><>...MIRACLES...><>
Historic events or natural phenomena which appear to violate natural laws but which reveal God to the eye of faith at the same time. A valuable way of understanding the meaning of miracles is to examine the various terms for miracles used in the Bible.
Both the Old Testament and the New Testament use the word sign <Is. 7:11,14; John 2:11> to denote a miracle that points to a deeper revelation. Wonder <Joel 2:30; Mark 13:22> emphasizes the effect of the miracle, causing awe and even terror. A work <Matt. 11:2> points to the presence of God in history, acting for mankind. The New Testament uses the word power <Mark 6:7> to emphasize God's acting in strength. These terms often overlap in meaning <Acts 2:43>. They are more specific than the more general term "miracle."
Miracles in the Old Testament. The readers of the Old Testament recognized that God is the Creator and sustainer of all life <Ex. 34:10; Ps. 33:6-7; Is. 40:26>. This assumption permitted the Israelites the possibility of miracles. They thought of the world as God's theater for displaying His glory and love <Ps. 33:5; 65:6-13>. Thus, the miracle was not so much a proof for God's existence as a revelation to the faithful of God's covenant love.
When God parted the water for the Israelites, or when He saved Israel in Egypt through the Passover, God revealed His character; and the Israelites were convinced that God was working for their salvation <Exodus 12:13-14>. Miracles were expressions of God's saving love as well as His holy justice.
Miracles in the Old Testament are connected especially with the great events in Israel's history-the call of Abraham <Gen. 12:1-3>, the birth of Moses <Ex. 1:1--2:22>, the Exodus from Egypt <Ex. 12:1--14:31>, the giving of the Law <Ex. 19:1-20:26>, and entry into the Promised Land <Josh. 3:1--4:7>, etc. These miracles are for salvation, but God also acts in history for judgment <Gen. 11:1-9>.
The plagues of the Exodus showed God's sovereign power in judgment and salvation <Ex. 7:3-5>. In parting the water, God showed His love and protection for Israel as well as His judgment on Egypt for its failure to recognize God <Ex. 15:2,4-10>. During the wilderness journey, God demonstrated His love and protection in supplying the daily MANNA <Ex. 16:1-36>. Another critical period in Israel's history was the time of Elijah, the champion of Israel. Elijah controlled the rain and successfully challenged the pagan priests of Baal <1 Kin. 17:1; 18:1-40>. God revealed Himself as Lord, as Savior of Israel, and as punisher of the nation's enemies.
Miraculous wonders like these were not as frequent during the days of the writing prophets. But one unusual miracle was the recovery of Hezekiah <2 Kin. 20:1-21; Is. 38:1-21> as well as the miracles in Jonah and Daniel. Prophecy itself can even be interpreted as a miracle. God revealed Himself during this time through the spoken and written Word.
Miracles in the New Testament. As with the Old Testament, the New Testament miracles are essentially expressions of God's salvation and glory.
Why did Jesus perform miracles? Jesus answered this question Himself. When in prison, John the Baptist sent some of his disciples to Jesus to see if He was the "one to come" <Matt. 11:3>. Jesus told them to inform John of what He had done: "The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor" <11:5>. With these words, Jesus declared that His miracles were the fulfillment of the promises of the Messiah's kingdom as foretold by Isaiah <24:18-19; 35:5-6; 61:1>. Jesus' miracles were signs of the presence of the kingdom of God <Matt. 12:39>.
This theme of the miracles pointing to the kingdom of God was developed and deepened especially in the Gospel of John. John presented the miracles of Jesus as "signs" on seven occasions: <John 2:1-11; 4:46-54; 5:1-18; 6:1-15; 6:16-21; 9:1-41; 11:1-57>. He thought of these miracles as pointing to deep spiritual truth, demanding obedient faith <John 2:11,23-25>. Thus, Jesus' feeding miracle <6:1-15> was Jesus' presentation of Himself as the True Manna, the one who gives life and sustenance.
