Biblical Theological Seminary
Dr. Robert C. Newman
ST851
THE MIRACULOUS & THE MIRACLES OF JESUS
Contents of Course Notes
I. The Miraculous 1
A.
Definition of Miracle 1
B.
Old Testament Miracles 2
C.
New Testament Miracles 5
D.
Miracle Accounts in the NT Apocrypha 7
E.
Some Post-Apostolic & Medieval Accounts 9
F.
Science & the Rise of Liberalism 14
G.
Answering Liberal Objections 17
II. The Miracles of Jesus 22
A.
Miracles over the Natural Realm 22
1.
Changing Water to Wine 22
2.
Miraculous Catch 23
3.
Stilling a Storm 24
4.
Feeding the 5000 25
5.
Walking on Water 26
6.
Coin in Fish's Mouth 27
B.
Miracles over the Human Realm 28
1.
Healing Nobleman's Son 28
2.
Woman with Hemorrhage 29
3.
Raising Jairus' Daughter 29
4.
Healing Paralytic 30
5.
Cleansing Leper 31
6.
Centurion's Servant 32
7.
Raising Widow's Son 33
8.
Healing at Pool of Bethesda 34
9.
Man Born Blind 35
10. Man with Withered Hand 35
11. Ten Lepers 36
12. Deaf and Dumb Fellow 37
13. Raising Lazarus 38
C.
Miracles over the Spirit Realm 39
1.
Gadarene Demoniacs 39
2.
Syrophoenician's Daughter 40
3.
Possessed Boy 41
D.
Their Significance 42
Bibliography 42
I. THE MIRACULOUS
A. DEFINITION OF MIRACLE
1.
English Definition
(Webster's
New World Dictionary,
1966)
An
event or action that apparently contradicts known scientific laws."
Not
too bad, but eliminates striking providences
(e.g.,
Num 11:31: quail blown into camp)
2.
Biblical Terminology
(numbers
indicate approx frequency in OT or NT)
a.
Terms expressing the wondrous/marvelous aspect
ת5&/ mofet (35x) wonder, miracle, sign
ת&!-51 niflaot (45x) wonder, marvel, miracle,
hidden
!-5 pele' (13x) wonderful, wonder, marvelous
things
(/ ת temach (Aramaic, 3x) - wonders
τέρας
teras (LXX 40x, NT
16x) - wonder, portent,
prodigy
(never occurs alone in NT)
b.
Terms expressing the power involved
δύvαμις
dunamis (170x) power,
ability,
miracle,
wonderful, mighty works;
common
in LXX, 500x, but only used once
for
miracle!
c.
Terms expressing the significance of the miracle
ת&! 'ot (80x) sign, mark, token, miracle,
ensign
σημεĚov
semeion (75x) sign,
miracle, token,
wonder;
common in LXX, 90x, but often
translates
mofet, pele', temach as well
as
'ot
3.
A Suggested Biblical Definition
ŇA
Biblical miracle is a striking or wonderful event, displaying supernatural
power and intended to carry a certain significance."
B. OLD TESTAMENT MIRACLES
a
quick tour of the nature and purpose of OT miracles
1.
Creation (Gen 1-3)
numerous
events seem to involve the miraculous, even though humans not present
2.
Flood (Gen 6-9)
judgment
with deliverance
3.
Patriarchal Period
a.
Babel (Gen 11) - judgment
b.
Abraham
1)
Flaming torch (Gen 15:17)
covenant,
revelation
2)
Sodom & Gomorrah (Gen 18-19)
judgment
w/ deliverance
3)
Isaac's birth (Gen 18, 21)
promise
c.
Joseph's dreams (Gen 37, 40-41)
deliverance,
attestation
4.
Mosaic Period
a.
Burning bush (Ex 3)
revelation,
promise, deliverance
b.
Moses' signs (Ex 4) - staff, hand
attestation
of message, messenger
c.
The Plagues (Ex 7-12)
attestation
(A), judgment (J), deliverance (D)
1)
Water to blood J-7:16; A-7:17
2)
Frogs J-8:2; A-8:9
3)
Gnats/Lice J-8:15-16; A-8:18-19
4)
Insects (8:20ff)
5)
Pestilence on livestock (9:3ff)
note
distinction betw Egyptians, Israelites
6)
Boils (9:8ff) A-9:11
note
esp 9:13-16 - reason for slow escalation
7)
Hail (9:18ff)
no
hail in Goshen
those
who believed God found shelter
8)
Locusts (10:4-19)
9)
Darkness (10:21-24)
10) Death of firstborn (Ex
11-12)
d.
Crossing Red Sea (Ex 14)
deliverance
and judgment
e.
Provision in Wilderness
1)
Cloud - guidance, protection, attestation
2)
Manna, water, quail - provision
3)
Clothing, sandals (Dt 29:5) - provision
4)
Sinai events - revelation, attestation,
covenant
5)
Amalek defeated (Ex 17) - JAD
6)
Korah, Dathan, Abiram destroyed (Num 16) - JA
7)
Aaron's rod (Num 17) - A
5.
Conquest of Canaan
a.
Crossing Jordan (Josh 3)
attestation
3:10-13, 4:6-7, 22-24
provision
3:15
b.
Jericho (Josh 2, 6) - judgment, deliverance
c.
Sun at Gibeon (Josh 10) - JA
6.
Period of Judges
a.
Angel of Lord (2) - revelation
b.
Gideon's fleece (6) - attestation
c.
Samson (13-16) - judgment, deliverance
7.
Kingdom Period
a.
Birth of Samuel? (1 Sam 1) - attestation?
b.
Samuel's vision (3) - revelation, attestation?
c.
Ark among Philistines (5-6)
revelation,
attestation to pagans
phenomena
surrounding return esp interesting
d.
Call of Saul (10) - attestation (10:7)
e.
Jonathan's exploits (14) - att (14:8-10)
f.
David & Goliath (17) - JDA
g.
Disaster moving ark (2 Sam 6) - J
h.
Cloud in temple (1 Kings 8) - A
i.
Sign to Jeroboam (13) - A-13:3
j.
Sign to Abijah (14) -J-14:6-11; A-14:12,17
k.
Ministry of Elijah (1 K 17 - 2 K 2)
1)
Drought (17-18) - JA
2)
Ravens (17) - provision
3)
Replenished food (17) - provision, A
4)
Resurrection of widow's son (17)
deliverance,
attestation
5)
Fire on Mt Carmel (18) - A
6)
Run to Jezreel (18) - provision? A?
7)
Manifestation at Sinai (19)
revelation,
provision
8)
Deliverance of Ahab from Syrians (20)
deliverance
9)
Fire falls on soldiers (2 K 1)
judgment,
attestation
10) Elijah's ascent (2 K
2)
includes
opening of Jordan
attestation?
l.
Ministry of Elisha (2 K 2-13)
1)
Opening of Jordan (2) - A
2)
Healing water (2) - provision, A
3)
Two bears (2) - judgment, A
4)
Water-filled valley (3) - JDA
5)
Multiplication of oil (4) - provision
6)
Raising Shunemite's son (4) - D
7)
Canceling poison (4) - provision
8)
Multiplication of loaves (4) - provision
9)
Healing of Naaman (5) - deliverance,
attestation
to pagan
10) Floating axe-head (6)
- D
11) Heavenly army (6) - A
12) Blinding Syrians (6) -
DA
13) Prediction of plenty
(7) - A
14)
Resurrection touching bones (13) - DA
m.
Uzziah's leprosy (2 Chr 26) - JA
n.
Assyrian army devastated (2 K 19) - JDA
o.
Hezekiah healed (2 K 20) - D
p.
Sun's shadow reverses (20) - A
8.
Babylonian Captivity
a.
Daniel interprets dream (Dan 2) - RA
b.
Fiery furnace (3) - DA
c.
Nebuchadnezzar's madness (4) - JRA
d.
Handwriting on wall (5) - JRA
e.
Daniel in lions' den (6) - DA
9.
Summary: Themes in OT Miracles
a.
Attestation of messenger
Moses
w/ rod & hand, Joshua opening Jordan,
Prophet
and splitting altar
b.
Attestation of God
Return
of ark, Fire from heaven, Daniel's interpretation
c.
Judgment (on false belief, sinful practice)
Flood,
Babel, Egyptian plagues, drought
d.
Protection & Deliverance
Some
Egyptian plagues (5,9 for Israel; 7,10 for any obedient)
Crossing
Red Sea, Judges
e.
Picturing God's nature
(blessings
& curses of covenant)
Wilderness
provisions (4e)
Holiness
of ark (7c, 7g)
f.
Carrying out God's program
Abraham,
Exodus, Elijah
C. NEW TESTAMENT MIRACLES
1.
Miracles of Jesus
a.
His birth
b.
His ministry
will
return to these for bulk of course
c.
His resurrection & ascension
----------
EXCURSUS
some
items to consider in interpreting Jesus' miracles
(use
these in constructing your term paper)
1.
Historicity of particular miracle
a.
Occasion
b.
Liberal explanation(s)
c.
Evidence of historicity
d.
Reaction of eyewitnesses
2.
Old Testament background
a.
Try to imagine how it would strike original observers
b.
Try to forget you have heard story 50 times
c.
Try to forget later miracles of Jesus, incl. resurrection & later NT
teaching
d.
What OT miracles are recalled by this one?
e.
What OT teachings are exemplified by miracle?
f.
How do Jesus' actions parallel and contrast with those of OT prophets?
3.
Significance of miracle
a.
Immediate effect of miracle
b.
Place of miracle in salvation history
1)
relation to creation
2)
relation to ministry of Jesus
3)
relation to eschaton
c.
Symbolic elements?
-------------
2.
Apostolic Miracles
specific
miracles narrated in Acts, not counting general comments in 2:43;
5:12-16;
6:8; 8:6-7; 19:11-12 and 2 Cor 12:12
a.
Pentecost (Acts 2) (Jesus) - fulfillment, attestation
b.
Healing lame beggar (3) (Peter) - deliverance
c.
Death of Ananias & Sapphira (5) (Peter) - judg
d.
Apostles rescued from prison (5) (angel) - deliv
e.
HS to Samaritans (8) (Peter & John) - fulf, att
f.
Guidance & Transport of Philip (8) (HS) - revelation, ministry
g.
Conversion of Paul (9) (Jesus) - deliverance
h.
Healing paralytic Aeneas (9) (Peter) - deliv, att
i.
Resurrection of Dorcas (9) (Peter) - deliv, att
j.
