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Jesus Christ's Miracles
(From Forerunner Commentary)

Christ's object in performing miracles was not merely to astonish those who witnessed them. When asked for a startling sign from heaven, Christ refused to oblige (Luke 11:16-17). He was not a magician or an illusionist, as Herod learned, who thought he could command Jesus to perform a miracle to satisfy his curiosity. Nevertheless, some of His miracles did overwhelm onlookers (John 7:45-46; 18:6). Because Christ was authoritative as a teacher (Matthew 7:28-29) and sinless in His character, His miracles not only formed an integral part of His teaching, but they were also proofs of His identity as the Messiah and of His purpose. Jesus' miracles, an exercise of God's creative power, were the Father's way of authenticating His divine Son's mission among humanity. Martin G. Collins The Miracles of Jesus Christ (Part One)

Jesus' miracles place the focus and glory on His Father. Thus, they serve to declare and prove God's existence and sovereignty. Christ never worked a miracle on His own behalf (perhaps the coin found in the fish's mouth is an exception to this rule; see Matthew 17:27). It appears that He did not do any miracles until He was thirty years old, and none that He did after that promoted His own ease and comfort. He performed no miracles for His own relief when suffering intense anguish in Gethsemane, when being beaten by Roman soldiers, or when hanging on the stake, since doing so would not have promoted the glory of God. Legions of angels waited to obey His command, but He never requested their help (Matthew 26:53). Though He provided ample food for hungry followers, He would not transform stones into bread to satisfy His own great hunger (Matthew 4:1-4; Mark 6:35, 41). Christ never paraded His supernatural power. On occasion, He even commanded those He healed not to broadcast the news of their healing (Mark 1:43-44; 5:43; 9:9). He never performed a miracle to create a sensation or to win adherents. He rejected such use as a temptation, always refusing to perform a miracle to satisfy the demands of unbelief (Matthew 4:6-7; 16:4). When a miracle was necessary, He performed it: It took a miracle to raise Lazarus from the dead but not to roll the stone away from his tomb, since the disciples could do this. The gospels reveal a purposeful and careful use of divine power. We can see that Jesus' miracles display His humility, mercy, and lovingkindness, and simultaneously, declare the sovereignty and glory of His Father. Martin G. Collins The Miracles of Jesus Christ (Part One)

In the world today, physical healing is looked upon with at least some skepticism, if not outright doubt. Much of this skepticism results from the many charlatans who play on the misery of the infirm, often performing their spectacles on stage and on television for the entertainment of thousands. What a contrast to Jesus' humble, circumspect miracles of healing! His miracles reflect His character, naturally expressing His love and sympathy for suffering mankind. It is obvious that dramatic miracles of healing are not occurring today with the frequency and power that they did when the church was new, when there were immediate, complete, and permanent healings. There is no historical record over the intervening two millennia that such healings were a consistent feature in the church, and in fact, except for the healing of Eutychus in Acts 20:9-12 and Publius in Acts 28:8, very few miraculous healings are mentioned after the first several years of the church. The Bible contains a few other aspects of miracles of divine healing. For instance, the prophet, apostle, or evangelist would take no payment for healing. Most importantly, he would always use his gift to glorify God and not himself. He directed all credit and thanks for healing to God. Christ's healing acts were never tentative, nor was He ever unsure of His abilities. The Gospels contain no record of failure or relapse in anyone He healed. The excellence and permanence of Christ's miracles of healing prove Him to be God in the flesh. One group of His miracles shows His control over nature; another group, His power over physical and mental diseases; and yet another group, His ability to command the spirit world. His miracles were accompanied with prayer and with the giving of thanks (John 6:11; 11:41). Jesus did not depend on His own power, but that of His almighty Father in heaven (John 5:19, 30; 14:10). Clearly, Christ did not heal every person who was sick. While He did not refuse to heal anyone who sought His aid, many were not healed. In John 5:3-9, He passed by a great multitude and selected only one for healing. Through sometimes painful experience, we know that healing is not always the divine will. Some He heals, while others are ordained to suffer. While we pray for the sick and desire their restoration to health, we must be subject to God's holy will and purpose. Whatever God decides is best for a sick person is, in the end, the result of the excellence of His wisdom. He promises that the suffering that even members of His church must experience cannot compare with the glory we will receive (Romans 8:18). During His ministry, Jesus was not limited just to physical or to spiritual healing. Sometimes He laid His hands on the sick, while at other times, He healed without any contact. Some reached out to touch Him or His clothes and were healed. Once, He used His spittle to heal. In short, He followed no set method or ritual. Because of His close relationship with the Father, His word and will were sufficient. In several places, miracles are represented as having been performed, not so much by Christ, as by the Father (Matthew 9:8; 15:31; Luke 7:16; 17:15; 18:43). Jesus revealed that His actions were guided by a desire and zeal to glorify God. In so doing, He was likewise glorified as the Son of God. Relief of the afflicted was secondary (John 11:4). Jesus' miracles had two essential purposes. First, they revealed the sovereignty, power, and glory of God and of His Son. Second, they revealed mankind's desperate need. His healings expose the devastation caused by sin, as well as God's power and will to repair such sin-wrought desolation and wretchedness. While Jesus placed limited value on the faith produced by witnessing His miracles (John 4:48), nevertheless, human faith played a role in His effectiveness. Strong faith was rewarded with healing (Matthew 8:5-13; Mark 5:25-34; 7:24-30; 10:46-52), while, in contrast, unbelief caused Christ to refrain from manifesting His miraculous power (Matthew 13:58; Mark 6:5-6). Christ possessed a deep sympathy for those afflicted with bodily and mental diseases: "He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses" (Matthew 8:17). The Gospels say many times that He was "moved with compassion" (Matthew 9:36; 14:14; 15:32; 18:27, 33; 20:34; Mark 1:41; 5:19; 6:34; 8:2; Luke 7:13). His healings contained no ulterior motive; His merciful works arose from His loving, giving character, which harmonized with His life and teachings. Despite this, His healings did not always lead to repentance; miracles do not guarantee conviction of sin. We do not know exactly how many miracles Jesus performed. Most of them are referred to collectively, and they far exceed the number of healings recorded in detail. Whatever the number, He brought relief and mercy to many during His ministry. His far greater work, however, is the spiritual mercy and redemption He brought with His great sacrifice and His present work of salvation as our High Priest. Martin G. Collins The Miracles of Jesus Christ (Part Two)

