and dumb, who was possessed by a demon, and he cured him, so that the dumb man could speak and see.
And when it was evening, the disciples came up to him and said, "This is a lonely place and the day is over. Send the crowds off to the villages to buy themselves food." But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away. Give them food yourselves." read more. They said to him, "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish." He said, "Bring them here to me." Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and he took the five loaves and the two fish and looked up to heaven and blessed them, and he broke the loaves in pieces and gave them to the disciples and they gave them to the people. And they all ate and had enough. And the pieces left over that they gathered up filled twelve baskets. There were about five thousand men who were fed, besides women and children.
but the boat was by this time a long way from shore, struggling with the waves, for the wind was against them. Toward morning he went out to them, walking on the sea. read more. And the disciples saw him walking on the sea, and they were terrified and said, "It is a ghost!" And they screamed with fear. But Jesus immediately spoke to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid." Peter answered, "If it is you, Master, order me to come to you on the water." And he said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and went to Jesus. But when he felt the wind he was frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Master, save me!" Jesus immediately stretched out his hand and caught hold of him, and said to him, "Why did you waver? You have so little faith!" When they got into the boat, the wind went down. And the men in the boat fell down before him and said, "You are certainly God's Son!"
And Jesus left that place and retired to the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon. And a Canaanite woman of that district came out and screamed, "Son of David, take pity on me, sir! My daughter is dreadfully possessed by a demon!" read more. But he would not answer her a word. And his disciples came up and urged him, saying, "Send her away, for she keeps screaming after us." But he answered, "I am sent only to the lost sheep of Israel's house." And she came and fell down before him, and said, "Help me, sir!" He said, "It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs!" But she said, "O yes, sir! For even dogs eat the scraps that fall from their masters' table!" Then Jesus answered, "You have great faith! You shall have what you want." And her daughter was cured from that time.
Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said to them, "I pity these people for they have been staying with me three days now and they have nothing left to eat, and I do not mean to send them away hungry, for they may give out on the way." The disciples said to him, "Where can we get bread enough in this solitude to feed such a crowd?" read more. Jesus said to them, "How many loaves have you?" They said, "Seven, and a few small fish." Then he ordered the people to take their places on the ground, and he took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks and he broke them in pieces and gave them to his disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. And they all ate and satisfied their hunger. And the pieces that they left that were picked up filled seven baskets. There were four thousand men who were fed, besides women and children.
When they came to the people again, a man came up to him and fell on his knees, saying, "Master, take pity on my son, for he has epilepsy, and is very wretched; he often falls into the fire or into the water. read more. And I brought him to your disciples and they have not been able to cure him." Jesus answered, "O you unbelieving, obstinate people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me!" And Jesus reproved the demon and it came out of him, and from that moment the boy was cured.
When they reached Capernaum, the collectors of the temple-tax came and said to Peter, "Does not your Master pay the temple-tax?" He said, "Yes." But when he went home, Jesus spoke of it first and said, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly kings collect duties and taxes? From their own people, or from aliens?" read more. He said, "From aliens." Jesus said to him, "Then their own people are exempt. But rather than give offense to them, go down to the sea and throw in a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, open its mouth and you will find in it a dollar. Take that and pay the tax for us both."
And two blind men sitting by the roadside, hearing that it was Jesus who was passing, called out, "You Son of David! Take pity on us, sir!" The crowd told them to be still, but they called all the louder, "You Son of David! Take pity on us, sir!" read more. And Jesus stopped and called them, and said, "What do you want me to do for you?" They said to him, "Sir, have our eyes opened!" And Jesus took pity on them and touched their eyes, and they immediately regained their sight, and followed him.
In the morning as he went back to the city, he grew hungry, and seeing a fig tree by the roadside, he went up to it, but found nothing on it but leaves. And he said to it, "No more fruit shall ever grow on you!" And the fig tree withered up at once. read more. When the disciples saw it, they were amazed and said, "How did the fig tree come to wither up immediately?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, if you have faith and have no doubt, you will not only do what I have done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Get up and throw yourself into the sea,' it will be done. And everything that you pray for with faith, you will obtain."
for false Christs and false prophets will appear, and they will show great signs and wonders to mislead God's chosen people if they can.
Just then there was in their synagogue a man under the control of a foul spirit, and he cried out, "What do you want of us, Jesus, you Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, you are God's holy One!" read more. Jesus reproved him, and said, "Silence! Get out of him!" The foul spirit convulsed the man and gave a loud cry and went out of him. And they were all so amazed that they discussed it with one another, and said, "What does this mean? It is a new teaching! He gives orders with authority even to the foul spirits, and they obey him!" And his fame immediately spread in all directions through the whole neighborhood of Galilee.
Simon's mother-in-law was in bed, sick with a fever, and they immediately told him about her. And he went up to her, and grasping her hand, he made her rise. And the fever left her, and she waited on them.
There came to him a leper appealing to him on his knees, saying to him, "If you only choose, you can cure me." And he pitied him and stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, "I do choose! Be cured!" read more. And the leprosy immediately left him, and he was cured. And Jesus immediately drove him away with stern injunctions, saying to him, "See that you say nothing about this to anybody, but begone! show yourself to the priest, and in proof of your cure make the offerings for your purification which Moses prescribed." But he went off and began to talk so much about it, and to spread the story so widely, that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in unfrequented places, and people came to him from every direction.