Conversion of Cornelius (10) (angel) - deliv, att
k.
Famine prophecy (11) (Agabus) - revelation
l.
Peter rescued from prison (12) (angel) - deliv
m.
Death of Herod Agrippa I (12) (angel) - judgment
n.
Elymas struck blind (13) (Paul) - judgment, att
o.
Lame man healed at Lystra (14) (Paul) - deliv
p.
Macedonian vision (16) (?) - revelation
q.
Demonized girl at Philippi (16) (Paul) - deliv
r.
Earthquake, Philippian prison (16) (?) - deliv, att
s.
Vision at Corinth (18) (Lord) - revelation
t.
HS on followers of Jn Bapt (19) (HS) - fulf, att
u.
Demonic attack on sons of Sceva (19) (Satan) - judg?
v.
Resurrection of Eutychus (20) (Paul) - deliv
w.
Arrest prophecy (21) (Agabus) - revelation
x.
Vision at Jerusalem (23) (Lord) - revelation
y.
Vision re/ shipwreck (27) (angel) - revelation
z.
Paul not hurt by snake (27) (Paul) - deliv, att
aa. Healings on Malta (28)
(Paul) - deliv, att
SOME OBSERVATIONS: No clear evidence in Acts of decrease in
miraculous toward end of book.
Probably all of the miracles of judgment and deliverance have some
function as attestation for the miracle worker or for the Gospel and the
Christian church.
D. MIRACLE ACCOUNTS IN THE NT APOCRYPHA
See (1) Montague Rhodes James, The
Apocryphal New Testament.
Oxford: Clarendon Press,
1924. (2) Edgar Hennecke, New
Testament Apocrypha. 2
vols. Edited by Wilhelm Schneemelcher,
translated by R. McL. Wilson.
Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1963, 1965.
1.
The Protoevangelium of James
A
narration of the events supposed to have taken place up to the birth of Jesus;
probably written in mid to late 2nd cen AD; very influential in development of
devotion to Mary.
ch 1: Joachim, rich and pious Jew, has
offerings rejected because he is childless; goes into wilderness to fast 40
days.
ch 2-3: His wife, Anna, also
reproached, prays to God for child.
ch 4-5: Angel sent to Anna and Joachim,
announcing answer to their prayers C offspring shall be spoken of in whole
world; Mary born.
ch 6: Mary walks at six months, kept at
home in special sanctuary to avoid all defilement.
ch 7: Mary dedicated to temple at age
three, dances on steps of altar.
ch 8: At age 12, to avoid [menstrual]
defilement of temple, high priest Zecharias instructed by angel to give Mary as
wife to widower whom God shall designate.
ch 9: Joseph chosen by dove coming out
of his staff; takes Mary home.
Goes off on building project.
ch 10-12: Mary one of virgins chosen to
make veil of temple. Mary receives
message from angel re/ Jesus. Turns in veil work, visits Elizabeth.
ch 13-16: Mary, 16, now six months
pregnant when Joseph returns, who won't believe her story until angel appears
to him. Her pregnancy becomes
known to priests, who call both in.
They won't believe their stories until they are successful in bitter
water test.
ch 17-18: Decree of Augustus. Mary and Joseph and his kids go to
Bethlehem, but she is about to give birth in wilderness, so put in cave. As Joseph goes to look for midwife,
whole world halts at Jesus' birth.
ch 19-20: Joseph and midwife see cloud overshadow
cave, then great light; baby climbs up on Mary's breast. Midwife tells friend Salome, who won't
believe in virgin birth until she tests Mary's virginity. Salome's hand consumed as punishment,
but healed by touching baby Jesus.
ch 21: Visit of wise men.
ch 22-24: Herod tries to kill young
children. Mary hides baby in
ox-manger. Elizabeth and John
hidden by being swallowed up inside mountain. Herod finds Zecharias in temple, has him killed. His blood turns to stone, the temple
walls wail. Symeon appointed high
priest in Z's place.
ch 25: I, James [Jesus' older
step-brother] wrote this, hid in wilderness.
2.
The Infancy Story of Thomas (formerly called Gospel of Thomas)
A narration of the marvels which
supposedly took place in Jesus' childhood up to age 12; parts date back to late
2nd cen AD.
ch 1: Written by Thomas the Israelite
[though Cullmann says "his book betrays no knowledge of
Judaism"].
ch 2: Boy Jesus, age 5, makes 12 clay
sparrows on the Sabbath. When
confronted, he claps hands and sparrows fly away.
ch 3: Another boy messes up pools Jesus
playing in. He curses boy, who
immediately withers up. Parents of
boy complain to Joseph, "What kind of child do you have?"
ch 4-5: Another boy runs into Jesus in
village. Jesus curses him and he
falls dead. Parents and others
complain to Joseph, he rebukes child.
Jesus strikes accusers blind.
Joseph pulls Jesus' ear.
Jesus warns Joseph not to cross him.
ch 6-8: Teacher Zacchaeus offers to
teach Jesus alphabet, but Jesus rebukes him for not really understanding
even Alpha. Zacchaeus, shamed,
says this child not earth-born, perhaps begotten before creation of world. Returns child to father. Jesus laughs, cancels curse on all
those previously struck. They are
afraid to provoke him again.
ch 9: Jesus and children playing on
roof of house. One falls off and
dies. Parents accuse Jesus; he
calls boy back to life, who clears him of responsibility.
ch 10: Young man cutting wood chops his
own foot. Jesus heals foot. "Arise now, cleave the wood, and
remember me."
ch 11: Going to fetch water for his
mother, Jesus stumbles and pitcher is broken. Brings back water in his garment.
ch 12: Jesus, age 8, planting with his
father, sows one grain of wheat.
It yields one hundred measures of wheat which he gives to the poor.
ch 13: Jesus and father making a wooden
bed for a rich man. One of the
beams is too short. Jesus stretches
it to right length.
ch 14-15: Another teacher strikes Jesus. Jesus curses him and he falls into faint. Later another teacher takes Jesus as
pupil. Jesus takes up book, but
without reading it, begins to expound law by the Holy Spirit and a large crowd
gathers. Teacher praises Jesus;
Jesus heals previous teacher.
ch 16: Jesus and brother James
gathering sticks. James bitten by
snake, about to die. Jesus
breathes on bite, wound healed, snake bursts.
ch 17: Jesus raises little child who
had died.
ch 18: Jesus raises workman who dies.
ch 19: Jesus, 12, remains behind in
temple. Parents find him
expounding Scripture, putting elders and teachers to silence.
Historicity of these two apocryphal
Gospels?
--Did
Luke really pass up all this for temple incident at age 12?
--Does
this really fit Lk 2:52?
"...in
favor with God and man"
--Does
this really fit Lk 4:22-23?
"...wondering
at gracious words.... Isn't this Joseph's son.... do here in home town as
well"
--Does
this really fit Mt 13:53-58; Mk 6:16?
"...where...
this wisdom and these miraculous powers?
Is not this the carpenter's son?..."
--Does
this fit Jn 2:11?
"...beginning
of his signs..."
Influence:
These two works are the basis on which various stories of Mary and Jesus are elaborated
through the middle ages.
3.
Other NT Apocrypha
--A
number of Apocryphal Acts survive, the earliest from the 2nd and 3rd cen.:
Acts
of John
Acts
of Paul & Thecla
Acts
of Peter
Acts
of Andrew
Acts
of Thomas
--these
apparently seek to supplement the canonical Acts, entertain the reader, and
propagandize for their own particular theological approach (Jn, And, Thos are
strongly encratite,
breaking up marriages and advocating eating only bread & water; cp 1 Tim
4:3)
--in
the apocryphal Acts, "miraculous stories are not only much exaggerated,
producing fantastic and bizarre effects, but they often follow one another as
isolated units and are retailed for their own sake. The intention of this is clearly not that of
demonstrating the wonderful advance of the Word of God but... to glorify the
apostles as miracle-workers." (Hennecke, 2:174)
E. SOME POST-APOSTOLIC & MEDIEVAL
MIRACLE ACCOUNTS
Source: E.
Cobham Brewer, A Dictionary of Miracles. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1884. xliv + 582 pp. 47 pp index.
A compilation of hundreds of ancient,
medieval and modern miracle accounts categorized alphabetically under three
major headings: (1) those
imitating biblical miracles; (2) those illustrating biblical texts; (3) those
"proving" Roman Catholic dogma.
The accounts are taken from standard Roman Catholic sources: Acta
Sanctorum; Gurin, Les
Petits Bollandistes;
Kinesman, Lives of the Saints.
1. Some Miracle Accounts Imitating
Biblical Miracles
236
headings covering 346 double-column pages
a.
Apparitions of Angels and Saints (15-28):
St.
Barnabas says where his dead body is to be found. Barnabas the apostle, after
being stoned to death, was thrown into a fierce fire, that his body might be
consumed; but the fire had no effect upon it, and St. Mark, carrying the dead
body beyond the gates of the city wall of Cyprus, buried it. There it remained till AD 485, when,
Nicephorus Callistus assures us, the ghost appeared to Antemius, bishop of
Cyprus, and told him where his body was to be found. The bishop went to the spot indicated, and found the body,
with the original MS of St. Matthew's Gospel, the very MS written by the
hand of the evangelist himself.
Both relics were taken to Constantinople... (17)
b.
Budding Rod (53-54):
Dead
elm blooms. The bier of St. Zanobi
(AD 407) happened, in passing, to touch an elm tree, dead and withered to the
roots from old age. The moment it
did so the whole tree burst into leaf, and was covered with flowers. This tree was looked on by the people
with such reverence that everyone coveted a piece as a charmed relic, and the
tree ere long was wholly cut away.
A marble pillar was then erected on the spot, with an inscription
stating what has been said above.
When the bier reached the doorway of St. Savior's Cathedral, it became
immovable, and no power of man could force it further on, till bishop Andrew
promised to found twelve chaplains to chant the praises of God in the chapel
designed for the dead saint. (54)
c.
Dead hearing, speaking, and moving (75-78)
Relics
join in singing. One night a
deacon watched St. Gregory of Langres (AD 541), and saw him rise from his bed,
and leave his dormitory at midnight.
The deacon followed him unobserved, and saw him enter the baptistery,
the door of which opened to him of its own accord. For a time dead silence prevailed, and then St. Gregory
began to chant. Presently a host
of voices joined in, and the singing continued for three hours. "I
think," says St. Gregory of Tours, naively, "the voices proceeded
from the holy relics there preserved; no doubt they revealed themselves to the
saint, and joined him in singing praises to God." (76-77)
d.
