Christian's Expositor Journal
Summer 2004 Quarterly
"Do you believe in miracles? Yes!" This is how announcer Al Michaels reacted to the U.S. Olympic hockey team victory in 1980. The impossible had happened. The unthinkable was a reality. During some of the hottest moments of the cold war, the U.S. won. Since that time, this victory has often been called a "miracle." In fact, in early 2004, Walt Disney pictures released a film retelling this story. The title of the film is "Miracle."
Our English word "miracle" comes from a Latin word that means, "wonder" or "surprise." Surprise is common.We might be surprised by things ranging from a quick recovery from an illness to the signal light turning green at just the right time so that we do not have to stop. We could use the English word "miracle" to describe both. However, the student of New Testament miracles finds this troubling. These surprising events are not like the miracles we read of in the Bible. What exactly is a Bible miracle?
The second kind of event is called "paranormal." Paranormal means, "along side normal." With paranormal events, we cannot easily explain the cause or the effect, but we can be sure that no "natural law" was violated. For example, if you witness a magic trick, you might not be able to explain the cause of the event, but we know that no natural laws were violated. Another example of this is hypnosis. Hypnosis does not violate any laws of nature, but it is difficult to explain the causes and effects.
The third kind of event is a miracle. These are events where natural law is transcended. When we read of the miracles in the Bible, it is clear that the cause must have been more powerful than the laws of nature. The laws of the universe are transcended when a man walks on water, raises the dead and changes water into wine. Jack Cottrell says, "Thus a miracle is distinguished by its cause—a cause which is non-natural, supernatural and immediate" (Cottrell, p. 251).
In the New Testament, several different Greek words are used to describe the miracles. These words do not describe different types of miracles. Instead, these words are used to describe the various aspects of a miracle. The first word is semeion. This word is most often translated "sign." The purpose of a sign is to distinguish one thing from everything else. The "sign of circumcision" (Rom. 4:11) distinguished the children of promise from the rest of the population. The "signs of an apostle" (2 Cor. 12:12) showed that Paul had abilities that others did not.
Signs also lead you to a conclusion. The signs in the life of Christ were intended to lead the witnesses to the conclusion that He was the Messiah. The second word, teras, is translated "wonder." This word focuses on the viewer's response to the miracle. It is interesting to note that this word never occurs alone to describe a miracle. It is usually coupled with semeion, so that we read of "signs and wonders."
The third word, dunamis, emphasizes the power that is necessary in order to perform a miracle. In order to transcend the laws of this universe you need access to power that is stronger than this universe. As Nicodemus said to Jesus, "…no man can do these signs that You do unless God is with him" (John 3:2).
A fourth word, ergon, is translated "work." An example of this word being used to describe a supernatural event is found in John 5:36 where Jesus said, "But I have a greater witness than John's; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent me."
• seventeen bodily cures
• nine miracles over forces of nature
• six cures of demoniacs
• three rose from the dead
Jesus also did many miracles that we do not know about. Each of the gospel writers occasionally makes summary statements about the miraculous work of Christ (Mt. 4:29; 8:16; 9:35; 12:15; 14:14, 36; 15:30; 19:2; 21:14; Mk. 1:32, 39; 3:10; 6:55; Lk. 4:40; 5:15, 17; 6:17; 7:21; 9:11; Jn. 2:23; 6:2; 7:31; 12:37). For example, in Luke 6:17-19 it says, "And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all." Why do the gospels record so many miracles? Why did Jesus perform so many miracles? Miracles had a purpose. One purpose was to give evidence of God's approval. Consider these passages:
-
• If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him (Jn. 10:37-38).
• Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know (Acts 2:22).
• God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will? (Heb. 2:4).
Miracles were also intended to give evidence that would create faith. An honest witness of these miracles, seeing that God is giving Jesus power, would naturally believe. Consider what John testifies, And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name (Jn. 20:30-31).
Another purpose of Jesus' miracles was to get people to listen to the message. We can see this in the way the gospel accounts are constructed. They each use the miracles to highlight teaching. For example, in Matthew 5-7 we read of the Sermon on the Mount. This sermon ends with a challenge to build on the rock of these teachings. In chapters 8–9, Matthew records ten miracles. These miracles show us that He Jesus is able! Build your life on the rock. Build your life on the teaching of the One with power to do all things.
When Jesus sent out His apostles, "they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs" (Mk. 16:20). The purpose of miracles in the lives of His followers was to highlight the teaching of Christ.
In Luke 11:14 we read of Jesus casting out a demon. The man possessed by the demon had been dumb. When the demon left the man, he was able to speak again and the multitude marveled. How incredible it must have been to witness the immediate healing of a man in such a condition. Yet not everyone was impressed. Two different groups found reasons to doubt.