And some people came bringing to him a man who was paralyzed, four of them carrying him. As they could not get him near Jesus on account of the crowd, they broke open the roof just over his head, and through the opening they lowered the mat with the paralytic lying on it. read more. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven." There were some scribes sitting there pondering and saying to themselves, "Why does this man talk so? This is blasphemy. Who can forgive sins but God alone?" Jesus, at once perceiving by his spirit that they were pondering over this, said to them, "Why do you ponder over this in your minds? Which is easier, to say to this paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say to him, "Get up and pick up your mat and walk'? But to let you know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth," turning to the paralytic he said, "I tell you, get up, pick up your mat, and go home!" And he got up, and immediately picked up his mat and went out before them all, so that they were all astonished and acknowledged the power of God, saying, "We never saw anything like this before."
So they left the crowd and took him away in the boat in which he was sitting. There were other boats with him. And a heavy squall of wind came on and the waves dashed into the boat, so that it was beginning to fill. read more. He was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him up and said to him, "Master, does it make no difference to you that we are sinking?" Then he awoke and reproved the wind, and said to the sea, "Hush! Silence!" And the wind went down and there was a great calm. And he said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?" And they were very much frightened, and said to one another, "Who can he be? For even the wind and the sea obey him."
So they reached the other side of the sea, and landed in the region of Gerasa. As soon as he got out of the boat, a man possessed by a foul spirit came out of the burial places near by to meet him. read more. This man lived among the tombs, and no one could any longer secure him even with a chain, for he had often been fastened with fetters and chains and had snapped the chains and broken the fetters; and there was no one strong enough to master him, and night and day he was always shrieking among the tombs and on the hills and cutting himself with stones. And catching sight of Jesus in the distance he ran up and made obeisance to him and screamed out, "What do you want of me, Jesus, son of the Most High God? In God's name, I implore you, do not torture me." For he was saying to him, "You foul spirit, come out of this man." He asked him, "What is your name?" He said, "My name is Legion, for there are many of us." And they begged him earnestly not to send them out of that country. Now there was a great drove of pigs feeding there on the hillside. And they implored him, "Send us among the pigs, let us go into them." So he gave them permission. And the foul spirits came out and went into the pigs, and the drove of about two thousand rushed over the steep bank into the sea, and were drowned. And the men who tended them ran away and spread the news in the town and in the country around, and the people came to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus and found the demoniac sitting quietly with his clothes on and in his right mind??he same man who had been possessed by Legion??hey were frightened. And those who had seen it told them what had happened to the demoniac, and all about the pigs. And they began to beg him to leave their district. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed begged to be allowed to go with him. And he would not permit it, but said to him, "Go home to your own people, and tell them all the Lord has done for you and how he took pity on you." And he went off and began to tell everybody in the Ten Towns all Jesus had done for him; and they were all astonished.
And a man named Jairus, the leader of a synagogue, came up and seeing him threw himself at his feet, and appealed to him, saying, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Come, lay your hands on her, so that she may get well and live!" read more. So he went with him. And a great crowd followed him and pressed around him. And a woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years,
And a woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and had had a great deal of treatment from various doctors and had spent all that she had and had not been benefited at all but had actually grown worse,
and had had a great deal of treatment from various doctors and had spent all that she had and had not been benefited at all but had actually grown worse, had heard about Jesus. And she came up in the crowd behind him and touched his coat,
had heard about Jesus. And she came up in the crowd behind him and touched his coat, for she said, "If I can only touch his clothes, I shall get well."
for she said, "If I can only touch his clothes, I shall get well." The hemorrhage stopped at once, and she felt in her body that she was cured.
The hemorrhage stopped at once, and she felt in her body that she was cured. Jesus instantly perceived that healing power had passed from him, and he turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched my clothes?"
Jesus instantly perceived that healing power had passed from him, and he turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched my clothes?" His disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you ask, 'Who touched me?' "
His disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you ask, 'Who touched me?' " But he still looked around to see the person who had done it.
But he still looked around to see the person who had done it. The woman, knowing what had happened to her, came forward frightened and trembling, and threw herself down at his feet and told him the whole truth.
The woman, knowing what had happened to her, came forward frightened and trembling, and threw herself down at his feet and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, "My daughter, it is your faith that has cured you. Go in peace and be free from your disease."
And he said to her, "My daughter, it is your faith that has cured you. Go in peace and be free from your disease." Even as he spoke people came from the house of the leader of the synagogue and said, "Your daughter is dead. Why should you trouble the Master any further?" read more. But Jesus paid no attention to what they said, but said to the leader of the synagogue, "Do not be afraid, just have faith." He let no one go with him but Peter, James, and James's brother John. They came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, and there he found everything in confusion, and people weeping and wailing. And he went into the house and said to them, "What is the meaning of all this confusion and crying? The child is not dead, she is asleep." And they laughed at him. But he drove them all out, and took the child's father and mother and the men who were with him and went into the room where the child was lying. And he grasped her hand and said to her, "Taleitha, koum!"??hat is to say, "Little girl, I tell you, get up!" And the little girl immediately got up and walked about, for she was twelve years old. The moment they saw it they were utterly amazed. And he strictly forbade them to let anyone know of it, and told them to give her something to eat.