Matthew 9:8  (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up) The people were stunned, moved to glorify God, filled with fear, and confounded. It is no surprise that the witnesses to the miracle were amazed at the astounding healing. Each of the three gospel writers uses a different Greek word to express a variation of a state of awe. Nevertheless, considering the great impact this miracle had on observers, most of them were not moved to have faith in God. Though filled with awe at His mighty works, they were not convinced or converted. Faith is not produced through sight (II Corinthians 5:7). Miracles and physical proof do not instill faith. God must call a person, opening his mind to His truth (John 6:44). Today, people tend to think that sensationalism will convert sinners, designing their religious presentations to impress people and increase followers by physical rather than spiritual quality. In addition, the people were moved to glorify God in their limited way (Matthew 9:8). Yet, their reaction to the healing did not cause a change of heart in them. Luke writes that they were all "filled with fear" (Luke 5:26). It can be terrifying to be near the power of Almighty God. Paul states, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10:31). Realizing his own sinfulness in the presence of the perfection and might of God, Peter knelt in fear at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord" (Luke 5:8). Again, however, most of the witnesses to the paralytic's healing refused to overcome their sins and change their lives. James notes that even the demons believe and tremble before God (James 2:19), yet they, of course, have never been converted. This principle should enlighten us about the professed religion of others. Being filled with awe, glorifying God, or experiencing fear are not enough in themselves; they are merely beginnings of understanding and wisdom (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 9:10). Some witnesses to this miracle said, "We never saw anything like this!" (Mark 2:12). Others exclaimed, "We have seen strange things today!" (Luke 5:26). They were confounded. The miracle they witnessed was one of a kind, different from anything they had ever seen before. No other "gods" compare with our God the Father and Jesus Christ! In Luke's account, the word "strange" is the Greek word from which the English word "paradox" derives. It suggests true things that are contrary to all common sense and ordinary experience. The things of God are beyond the understanding of mere human beings. In this miracle, we see the incomprehensible sovereignty and glory of God in His comfort and healing of the sick through His Son Jesus Christ, our Savior. Martin G. Collins The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Healing a Paralytic (Part Two)

Matthew 11:2-3  (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up) Because the prophet Isaiah foretold the Messiah's exercise of miraculous power (Isaiah 35:4-6; 42:7), John the Baptizer asked for such a sign of Christ. Jesus replied: "The blind receive their sight and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them" (verse 5). His miracles provided proof of who He was. Christ came into the world, not only as God's personal representative on earth, but as God manifest in flesh. He was Himself a miracle in human form, and His miraculous works are bound up inseparably with His life. When we accept the miracles of His prophesied birth, sinless life, and glorious resurrection, then any other miracle is possible. Born holy, undefiled, and separate from sinners (Hebrews 7:26), He was conscious of His God-given responsibility to bless and relieve mankind in miraculous ways. In describing Jesus' healing miracles, Luke, a doctor, emphasized the power of God by saying, "The power of the Lord was present to heal them" (Luke 5:17), and "the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all" (Luke 6:19). Similarly in Acts, Peter describes "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him" (Acts 10:38). One could say Christ's miracles were parables in deeds, just as His parables were miracles in words. God designed His miracles to symbolize His power to meet spiritual needs, as well as physical and material ones. Jesus' recorded miracles are real-life experiences of what it means to be under the wonderful rule of the powerful but merciful King of God's Kingdom. Martin G. Collins The Miracles of Jesus Christ (Part One)