Jesus also understood His miracles as evidences of the presence of the kingdom in His ministry <Matt. 11:2-5; 12:28>. Every miracle story was a sign that God's salvation was present. But not only did the kingdom come; it came in great power, because the dead were raised <Is. 26:19; Luke 7:11-15> and Satan was bound <Mark 3:27>.
Jesus' miracles were also performed upon the most unlikely people. Jesus consciously brought the salvation of God to those who were rejected. He healed the lame <Matt. 9:1-8>, the dumb <Matt. 9:32-33>, and lepers <Luke 17:11-19>. Jesus brought the kingdom to all, regardless of their condition.
But Jesus' miracles were not theatrical sensations. He demanded faith of others <Matt. 9:2>. The hemorrhaging woman was healed because of her faith <Matt. 9:18-26>. Furthermore, Jesus expected the disciples to do miracles and rebuked them for their "little faith" and unbelief <Matt. 17:20>.
Jesus' demand of trust in Himself led regularly to opposition by Jewish leaders. John drew this out when he recorded Jesus' healing of a man born blind. Jesus' salvation comes even on the Sabbath, overturning Pharisaic legalism <John 9:16>, and resulting in their blindness <John 9:39-41>. Similarly, the Pharisees broke into a charge of blasphemy when Jesus healed the paralytic and pronounced him forgiven of sins <Mark 2:1-12>. The miracles of Jesus, being God's offer of salvation, demanded a decision. As a result, a division of the Pharisees occurred <Matt. 9:32-34>.
Finally, we gain a deeper understanding of Jesus in His miracles. He is Lord over nature <Mark 4:35-41> and death <Luke 8:41-56; John 11:1-44>. He is the Suffering Servant who bears the infirmities of others <Matt. 8:16-17>. He is the Messiah who was to come <Matt. 11:2-6>. He fights the battle against evil <Mark 3:23-30; Luke 11:18-23>.
Jesus did not work miracles to prove His deity or His messiahship. In fact, He clearly refused to work miracles as proofs <Matt. 12:38-42; Luke 11:29-32>. His death was the proof to Israel. However, Jesus' miracles do give evidence that He was divine, that He was the Son of God, the Messiah.
The Acts of the Apostles is a book of miracles. Again, these miracles are a continuation of the miracles of Jesus, made possible through the Holy Spirit. The miracles of the apostles were done in the name of Jesus and were manifestations of God's salvation <Acts 3:11>. This thread of continuity is seen in Peter's miracles which paralleled those of Jesus <Luke 7:22; 5:18-26; 8:49-56; Acts 3:1-16; 9:32-35; 9:36-42>.
God began His church with a powerful display of miracles. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came on the people with great power <Acts 2:1-13>, leading to conversions <Acts 2:41>. When Philip went to Samaria, the Spirit of God anointed him with power <Acts 8:4-40>, and the same happened with Peter and Cornelius <Acts 10:1-48>. These powerful wonders were designed to convince the apostles and the Palestinian church that other cultures were to be part of the church. To these were added the stunning act of God through Peter when Ananias and Sapphira acted in hypocrisy <Acts 4:32--5:11>, the church's power in prayer <Acts 4:23-31>, and Paul's transforming vision <Acts 16:6-10>.
Miraculous powers were also present in the apostles. Peter healed a lame man <Acts 3:1-6>, a paralytic <Acts 9:32-35>, and raised the dead <Acts 9:36-42>. The apostles performed mighty miracles <Acts 5:12-16>, and Peter was miraculously released from prison <Acts 12:1-11>. Paul's conversion was a startling incident <Acts 9:1-19>. Ability to work miracles was taken as a sign for apostleship by Paul <Romans 15:18-19; 2 Cor. 12:12>. Thus, this ability to work miracles is not only an expression of God's salvation but also God's way of authenticating His apostles.
The lists of the gifts of the Spirit in the New Testament show miracles were one of the means by which believers ministered to others <Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:8-10,28-30; Eph. 4:11-12>.
(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary)
(Copyright (C) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers) |