The first group said that He had power from Satan. Jesus responded to this statement by saying, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation and a house divided against a house falls" (v. 17). Unfortunately, in our times we have ample evidence in support of Jesus' response. Millions of homes have been divided by divorce because a house divided will fall. These principles are true for Satan as well. If Satan's subjects were not working with him, they would be working against him and thus destroy his work. In order to be successful they must be united.
The second reason their argument would not work for the doubters was that some of their own had also cast out demons (v. 19). How could they prove that their own did not cast out demons by the power of the devil? Having destroyed their argument, Jesus highlights the truth His miracles were intended to support: "But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you" (v. 20).
The second group doubted Jesus' miracle because they needed a sign. Their demands clearly indicates that they did not believe Jesus' prior miraculous deeds were sufficient proof that He was the Messiah. Just consider these insufficient miracles recorded in Luke to this point.
-
• Escape from mob at Nazareth (4:28-30)
• Casts out demon at Capernaum (4:31-36)
• Healed Peter's mother-in-law (4:38-39)
• Draught of fish (5:4-9)
• Healed a leper (5:12-14)
• Healed a paralytic (5:17-26)
• Healed man with withered hand (6:6-11)
• Healed centurion's slave at Capernaum (7:1-10)
• Raised the son of the widow at Nain (7:11-17)
• Stills the storm (8:22-25)
• Casts demons into swine (8:26-39)
• Raised Jairus' daughter (8:41-56)
• Healed woman with hemorrhage (8:43-48)
• Fed 5,000 (9:12-17)
• Casts demon from demoniac boy (9:38-43)
• Heals dumb demoniac boy (11:14-15)
Having seen this list, we understand the obvious boldness of their challenge. Which of these miracles left room for doubt? Which of these miracles was not immediately and completely accomplished? Yet these were not enough.
Jesus' answer to this specific challenge is to tell of a sign that is coming (vv. 29-32). The sign that was coming was the sign of Jonah. Matthew records Jesus' explanation of this sign: "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Mt. 12:40). The special sign for the evil generation was the resurrection. This sign continues to be the sign for the skeptic today. Whenever we meet the challenge of atheism today, we need to point to the resurrection, the sign Jesus identifies as the ultimate proof of His deity. As Jesus foretells of the great resurrection, He also foretells judgment for those who reject Him. Jesus says that the Ninevites of Jonah's day put the Jews of Jesus' day to shame. The reason is that when they, the Ninevites, heard the great message from God, they changed. They did not ask Jonah for proof but rather repented.
Jesus also says that the queen of the South would rise up in judgment of this generation. First Kings 10:1-10 tells the story Jesus is referring to. The queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, so she made a journey to meet him. The Bible says that she asked him the hardest questions she knew. Solomon answered all of her questions. She was so amazed that she said that the half had not yet been told about Solomon's greatness. Her conversation with Solomon led her to bless God and give Solomon gifts.
In both of these incidents, Gentiles had learned of the greatness of God and gladly accepted it. In the life of Christ, God's chosen people had seen God the Son live among them, and yet they rejected Him. His own rejected one greater than Solomon. His own rejected one greater than Jonah. Having read these passages we wonder how they could have rejected Jesus. What was the real problem? The problem was not that Jesus' miracles were suspect or inefficient. The real problem was the heart of the witnesses. Consider Luke 11:33-36: "No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light. The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness. Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness. If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light."
This parable of Jesus presents many obstacles to the reader. According to Lenski these passages have also presented many obstacles to commentators. He writes, "This entire passage (v. 33-36) nonpluses the commentators, and their efforts at interpretation are labored and unconvincing" (Lenski, p. 650). Nevertheless this parable, like all of the other parables Jesus spoke, contains valuable truths for us. We must correctly understand this parable so that we can benefit from its truths.
No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light (v. 33). This verse contains the philosophy of Jesus' ministry. He considered His work as the shining of a light into the world. Jesus' own words, "I am the light of the world," tell the whole story. He was the one who could illuminate every part of the world that was dark.
We should consider this statement especially as it relates to His miracles. Remember, miracles were designed by God to have an effect upon men. Jesus' performance of miracles was part of His shining the light of truth in this dark world.
Because He is the Light, Jesus has to shine. He could have hid His light in many ways. For one, He could have not done any miracles. Another way He could have hidden His light was to do special signs for those who would hide them in a dark heart. Jesus did not do special signs upon request. Jesus shined the light of His life for all to see.