Relics (257-75)
Some
items from a list of relics given by John Brady (1839), but no information
supplied on location of each: (1) one of the coals that broiled St. Lawrence;
(2) a finger of St. Andrew, another of John the Baptist, and one of the
Holy Ghost; (3) two heads of John the Baptist; (4) the hem of our Lord's
garment touched by the woman healed of her bloody issue; (5) a vial of the
sweat of St. Michael, when he contended with Satan; (6) some the rays of the
star that guided the Wise Men; (7) a rib of the Word made flesh; (8) a pair of
slippers worn by Enoch before the Flood; (9) a tear shed by Jesus over the
grave of Lazarus.
2. Some Miracle Accounts Illustrating
Biblical Texts
146
headings covering 128 double-column pages
a.
Out of the mouth of babes (Ps 8:2, etc.) (355-57)
When
St. Agnes died (April 20, 1317), we are told by her biographer she received the
most perfect praise this earth could afford, that of infants at the
breast. The tongue of little
infants was unloosed, and they announced the death of St. Agnes and her
virtues, and their parents woke on hearing their voices. (356)
b.
God will provide (Mt 6:25-33) (398-99)
St.
Franchy (7th cen) was employed in making bread for the monastery of St. Martin
de la Bretonniere, but some of the brothers, out of envy, wishing to bring him
into disgrace, hid the materials used in bread making. St. Franchy was not in the least
disconcerted, but making the sign of the cross, began to knead nothing with
nothing, and at the time required produced his batch of bread in perfect
condition. (398)
c.
Holiness better than rubies (Prov 3:15, etc.)
The
body of Simeon Stylites (AD 459) was full of sores covered with maggots. One day a maggot fell from the
pillar-saint at the foot of Basilicus, king of the Saracens, and the king,
picking it up, laid it on his eye, whereupon it was instantly converted into a
magnificent pearl, so large, so beautiful, and of such fine water, that
Basilicus valued it more than his whole empire. (415)
3. Some Miracle Accounts
"Proving" Catholic Dogma
20
headings covering 52 double-column pages
a.
Body and Blood of Christ (489-95)
St.
Antony of Padua had a disputation one day with Boniville on the sacrament of
the mass. Boniville denied
transubstantiation, and Antony maintained its truth. To convince him, St. Antony had Boniville shut up his mule
and give it no food for three days.
At the end of this fast, St. Antony held out to the mule a consecrated
wafer, and Boniville threw it some oats.
The mule took no notice of the oats, but fell on its knees before the
holy wafer, adoring it as its Creator and Lord. (490)
b.
Purgatory (513-16)
Emilia
Bicchieri (13th cen) was the superior of the convent of St. Margaret, and
compelled the sisters on fast-days to abstain even from drinking water, in
remembrance of Christ's thirst.
One of the sisters, Cecily Margaret, died. Three days afterwards she showed herself to Emilia, and said
she had been in purgatory for three days to efface the taint of birth, and on
the third day her guardian angel appeared to her and said, "With this
water you abstained from on earth, in memory of Christ's thirst, the flames of
purgatory are extinguished. Enter,
therefore, now into the joys of paradise." (514)
c.
Virgin Mary (516-30)
St.
John Damascene and Juvenal, archbishop of Jerusalem, assert that Adam and
Eve, the prophets, all the apostles except Thomas, and many angels, were
present at the death of the Virgin Mary, and attended the funeral procession to
Gethsemane. On the third day
after her interment came St. Thomas, and entreated that he might be allowed to
look upon the deceased lady; so the grave was opened, when lo! the body was
gone. It had been taken to
heaven. The odor of sanctity remained
in the place where the body had lain, and the linen clothes, in which it had
been wrapped, had been carefully folded together. The apostles were amazed, but they knew that the body had
been taken up to heaven to be united to its living soul. Juvenal continues, "There can be
no doubt about this fact; for not only the apostles saw that the body was gone,
the same was seen by St. Timothy, bishop of Ephesus, Dionysius the Areopagite,
the divine Hierotheus, and many other saints." (518)
4. Some Implications of the Miracles
Recorded in Brewer
(selected
and reorganized from his pp xix-xxiii)
These miracles C
if they truly occurred and were done by God C attest to the truth of distinctive Roman
Catholic doctrines:
The world is divided into two
kingdoms: God's kingdom, the
Catholic Church, which one enters on baptism by renouncing Satan; and Satan's
kingdom, which includes not only pagans and Muslims, but also Jews and Protestants. It is meritorious for saints to
injure heretics such as Lutherans and Calvinists, but a sin if the
opposite occurs. There is no
salvation outside the church of Rome.
Its priests can actually absolve you from your sins. Its baptism regenerates. The
elements of the eucharist really are changed into the body and blood of Jesus
Christ, and can function as miraculous food.
It is wrong for civil magistrates to
punish crimes by imprisonment.
All punishment should be left to God and His Church. In the person of the pope, the Church
may issue anathemas, publish interdicts against whole nations for the
offenses of an individual, release subjects from allegiance, dethrone
princes, organize wars against heretics and infidels, annul marriages,
propagate new articles of faith, grant indulgences, open or close heaven,
canonize saints, authenticate relics and miracles, determine what is heresy and
orthodoxy, and speak with an infallible voice.
Salvation is the reward of merit, hence
the common end to saintly biographies: "He was called to heaven to
receive the reward of his merits."
The lives of saints are considered the
romantic ideals of perfection, including withdrawal from society, mortification
of the flesh, self-torment, suffering and martyrdom. One of the most meritorious acts of
piety is to remain single. It is
possible to be meritorious, to accumulate merit, to transfer merit to
others, so that the demerits of a sinner may be balanced off by transfer from a
saint.
Those to whom Christ gives light within
often show it by radiant looks, luminous bodies, nimbus and
glory. Sometimes this light
neutralizes gravity, so the saint is buoyed up in the air like a balloon. Christ frequently visits saints on
earth, usually as a little child.
Monks and nuns, as a rule, are the elect
and beloved children of God, certain of paradise, though perhaps having to
undergo a time in purgatory.
This time may be shortened by one's prayers, gifts, and penances while
living, or by those of a substitute after death. Indulgences may be purchased to shorten
the time in purgatory, or even to buy it off altogether. To break a monastic vow and return to
secular life is to be a child of the devil; exorcism is usually necessary
before such a one can be restored.
It is meritorious to torment the body in all possible ways: by filth, by
standing for many years, by not lying down to sleep, by insufficient or
unwholesome food, by scourging, by irons, by wearing hair shirts, by never
changing one's linen, by producing sores, etc. Those who torment themselves the most are the most holy.
Blind obedience to superiors is the first
law of piety, no matter how absurd the order, how revolting, how
difficult. The perfection of a
saint comes when he has crushed out every natural affection. Nothing on earth must remain C
its hopes, ambitions, loves C not even love to father and mother. A saint should read no secular book,
think no secular thought, hope no secular good.
It is a proof of merit to be able to work
miracles. It is meritorious
to see miracles and believe in them, or at least a demerit to doubt them. Miracles can be performed by dead
bodies, relics, and medals, as well as by living saints.
Relics can by authenticated by any
Church dignitary, such as pope, abbot or bishop. They can even be multiplied. They
possess miraculous virtues no matter how small they are, which can be transferred,
so that a relic can make a relic.
Saints, after death, have the power of interceding for their votaries
before the throne of grace, of curing diseases, and of visiting earth. The Virgin Mary is the highest of all
saints, the most powerful, and the most merciful. The saints in heaven take an interest in those on
earth. They like to be invoked,
patronized, honored, flattered, and even be dressed up and decked with
jewels.
The signing of the cross with the finger
or otherwise acts as a charm or talisman to drive away or ward off devils, sickness,
floods, storms, darkness, or other evils natural or supernatural.
Sickness, as a rule, is the work of the
devil, and exorcism cures the sick.
Death, as a rule, does not seem to be attributed to Satan, but Satanic malice is
usually the cause of falling, shipwreck, injury or death from falling chimneys,
trees or walls.
The soul may become visible at death, and
is often seen making its way out of the mouth of saints, either like a dove, a
beam of light, or some other material object. It is carried by angels to heaven or by devils to hell,
unless the soul is doomed to a period in purgatory.
F. SCIENCE & THE RISE OF LIBERALISM
1.
The Renaissance
A
rediscovery of the Greek classical authors in western Europe as the result of
the fall of Constantinople to the Islamic Turks and the fleeing of its refugees
to the West.
Europeans
became aware of what these ancient authors really thought and taught, as
opposed to the very distorted information which had come down through the
Middle Ages or the less distorted material transmitted from Spain via Arabic
translations.
This
material included philosophy, science, ethics, history, government, medicine,
rhetoric, drama, poetry, but also pagan religion and magic.
The
upshot was a great stimulus to the European universities, with a growing
interest in the ancient languages Greek and Hebrew. It helped the Europeans to see their
own culture in a wider context than medieval Christianity, Islam, and Judaism,
but also re-introduced a number of ancient heresies. Scholars became aware of the nature of
miracle accounts from ancient paganism.
2.
The Reformation
A
rediscovery of the Gospel of God's grace which had been thoroughly confused and
diluted by centuries of ignorance of God's Word, partly due to low levels of
literacy, partly to syncretism with local paganisms and worldly society, and
partly to institutional momentum of the Catholic Church and monasticism.
This
led to a renewed interest in what the Bible actually taught, as opposed to
how it had come to be understood through the filter of centuries of
medieval Catholicism.
One
result of this study was a realization that medieval and modern Catholic
miracles had a different flavor than those of the Bible. Since Catholicism taught that miracles
continued in connection with the lives of especially holy people, there was a
tendency to reject the continuation of miracle.
3.
Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler
Some
of the medieval universities had done rather impressive work in physics,
showing that Aristotle was mistaken about the motion of objects on earth, but
it was the work of Copernicus, Galileo and Kepler which showed that Aristotle's
earth-centered cosmology was wrong and paved the way for the rise of modern
science.
Nicolas
Copernicus (1473-1543), aware of the astronomical speculation of the
ancient world, noted that a great simplification of the technique for
calculating the positions of the planets could be obtained if it was assumed
they rotated about the sun rather than the earth.
Galileo
(1564-1642), the first to apply the newly-invented telescope to looking at
the heavens, showed that neither the sun nor moon were perfect, as Aristotle
had claimed, and that a "planetary system" of moons revolved
about the planet Jupiter, so that everything did not revolve around the earth.
