Topic 6Topic 6 The MiraclesThe Miracles

A. Types of Miracles1. Healings

a. Ministers to the sick: blind, deaf, lame, lepers, etc.b. Healing of a Leper (# 45 Mk. 1:40-45 par.)

2. Exorcismsa. Illness believed caused by demon possession; esp. mental

disorders.b. Gerasene Demoniac (# 106 Mk. 5:1-20 par.).

3. Resuscitations (only 3)

a. Jairus’ Daughter (# 107 Mk. 5:21-43 par.).b. Widow’s Son at Nain (# 80 Lk. 7:11-17).c. Lazarus (Jn. 11).

4. Nature wondersa. Stilling the Storm (# 105 Mk. 4:35-41 par.).b. Feeding the 5,000 (# 112 Mk. 6:30-44 par.).

B. Form of healing stories (# 12 Mk. 1:23-27)1. Description of the condition (v. 23-24)

2. Statement of the cure (v. 25)

3. Demonstration of effectiveness (v. 26)

4. Reaction of crowd (v. 27)

C. Nature of miracles1. Pre-scientific age.

2. Miracles widely taken for granted.a. Jewish: Hanina ben Dosa; Honi the Circle-Drawer.

b. Hellenistic: Apollonius of Tyana.

3. Definitions of miracle:a. Scientific: an event which violates the laws of nature.

b. Theological: an unusual event in which the hand of God may be discerned.

D. Question of authenticity1. Form criticism questions but does not eliminate

miracles.a. Finds tendencies toward elaboration, expansion, borrowing.b. Even Bultmann acknowledged a core of early, Palestinian

tradition with likelihood of authenticity.

2. Jesus’ opponents acknowledged his miracles.a. Accused of exorcism by power of Satan (# 85 Mk. 3:22 par.).b. Accused of healing on Sabbath (# 70 Mk. 3:1-6 par.; etc.).

3. Tradition of Jesus’ inability to work miracles in Nazareth (# 108 Mk. 6:5a par.).a. Authentic by criterion of embarrassment (note “correction” in v.

5b; cf. Mt. 13:58).b. Presupposes that elsewhere Jesus’ miracles were customary.

4. Conclusions: a. Most scholars think Jesus performed deeds regarded by his

contemporaries as miracles.b. More debatable is historicity of individual episodes; some

could be “ideal scenes” (idealized accounts of the types of miracles Jesus did).

E. Significance of the miracles1. Miracles do not prove Christian claims about Jesus.

a. Not unique; even Jesus’ opponents did miracles (Lk. 11:19 par.).

b. Jesus refuses to give signs on demand (# 87 Lk. 11:29-32 par.).

c. Opponents acknowledge miracles but don’t believe.d. Miracles must be seen with eyes of faith to see God at work in them.

2. Miracles are signs of the “in-breaking” Kingdom of God.a. God’s reign is present or so near its power is being felt.b. In Jesus, God is defeating Satan and setting right the

brokenness of creation.1) # 86 Mk. 3:23-30 par. – The “strong man” is bound.2) # 86 Lk. 11:20 par. – “If it is by God’s finger that I cast out

demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.”3) # 140 Lk. 10:18 – Satan’s fall is linked to exorcisms.

3. Miracles show that K of G is concerned with whole person.a. Not an evangelistic ploy to attract crowds and save souls.b. Miracles flow out of genuine “compassion” for the needy.

1) Splanchnizomai (Mk. 1:41; 6:34; 8:2; etc.) = “moved with compassion” (from splanchna = “bowels, intestines”).

2) Implies a deep, physical, gut-wrenching emotion.

F. Miracles and Faith1. Most Synoptic references to faith occur in miracle stories.

a. Characteristic phrase: “Your faith has saved you.”

b. Distinctive of gospels – not found in rabbinic or hellenistic stories.1) # 107 Mk. 5:28, 34, 36 – Hemorrhaging woman/Jairus’ daughter.

2) # 193 Mk. 10:52 – Blind Bartimaeus.

3) # 182 Lk. 17:19 – Ten lepers.

4) # 116 Mk. 7:29 – Syro-Phoenician woman.

5) # 46 Mt. 8:8, 10, 13 – Centurion’s servant.

c. Faith is a channel through which God’s power works.1) Faith precedes and enables the miracle.

2) Miracles fail in the absence of faith (Mk. 6:5-6).

2. Concept of faith in Synoptics: a. Not faith “in Jesus” in the Christological sense.

b. Faith is trust/confidence that Jesus is able to help in concrete situation.

F. Miracles and Faith (cont.)3. Genuine faith can “move mountains” (or trees).

a. # 201 Mk. 11:23 par. (cf. 9:23; 1 Cor. 13:2).

b. Power of faith to do the impossible.

4. Jesus rebukes disciples for “little faith.” a. # 35 Mt. 6:30 par. – “You of little faith” (cf. Mt. 8:26;16:8; 17:20).

b. “Little faith” is not simply faith which is small but faith which is not genuine; faith which fails when put to test.

5. Faith need not be great, but must be genuine.a. # 180 Lk. 17:20 par. – “faith the size of a mustard seed.”

b. # 126 Mk. 9:24 – “I believe; help my unbelief.”1) Faith is no human achievement or great virtue.

2) Faith is genuine recognition of total dependence on God.