When it grew late his disciples came up to him and said, "This is a lonely place and it is getting late. Send the people off to the farms and villages around to buy themselves something to eat." read more. But he answered, "Give them food yourselves." They said to him, "Can we go and buy forty dollars' worth of bread and give it to them to eat?" But he said to them, "How many loaves have you? Go and see." They looked, and told him. "Five, and two fish." And he directed them all to sit down in parties on the fresh grass. And they threw themselves down in groups, in hundreds and in fifties. Then he took the five loaves and the two fish and looked up to heaven and blessed the loaves and broke them in pieces and gave them to the disciples to pass to the people; and he divided the two fish among them all. And they all ate and had enough. And the pieces they gathered up filled twelve baskets, besides the pieces of the fish. There were five thousand men who ate the loaves.
When evening came on, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on shore. And he saw that they were straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, and toward morning he went out to them, walking on the sea, and was going to join them. read more. They saw him walking on the sea, and thought it was a ghost and screamed aloud, for they all saw him and were terrified. But he immediately spoke to them and said, "Take courage, it is I. Do not be afraid." Then he went up to them and got into the boat. And the wind fell. And they were perfectly beside themselves,
and they hurried all over the countryside and began to bring the sick to him on their mats, wherever they heard he was. And whatever village or town or farm he went to, they would lay their sick in the market-place and beg him to let them touch just the tassel of his cloak, and all who touched it were cured.
He left that place and went to the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon. And he went into a certain house, and wanted no one to know of it. And he could not keep it secret, but a woman whose little daughter was possessed by a foul spirit immediately heard about him and came and threw herself at his feet. read more. Now the woman was a Greek, of Syrophoenician birth. And she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, "Let the children first eat all they want, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." But she answered, "True, sir! and still the dogs under the table eat what the children leave!" He said to her, "If you can say that, go home; the demon has left your daughter." And she went home and found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. He left the neighborhood of Tyre again and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, crossing the district of the Ten Towns. And they brought to him a man who was deaf and hardly able to speak, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him off by himself away from the crowd, and put his fingers in the man's ears, and touched his tongue with saliva. And he looked up to heaven and sighed, and said to him, "Ephphatha!"??hich means "Open." And his ears were opened and his tongue was released and he talked plainly. And Jesus forbade them to tell anyone about it, but the more he forbade them the more they spread the news far and wide. And people were utterly amazed, and said, "How well he has done everything! He even makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak!"
And they came to Bethsaida. And people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him. He took him by the hand and led him outside of the village, and spitting in his eyes he laid his hands on him and asked him, "Do you see anything?" read more. He looked up and said, "I can see people, for they look to me like trees, only they are moving about." Then he laid his hands on his eyes again, and he looked steadily and was cured, and saw everything plainly. And he sent him home and said to him, "Do not even go into the village."
When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them. And all the people were amazed when they saw him, and they ran up to him and greeted him. read more. And he asked them, "What are you discussing with them?" One of the crowd answered, "Master, I brought my son to you, for he is possessed by a dumb spirit, and wherever it seizes him it convulses him, and he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth; and he is wasting away. I told your disciples to drive it out, and they could not do it." He answered them and said, "O you unbelieving people, how long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me!" And they brought the boy to him. As soon as the spirit saw him, it convulsed the boy, and he fell down on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" And he said, "From his childhood, and many a time it has thrown him into the fire or into the water, to put an end to him. But if there is anything you can do, take pity on us and help us!" Jesus said to him, " 'If there is anything I can do!' Everything is possible for one who has faith!" The boy's father immediately cried out, "I have faith! Help my want of faith!" Then Jesus, seeing that a crowd was rapidly gathering, reproved the foul spirit and said to it, "You deaf and dumb spirit, get out of him, I charge you, and never enter him again!" And it gave a cry and convulsed him terribly, and went out of him. And the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said that he was dead. But Jesus grasped his hand and made him rise, and he stood up.
And they came to Jericho. As he was leaving the town with his disciples and a great crowd, Timaeus' son Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting at the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth he began to cry out, "Jesus, you son of David, take pity on me!" read more. Many of the people rebuked him and told him to be still. But he cried out all the louder, "You son of David, take pity on me!" Jesus stopped and said, "Call him here." And they called the blind man and said to him, "Courage now! Get up, he is calling you!" And he threw off his coat and sprang to his feet and went up to Jesus. Jesus spoke to him and said, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man said to him, "Master, let me regain my sight!" Jesus said to him, "Go your way. Your faith has cured you." And he immediately regained his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
On the next day, after they had left Bethany, he felt hungry. And he saw in the distance a fig tree covered with leaves, and he went up to it to see if he could find any figs on it. When he reached it he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the time for figs. read more. And he spoke to the tree and said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you any more!" And his disciples heard it. When they reached Jerusalem, he went into the Temple, and began to drive out of it those who were buying or selling things in it, and he upset the money-changers' tables and the pigeon-dealers' seats, and he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the Temple. And he taught them, and said, "Does not the Scripture say, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations'? But you have made it a robbers' cave." The high priests and the scribes heard of this, and they cast about for a way of destroying him, for they were afraid of him, for all the people were amazed at what he taught. So when evening came, he and his disciples used to go out of the city. In the morning as they were passing along, they saw that the fig tree was withered, to its very roots. And Peter remembered about it and said to him, "Look, Master! The fig tree that you cursed is withered up!" Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God! I tell you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Get up and throw yourself into the sea!' and has no doubt in his mind, but has faith that what he says will happen, shall have it. Therefore I tell you, whenever you pray or ask for anything, have faith that it has been granted you, and you shall have it.