Johannes
Kepler (1571-1630) used the vast observational data compiled by his mentor
Tycho Brahe to show that the planets did indeed revolve around the sun, and
that their motions could be described by several laws.
4.
Isaac Newton (1642-1727)
Newton,
one of the most brilliant minds in history, designed a new type of telescope,
discovered that a glass prism will separate white light into its various
colored components, invented a new type of mathematics (calculus), and showed
that Kepler's laws of planetary motions could be explained by (1) a very
general set of laws of motion which applied to all objects on earth as well,
plus (2) a force called gravity which attracts all massive objects to one
another. The famous contemporary
poet, Alexander Pope, wrote of him,
Nature, and nature's laws, lay hid in
night;
God
said, 'Let Newton be!' and all was light.
Newton
himself was a professing Christian (albeit of an Arian sort); he believed in
God the Creator who could miraculously intervene in nature, and he spent a good
deal of his time researching biblical prophecy. But many who came after him felt that he had explained so
much of reality in terms of law that God was not needed. This led to the deist movement in
England and later the philosoph
movement in France, which was popularized by the authors of the great French
Encyclopedia.
5.
Spinoza, Hume, and Kant
Three
men also paved the way for theological liberalism by providing philosophical
justification for the rejection of the miraculous. We will look at their arguments in
greater detail later.
Benedict
Spinoza (1632-77), adopting a pantheistic outlook, argued that nature and God
were two different words for the same thing; that natural law and God's decree
were likewise the same; that God's decrees are unchangeable, and therefore
miracles are impossible by definition.
David
Hume (1711-76) attacked miracles from an empirical point of view. He argued that our natural laws are
based on "firm and unalterable experience," and that miracles by
definition violate natural law. Therefore
we ought never to accept a miraculous explanation for an event unless a
non-miraculous explanation would be even more unlikely.
Immanuel
Kant (1724-1804) argued that man has access only to appearances and not to
things as they really are, so that all theology and metaphysics was unwarranted
speculation. Only practical reason
had a right to postulate the existence of God, freedom, and immortality,
leading to a moral religion of duty only.
Such a religion (a form of Deism) needs no attestation by miracles,
which are thus irrelevant to everyday life except perhaps to encourage the
common people to practice morality when they cannot be brought to do so
from better motives.
6.
Theological Liberalism
Theological
liberalism, as we call it today, is an outgrowth within Protestant circles of
the forces sketched above: (1) a
Protestant revulsion against Catholic miracle accounts; (2) a scientific
disdain for reports of irregular and superstitious events; (3) a philosophical
feeling that miracles are either deductively impossible, inductively
unwarranted, or practically irrelevant; and (4) a Deistic belief that
real religion was moral rather than revelational.
Theological
liberalism arose in 19th century Germany as a "more Christian"
alternative to British Deism and French Atheism, seeking to preserve the moral
character of Christianity and the "better teachings" of the Bible,
especially the New Testament and the life of Jesus. It is seen in the attempts to rewrite the life of Christ
along liberal lines; to avoid the miraculous in sacred history by redating
biblical books, by postulating diverse sources and editors, by having
prophecy written after the event, and by admitting fictitious narratives and
false authorship into Scripture.
Liberalism
spread from Germany into Britain and the United States in the latter part of
the 19th century, with considerable help from Darwinism, and came to dominate
first the universities, then the theological seminaries, and finally the
mainline denominations. It is
the "orthodoxy" of most intellectual and cultural leaders in the US
and Europe today, and is influential in similar circles in most of the older
mission fields.
Though
never so popular among the common people in the US as among the leadership, and
currently under attack from Eastern and New Age religions, it still exercises
considerable influence by way of mixture even among more conservative Christian
groups. Various cults and New Age
groups have accepted many of its teachings, and orthodox Christians have often
over-reacted in responding to liberalism.
G. ANSWERING LIBERAL OBJECTIONS TO THE
MIRACULOUS
see
Norman L. Geisler, Miracles and the Modern Mind
(Baker, 1992); Robert C. Newman, "The Biblical Narratives of Easter
Week" IBRI RR #1; and Newman, "Gospel History Syllabus";
Colin Brown, Miracles and the Critical Mind (Eerdmans, 1984).
1.
The Deductive Impossibility of Miracles (Spinoza)
a.
Geisler's version of Spinoza:
1)
Miracles are violations of natural law.
2)
Natural laws are immutable.
3)
It is impossible to violate immutable laws.
4)
Therefore, miracles are impossible
b.
Critique of Spinoza:
1) Probably some
miracles are violations of natural law, though many of them may override
natural law in some way or other, rather as we override gravity by picking up a
pencil. So 1) is probably true in
some cases, false in others.
2) This depends on
what we mean by natural law. If we
define natural
law to be immutable, it may be that there is no such thing as natural law. In any case, we do not know enough to
be sure that the regularities we know about in nature are immutable. And immutable to whom? Obviously humans cannot change the
constant of gravitation or suspend Newton's laws of motion, but it is not
obvious that God cannot.
3) Statement 3) is
true so long as we qualify it by saying "It is impossible for someone to
violate laws which are immutable to them."
4) If 1) is not
true in some cases, and 2) may be either an empty class or not immutable to
God, it follows that Spinoza's argument is not sound.
c.
Another Deductive Formulation
1)
A miracle is a violation of natural law.
2)
To violate a law is to be illegal, immoral, irrational
or gauche.
3)
God is not illegal, immoral, irrational or gauche.
4) Therefore, God
(at least) cannot do miracles, though perhaps Satan could!
d.
Response
1)
Same problems as Spinoza's 1).
2) Statement 2)
assumes natural law can be fitted into one of the categories of civil law,
moral law, logical law, or aesthetic law.
But this does not follow.
To violate a natural law is merely to be miraculous, which the God
of the Bible is regularly pictured as.
3)
Granted.
4)
The problems with 1) and especially 2) invalidate the argument.
2.
The Inductive Improbability of Miracles (Hume)
a.
Newman's version of Hume:
1)
Experience is our only guide to all decisions regarding matters of fact.
2)
The laws of nature are established by a firm and unalterable experience.
3) Our belief in
the reliability of witnesses is based on their reports usually agreeing with
the facts.
4)
Miracles are violations of natural law.
5) Thus miracles
go against the very evidence by which we determine matters of fact.
6) One should not
accept testimony regarding a miracle unless all the alternatives would be more
miraculous than the miracle itself.
b.
Response to Hume:
1)
This is a pure empiricist statement of how we know.
---------------
EXCURSUS ON KNOWING
See
discussion in Dunzweiler and Newman, "Apologetics Syllabus,"
section on Epistemology.
Knowledge
may be defined as "warranted true belief."
It
is studied in epistemology, the philosophical discipline that asks,
"How do we know?" and "What warrant do we have for our
beliefs?"
Three
basic ways of knowing have been proposed by various philosophers, not counting
claims that we cannot know (such
as Skepticism, Agnosticism, Subjectivism):
1)
Rationalism: We know only by basic
intuitions and logical deductions therefrom. Problem: How do we know our intuitions/presuppositions are
true?
2)
Empiricism: We know only by
experience. Problem: How do we know that "we know only by
experience"? Empiricism
involves assumptions it cannot prove.
3)
Rational Empiricism: We know by
means of our sensory equipment
(provided in advance), which processes our experience. Problem: Where did this equipment come
from? Why is it basically reliable?
Some
cautions re/ epistemology:
1)
Setting the level for certainty:
--if
we set it too high, we know nothing
--if
we set it too low, we may be unable to discriminate between alternatives
2)
Influence of worldview:
--danger
of being too gullible on solutions that favor our own worldview
--danger
of being too skeptical on solutions that don't
--how
do we test our own worldview?
3)
Problem of data:
--we
may not have access to enough information to make a good choice of solution for
some of the problems that face us
--we
may need to look for data in other places to get enough for a proper solution
-------END EXCURSUS
1)
resumed: Yet Hume is right to ask what warrant we can put forward for belief in
miracles. It must be granted that
even revelation needs to be tested in some way to avoid accepting false revelations. Cp the biblical injunctions to
test everything (Gal 6:19-21; 1 Jn 4:1; Deut 13:1-3; 18:18-22).
2)
The laws of nature (defined empirically) are established by experience
(observation and experiment), and must be pretty firm to be denoted
"laws." Yet it is
unclear in what sense the experience is "unalterable." Does Hume mean "no exceptions have
ever been observed"? If
so, he begs the question of the occurrence of the miraculous by secretly
importing his answer into statement 2)!
3)
Our belief in the reliability of a particular witness is somewhat more
complicated than this. If he only usually tells the truth or makes sound
judgments, we probably won't put much stock in his reports. Some combination of number of
witnesses, their known character, and what they might have to gain from
lying will usually figure here.
4)
Strangely enough, 4) is true in an empirical sense where it is not as used by
Spinoza in his 1). Miracles
clearly go against what we normally experience.
5)
Hume is mistaken here, once we adjust 3) as above. But he is correct in that we tend to be more skeptical in
proportion to the peculiarity of the event reported (Cp report of recently
seeing Tom Taylor, George Bush, Ben Franklin, or God).
6)
Hume here guarantees that we will never accept the report of a miracle, nor
probably even if we saw one ourselves, since witnesses can lie and senses can
deceive. Here is the rub: Hume would have us explain away
miracles even if they occur! One
can set the level of certainty so high that one will never admit a
miracle. A dangerous tactic!
3.
The Practical Irrelevance of Miracles (Kant)
a.
Newman/Geisler/Brown version of Kant's Argument:
1)
We cannot know things as they really are, but only as they appear to us.
2)
Therefore, any claimed knowledge of God and transcendent reality is just
unwarranted speculation.
3)
Nevertheless, in order to function practically in this world, we postulate God,
freedom, and immortality as a basis for morality and duty.
4)
Miracles either happen daily, seldom or never.
If
daily, not miracle but natural law;
If
seldom, no basis for knowing them.
So
probably never.
5)
True religion, consisting of fulfilling all duties as though they were divine
commands, needs no miracle to do what is right. Miracles, rather, tend to corrupt one's motives.
6)
Therefore, miracles are irrelevant to everyday life and true religion.
b.
Response to Kant:
1)
We cannot know that "we cannot know things as they really are" unless
we know how they really are!
Statement 1) is self-defeating.
2)
God, who knows things as they really are, can reveal to us what we need to know
along these lines, having created our capacities and knowing our
limitations. Of course, not every
claim to revelation is valid.
