Signs and Miracles: Jesus\' Performance of Eight

Signs and Miracles:

Jesus' Performance of Eight Miracles and Proof of His Deity

The Bible offers us not only a great record of historical significance, but also proof of various elements that have led society to believe in God, in Jesus, and in the Bible itself wholeheartedly, by means of religion. Though some doubt the existence of such beings and the truthfulness of the documents that make them exist, this paper will attempt to prove that at least one aspect was, in fact, true. This relates to the fact that Jesus, the supposed Son of God, was indeed a miracle worker, and the miracles he performed made him a deity to be revered, which the following paragraphs will describe and analyze.

Jesus performed many miracles during his lifetime, and various individuals, including Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, his disciples, recount these in the Bible. The table below provides a list of the miracles of Jesus, for reference purposes, and will be utilized throughout the paper. [1: Table Retrieved From: "The Miracles of Jesus Christ." Jesus Christ Savior. 2011. . ]

MIRACLE

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

Healing the possessed man in Capernaum

1:23-28

4:33-37

Healing of Peter's Mother-in-law

8:14-15

1:29-31

4:38-39

Cleansing of a Leper

8:1-4

1:40-45

5:12-16

Turning Water to Wine at Cana

2:1-12

The Miraculous Catch of Fish

5:2-11

Healing of a Paralytic

9:1-8

2:1-12

5:18-26

Cure of the Man with a Withered Hand

12:9-14

3:1-6

6:6-10

Healing of Official's Son in Capernaum

4:43-54

Healing of Centurion's Servant

8:5-13

7:2-10

Raising of Widow's Son at Nain

7:11-17

Calming of the Storm at Sea

8:23-27

4:35-41

8:22-25

Cure of the Gerasene Demoniac

8:28-34

5:1-20

8:26-39

Healing of a Paralytic in Bethesda

5:1-47

Cure of Women afflicted with Haemorrhage

9:20-22

5:25-34

8:43-48

Raising of Jairus' daughter

9:23-26

5:35-43

8:49-56

Healing Two Blind Men

9:27-31

Healing a Possessed Mute

9:32-34

Feeding the 5000

14:13-21

6:34-44

9:10-17

6:1-14

Walking on Water

14:22-33

6:44-52

6:16-21

Healing at Gennesaret

14:34-36

6:53-56

Cure of Syro-Phoenician's Daughter

15:21-28

7:24-30

Healing of Deaf-Mute

7:31-37

Feeding the 4000

15:32-39

8:1-9

Restores Sight to the Blind Man of Bethsaida

8:22-25

Healing of a Man Born Blind

9:1-41

Casting out of a Dumb Demon

17:14

9:14-29

9:37-43

Healing a possessed stooped Woman

13:11-17

Healing of a Man with Dropsy

14:1-6

Cleansing of Ten Lepers

17:11-19

Healing of Blind Bartimaeus of Jericho

10:46-52

18:35-43

Healing of Servant's Ear during Arrest

22:50-52

Healing of Two Blind Men at Jericho

20:29-34

The Raising of Lazarus

11:1-44

Jesus thus performed many miracles, and therefore demonstrated his power as a deity, and the remainder of the paper will focus on the specific miracles, which directly proved this fact. First, it is important to note that Jesus performed physical and moral miracles. Physical miracles are those such as making the blind see, walking on water, and performing other physical law-bending miracles. Moral miracles are those that involve blessings, driving out of demons, and such things. Furthermore, it is also important to make note of the fact that sometimes, physical miracles were performed for the purpose of morality, such as the fact that some were healed to prove forgiveness. [2: "Jesus Miracles, Signs of Divine Powers?" Google. 2011. ] [3: " Jesus Miracles, Signs of Divine Powers?" Google. 2011. ]

The first two miracles to be discussed are also the most important miracles, for they appear in all four Gospels. The first is Jesus' own Resurrection, found in Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, and John 20, and the second is feeding of the 5000 through the multiplication of the loaves, which is seen in Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:30-44, Luke 9:10-17, and John 6:1-14. [4: Anderson, N. "Jesus Christ Miracles." Stem Publishing. < http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/anderson/8SIGNSJN.html>. ]

After these most important miracles, others follow. They, of course, all efface Jesus' immense power and therefore prove his exceptional ability and his deity. They include the Cana miracle, where Jesus changed the water into wine, thereby superseding every single human individual at the feast, and demonstrated that was truly the Son of God. The quotation included in the Bible in John 4:46-54, with this particular event, is:

"The Invited Man, at Cana's feast

A humble Guest did dine;

Yet God -- the Host -- the water blest,

And changed it into wine." [5: Anderson, N. "Jesus Christ Miracles." Stem Publishing. < http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/anderson/8SIGNSJN.html>. ]

Another miracle is in Galilee, where Jesus exercised his healing power, as seen in Matthew 4:14-16. Anderson states, "The condition of the nobleman's son [in this miracle], physically, was illustrative of the spiritual condition of the nation of Israel. He was at the point of death. Healing mercy was there for him in Jesus, and for the healing of the nation if they would have Him." [6: Anderson, N. "Jesus Christ Miracles." Stem Publishing. < http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/anderson/8SIGNSJN.html>. ]

The next miracle is found in John 6:15-21, when Jesus walks on water. Here, Jesus comes to his disciples in the middle of a storm, though as calm as the calmest day, and speaks to them, and even invites them to walk with him, which is even further proof of his deity, for no man can do so. Furthermore, this again has historical significance, for Jesus will bring an end to the storm of Jewish tribulations. The quotation, as follows:

"The Dependent Man, the mount ascends,

And Suppliant there is He;

The Mighty God -- He then descends,

And walks the heaving sea." [7: Anderson, N. "Jesus Christ Miracles." Stem Publishing. < http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/anderson/8SIGNSJN.html>. ]

The next miracle to be discussed is another act which Jesus performed and which made him a deity, but also which enabled him to carry his message to the Jewish peoples. This miracle is the stilling of the storm found in Matthew, Mark and Luke, where Jesus displays his power over creation. This is an awesome miracle, for it truly proves Jesus' as a unique being.

The seventh miracle is the raising of Lazarus which is only recorded in John. Once again, in this instance, Jesus displays his power over death. According to some scholars, " The fact that Jesus called Lazarus by name is significant. If Jesus had proclaimed, "Come forth" without that specification, His power would have opened all of the graves."