Miracles

Gospels

Miracles in the Gospels

The Synoptic Gospels tell us repeatedly that Jesus, along with the announcement of the Gospel , helped and healed the sick and needy, making numerous "miracles", such extraordinary acts which arouse wonder, that the evangelists called "powers" (dynameis) or "signs" (semeia), symbols of deeper realities: hence the term 'miracle worker' that is' operator of wonderful things".

Jesus did the miracles not for his own glory, but for apologetic purposes, to confirm the authenticity of his divine mission. The wonders do not cause or force to faith, but they help to believe and help in making faith stronger.

Healing of a leper. Then came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling said to him: "If you want, you can make me clean." Moved, Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, "I want it, be cleansed." Immediately the leprosy disappeared and he was cleansed.

Physical healing of a paralytic. "...They set down the stretcher on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." "... Now. So you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth, I command you - to the paralytic - to stand up, take your stretcher and go to your house". He stood up, took his stretcher and immediately, under the eyes of all, he left, and they were all amazed and glorified God.

The calming of the storm on the lake. There was a great wind storm , and the waves reached the inside of the boat, so that it was now full. But he was in the stern, laying his head on a pillow and sleeping. They woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?". He woke up, calmed the wind and said to the sea, "calm, be still." The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?. "They were filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey?"

Healing of pagan Gerasenes. As he descended from the boat, immediately came to him a man from a cemetery, possessed by an unclean spirit. He had his dwelling among the tombs, and no one could bind him, not even with chains, because he had often been bound with chains, but he always broke them, and no one was able any longer to tame him ... he saw Jesus from distance, he ran to him, laying at Jesus' feet ,he was shouting in a loud voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, in the name of God, do not torment me. " Jesus said: "Come out, unclean spirit, from this man" ... And the unclean spirit, having exited, entered into the pigs: and the herd rushed down the cliff into the sea.

The resurrection of the daughter of Jairus. Came to him one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, fell at his feet and begged him earnestly: "My little daughter is dying: Come and lay your hands on her so she could live and be saved" ... He was still speaking, when from the house of the ruler of the synagogue, people came saying, "Your daughter is dead. Why troubling the Teacher any further? "... Taken the little girl's hand, he said, girl, I say unto thee, arise." Immediately the girl arose and walked, she was twelve years old. They were filled with wonder.

The first multiplication of the loaves for about 5000 people. He disembarked and saw the vast crowd, he had compassion on them because they were as sheep without a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things. And when it grew late, his disciples came to him, saying, "The place is deserted, and it is getting very late, they should go to their villages and buy themselves something to eat." But he answered, "You, yourselves, give them something to eat." They replied, 'We have to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?'. But he said to them, "How many loaves do you have? Go and see. " They inquired and said, "Five loaves and two fish." And he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. And taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, said the blessing, broke the loaves and gave them to his disciples to distribute: and he divided the two fish among them all. They all ate until full, and took with them twelve baskets full of pieces of bread and fish. Those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.

Jesus walking on the water of the lake. Seeing them fatigued because they were rowing against the wind, at the end of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the water, He wanted to overpass them. They saw him walking on the water and thought: "It's a ghost," and began to scream, everybody had seen Him and were left shocked. But immediately he spoke to them and said, "Do not fear, it is I, don't be afraid." He got into the boat with them and the wind ceased.

Healing in the region of Gennesaret. After getting out of the boat, people immediately recognized him and, hurrying from every part of the region, began to bring the sick on stretchers to wherever they heard he was. And where He arrived, in villages or cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the streets and begged him to let them touch even the fringe of his garment: and all who touched Him were saved.

Healing of a deaf-mute. They brought to him a deaf-mute and they begged him to place his hand on him. He took him aside, away from the crowd, put his fingers into his ears, and with His saliva touched his tongue and looking toward heaven, he sighed and said, "Effatà, that is." "Be opened." And immediately his ears were opened, and he started speaking.

Second multiplication of the loaves of bread and fishes. "I have compassion for the crowd, they have been with me for three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way, and some of them have come from afar". His disciples told him, "How can we feed them with bread here in a desert?. He asked them, "How many loaves have you?. They said, "Seven". And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. He took the seven loaves, gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to distribute to the crowd. They also had a few small fish;He said the blessing over them and had them distributed too. They ate and were filled: and they took up seven baskets of broken pieces that were left. They were about four thousand.

The blind man of Jericho. The son of Timaeus, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting along the way. Hearing Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Son of David, Jesus, have mercy on me." Many scolded him and told him to be silent, but he shouted all the louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me." Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." And they called the blind, saying, "Come on! Arise, He is calling for you". He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, What do you want me to do for you?. And the blind man said to him, "Master, that I may see again." And Jesus said, "Go, your faith has saved you." And immediately he regained his sight and followed him along the way.