3)
God, freedom and immortality are indeed a basis for morality and duty, but
those with Kant's epistemology have no strength to stand against the forces of
skepticism which deny these. See
Lewis, Pilgrim's Regress.
4)
Jesus probably worked miracles daily during his ministry on earth, and they
have probably occurred very rarely at some other times in human history (1 Sam
3:1). We are not suggesting
that we would fully understand a miracle or be absolutely certain whether an
event was miraculous or not, but certain miracles exhaust the available
probabilities. See Judg 6:36-40; 1
Sam 6:1-9.
5)
True, but man is no longer capable of doing what is right, and needs a
redemptive miracle of atonement and regeneration to solve this. The miracles of Scripture point to the
Redeemer God who is able and willing to intervene for our salvation.
6)
Miracles are only irrelevant to non-redemptive religions like Deism and
theological liberalism, neither of which will save at the last judgement.
4.
Ancient Ignorance and Miracles (Harnack)
a.
Newman's version of Harnack's Argument:
1)
People in antiquity thought that miracles occurred every day. So it is not surprising that miracles
are reported in the ministry of Jesus, the apostles, and the prophets.
2)
People in antiquity did not understand nature and its laws. Therefore they regularly mistook
natural events for miracles.
b.
Response to Harnack:
1)
There are people both in antiquity and today who believe miracles occur every
day; there are others both then and now who deny miracles altogether
(Epicureans, Sadducees). Probably there are more skeptics today than back then,
but probably both the skeptics and the everyday miracle people are wrong. In any case, it was widely realized
that John the Baptist didn't do miracles (Jn 10:41), so they didn't have to be
reported of famous prophets. And
the Sadducees realized that it was impossible for them to deny that Jesus had
done miracles (Jn 9:18; 11:47; 12:10; cp Acts 4:16).
2)
This is absurd! None of the
miracles of Jesus can easily be converted into misunderstood natural events, at
least not taken as a group (3 cases of misdiagnosed death that just happen to
revive when Jesus shows up? Jesus
walking on shore/sandbar instead of water?) Give us a break!
5.
Miracles in a Closed Universe (Bultmann)
a.
Newman's version of Bultmann's Argument:
1)
Modern science and history operate on the assumption that our universe is a
closed system of cause and effect, so that they can describe, explain and
predict what is happening.
Even Fundamentalists practically operate this way when
they use electricity, modern medicine, and modern technology.
2)
The old mythical view of nature was that God, angels, demons, etc., were the
direct causes of lightning, sickness, earthquakes, storms. Today we know better.
b.
Response to Bultmann:
1)
Neither modern science nor history knows enough to know that the universe is a closed system. It appears to be a system in the sense that similar causes
are operating at great distances as nearby, but we do not know how to
explain its origin, nor the origin of life, nor the striking examples of
apparent design in nature apart from a mind behind the universe. We certainly have no full explanations
of what history is all about, nor a proof that it is meaningless. The discoveries of electricity,
modern medicine and modern technology are not inconsistent with
Xn theism, and many Xns were involved in their discovery.
2)
Xns (and others) have sometimes imagined they knew a great deal more about what
God, Satan, angels, and demons were doing than they really did, but the
Bible nowhere says that God runs nature without mediation, or that Satan and
demons are the sole causes of disease, etc. We certainly do not know enough about either medicine or the
weather today to say that there is never any supernatural intervention in
either (much less providence).
6.
Are Miracles Actual?
a.
There is good evidence for Divine intervention in creation.
--Discussed
in some detail in our Apologetics course:
--Origin
of universe
--Design
in universe
--Correlation
betw Gen 1 & origin of earth
--Origin
of life
--Origin
of major body plans in life
--Origin
of mankind
b.
There is good evidence for Divine intervention in history.
--Discussed
in some detail also in our Biblical Foundations and Synoptic Gospels courses:
--Origin
of Israel
--Fulfilled
prophecy
--Origin
of Christianity
--Phenomena
of Jesus' ministry, incl claims, miracle accounts,
esp.
resurrection
c.
There is good evidence for Divine intervention in the present.
--Christians
disagree on the frequency of miracle in modern times.
--The
phenomena of conversion, both on the individual and societal level, are
striking.
II. THE MIRACLES OF JESUS
(numbers
in parentheses are chapters in Matt, Mark, Luke, John, respectively)
A. Miracles over the Natural Realm
1. Changing the Water into Wine (0,0,0,2)
a.
Historicity
Occasion
3rd
day after meeting Nathaniel
Jesus
invited to wedding feast where mother involved in helping?
Disciples
probably invited because of connection w/ Jesus
Liberal
explanation:
Jesus'
presence made water taste like wine
Evidence
of historicity
date,
location, details given, incl number, type and size of pots used
remarks
of Mary, Jesus, ruler of feast
non-spectacular
nature of presentation
Reaction
of eyewitnesses
not
narrated: only remarks of ruler on wine quality and indication that servants
knew source
disciples
believe (11)
b.
OT Background
Similar
miracles
No
wine miracles, tho wine used in drink offering, feasting, and in Passover by NT
times
Transformation
miracles
water
=> blood (Ex 7)
healing
water (2 Kings 2)
canceling
poison (2 Kings 4)
Other
parallels: Creation and providence of God
Ps
104:15 - God produces wine
c.
Significance
Immediate
effect
to
spare embarrasment to hosts
to
give valuable present to bride & groom (ave wine worth 2 denarii/amphora,
so 30 denarii here at least)
Place
in salvation history
Beginning
of Jesus' miracles
Jesus
begins to show His glory
(glory
like Father's, who creates wine? Ps 104)
Disciples
(in some sense) believe
Symbolic
Elements?
Jesus
provides joy of feast (Messianic banquet?)
2. Miraculous Catch (0,0,5,0)
a.
Historicity
Occasion
After
beginning of publ ministry in Galilee, incl teaching in synagogues, casting out
demons, etc.
Already great multitudes flock to Jesus
Inconvenience
of this leads to using boat as speaking platform
Disciples
had been fishing all prev night w/o success
Liberal
explanations
An
allegory rather than historical: first hint of Gentiles receiving Gospel
If
historical, Jesus saw fish, told disciples [but see Excursis, below]
Evidence
of historicity
Particulars
of persons, number of boats, details of fishing
Reaction
of eyewitnesses
Not
clear whether crowd still around
Peter
struck w/ own sin when he realizes what this tells him about Jesus (cp OT
theophanies)
Disciples
leave all and follow Him
b.
OT Background
Similar
miracles
Moving
a fish - Jonah
Moving
a multitude of animals: Egyptian plagues, quail in wilderness
Other
parallels: Fish in OT
Man
made to rule fish (Gen 1:28; Ps 8:8), but instead they fear and flee him (Gen
9:2)
Fish
in hand of God (Jer 12:8ff)
c.
Significance
Immediate
effect
Fishermen
get spectacular haul
Shown
something about Jesus
Place
in salvation history
Jesus
to restore what Adam lost, here seen in dominion over fish
Symbolic
Elements
Fish
cp to men; disciples cp fisherman
Similar
to dragnet parable in Mt 13
As
God controls success in fishing, so in saving people
d.
Problems
Same
as call in Mt 4:18ff; Mk 1:16-20?
Relation
to catch in John 21?
------------
EXCURSIS: How far from the boat can one see fish under water?
Light bends when if passes from water to
air. Recall how a stick stuck into
water appears to bend at the surface.
There is also a critical angle at the air/water interface. If one looks more steeply into the
water than this, one can see beneath the surface. If one looks at a shallower angle, all one sees is
reflections from above the surface.
Using the standard formula for this angle, it turns out the angle is
about 482 degrees. If Jesus is viewed as standing up in the boat (eyes 6 ft
above water level), then by normal vision he could only see into the water at
distances less than 7 ft from the boat.
The liberal explanation that he saw the fish is thus unlikely!
--------------------
3. Stilling a Storm (8,4,8,0)
a.
Historicity
Occasion
Mark
seems to be most definite on time, the day of parables, early in Galilean
ministry
Apparently
takes boat across Sea to avoid crowds
Serious
storm arises while Jesus asleep
Disciples
terrified, awake him for help?
Liberal
explanations
Allegorizing:
presence of X calms disciples
Camb
NEB: some actual event behind it, poss exaggerated, connects with demonic
Evidence
of historicity
Divergence
of details?
Restraint
of narrative
Reaction
of eyewitnesses
Amazed,
fearful, reconsider their ideas of Jesus
b.
OT Background
Similar
miracles
Calming
storm - Jonah
Controlling
elements - Elijah after Mt Carmel
Other
parallels
God's
deliverance in storm - Ps 107:23-32
c.
Significance
Immediate
Deliverance
from death
Lesson
in faith - why so fearful? Jesus
is calm
Gives
broader scope for understanding who Jesus is
Place
in salvation history
Seems
to go beyond Ps 8 - what entrusted to man to show Jesus having God's powers (tho
Job 1:19 must be kept in mind)
Symbolic
elements
Much
allegorizing; cp w/ ark, and w/ picturing church as a ship
4. Feeding the 5000 (14,6,9,6)
a.
Historicity
Occasion
Latter
part of Gal. ministry
12
just returned from their mission (Lk)
Jesus
has just heard of John Bs execution (Mt)
Jesus
takes disciples off by selves to rest (Mk)
Crowds
follow; Jesus teaches all day, feeds at eve
Liberal
explanations
Lesson
in sharing: many have food hidden away
Invented
story to cp w/ Elijah & Elisha
Evidence
of historicity
Fourfold
record w/ considerable variety
Details
of place (territory of Bethsaida Julias)
Reference
to kophinoi (std food
baskets of Jews)
Jesus
has leftovers gathered up
Reaction
of eyewitnesses
Only
reported by John: "the prophet" (Dt 18:15)
Were
about to force him to become king
b.
OT Background
Similar
miracles: besides Cana and 4000
Manna
(Ex 16, Num 11, Dt 8, Josh 5, Neh 9, Ps 78) &
quail (Ex 16, Num 11, Ps 78, 105) in wilderness
Elijah
& widow of Zarephath (1 K 17)
Oil
multiplied (2 K 4)
Loaves & grain multiplied (2 K 4)
Other
parallels
God
feeds (Ps 104:27ff; Ps 132:15)
Rabbinic
views on Leviathan & Behemoth
c.