He who believes it and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe it will be condemned. And signs like these will attend those who believe: with my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in foreign tongues; read more. they will take snakes in their hands, and if they drink poison it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will get well."
There was a man in the synagogue who was possessed by the spirit of a foul demon and he cried out loudly, "Ha! What do you want of us, Jesus, you Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are! You are God's Holy One!" read more. Jesus reproved him and said, "Silence! Get out of him!" And the demon threw the man down in the midst of them, and came out of him, without doing him any harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, "What is the meaning of this teaching? For he gives orders authoritatively and effectually to the foul spirits, and they come out." And news of him spread to every place in that region. When he got up and left the synagogue, he went to Simon's house. And Simon's mother-in-law was suffering with a severe attack of fever, and they asked him about her. And he stood over her and reproved the fever and it left her, and she got up and waited on them.
Once as the crowd was pressing about him to hear God's message, he happened to be standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats on the shore of the lake, for the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. read more. And he got into one of the boats, which belonged to Simon, and asked him to push out a little from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds of people from the boat. When he stopped speaking, he said to Simon, "Push out into deep water, and then put down your nets for a haul." Simon answered, "Master, we worked all night and caught nothing, but as you tell me to do it, I will put down the nets." So they did so, and inclosed such a shoal of fish that their nets began to break. And they signaled to their comrades in the other boat to come and help them. And they came, and they filled both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' feet and said, "Leave me, Master, for I am a sinful man." For he and all the men with him were perfectly amazed at the haul of fish they had made, and so were Zebedee's sons, James and John, who were Simon's partners. Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid. From now on you are to catch men!" And they brought the boats to land and left everything and followed him. When he was in one of the towns, he came upon a man covered with leprosy. And when he saw Jesus he fell down on his face, and begged him, saying, "If you only choose, sir, you can cure me!" And he stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I do choose! Be cured!" And the leprosy immediately left him, Then he warned him to tell nobody, "But go," he said, "show yourself to the priest, and in proof of your cure make the offerings for your purification, just as Moses prescribed." Yet the news about him spread more and more, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be cured of their diseases.
Some men came up carrying on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they tried to get him in and lay him before Jesus. And as they could find no way to get him in, on account of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his mat through the tiles, among the people in front of Jesus. read more. When he saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven!" And the scribes and the Pharisees began to debate and say, "Who is this man who talks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" But Jesus saw what they were discussing, and said to them, "What are you pondering over in your minds? Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? But to let you know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth"??urning to the man who was paralyzed he said to him??"I tell you, get up, pick up your mat, and go home!" And he got up at once before them all, and picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, praising God. They were all seized with astonishment, and praised God, and filled with awe they said, "We have seen something wonderful today!"
On another Sabbath he happened to go to the synagogue and teach. There was a man there whose right hand was withered. And the scribes and the Pharisees were on the watch to see whether he would cure people on the Sabbath, in order to find a charge to bring against him. read more. But he knew what they were thinking, and he said to the man with the withered hand, "Get up and stand in front." And he got up and stood there. Jesus said to them, "I want to ask you, Is it allowable on the Sabbath to do people good or to do them harm? to save life or to destroy it?" And he looked around at them all and said to the man, "Hold out your hand!" And he did so, and his hand was restored. But they were perfectly furious, and discussed with one another what they could do to Jesus.
When he had finished saying all this in the hearing of the people, he went to Capernaum. A Roman captain had a slave whom he thought a great deal of, and the slave was sick and at the point of death. read more. When the captain heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, to ask him to come and save his slave's life. And they went to Jesus and urged him strongly to do it, and said, "He deserves to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation, and it was he who built us our synagogue." So Jesus went with them. But when he was not far from the house, the captain sent some friends to him, to say to him, "Master, do not take any more trouble, for I am not a suitable person to have you under my roof. That is why I did not think I was fit to come to you. But simply say the word, and have my servant cured. For I am myself under the orders of others, and I have soldiers under me, and I tell one to go, and he goes, and another to come, and he comes, and my slave to do something, and he does it." When Jesus heard this, he was astonished at him, and turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, "I tell you, I have not found such faith as this even in Israel!" And when the messengers went back to the house, they found the slave well. Soon afterward he happened to go to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great throng of people were with him. As he came up to the gate of the town, a dead man was being carried out; he was his mother's only son, and she was a widow. A crowd of the townspeople was with her. And when the Master saw her, he pitied her, and said to her, "Do not weep." And he went up and touched the bier, and the bearers stopped. And he said, "Young man, I tell you, wake up!" And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and he gave him back to his mother. And they were all overcome with awe, and they praised God, and said, "A great prophet has appeared among us!" and "God has not forgotten his people!" This story about him spread all over Judea and the surrounding country.
