BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD (Part VI)
As we highlight the PERSON and WORK of JESUS CHRIST, it is
important to look more closely at one of the hallmarks of His public
ministry: MIRACLES. In
the New Testament, these frequent supernatural occurrences are referred to as
“mighty deeds,” or “wonders,” or “signs,” or “miracles.” (II Corinthians 12:12
– John 2:11) Whether such miracles were the direct result of Jesus’
ministry or the indirect extensions of His disciples’ ministries, all of them
originate in (and flow from) the power of The
Christ, The Anointed One.
A miracle may
be defined as (1) an extraordinary event that is inexplicable in terms of
ordinary natural forces, or (2) an event that causes the observers to postulate
a superhuman personal cause, or (3) an event that constitutes evidence, i.e. a
sign with much wider implications than the event itself. (Source: Zondervan’s
All-In-One Bible Reference Guide, p.427) As such, all of Christ’s
miracles had a two-fold purpose: REVELATION and EDIFICATION.
Firstly, miracles were designed to bring hope and healing
to specific persons, e.g. to provide personal deliverance from troublesome diseases
such as palsy, which was a tremor-producing, incapacitating, muscle disease
that was common in Jesus’ day. Secondly, miracles were intended to reveal
the person and work of Christ, i.e. to validate His gospel of The Kingdom,
convincing unbelievers of His authority and authenticity.
It is important to note that Christ’s miracles were not
always centered on the physical healing of individuals. For example, His first miracle, which took
place at a wedding in Cana of Galilee, was the transformation of water into
wine. (John 2:1-11) Jesus Christ also commanded power over wind, weather
and water when he “rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still.
And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” (Mark 4:39) Another example
of His awesome power was the miraculous draught of fishes. (Luke 5:4-9)
On yet another occasion, Jesus fed a huge multitude (5,000 men plus women and
children) with just two fish and five loaves. (Matthew 14:18-20)
The miracles of Jesus were always wrought by the manifest power
of Almighty God. Dr. Luke affirms this: “How God anointed Jesus of
Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and
healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” (Acts
10:38 – Luke 4:18)
Occasionally, Jesus healed certain individuals and charged
them not to disclose
that He had done so, or to reveal to others that He was indeed the
Messiah. Theologians refer to this as The Messianic Secret. Examples of this include the
casting out of unclean spirits (Mark 3:11-12), the healing of two blind men
(Matthew 9:27-30), the occasion when He raised a twelve-year-old girl from the
dead (Mark 5:37-43), the healing of a deaf and dumb man (Mark 7:32-37), and his
prohibition against revealing to others that He was The Christ until the appointed time
of His redemptive suffering and death. (Mark 8:27-30 – Mark 9:7-9)
The physical healing miracles
of Jesus are both wide-ranging
and phenomenal. Following are a few key examples:
-The healing of the nobleman’s son (John 4:46-54)
-The healing of the demoniac (Luke 4:33-37)
-The healing of Peter’s mother-in-law (Luke 4:38-39)
-The healing of a leper (Matthew 8:2-4)
-The healing of a paralytic (Matthew 9:2-8)
-The healing of the man at the pool (John 5:2-9)
-The healing of the withered hand (Mark 3:1-5)
-The healing of the centurion’s servant (Matthew 8:5-13)
-The healing/raising of the widow’s son (Luke 7:12-16)
-The healing of the Gadarene demoniac (Mark 5:1-20)
-The healing/raising of Jairus’ daughter (Luke 8:41-42)
-The healing of the Syrophoenician woman’s daughter
(Matthew 15:22-28)
-The healing of the ten lepers (Luke 17:11-19)
-The healing of the blind man (John 9:1-41)
-The healing of the man with dropsy (Luke 14:1-6)
-The healing of the woman with an issue of blood (Matthew
9:20-22)
-The healing/raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-46)
The four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) contain
general accounts of numerous miracles that took place during Jesus’ 3½ year
public ministry. However, John’s gospel concludes with this astounding
statement:
John 21:25
And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the
which, if they should all be written, I suppose that even the world itself
could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.
The implication is crystal clear. Not all of Christ’ miracles were recounted
and recorded by the apostles. Indeed,
the working of miracles was such a normal and continual part of Christ’s daily
ministry activity that it would have been quite impossible to do so. JESUS CHRIST, as “the fullness of the Godhead
bodily,” is unquestionably the New Testament manifestation of JEHOVAH-ROPHE, “The
LORD that healeth thee.” (Colossians 2:9 – Exodus 15:26) Therefore, we may faith-fully position ourselves to be
the recipients of divine healing. Stay tuned…more to come tomorrow.
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