Significance
Immediate
effect
Crowd
of 5000+ ate, had all they wanted, more left over than originally existed
Want
to make Jesus king
Place
in salvation history
Comparable
to Moses w/ Israel in wilderness (so Dt 18:15, prophet like Moses)
But
JesusŐ connection w/ miracle much more direct than MosesŐ
Symbolic
elements
Jesus'
discourse next day (Jn 6:22-71) connects this w/ giving own life to sustain
man, so significance something like Lord's supper
5. Walking on Water (14,6,0,6)
a.
Historicity
Occasion
Disciples
sent off by boat (to avoid their particip in making Jesus king?)
Jesus
flees into hills to pray, spending most of night there
Disciples
get caught by storm in middle of lake, Jesus comes to them in 4th watch (3-6
AM)
Liberal
explanations
Jesus
walking on shore or sandbar
Evidence
of historicity
Time
notations (Mt, Mk), distance notation (Jn),
Connection
w/ feeding 5000 (esp in Jn)
Peter's
response fits personality
Misidentification
by disciples, lack of understanding
Reaction
of eyewitnesses
Amazed,
worshiped Him
b.
OT Background
Similar
miracles
Unusual
flotation: axe head (2 K 6)
Crossing
water: Red Sea (Ex 14), Jordan (Josh 3, 2 K 2)
Sudden
transport (Ezk 3:14; 8:3; 37:1)
Other
parallels
"He
alone... treads waves of sea" (Job 9:8)
c.
Significance
Immediate
effect
Disciples
delivered from danger, rejoined to Jesus
Peter
learns lesson in faith, pride
All
have better picture who Jesus is
Even
those not present puzzled (Jn 6:25)
Place
in salvation history
Another
action beyond OT prophets => Jesus is God
Symbolic
elements
God
the one who delivers from trouble
Sea
as opponent?
6. Coin in Fish's Mouth (17,0,0,0)
a.
Historicity
Occasion
Late
in Galilean ministry
Just
returned to Capernaum, keeping low profile (Mk 9:30)
Peter
questioned by those collecting 1/2 shekel tax, does Jesus pay? Peter answers "yes"
Jesus
responds w/ question & miracle
Evidence
of historicity
Details
of tax: called double-drachma rather than 1/2 shekel; term used not LXXs but
fits contemporary usage (diff size drachma)
Stater
as term for tetradrachm
Jesus'
peculiar answer (important for significance)
Reaction
of eyewitnesses
Occurrence
not even reported, much less reactions
b.
OT Background
Similar
miracles
Movement
of animals: Jonah, quails, plagues
Financial
provision: oil for widow
Pre-knowledge:
OT
prophecy, e.g., Samuel re/ Saul (1 S 10)
Other
background
Half-shekel
tax (Ex 30:12-16; 2 K 12:4; 2 Ch 24:6-9)
Neh
10:32 (something else?)
c.
Significance
Immediate
effect
Temple
tax paid
Jesus
makes point w/ Peter re/ its obligatory nature; seals this point w/ miraculous catch
Place
in salvation history
The
One who controls fish has come
His
relation to Father different than others (re/ atonement)
He
brings others into a similar relation
Symbolic
elements
Half-shekel
tax and atonement
Relation
of Xn to law
B. Miracles over the Human Realm
1. Healing Nobleman's Son (0,0,0,4)
a.
Historicity
Occasion
After
return from Judea & Samaria into Galilee
n
response to pleading of father
Liberal
explanation
Jesus
telepathically gave boy will to live
Evidence
of historicity
Royal
official or relative of royal family was he Chuza (Lk 8:3)?
Verb
"come down" (47) and time indications (43, 52)
Development
of father's faith: come down (47), accepts Jesus' word (50), began to get
better (52), believed (53)
Reaction
of eyewitnesses
Only
father saw both sides, but independently checked time
Servants
& household knew of sudden end of fever
Father
& household believed
b.
OT Background
Similar
miracles:
Healings:
not a lot; serpents (Num 21); leprosy of Miriam (Num 12) & Naaman (2 K 5);
Hezekiah (2 K 20); request re/ Abijah (1 K 14)
At
least one of these (Naaman) at distance
Other
parallels:
LORD
heals all your diseases (Ps 103:3)
Curses
of covenant incl fever (Lev 26:16)
c.
Significance
Immediate
effect
Relation
of signs & wonders to faith (48); note healing is c20 mi away
Boy
healed (52), father brought to faith (47-48,50,53); also household (53)
Place in salvation history
First
healing? (54); but note Jn 2:23
Prob
means 2nd Galilean sign (1st healing there)
Symbolic
elements
Nothing
obvious
Contrast
Abraham (ready to give son) and God (gave His son)
2. Woman with Hemorrhage (9,5,8,0)
a.
Historicity
Occasion
Follows
stilling storm & healing Gadarenes
Some
dispute re/ chron. relation to events narrated just before this in Matt
This
miracle bound up w/ raising Jairus' daughter
Woman
knows of Jesus' power, attempts to get healing secretly
Liberal
explanation
Psychosomatic
Evidence
of historicity
Appears
in 3 Gospels
Details:
12 yr (Mt 9:20), tassel of garment (20), trembling (fearing rabbi's reaction to
her uncleanness?)
Peculiar
feature suggesting Jesus did not know who touched him (Mk, Lk)
Reaction
of eyewitnesses
(Mk,
Lk) she feels healing take place; fear & trembling, but willing to confess
when confronted
b.
OT Background
Similar
miracles: nothing very close
Healing
at touch: Elijah's bones (2 K 13)
Women
healed of infertility: Sarah (Gen 21), Rebekah (Gen 25:21), Abimelek's women
(Gen 20:17-18), etc.
Other
parallels:
Uncleanness
of woman w/ hemorrhage (Lev 15:25-30)
To
be isolated (Num 5:2-3); those who touch them unclean (Lev 5:2-3)
c.
Significance
Immediate
effect
Woman
healed when physicians could not heal
Jesus
can heal w/o intention (cp Peter, Paul)
Encourages
faith of Jairus?
Place
in salvation history
Jesus'
compassion for women
Undoing
effects of fall
Symbolic
elements
Sin
of Israel like uncleanness of woman, but God will cleanse her (Ezk 36:16-38)
3. Raising Jairus' Daughter (9.5.8.0)
a.
Historicity
Occasion
See
previous miracle
Daughter
of Jairus, ruler of synagogue, is dying (Matt compresses the account)
Liberal
explanation
Girl
just asleep
Evidence
of historicity
Name
of official; age of daughter; Aramaic words
Mockery
of mourners (but not developed further)
Give
her something to eat
Reaction
of eyewitnesses
Amazement
of small group in room
Story
spreads far and wide
b.
OT Background
Similar
miracles
Resurrection
of widow's son (1 K 17) by Elijah, of Shunemite's son (2 K 4) by Elisha, man by
Elisha's bones (2 K 13), all rather recently dead
Other
parallels
Uncleanness
conveyed by touching dead (Num 19:11-12)
Eschatological
materials on resurrection (e.g., Dan 12:2; Isa 26:19)
c.
Significance
Immediate
effect
Dead
child raised, returned to parents
Action
in presence of parents, Peter, Jas, John
Evidence
for many who knew she was dead
Place
in salvation history
First
such resurrection since time of Elijah, Elisha?
Symbolic
elements
Most
natural is picture of coming resurrection
Connection
with Ezk 37 prob too far-fetched
4. Healing Paralytic (9,2,5,0)
a.
Historicity
Occasion
Not
clear from divergence of Mt & Mk when this occurred, but app just before
Matt's conversion
Evidence
of historicity
Occurs
in 3 Gospels in such a form as to suggest not copied from one another
Details
of time are vague, but took place in Capernaum; number of men given (tho
natural)
Opening
roof unusual
Reaction
of eyewitnesses
Pharisees
grumble at claim to forgive sin, but app silent when miracle worked
Paralytic
goes away glorifying God
Others
astonished, fearful, glorify God, remark on uniqueness, strangeness of event
b.
OT Background
Similar
miracles
Jeroboam's
hand shriveled & restored (1 K 13)
Lame
leap like deer at time of Israel's redemption (Isa 35:6)
Other
parallels
Lameness,
etc., disqualify for priesthood (Lev 21:18)
Forgiveness
given only by God and by person sinned against
c.
Significance
Immediate
effect
Fellow
healed
Attestation
of Jesus' claim to forgive sins
Place
in salvation history
The
One who forgives sin has become man
Symbolic
elements
Cp
Isa 35:6, pointing to eschaton
5. Cleansing Leper (8,1,5,0)
a.
Historicity
Occasion
Matt
seems to be most definite, putting it after Sermon on Mt (8:1)
Mk
& Lk are vague, but still early in Galilean ministry
Fellow
seeks Jesus out
Liberal
explanation
Some
uncertainty re/ exact nature of disease (Heb
& Gk terms broader than Hansen's disease, which itself has several types)
Liberals
tend to opt for milder forms & psych cure
Evidence
of historicity
Matt
seems to locate near site of Sermon on Mt;
Mk
& Lk out from Capernaum on a Gal. tour
Reaction
of eyewitnesses
Not
specified
Leper
so overwhelmed he doesn't obey Jesus' instructions
b.
OT Background
Similar
miracles: healings from leprosy
Moses'
hand (Ex 14); Miriam (Num 12); Naaman (2 K 5)
Other
parallels
Diagnosis
of leprosy (Lev 13)
Cleansing
ceremony (Lev 14; cp touching dead)
1st
day: initial exam & ceremony (1-8), no longer isolated, but outside own
home
7th
day: shaving all hair, washing self, clothes (9), now clean
8th
day: offerings; some resemblance to consecration of priest (10-20); if poor
(21-32)
c.
Significance
Immediate
effect
Man
cleansed, faith rewarded
Jesus'
compassion, concern for law ceremony as testimony?
Jesus
concerned to avoid wrong kind of publicity?
Place
in salvation history
Like
Moses & Elisha, one who heal lepers again walks the earth
In
contrast, Jesus touches leper, who is cleansed rather than rendering Jesus
unclean (parallel w/ resurrections by Elijah, Elisha)
Symbolic elements
Could
not find clear
evidence of symbolic value of leprosy; Ps 51:5-7 not obviously referring to
leprosy
6. Centurion's Servant (8,0,7,0)
a.
Historicity
Occasion
Both
Gospels indicate this occurs in Capernaum after Sermon on Mt
Centurion
(obv Gentile, poss God-fearer) hears of Jesus' return, sends Jewish elders w/
request
Note
difference of Mt & Lk narration; prob a case of simplification by Mt
Liberal
explanation
Never
happened? coincidence?