It happened one day that he got into a boat with his disciples, and said to them, "Let us cross to the other side of the lake." So they set sail. As they sailed along, he fell asleep. And a squall of wind came down upon the lake, and they were being swamped and were in peril. read more. And they went to him and woke him up, and said to him, "Master! Master! We are lost!" Then he awoke and reproved the wind and the rough water, and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said to them, "Where is your faith?" But they were frightened and amazed, and said to one another, "Who can he be? For he gives orders even to the winds and the water, and they obey him!" They made a landing in the neighborhood of Gerasa, which is just across the lake from Galilee. And when he landed, he met a man possessed by demons, who was coming out of the town. He had worn no clothing for a long time, and did not live in a house but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus he cried out and threw himself down before him, and said in a loud voice, "What do you want of me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you not to torture me!" For he was commanding the foul spirit to get out of the man. For it had often seized him, and though he had been fastened with chains and fetters, and was closely watched, he would snap his bonds and the demon would drive him away to the desert. And Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" He said, "Legion!" For many demons had gone into him. And they begged him not to order them off to the bottomless pit. Now there was a large drove of pigs feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to give them leave to go into them. And he did so. Then the demons came out of the man and went into the pigs, and the drove rushed over the steep bank into the lake, and were drowned. When the men who tended them saw what had happened, they ran away and spread the news in the town and in the country around. And the people came out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man out of whom the demons had gone sitting there, at Jesus' feet, with his clothes on and in his right mind, and they were frightened. And those who had seen it told them how the man who had been possessed was cured. Then all the people of the neighborhood of Gerasa asked him to go away from them, for they were terribly frightened. And he got into a boat and went back. The man out of whom the demons had gone begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, and said, "Go back to your home, and tell all that God has done for you." And he went and told all over the town what Jesus had done for him.
And a man named Jairus came up??e was leader of the synagogue??nd he fell down at Jesus' feet and begged him to come to his house, because he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying. As he was going, the crowds of people almost crushed him. read more. And a woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and whom nobody had been able to cure,
And a woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and whom nobody had been able to cure, came up behind him and touched the tassel of his cloak, and the hemorrhage stopped at once.
came up behind him and touched the tassel of his cloak, and the hemorrhage stopped at once. Jesus said, "Who was it who touched me?" And as everyone denied having done so, Peter said, "Master, the people are all around you and they are crowding you."
Jesus said, "Who was it who touched me?" And as everyone denied having done so, Peter said, "Master, the people are all around you and they are crowding you." But Jesus said, "Somebody touched me, for I know that power passed from me."
But Jesus said, "Somebody touched me, for I know that power passed from me." When the woman saw that she had not escaped his notice, she came forward trembling, and fell down before him, and before all the people told why she had touched him, and how she had been cured at once.
When the woman saw that she had not escaped his notice, she came forward trembling, and fell down before him, and before all the people told why she had touched him, and how she had been cured at once. And he said to her, "My daughter, it is your faith that has cured you. Go in peace."
And he said to her, "My daughter, it is your faith that has cured you. Go in peace." Even as he spoke someone came from the house of the leader of the synagogue and said, "Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Master any more." read more. But Jesus heard it and said to him, "Do not be afraid; just have faith, and she will get well." When he got to the house, he let no one go in with him but Peter, John, and James, and the child's father and mother. And they were all wailing and beating their breasts for her. But he said, "Stop wailing! For she is not dead, she is asleep." And they laughed at him, for they knew that she was dead. But he grasped her hand and called out, "Get up, my child!" And her spirit returned and she stood up immediately, and he directed them to give her something to eat. And her parents were amazed, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.
When the day began to decline, the Twelve came up and said to him, "Send the crowd away to the villages and farms around to find food and shelter, for we are in a lonely place here." But he said to them, "Give them food yourselves!" And they said, "We have only five loaves and two fish, unless we go ourselves and buy food for all these people." read more. For there were about five thousand men. But he said to his disciples, "Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each." And they did so, and made them all sit down. Then he took the five loaves and the two fish and looked up to heaven and blessed them, and he broke them in pieces and gave them to the disciples to pass to the people. And they all ate and had enough, and the pieces left over that were gathered up filled twelve baskets.
The next day, when they had come down from the mountain, it happened that a great crowd met him. And a man in the crowd shouted, "Master, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child, read more. and all at once a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out, and it convulses him until he foams at the mouth, and it leaves him, after a struggle, badly bruised. And I begged your disciples to drive it out, and they could not." Jesus answered, "O you unbelieving, obstinate people! How long must I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here!" Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him, but Jesus reproved the foul spirit and cured the boy and gave him back to his father.
Once he was driving out a dumb demon, and when the demon was gone the dumb man spoke. And the people were amazed.
and there was a woman there who for eighteen years had had a sickness caused by a spirit. She was bent double and could not straighten herself up at all. When Jesus saw her he called to her, "You are freed from your sickness!" read more. And he laid his hands on her, and she instantly became erect, and praised God. But the leader of the synagogue, in his vexation because Jesus had cured her on the Sabbath, spoke out and said to the crowd, "There are six days on which it is right to work. Come on them and be cured, but not on the Sabbath day." But the Master answered, "You hypocrites! Does not every one of you untie his ox or his donkey from the stall on the Sabbath and lead him away to water him? And did not this woman, who is a descendant of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen years, have to be released from those bonds on the Sabbath day?" When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, and all the people were delighted at all the splendid things that he did.
It happened that, on his way to Jerusalem, he passed through Samaria and Galilee. And as he was going into one village he met ten lepers, and they stood at some distance from him, read more. and raising their voices, said, "Jesus, Master, take pity on us!" And when he saw them, he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went they were cured. But one of them, when he saw that he was cured, came back, loudly praising God, and fell on his face at Jesus' feet, and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. And Jesus said, "Were not all ten cured? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give thanks to God except this foreigner?" And he said to him, "Stand up and go! Your faith has cured you."