Mark 1:25-28  (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up) Jesus commands the demon to leave, giving it a short, direct order backed by God's authority. He does not rebuke the man, because the unclean spirit had possessed him, yet each of us must resist the influence of demons (I Peter 5:8-9). Jesus tells the demon, "Hold your peace," which actually means "be gagged or muzzled," a phrase He also uses to calm the storm in Mark 4:39. The unclean spirit does not speak again, but obeys in rage and anguish. By his own power or authority, no man can cast out demons. Even the archangel Michael, not daring to revile Satan, called on the power and authority of God to rebuke him (Jude 9), setting a right example for us. Similarly, in rebuking the "spirit of divination" at Philippi, Paul says, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her" (Acts 16:18). Because of Christ's authority in performing this miracle, the people in the synagogue are "amazed," a word meaning "to stupefy" and "to dumbfound or flabbergast." They express their astonishment in questions: "What is this? What new doctrine is this?" (Mark 1:27), as well as by immediately rushing away to tell everyone they can. The word translated "amazed" also can mean "to terrify" and "to be frightened." The people are not only astounded but also fearful of God's power through Jesus. The focus of the testimony is on how Jesus exorcises the demon: simply by His command, which shows the power of God's Word. Contemporary Jewish doctrine for casting out demons was much different, as exorcists among them sometimes appeared to cast out demons by prayers or chants. Christ, however, does not cajole or request demons to leave, but authoritatively commands them to come out. The world has its weak and useless methods to appease evil and entice it to surrender, but Christ commands its defeat. Martin G. Collins The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Exorcism in the Synagogue

Mark 1:40-42  (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up) Notice the man's faith: "If You will, You can do it." God had revealed to him Christ's power to do this. He was confident that Christ had the power to do what he asked Him to do. The only question that remained was, "Is he willing to do it?" which is why he worded his request as he did. "If You will, I have the confidence that You can do it." Christ found this appeal within His will and the will of God. Jesus reached out and touched him. There was a great deal in that act. The very act of reaching out and touching the man indicated that his request would be fulfilled because the law that He gave to the Israelites in the Old Testament forbade a person from touching a leper (Leviticus 5:3). In a sense, His act violated the very law that He gave to Israel, but His mind was made up He to do it to perform an act of mercy and deliverance. That quickly, He reacted to the man's appeal. At this juncture, the important fact is that the man clearly believed that Jesus Christ had the power to heal him. John W. Ritenbaugh Faith and Prayer

Luke 5:1-11  (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up) In the account of Jesus' miracle of the great catch of fish (Luke 5:1-11), Luke calls the Sea of Galilee the "Lake of Gennesaret," a more ancient name that derives from the name of a small plain on its western shore. On this occasion, while standing in the boat in which Simon Peter had spent the whole—and very unsuccessful—night fishing, Jesus teaches those who wanted to hear the Word of God. Afterward, He tells Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." The man's reply is typical of an experienced fisherman: "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing." Shortly afterward, however, he changes his tune. Martin G. Collins The Miracles of Jesus Christ: The Great Catch of Fish

Luke 5:10-11  (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up) Jesus takes the opportunity of this miracle to call His disciples into a Teacher–student relationship with Him. He figuratively catches Peter in His net before commanding him to "catch men" for the Kingdom of God. Immediately, Peter, Andrew, James, and John leave their boats and nets behind and follow Him. They now understand that Jesus is more than capable of supplying their every need. We are to apply this lesson in our own lives. When Christ speaks, it is always about obedience to God's way of life. In this case, His teaching affected the disciples' livelihoods. Worship and work form major parts of our lives, too, and in both we must consistently maintain righteousness. Had Peter failed to obey Christ's command, he would have failed to experience both the miracle and the resulting blessing. No one serves God without being compensated for his service. When we serve, sacrifice, testify, or stand for Him, He will suitably reward our efforts. When God asks us to invest our time, effort, talent, or anything else, we must not resent the opportunity. No one pays dividends on an investment as abundantly as God does—"good measure, pressed down, and running over will be put into your bosom" (Luke 6:38). Martin G. Collins The Miracles of Jesus Christ: The Great Catch of Fish