Evidence
of historicity
Name
of location, agreement of both Gospels on time of event
Mediation
thru elders
Rabbinic
& OT terminology for kingdom
Jesus'
amazement
Reaction
of eyewitnesses
Nothing
recorded except Centurion's humility (in advance) and Jesus' amazement at his
faith
b.
OT Background
Similar
miracles:
Action
at distance: Naaman's leprosy healed (1 K 5); Amalek defeated (Ex 17)
Miracle
for Gentile: Naaman 1 K 5), Woman of Zarephath (1 K 17)
Other
parallels
Provision
for Gentile prayer (1 K 8:41-43) & conversion (Isa 11:10; 42:1,6; 49:6;
60:3)
c.
Significance
Immediate
effect
Servant
healed
Faith
of Centurion forms basis for Jesus' prophecy re/ Gentiles in kingdom
Place
in salvation history
New
element is promise to Gentiles, contrast w/ Israel in Matthew
Note
how Matt emphasizes equality of Gentiles, Luke emphasizes goodness of Jews!
Symbolic
elements
Don't
see any beyond that indicated above
(Centurion
sort of "first fruits")
7. Raising Widow's Son (0,0,7,0)
a.
Historicity
Occasion
The
next day (or shortly after) healing Centurion's servant
Jesus'
app continuing his Galilee tour
Nain
on Mt Moreh near Jezreel Valley, over 20 mi SW of Capernaum
Jesus
and crowd of followers meet funeral procession coming out of city
Liberal
explanation
Resuscitation
from coma
Evidence
of historicity
Nain
not mentioned elsewhere in antiquity except in Xn sources (Eusebius, Jerome),
but village still there today in right place (called Neim)
Details
fit Jewish burial: procession, outside city, family in front, open bier or
coffin
Judea
- Luke app using term in broad sense (land of Jews
= Palestine) rather than in Roman provincial sense (1:5; 4:44; 23:5)
Reaction
of eyewitnesses
Become
fearful, glorify God
Say
"great prophet arisen"; "God has visited"
b.
OT Background
Similar
miracles: resurrections
Widow's
son by Elijah (1 K 17)
Shunemite's
son by Elisha (2 K 4)
Man
by Elisha's bones (2 K 13)
Other
materials:
Resurrection
of last day (Dan 12:1-2, etc.)
c.
Significance
Immediate
effect
All
consequences of son's death reversed (incl emotional and financial for mother)
More
public demonstration of Jesus' power than in raising Jairus' daughter
Report
spread far and wide
Place
in salvation history
About
same as raising Jairus' daughter, but evidentially far stronger
Less
likelihood of mistaken diagnosis, as now preparing to bury (some hours after
death)
Adds
second case w/o reasonable grounds for collusion or mistake
Makes
coma theories less likely
Symbolic
elements
Only
as sample of eschatological resurrection
8. Healing at Pool of Bethesda (0,0,0,5)
a.
Historicity
Occasion
During
a feast of the Jews (several suggested, even Purim); a few months to a year
after events of John 4
Jesus
sees a fellow who is lame (or something of sort), heals him on Sabbath
Liberal
explanation
Psychosomatic,
didn't happen
Evidence
of historicity
Location
now well-established, though site unknown even in 1900
Reaction
of Jewish leaders fits rabbinic view of Sabbath
Poorly
attested verse 4 re/ angel suggests place well-known in tradition from before
AD 70
Reaction
of eyewitnesses
Fellow
himself seems grateful (11, 15; latter should not
be understood as malicious)
Jewish leaders see only a violation of
Sabbath, later compounded (17) by blasphemy
b.
OT Background
Similar
miracles
No
references to healing on Sabbath in OT
Both
Elijah and Elisha touched dead to raise them
Other
materials
Sabbath
regulations (Ex 23:12; 31:14-15; 35:2-3; Num 15:32-36; Neh 13:15-22; Jer
17:21-27)
No
manna on Sabbath (Ex 16:22-29)
But
priests labor on Sabbath (Num 28:9-10)
Lame
to walk when redemption comes (Isa 35:6)
c.
Significance
Immediate
effect
Man
healed
Controversy
develops betw Jesus & leaders, resulting in strong opposition to Him for
His actions & claims
Place
in salvation history
Jesus
makes claims before official representatives of the nation
His
authority over Sabbath due to His unique relation to Father
Symbolic
elements
Sabbath
as eschaton?
Healing
as eschatological?
9. Man Born Blind (0,0,0,9)
a.
Historicity
Occasion
At
Jerusalem, whether Feast of Tabernacles (chs 7-8) or Feast of Dedication
(Hannukah, ch 10)
Jesus
& disciples see man born blind (presumably begging, v 8); disciples ask
question about cause of ailment; Jesus heals him
Liberal
explanation
invented?
psychosomatic?
Evidence
of historicity
Terms
rabbi, Pharisees, Siloam
Sabbath
controversy involving spittle and clay making
Details
of investigation, excommunication
Hebraism
"Give God the glory" (Josh 7:19)
Perceptive
picture of human psychology re/ blind man,
parents,
neighbors, Pharisees
Reaction
of eyewitnesses
Growing
faith of blind man
Growing
disbelief of Pharisees (but still divided)
Dispute
among neighbors over his identity
b.
OT Background
Similar
miracles:
No
cases of healing blind narrated in OT
God
makes blind and heals (Ex 4:11; Ps 146:8)
Blind
healed in eschaton (Isa 29:18; 35:5)
Healed
by God's servant (Isa 42:7)
c.
Significance
Immediate
effect
Fellow
healed, but also faced persecution; app came to salvation
Pharisees
forced to deal w/ matter; refuse to accept Christ's claims, so driven further
away
Place
in salvation history
Again
shows uniqueness of Christ in re/ to Moses, Elijah, Elisha (v 32)
Also
strong theme of judgment & deliverance
Symbolic
elements
Physical
light & vision, darkness & blindness stand for spiritual (vv 5, 39-41;
cp Isa 42:16-19; 59:10)
Jesus
makes clay => God making clay to form man (Gen 2:7)
10. Man with Withered Hand (12,3,6,0)
a.
Historicity
Occasion
App
early in Gal. ministry; all 3 Synoptics give it in same group of Sabbath
disputes, but uncertain whether before or after Sermon on Mt
Jesus
in synagogue on Sabbath where there is man w/ withered (paralyzed?) hand;
scribes & Pharisees watching Jesus to see if he will heal
Liberal
explanation
Never
happened
Evidence
of historicity
Reported
in 3 Gospels (Lk and Mk very close), w/ each giving some details not in others:
Mt:
Q by opponents; animal argument
Mk:
Herodians; Jesus' reaction to their silence
Lk:
right hand; madness of opponents
Reaction
of eyewitnesses
Only
anger of Pharisees & their beginning to plot Jesus' destruction noted
b.
OT Background
Similar
miracles:
Prophet
heals Jeroboam's withered hand (1 K 13:4-6; but note that prophet prays)
Similar
healing at day of redemption (Isa 35:6; Jer 31:8?)
c.
Significance
Immediate
effect
Fellow
healed, but not obv that Jesus did any work, since He did not touch, pray or
proclaim healing
Forms
basis for Sabbath controversy:
to
do good, heal = Jesus' work on Sabbath
to
do evil, kill = Phar's work on Sabbath
shows
real redemptive significance of Sabbath
Place
in salvation history
No
addition to healing lame man or to obvious healings
Contrast
w/ prophetic activity in closest OT miracle; says something about who Jesus is
Symbolic
elements
Eschatological,
perfecting of body
Doing
healings on Sabbath may point up its eschatological significance
11. The Ten Lepers (0,0,17,0)
a.
Historicity
Occasion
App
last year of ministry; not very definite chron in this part of Luke; Lenski,
Farrar connect w/ Lk 9:56;
headed for Jerusalem
Traveling
betw Galilee & Samaria, prob Jezreel-Harod Valley
Ten
lepers see Jesus, call out for mercy; he sends them to priests to be declared
clean (Jerusalem? local dwelling of priests?)
Liberal
explanation
Parable
Evidence
of historicity
Location
fairly definite, though chronology not
Incident
fits regulations re/ lepers, as also human psychology (forgetting benefactor)
Jesus
does not blast the one for not following instructions, nor cancel the cure of
the nine as often in fairy tales
Reaction
of eyewitnesses
Nothing
about bystanders
All
ten lepers had faith to obey
One
leper overcome by gratitude, returns to praise God and thank Jesus
Jesus
shows concern that others do not return
b.
OT Background
Similar
miracles
Cleansing
from leprosy: Moses, Miriam not
similar; Naaman (2 K 5) is closest, a foreigner who returned to thank healer
Miracles
for non-Jews: Naaman again; widow of Zarephath (1 K 17)
c.
Significance
Immediate
effect
Lesson
in faith for ten cleansed
Lesson
in gratitude for disciples (note: not clear that all 9 were Jews)
Place
in salvation history
Miracle
itself no particular advance over others
Intimation
of Jesus as light to Gentiles (Isa 49:6)
Symbolic
elements
Significance
of leprosy? Miriam, Uzziah for rebellion?
12. Deaf and Dumb Fellow (0,7,0,0)
a.
Historicity
Occasion
Right
after healing of Syrophoenician's daughter, Jesus goes to Decapolis & Sea
of Galilee by round-about route N thru Sidon and then E, perhaps to avoid
crowds and Herod; parallel to Matt 15
People
of region (app E shore of Sea of Galilee) bring him deaf & dumb fellow
Liberal
explanation
Psychosomatic
using magic or primitive means as accomodation
Evidence
of historicity
Some
geographical indications (tho these attacked for unusual route taken)
Striking
detail in healing itself, incl symbolic actions and words of Jesus in Aramaic
(which liberals seek to read as magical technique)
Reaction
of eyewitnesses
App
healed fellow does not keep quiet
Crowds
around are amazed
b.
OT Background
Similar
miracles
None
in narrative sections, tho app Ezekiel was made dumb and then cured as part of
his prophetic ministry (Ezk 24:27; 33:22)
Eschatological
healing:
Deaf
(Isa 29:18; 35:5; 42:18)
Dumb
(Isa 35:6; LXX uses same rare word as Mark)
c.
Significance
Immediate
effect
Fellow
healed (prob actions of Jesus intended as sign language to communicate what he
was doing)
Strong
impact on people who (Mt 15:31) seem to be Gentiles
Place
in salvation history
Pretty
definite ref to Isa 35:5-6, of which it is at least a partial fulfillment
Symbolic
elements
OT
occasionally uses deafness & dumbness in spiritual sense (Ps 58:4; Isa
43:8; 56:10)
13. Raising Lazarus (0,0,0,11)
a.