As he approached Jericho, a blind man happened to be sitting by the roadside begging. And hearing a crowd going by he asked what it meant. read more. They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was coming by. And he shouted, "Jesus, you Son of David, take pity on me!" And those who were in front reproved him and told him to be quiet, but he cried out all the louder, "You Son of David, take pity on me!" And Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came up, Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" He answered, "Master, let me regain my sight!" And Jesus said to him, "Regain your sight! Your faith has cured you!" And he regained his sight immediately, and followed Jesus, giving thanks to God. And all the people saw it and praised God.
And one of them did strike at the high priest's slave and cut his right ear off. But Jesus answered, "Let me do this much!" And he touched his ear and healed him.
Two days later there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and Jesus' mother was present. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. read more. The wine gave out, and Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine!" Jesus said to her, "Do not try to direct me. It is not yet time for me to act." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." Now there were six stone water jars there, for the ceremonial purification practiced by the Jews, each large enough to hold twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, "Fill these jars with water." So they filled them full. And he said to them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast." And they did so. When the master of the feast tasted the water which had now turned into wine, without knowing where it had come from??hough the servants who had drawn the water knew??10 he called the bridegroom and said to him, "Everyone else serves his good wine first, and his poorer wine after people have drunk deeply, but you have kept back your good wine till now!"
This, the first of the signs of his mission, Jesus showed at Cana in Galilee. By it he showed his greatness, and his disciples believed in him.
So he came back to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water into wine. There was at Capernaum one of the king's officials whose son was sick. When he heard that Jesus had come back from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and begged him to come down and cure his son, for he was at the point of death. read more. Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and marvels you will never believe!" The official said to him, "Come down, sir, before my child is dead!" Jesus said to him, "You can go home. Your son is going to live." The man believed what Jesus said to him and went home. While he was on the way, his slaves met him and told him that his boy was going to live. So he asked them at what time he had begun to get better, and they said to him, "Yesterday at one o'clock the fever left him." So the father knew that it was the very time when Jesus had said to him "Your son is going to live." And he and his whole household believed in Jesus. This second sign Jesus showed after coming back from Judea to Galilee.
So Jesus, raising his eyes and seeing that a great crowd was coming up to him, said to Philip, "Where can we buy food for these people to eat?" Now he said this to test him, for he knew what he meant to do. read more. Philip answered, "Forty dollars' worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to have even a little." Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, another of his disciples, said to him, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and a couple of fish, but what is that among so many people?" Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." There was plenty of grass there, so the men threw themselves down, about five thousand of them. Then Jesus took the loaves, and gave thanks, and distributed them among the people who were resting on the ground, and in the same way as much of the fish as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he said to his disciples, "Pick up the pieces that are left, so that nothing may be wasted." So they picked them up, and they filled twelve baskets with pieces of the five barley loaves that were left after the people had eaten. When the people saw the signs that he showed, they said, "This is really the Prophet who was to come into the world!"
But in the evening his disciples went down to the sea and got into a boat and started across the sea for Capernaum. By this time it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them; read more. a strong wind was blowing and the sea was growing rough. When they had rowed three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and approaching the boat, and they were terrified. But he said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid!" Then as soon as they consented to take him into the boat, the boat was at the shore they had been trying to reach.
Again repressing a groan, Jesus went to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid against the mouth of it. Jesus said, "Move the stone away." The dead man's sister, Martha, said to him, "Master, by this time he is decaying, for he has been dead four days." read more. Jesus said to her, "Have I not promised you that if you will believe in me you will see the glory of God?" So they moved the stone away. And Jesus looked upward and said, "Father, I thank you for listening to me, though I knew that you always listen to me. But I have said this for the sake of the people that are standing around me that they may believe that you have made me your messenger." After saying this he called out in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and with his face muffled with a handkerchief. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him and let him move."
After this Jesus again showed himself to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and he did so in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael, of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples of Jesus were all together. read more. Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. But just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the beach, though the disciples did not know that it was he. So Jesus said to them, "Children, have you any fish?" They answered, "No." "Throw your net in on the right of the boat," he said to them, "and you will find them." They did so, and they could not haul it in for the quantity of fish in it. Then the disciple who was dear to Jesus said to Peter, "It is the Master!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Master, he put on his clothes, for he had taken them off, and sprang into the sea. The rest of the disciples followed in the boat, for they were not far from land, only about a hundred yards, dragging in the net full of fish. When they landed they saw a charcoal fire burning, with a fish on it, and some bread. Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you have just caught." So Simon Peter got into the boat, and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three of them, and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." None of the disciples dared to ask him who he was, for they knew it was the Master. Jesus went and got the bread and gave it to them, and the fish also. This was the third time that Jesus showed himself to his disciples, after he had risen from the dead.
There are many other things that Jesus did, so many in fact that if they were all written out, I do not suppose that the world itself would hold the books that would have to be written.
"Men of Israel, listen to what I say. Jesus of Nazareth, as you know, was a man whom God commended to you by the wonders, portents, and signs that God did right among you through him.
There was a man named Simon in the town, who had been amazing the Samaritan people by practicing magic there, and who made great pretensions.
They went through the whole island as far as Paphos, and there they came across a Jewish magician and false prophet named Barjesus. He was attached to the governor, Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent man. He sent for Barnabas and Saul and asked them to let him hear God's message. read more. But Elymas the magician??or that is the meaning of his name??pposed them, and tried to keep the governor from accepting the faith.
A number of people who had practiced magic brought out their books and burned them publicly. The value of these was estimated and found to be ten thousand dollars.
The signs that mark a true apostle were most patiently shown when I was among you, in signs, wonders, and marvels.
