Jesus...and Gospel accounts of miracles

blog #15, Jesus...and Gospel accounts of miracles

Gospel narratives abound with reports of healings and miracles, which happened for people during the teaching and ministry of Jesus. But, can we rely on the stories, as reported to us, or are they just exaggerations or rumors reported by Gospel authors?

We prefer to believe that the Gospel authors are simply revealing what they saw and heard, as they related the amazing things which they witnessed (See Luke 1:1-2 and Acts 1:1).

Notice John 21:24-25, “This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which if they should be written everyone, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the scrolls that should be written. Amen.”

We find it difficult to dispute what claimed “eyewitnesses,” have declared, since we were not there, and since John introduced the “amen,” thus attesting to the veracity and authenticity of events which the disciples witnessed. Imagine; a person so inspired by what he saw and heard of teachings, signs, wonders and miracles, that he thought many many more scrolls should be written. Even enough to fill the world. Impressive indeed, enough so as to promote a great supposition.

What did they actually see and hear? Individual and mass or group healings beyond imagination, I suspect. I am citing some verse examples from the Gospel of Mark. Notice Mark 1:32-34: And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with demons. And all the city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many that were sick of various diseases, and cast out demons; and suffered not the demons to speak, because they knew him ...

Look also at more mass healings and miracles in Mark 3:10: For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues. And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him and cried [out]...Notice the words in both verses; he healed many, and he had healed many...

Nothing I have cited thus far, is an example of an individual healing, and there are other mass healing verses as well. For the sake of impression, I point to a man delivered from a demon in a synagogue in Mark 1:23-26, a paralyzed man let down through a roof in Mark two, the man in a synagogue, healed of a withered arm in Mark three, the demon filled man having legions cast out near Gadera in Mark five, or even the synagogue ruler’s daughter revived from death in Mark 5:22.

Another example of group, or mass healings, that cannot be numbered is noticed in Mark 6:54-56: "And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him, and ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was. And wheresoever he entered, into villages, or city, or country, they laid the sick in the street, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.” Whew!

In today’s world, it would be like healing the entire sick ward in a hospital, and sending them all home well.

The Greek Testament terms in those verse of Mark 6:54-56, are “too kraspe’doo himati’oo autoo,” coming to us in Anglicized form as “the border of his garment.” The Septuagint translation uses the same Greek term in Numbers 15:38-42 (Kraspe’da), and it refers to the special garment commanded the Jewish male to be worn with “fringes” (TziTzit). The people were reaching to touch his prayer shawl fringes.

We believe that Jesus’ miracles, healings, and exorcisms were real, and not exaggerated. The Hebrew Bible gives various details about Moses and the prophets working signs, wonders, and miracles under God’s authority (see Exodus 4:28-31). It’s also known that exorcism, or expelling demons, happened in the Hebrew Bible. Notice, 1Samuel 16:14-23, wherein it is written that when David played the harp, the evil spirit was exorcised from Saul.

Although belief in and about demons have played a relatively unimportant role in Judaism, rabbinic literature does not deny their existence. But Judaism does stress, that its monotheistic God has absolute and sovereign control in all matters.

Power over demons was attributed to king Solomon in Exod. R. XXX. 16 : Many spirits and demons did Solomon vanquish,” although the power deserted him later in life, because, as it is said, ‘Until Solomon sinned, he ruled over the demons’ (Pesikta 45b).