Historicity
Occasion
Just
a few months before crucifixion, at end of Jesus' Perean ministry
Jesus
at Bethany beyond Jordan when message reaches Him; waits two days before going
to Bethany near
Jerusalem
Liberal
explanations
Lazarus
not really dead: resucitation or plot
Parable
of L & RM made into a narrative
Myth
or allegory
Evidence
of historicity
Character
of Mary and Martha matches that in Luke
Location
of Bethany near Jerusalem, other place names
Details
of narrative, incl reaction of enemies, ref to blind man (37)
Reaction
of eyewitnesses
Many
Jews who saw event come to believe
Some
report incident to Pharisees
b.
OT Background
Nothing
new that was not covered in other resurrection accounts, except explicit connection
of this resurrection with eschaton (23-26)
c.
Significance
Immediate
effect
Lazarus
raised, family restored
Sets
in motion decision of Sanhedrin to kill Jesus
Place
in salvation history
Only
addition to other res. accounts is statement of Jesus as Resurrection and Life
Symbolic
elements
Here
eschatological significance brought out in 23-26
C. Miracles over the Spirit Realm
1. Gadarene Demoniacs (8,5,8,0)
a.
Historicity
Occasion
Closely
related to miracle of calming storm, which this immediately follows in all 3
Synoptics
Still
early in Galilean ministry
Jesus
met by demoniacs and He & disciples disembark
Liberal
explanations (Plummer's list)
Whole
story myth
Healing
historical, pigs not
Demoniacs
frightened pigs
Drowning
of pigs an accident about same time
Demoniacs
merely insane; Jesus humors them re/ pigs, but story taken as historical
Evidence
of historicity
Details
of location: other side, tombs, steep slope, variant names (Gedara, Gerasa,
Gergesa)
Reaction
of people in sending Jesus away
Reaction
of eyewitnesses
Pigs
stampede into lake
Pigherders
flee, perhaps to get to town w/ their side of story first
Demoniac
now normal
Others
come to see what has happened
Eyewitnesses
(disciples, others?) explain
b.
OT Background
Similar
miracles:
Not
much; more in pagan, rabbinic & intertestament literature; Os Guiness'
"campfire" effect?
Control
of animals by God: Laban's sheep,
plagues, quail, Balaam's donkey, cows pulling ark, ravens, bears? lions in den
Control
of animals by Satan: snake in Garden, Sabeans, Chaldeans in Job
Demonic
influence
Saul
(1 S 16), false prophets (1 K 22:22)
Little
on Satan in OT: 1 Ch 21:1; Job
1-2; Ps 109:6; Zec 3:1-2; poss Gen 6:1-2; closest here is Zec 3, where God delivers
Joshua from Satan (but not possession)
c.
Significance
Immediate
effect
Two
men freed from Satan's power (main one goes out to proclaim God's work)
Gadarenes
out 2,000 pigs! They ask Jesus to
leave
Prob
a deliverance/judgment theme here
Place
in salvation history
App
growing activity of demonic in IT period as far as Jews concerned, anyway perhaps
due to mixing w/ Gentiles, poss due to approaching conflict w/ coming Christ
Direct
confrontation w/ powers of Satan:
Won
decisively by Jesus
Does
Jesus use pigs to rid area of demons?
or
do they to rid area of Jesus?
JesusŐ
power extends to spiritual realm, not merely nature and disease
Symbolic
elements
Foreshadowing
defeat of Satan, coming judgment
Note
remark of demons in Mt 8:29
2. Syrophoenician's Daughter (15,7,0,0)
a.
Historicity
Occasion
During
latter part of Jesus' ministry, His special time working w/ disciples
Mt
and Mk both put this incident in midst of 2 others: Pharisaic opposition to
disciples not washing; feeding of 4,000
Jesus
has withdrawn to NW, presumably to avoid crowds and enemies (Mk 7:24)
Pagan
woman recognizes Him, seeks release of demon-possessed daughter
Liberal
explanations
Psychosomatic
Evidence
of historicity
Consistently
joined to other incidents
Ref
to woman is Canaanite (Mt), Greek, Syro-Phoenician (Mk)
Place:
region of Tyre and Sidon
Cryptic
remarks of Jesus characteristic
b.
OT Background
Similar
miracles:
Done
for Gentiles: Naaman, Zarephath widow, also Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar
Other
materials:
Separation
between Jew and Gentile
Oriental
view of dogs (somewhat modified by use of dimunitive, prob to indicate pet
dogs)
c.
Significance
Immediate
effect
Remote
exorcism of demon w/o even a verbal command
Child
delivered
Faith
of woman in face of obstacles
Grace
to Gentiles
Place
in salvation history
Hint
of Gospel to Gentiles, but relation to Jews specified
Most
striking recorded exorcism as noted above
Symbolic
elements
Woman's
parable re/ dogs
Prediction
of Gospel to Gentiles by synecdoche?
3. Possessed Boy (17,9,9,0)
a.
Historicity
Occasion
Linked
w/ transfiguration in all 3 Gospels
Disciples
left behind could not heal boy
Scribes
apparently hassling them
Liberal
explanations
Boy
merely epileptic
Evidence
of historicity
Three
accounts, all w/ some different details
Father's
faith is a striking detail (Mk 9:24)
Reaction
of eyewitnesses
Only
Luke records their astonishment
b.
OT Background
Similar
miracles:
As
noted above, little in OT on demonic possession
Saul's
troubles closest (1 S 16)
Spirit
interference w/ human action also seen in Sp of God stopping Saul (1 S 19)
c.
Significance
Immediate
effect
Demon
gets in last shot (Mk 9:26)
Boy
healed, poss resurrected
All
amazed
Disciples
puzzled about their inability
Place
in salvation history
Even
demonic forces subject to Him
Tougher
for disciples?
Faithless
generation, prayer, fasting?
Symbolic
elements
An
eschatological reference?
D. Their Significance
1.
OT Background
2.
Jesus' Claims
3.
Connection with Creation
4.
Connection with Redemption/Eschatology
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Dictionary Articles:
Bernard, J. H. "Miracle," Hastings'
Dictionary of the Bible (1911).
Blackburn, B. L. "Miracles and
Miracle Stories," Dictionary
of Jesus and the Gospels
(1992).
Brown, C. "Miracle," International
Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1986).
Brown, C. "Miracle," New
Dictionary of Theology
(1988).
Canney, M. A. "Wonders," Encyclopaedia
Biblica (1903).
Clark, G. H. "Miracles," Zondervan
Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible
(1975).
Donlon, S. E. "Miracle, Moral,"
New Catholic Encyclopedia
(1967).
Flew, A. "Miracles," Encyclopedia
of Philosophy (1967).
Licht, J. et al. "Miracle," Encyclopaedia
Judaica (1972).
McCasland, S. V. "Miracle," Interpreter's
Dictionary of the Bible (1962).
MacCullough, J. A. "Miracles," Encyclopedia
of Religion and Ethics
(1915).
Pater, T. G.
"Miracles (of Christ)" and "Miracles (Theology of)," New
Catholic Encyclopedia
(1967).
Sant, C. "Miracles (in the
Bible)," New Catholic Encyclopedia (1967).
Shogren, G. S. "Authority and
Power," Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (1992).
Wace, H. "Miracle," International
Standard Bible Encyclopedia
(1939).
Wright, T.H. "Miracles," Hastings'
Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels
(1908); reprint by Baker (1973).
Books:
Brewer, E. Cobham. A Dictionary of Miracles.
Philadelphia: Lippincott, n.d.
RC miracles.
Brown, Colin. Miracles and the Critical Mind.
Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1984.
Bruce, Alexander
Balmain. The Miraculous Element
in the Gospels. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1886.
Edersheim,
Alfred. The Life and Times of
Jesus the Messiah. 2
vols. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1956 reprint.
Fuller, R. H. Interpreting the Miracles.
London: SCM, 1963.
Geisler, Norman
L. Miracles and the Modern Mind.
Grand Rapids: Baker,
1992. Revision of Miracles and
Modern Thought. Zondervan,
1982.
________. Signs and Wonders. Wheaton: Tyndale House, 1988.
Headlam, Arthur C. The Miracles of the New Testament.
London: John Murray, 1914.
Hendrickx, Herman. The Miracle Stories.
San Francisco: Harper &
Row, 1987.
Hennecke,
Edgar. New Testament Apocrypha.
2 vols. Edited by Wilhelm
Schneemelcher. Philadelphia: Westminster, 1963-65.
James, Montague Rhodes. The Apocryphal New Testament.
Oxford: Clarendon Press,
1924.
Kee, Howard
Clark. Medicine, Miracle and
Magic in New Testament Times. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ
Press, 1986.
Laidlaw, John. The Miracles of Our Lord.
Grand Rapids: Baker, 1956.
Larmer, Robert
A. Water into Wine? An Investigation of the Concept of
Miracle. Kingston: McGill-Queens Univ Press, 1988.
Lewis, Clive Staples. Miracles: A Preliminary Study.
London: Geoffrey Bles,
1947.
Linnemann, Eta. Historical Criticism of the Bible.
Grand Rapids: Baker, 1990.
Lockyer, Herbert. All the Miracles of the Bible.
Grand Rapids: Zondervan,
1961.
Moule, C. F. D.,
ed. Miracles: Cambridge Studies in Their Philosophy
and History. London: Mowbray, 1965.
Redding, David A. The Miracles of Christ.
Westwood, NJ: Revell, 1964.
Richardson, Alan. Miracle Stories of the Gospels.
2nd ed. London: SCM, 1942.
Schaaffs, Werner. Theology, Physics and Miracles.
Washington, DC: Canon,
1974.
Taylor, William M. The Miracles of Our Savior.
New York: Armstrong, 1891.
Thiessen,
Gerd. The Miracle Stories of
the Early Christian Tradition. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1983.
Trench, Richard C. Notes on the Miracles of Our Lord.
New York: Appleton, 1864.
Wallace, Ronald S. The Gospel Miracles.
Grand Rapids: Eerdmans,
1960.
Warfield, Benjamin
B. Miracles: Yesterday and Today, True and False.
Grand Rapids: Eerdmans,
1965 reprint.
Westcott, Brooke Foss. Characteristics of the Gospel
Miracles. London: Macmillan, 1859.