John 2:1-11  (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up) The first miracle Jesus Christ performs during His ministry is changing water into wine at a marriage feast in Cana (John 2:1-11). When we compare what Christ and Moses each did with water, Jesus' miracle shows the contrast between law and grace. Moses changes water to blood, and Christ changes it into wine. Earlier, in John 1:17, the apostle John writes, "For the law was given through Moses, [and] grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." Moses' turning of water into blood suggests judgment (Exodus 7:14-17), while Jesus' turning of water into wine implies generosity and joy. In John 3:17, John comments, "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world [what the law does to sinners], but that the world through Him might be saved [what grace does for those who repent]." This miracle demonstrates at the earliest possible time that Christ's ministry would be one of grace and truth, as an extension and complement of the Law and the prophets (Matthew 5:17-19). Jesus had come to fulfill God's law, that is, to teach it and live it as an example of how to apply it to everyday life (Luke 24:44-45). Martin G. Collins The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Water Into Wine (Part One)

John 4:46-50  (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up) The nobleman must have had a bud of faith, for his urgent need moved him to seek Christ. At least a glimmer of faith was necessary to believe that, if he could only convince Jesus the Healer to go to his dying child, his son would be healed. This first example of Jesus' healing miracles is important, as it emphasizes the link between miracles and faith. Those who desire to be healed or to have a loved one healed must exhibit faith. Jesus miracles of healing are instructive in that they give us kinds and actions of faith. By refusing to go with the nobleman, Jesus emphasizes and illustrates the potency of strong faith. Another time, Jesus teaches that a miracle is not the cause of faith as much as its reward (Matthew 9:22). Belief in Christ as Healer leads people to faith in Him as Savior. We all desire divine intervention when we are in dire need; "there are no atheists in a foxhole," it is said. Though the nobleman's human faith was limited and weak, it was still real. Jesus helped him to develop it, leading to deeper belief. However, no matter how strong our faith is, if it is in a wrong object, it will do nothing to relieve suffering, but if our faith is properly directed, despite being weak, it will bring deliverance and comfort. Note, however, that faith itself does not relieve affliction, but the power of the One in whom we believe does. Martin G. Collins The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Healing a Nobleman's Son

John 4:53  (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up) Following Jesus' assurance that his son would live, the nobleman never doubted again. The text gives no indication of an emotional reaction or that he pressed Jesus for instructions; he simply started his return trip to Capernaum. He accepted Jesus' word that his son was healed, and apparently, this knowledge comforted him to the point that he felt little need to rush home. The bud of faith that led him to Christ came to full blossom as he left Jesus. When the nobleman is met by his servants with the wonderful news that his son had been healed at the exact time Jesus had said he was, the miracle is seen to have had a double effect—the sick boy was healed of his deadly fever, and the father was convicted of his belief in Jesus. In order to have faith, we must believe that Jesus' words are true. Too often, we possess a vague faith, a blurred longing for His promises to be true. In reality, we must cling to what Jesus says like a man gripping a cliff face over a deep chasm. The conviction of the father and the startling result of Jesus' miracle helped to begin the process of conversion of the nobleman's entire household. Convinced that Jesus was the Christ by personally witnessing this healing, they had the opportunity to grow in their belief to full faith if they continued to seek and believe Him (Colossians 1:21-23). Martin G. Collins The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Healing a Nobleman's Son

John 5:16  (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up) Once the Jewish critics learn that Jesus had ordered the man to carry his bed, their criticism and attack are aimed at Him. Their ruthless reaction is to seek to murder Him, the height of hypocrisy. While they attack Christ for healing on the Sabbath, they see nothing wrong with seeking to murder the One who healed a man who had been crippled for 38 years! They consistently show no judgment or mercy (Matthew 23:23). Hundreds of years earlier, the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah had seen hypocrisy in Israel, declaring it to be a problem of the heart (Jeremiah 42:20; Matthew 15:7-9). Human nature is full of hypocrisy, as can be seen in current laws that protect homosexuals and abortionists from criticism, even though they pervert and debase society and murder the unborn. At the same time, Christians are attacked and criticized for trying to raise their children to live moral and ethical lives for the benefit of all! Martin G. Collins The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Healing a Cripple by a Pool (Part Three)

John 14:10  (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up) Of and by Himself, Jesus had no more power than any other human being. But because the Father in heaven was actively, dynamically working in and through Him, and because Jesus yielded to Him—whenever power was needed to heal, to raise somebody from the dead, to make food multiply—God did the miracle. Not Jesus Christ—God did it. He responded to Jesus' requests because He was perfectly submissive to the Father in doing His will. If it can be put this way, this is what we need to work toward. John W. Ritenbaugh The Covenants, Grace and Law (Part 26)

 

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