The other's appearance, by the contrivance of Satan, will be full of power and pretended signs and wonders,
This greeting is in my own hand, Paul's; it is the mark in every letter of mine. This is the way I write.
It performs great wonders, even making fire come down from heaven to earth before men's eyes. It leads the inhabitants of the earth astray by the wonders it is allowed to do on behalf of the animal, telling the inhabitants of the earth to erect a statue to the animal that bears the mark of the sword-thrust and yet lives.
Smith
Miracles.
A miracle may be defined to be a plain and manifest exercise by a man, or by God at the call of a man, of those powers which belong only to the Creator and Lord of nature; and this for the declared object of attesting that a divine mission is given to that man. It is not, therefore, the wonder, the exception to common experience, that constitutes the miracle, as is assumed both in the popular use of the word and by most objectors against miracles. No phenomenon in nature, however unusual, no event in the course of God's providence, however unexpected, is a miracle unless it can be traced to the agency of man (including prayer under the term agency), and unless it be put forth as a proof of divine mission. Prodigies and special providences are not miracles. (A miracle is not a violation of the laws of nature. It is God's acting upon nature in a degree far beyond our powers, but the same king of act as our wills are continually exerting upon nature. We do not in lifting a stone interfere with any law of nature, but exert a higher force among the laws. Prof. Tyndall says that "science does assert that without a disturbance of natural law quite as serious as the stoppage of an eclipse, or the rolling of the St. Lawrence up the falls of Niagara, no act of humiliation, individual or nation, could call one shower from heaven." And yet men by firing cannon during battle can cause a shower: does that cause such a commotion among the laws of nature? The exertion of a will upon the laws does not make a disturbance of natural law; and a miracle is simply the exertion of God's will upon nature. --ED.) Again, the term "nature" suggests to many persons the idea of a great system of things endowed with powers and forces of its own --a sort of machine, set a-going originally by a first cause, but continuing its motions of itself. Hence we are apt to imagine that a change in the motion or operation of any part of it by God would produce the same disturbance of the other parts as such a change would be likely to produce in them if made by us or by any other natural agent. But if the motions and operations of material things be produced really by the divine will, then his choosing to change, for a special purpose, the ordinary motion of one part does not necessarily or probably imply his choosing to change the ordinary motions of other parts in a way not at all requisite for the accomplishment of that special purpose. It is as easy for him to continue the ordinary course of the rest, with the change of one part, as of all the phenomena without any change at all. Thus, though the stoppage of the motion of the earth in the ordinary course of nature would be attended with terrible convulsions, the stoppage of the earth miraculously, for a special purpose to be served by that only, would not of itself be followed by any such consequences. (Indeed, by the action of gravitation it could be stopped, as a stone thrown up is stopped, in less than two minutes, and yet so gently as not to stir the smallest feather or mote on its surface. --ED.) From the same conception of nature as a machine, we are apt to think of interferences with the ordinary course of nature as implying some imperfection in it. But it is manifest that this is a false analogy; for the reason why machines are made is to save us trouble; and, therefore, they are more perfect in proportion as they answer this purpose. But no one can seriously imagine that the universe is a machine for the purpose of saving trouble to the Almighty. Again, when miracles are described as "interferences with the law of nature," this description makes them appear improbable to many minds, from their not sufficiently considering that the laws of nature interfere with one another, and that we cannot get rid of "interferences" upon any hypothesis consistent with experience. The circumstances of the Christian miracles are utterly unlike those of any pretended instances of magical wonders. This difference consists in -- (1) The greatness, number, completeness and publicity of the miracles. (2) In the character of the miracles. They were all beneficial, helpful, instructive, and worthy of God as their author. (3) The natural beneficial tendency of the doctrine they attested. (4) The connection of them with a whole scheme of revelation extending from the origin of the human race to the time of Christ.
Watsons
MIRACLES. A miracle, in the popular sense, is a prodigy, or an extraordinary event, which surprises us by its novelty. In a more accurate and philosophic sense, a miracle is an effect which does not follow from any of the regular laws of nature, or which is inconsistent with some known law of it, or contrary to the settled constitution and course of things. Accordingly, all miracles presuppose an established system of nature, within the limits of which they operate, and with the order of which they disagree. Of a miracle in the theological sense many definitions have been given. That of Dr. Samuel Clarke is: "A miracle is a work effected in a manner unusual, or different from the common and regular method of providence, by the interposition of God himself, or of some intelligent agent superior to man, for the proof or evidence of some particular doctrine, or in attestation of the authority of some particular person." Mr. Hume has insidiously or erroneously maintained that a miracle is contrary to experience; but in reality it is only different from experience. Experience informs us that one event has happened often; testimony informs us that another event has happened once or more. That diseases should be generally cured by the application of external causes, and sometimes at the mere word of a prophet, and without the visible application of causes, are facts not inconsistent with each other in the nature of things themselves, nor irreconcilable according to our ideas. Each fact may arise from its own proper cause; each may exist independently of the other; and each is known by its own proper proof, whether of sense or testimony. As secret causes often produce events contrary to those we do expect from experience, it is equally conceivable that events should sometimes be produced which we do not expect. To pronounce, therefore, a miracle to be false, because it is different from experience, is only to conclude against its general existence from the very circumstance which constitutes its particular nature; for if it were not different from experience, where would be its singularity? or what particular proof could be drawn from it, if it happened according to the ordinary train of human events, or was included in the operation of the general laws of nature? We grant that it does differ from experience; but we do not presume to make our experience the standard of the divine conduct. He that acknowledges a God must, at least, admit the possibility of a miracle. The atheist, that makes him inseparable from what is called nature, and binds him to its laws by an insurmountable necessity; that deprives him of will, and wisdom, and power, as a distinct and independent Being; may deny even the very possibility of a miraculous interposition, which can in any instance suspend or counteract those general laws by which the world is governed. But he who allows of a First Cause in itself perfect and intelligent, abstractedly from those effects which his wisdom and power have produced, must at the same time allow that this cause can be under no such restraints as to be debarred the liberty of controlling its laws as often as it sees fit. Surely, the Being that made the world can govern it, or any part of it, in such a manner as he pleases; and he that constituted the very laws by which it is in general conducted, may suspend the operation of those laws in any given instance, or impress new powers on matter, in order to produce new and extraordinary effects.
