Jesus of Nazareth: Miracle Worker or More? by Laura Barron. Jews For Jesus.
Even skeptics want to believe in miracles. Most of the people who
ventured out to view the legendary emperor in his new clothes sincerely wanted
to admire the enchanting” outfit sewn from invisible fabric. All hoped to have
eyes to see the amazing garments. Unfortunately, the emperor’s new clothes were
a fiction, an unkind trick and a deceit. After the child announced the king’s
nakedness, the crowds attested to this sad truth. On the other hand, if the
invisible cloth had turned out to be genuine, the three tailors would have had
their product verified, and they would have been credited with a
miracle.
What is a miracle? Literature professor and author C. S. Lewis offers a
definition that may not work for theologians but is
illustrative:
“I use the word Miracle to mean an interference with Nature by supernatural power.”
We remember many of these “interferences with nature” as we celebrate the
events on the religious calendar. At Hanukkah, we recount the story of the oil
that burned in the temple menorah for eight days when there was only enough oil
to last for one day. Nes Gadol Haya Sham—A Great Miracle Happened
There. At Passover, we sit around the seder table telling the story of our
all-powerful God who brought us out of Egypt with signs and wonders. We sing of
the miracles of the parting of the Red Sea, the Plagues and the Giving of the
Law. The rabbis have said that the purpose for these miracles was “to sanctify
His great name in the world.” (2) The Mishnah even provides a blessing to be
pronounced on the location of miracles. “If one sees a place where miracles have
been wrought for Israel, he should say, blessed be he who wrought miracles for
our ancestors in this place.” (3)
In the same matter-of-fact manner, the New Testament records the miracles
of Jesus of Nazareth and states that they were seen, experienced and verified.
Jesus’ miracles are often seen in light of his claims to be the
Messiah.
A Miracle-Working Messiah?
First-century Jews were looking for a Messiah to rescue them from Roman
oppression. The fact that the Messiah would have supernatural powers was
assumed. The prophet Isaiah spoke of a time when “the eyes of the blind [would]
be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped…the lame [would] leap like a deer,
and the mute tongue shout for joy.…” (4)
Although it was assumed that the Messiah would work miracles, the people
primarily desired a political leader who would challenge the Roman government.
When Jesus accomplished the miracle of multiplying the loaves and the fish to
feed five thousand people, the crowds attempted to take Jesus by force to be
that political savior. They hoped that he would inaugurate the Kingdom of God.
(5)
It is interesting to note that Jesus rejected demonstrations of power
designed to prove his messianic role. (6) He also warned people that they should
not make public spectacles of healings. (7) It is possible that this could have
been a reaction to the people’s high expectation of a political messiah during
that period. This might also be why Jesus didn’t use the term messiah in the
same way that he used the appellations Son of God and Son of Man. His miracles
aside, Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on a donkey (8) and his cleansing of the
Temple (9) demonstrated that he was openly and carefully declaring his
messiahship. Even Jesus’ disciples had to rethink their interpretations of what
the messianic mission was.
Jesus’ miracles might have been a sign that he was a prophet or anointed
rabbi but not absolute proof that he was the promised Messiah of
Israel.
“The first century expectation of miracle working was not merely limited
to the Messiah. Other figures such as ‘prophet’ and ‘divine man’ were regarded
as miracle workers. Reports of miraculous events similar to those recounted in
the Gospels and [Book of] Acts are found in extra-Biblical literature from both
Greek and Jewish cultures. While, in the ancient world, the capacity to work
miracles may have added authenticity to one’s teaching,…reports of miracle
working power were not unique to Jesus.…Thus…the miracles could not uniquely
demonstrate messiahship.” (10)
Even though Jesus’ miracles were not the only biblical proof of his
anointing, they were important in confirming his identity; the rabbi Nicodemus
knew that Jesus was a teacher “come from God” because of the miraculous signs he
performed. (11) His miracles supported the truth of his
teaching.
When John the Baptist was in prison, he heard about the words Jesus spoke
and the works he was doing. John sent the disciples to ask Jesus if he was “the
one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?”
Jesus responded by citing the Isaiah 35 passage “Go back
and report to John what you hear and see: 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.…”(12)
The New Testament Record
In John’s gospel we read, “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the
presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are
written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that
by believing you may have life in his name.” (13)
The
words signs, wonders and miracles are
used interchangeably in the New Testament. The way in which the words are used
in the Gospels gives us insight into the purpose of Jesus’ miracles. The only
miracle that appears in all four Gospels is the feeding of the five thousand.
(14) This sign demonstrated power over nature as well as an understanding of
basic human need. Jesus is called “the Bread of Life” in the New Testament. He
made the claim that he had the ability to feed all of our needs. Jesus wanted
the people’s response to the miracle to be to feed on the “true bread from
heaven.” Yeshua wanted people to know that his expression of power was a sign of
“the kingdom of God come upon them.” (15)
The relationship of Jesus’ deeds to his words cannot be overlooked. In
Matthew chapters 5 through 7, one can see the authority of Jesus’ teachings. It
is further displayed in his deeds. The effect is to heighten the emphasis on the
uniqueness of Jesus as seen in his authority over illness, the natural elements
and spiritual powers.
If the purpose of Jesus’ miracles was to confirm his messiahship and
point to his message, then what was his message? One of the clearest examples in
conjunction with a miracle is found in Mark 2:1-12. Before Jesus told the paralytic to get up, he proclaimed, “Son, your
sins are forgiven.” What was the real miracle here? Was Jesus himself, who spoke
with the authority of God although encased in human flesh, the real
miracle?
Jesus told the teachers of the Law, “Which is easier: to say to the
paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and
walk?’ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to
forgive sins…” (vv. 9-10).
The Ultimate Miracle
Jesus was not a fame-seeking miracle worker. If Jesus was a man desiring
to run for the office of Messiah, he should have lined up parades of healed
lepers, cured demoniacs and miraculously fed people led by Lazarus and Jairus’
daughter. He would have been extremely popular if he had changed not only the
contents of the Cana cisterns, but also everybody’s water into
wine!
Yet he did not try to impress people with his power. On many occasions,
he implored the recipients of the miraculous to remain
silent.
Unlike the makers of the emperor’s illusory garments, Jesus was for real.
His miracles were always married to his message of life and death. At the heart
of his messianic mission was the knowledge that he was to suffer and die in
order to save people from their sins, not from oppressive Roman
rule.
In addressing the people of Israel, God is accredited with these words:
“All the miracles and mighty acts which I performed for you were not with the
object that you should give Me a reward, but that you should honour Me like
dutiful children and call Me your Father.” (16) Was Yeshua merely a miracle
worker, or more?