The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness (v. 34).We see the perfect harmony between light and the eye. Light's purpose is to shine; the eyes' purpose is to use that light for the body so that man's body is illuminated. If we cannot use our eyes, we have no other way of giving direction to our bodies.
The same holds true of our spiritual sight. The light of Jesus' life gives us the light we need to direct our spiritual life. Jesus' ministry meets our needs. What eye do we use to see the light of Christ's life? It is our heart. Our heart operates for us spiritually as the avenue of light into our whole body. The word "good" here means, "without fold, without duplicity, without ulterior motive hidden back in some fold" (Lenski, p. 652). The honest heart sees in Jesus One greater than Jonah. The honest heart sees in Jesus One greater than Solomon. The heart that is free from evil motives finds the truth it is looking for in the life of Christ.
To have a "bad" eye is to have an eye that is hostile to God and His will. This "bad" eye does not make the viewer blind, but it does make them him incapable of accurate perception. His condition causes "double vision." This evil heart sees in Jesus a simple carpenter from Galilee who is working with Satan. The evil heart sees in Jesus a blasphemer. The fact is, this evil heart does not really see Jesus at all.
The consequences of our spiritual sight are enormous. If we see with the honest eye, we will see in Jesus one who is greater than Solomon and will follow Him in everything we do. If we see with the dishonest eye, we will reject Jesus and will be on our own. It is difficult to navigate with double vision. The entire body will likely be harmed. So it is with our spiritual man. This tainted vision will misdirect us right into harm's way.
Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness (v. 35). How could light ever be darkness? In order to understand how to make light darkness, remember Jesus' words in verse 33. In that verse Jesus said that we never light a lamp and then hide it. While this is true physically, we need to be especially careful that it is true spiritually. We cannot ever put the light of Christ's life in the basement. We must always use the light of His life to illuminate our own lives.
If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light (v. 36). If we keep the light of Jesus on the lampstand, it will have the complete effect. This shows us the greatness of the light of His life. Who else could provide light for every area of our life with their example? Who else could chase darkness from every part of our lives? Only Jesus has this ability. Only His life has this power. We must use the light of His life for this purpose.
If we are fully illuminated by the life of Christ our entire being will be used to serve Him. As one commentator said, "The mouth does not confess Jesus while the hands disobey him; the head does not bow in worship before him while the feet walk in the counsel of the ungodly. No; the brilliance of the lamp illumines us altogether" (Lenski, p.655).
Within the last three hundred years, there has been a great amount of doubt raised about the miraculous element of the Bible. Men such as Spinoza, Hume, Strauss, and Funk have written books boldly asserting doubts about the miracles. This has been especially true in relation to the miracles in the life of Christ. A.B. Bruce correctly says, "it is the miraculous element in the Gospels that chiefly raises the question as to their historical trustworthiness. Eliminate that element and hardly a doubt would remain: the residuary words and deeds of Jesus would be welcomed as proof that in Judea there once lived a sage and philanthropist of unparalleled wisdom and goodness" (Bruce, p. 99).
The voice of the skeptics is loud. They are covered in popular magazines like Time and Newsweek. They are interviewed on the History Channel, the Discovery Channel and even ABC. When you see the type of media attention this doubt receives in our day, you might wonder if anyone believes in miracles anymore. In September 2003 a Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll showed that 82% of those questioned believed in the miracles of the Bible. I found this poll reassuring on some levels, but I was left to wonder:, would Jesus be pleased with this high percentage? This parable teaches us that Jesus wants for man to be fully enlightened by Him. Just believing in miracles is not enough. Sadly, many men and women who believe Jesus performed miracles still struggle with their eye today.
Men still struggle with their eye when they demand the Lord prove through signs that He is whom He claimed to be. We saw in Luke 11 how incredible it was to demand a sign after Jesus had already performed so many. How much worse it is today? We have all of the New Testament miracles those skeptics had, plus we have the resurrection! The resurrection is the sign. Men have no right to challenge the Lord by calling Him to give them a special sign.
Men still struggle with their eyesight when they teach conflicting doctrines from the life of Christ. In the average American town, you are likely to find dozens of different denominations. Each of these denominations teaches a doctrine founded upon the life and teachings of Jesus. This parable teaches us that bad perception will cause confusion. The confusion of denominationalism is because of poor eyesight.
Men still struggle with their eyesight when they continue to hang on to sin after learning of the new life in Christ. Many passages in the New Testament teach us about the change that needs to take place in our lives. We are changed by what we have learned (Eph. 4:20-24). When we reject the teaching, we make the choice to allow darkness in our lives. Jesus said that a good eye would lead to a fully illuminated body. When we hang on to sin, we cannot have this because of our poor eyesight.
No comments:
Post a Comment