In judging of miracles there are certain criteria, peculiar to the subject, sufficient to conduct our inquiries, and warrant our determination. Assuredly they do not appeal to our ignorance, for they presuppose not only the existence of a general order of things, but our actual knowledge of the appearance which that order exhibits, and of the secondary material causes from which it, in most cases, proceeds. If a miraculous event were effected by the immediate hand of God, and yet bore no mark of distinction from the ordinary effects of his agency, it would impress no conviction, and probably awaken no attention. Our knowledge of the ordinary course of things, though limited, is real; and therefore it is essential to a miracle, both that it differ from that course, and be accompanied with peculiar and unequivocal signs of such difference. We have been told that the course of nature is fixed and unalterable, and therefore it is not consistent with the immutability of God to perform miracles. But, surely, they who reason in this manner beg the point in question. We have no right to assume that the Deity has ordained such general laws as will exclude his interposition; and we cannot suppose that he would forbear to interfere where any important end could be answered. This interposition, though it controls, in particular cases, the energy, does not diminish the utility, of those laws. It leaves them to fulfil their own proper purposes, and affects only a distinct purpose, for which they were not calculated. If the course of nature implies the general laws of matter and motion, into which the most opposite phenomena may be resolved, it is certain that we do not yet know them in their full extent; and, therefore, that events, which are related by judicious and disinterested persons, and at the same time imply no gross contradiction, are possible in themselves, and capable of a certain degree of proof. If the course of nature implies the whole order of events which God has ordained for the government of the world, it includes both his ordinary and extraordinary dispensations, and among them miracles may have their place, as a part of the universal plan. It is, indeed, consistent with sound philosophy, and not inconsistent with pure religion, to acknowledge that they might be disposed by the supreme Being at the same time with the more ordinary effects of his power; that their causes and occasions might be arranged with the same regularity; and that, in reference chiefly to their concomitant circumstances of persons and times, to the specific ends for which they were employed, and to our idea of the immediate necessity there is for a divine agent, miracles would differ from common events, in which the hand of God acts as efficaciously, though less visibly. On this consideration of the subject, miracles, instead of contradicting nature, might form a part of it. But what our limited reason and scanty experience may comprehend should never be represented as a full and exact view of the possible or actual varieties which exist in the works of God.
2. If we be asked whether miracles are credible, we reply, that, abstractedly considered, they are not incredible; that they are capable of indirect proof from analogy, and of direct, from testimony; that in the common and daily course of worldly affairs, events, the improbability of which, antecedently to all testimony, was very great, are proved to have happened, by the authority of competent and honest witnesses; that the Christian miracles were objects of real and proper experience to those who saw them; and that whatsoever the senses of mankind can perceive, their report may substantiate. Should it be asked whether miracles were necessary, and whether the end proposed to be effected by them could warrant so immediate and extraordinary an interference of the Almighty, as such extraordinary operations suppose; to this we might answer, that, if the fact be established, all reasonings a priori concerning their necessity must be frivolous, and may be false. We are not capable of deciding on a question which, however simple in appearance, is yet too complex in its parts, and too extensive in its object, to be fully comprehended by the human understanding. Whether God could or could not have effected all the ends designed to be promoted by the Gospel, without deviating from the common course of his providence, and interfering with its general laws, is a speculation that a modest inquirer would carefully avoid; for it carries on the very face of it a degree of presumption totally unbecoming the state of a mortal being. Infinitely safer is it for us to acquiesce in what the Almighty has done, than
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Jesus answered, "Go and report to John what you hear and see. The blind are regaining their sight and the lame can walk, the lepers are being cured and the deaf can hear, the dead are being raised and good news is being preached to the poor.
But when the Pharisees heard of it they said, "This man cannot drive out demons except by the aid of Beelzebub, the prince of the demons." But he knew what they were thinking, and he said to them, "Any kingdom that is disunited is on the way to destruction, and any city or household that is disunited cannot last. read more. If Satan is driving Satan out, he is disunited, and so how can his kingdom last?
We know that God does not listen to sinful people, but if a man is devout and obeys God, God will listen to him. It was never heard of in this world that anyone made a man born blind able to see. read more. If this man were not from God, he could not do anything."
Jesus answered, "I have told you so, and you will not believe it. The things I have been doing by my Father's authority are my credentials,
If I am not doing the things my Father does, do not believe me.
Then the high priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the council, and they said, "What are we to do about the fact that this man is showing so many signs? If we let him go on, everybody will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and put an end to our holy place and our people."