The 37 Miracles of Jesus

In the New Testament, miracles are classified under three symbolic titles. They are called Power, and sometimes Wonders, and in other places Signs.

It is important to put into perspective the Jesus miracle ministry. All the miracles that Jesus performed were about him and not about the people. The people (victims) were but just beneficiaries of a divine intent.

The miracles were a divine power exhibited in contrast to the sinful powers and against these principalities, that is why they are called dunamis (Power) of God. They are also called terms (Wonders) of God, and in some incidences, they are called: sémeion (signs) pointing to God.

So miracles are essentially missiological and that mission was essentially the identity of God and his work. The Palestine Jews decided to take the teaching aid (miracles) and leave the lesson (Jesus) .

In the Bible, Jesus used miracles, not substantially to save people but to present himself. Every miracle in the Bible was about God. Until God has a need to use a miracle, however much one prays for it, it will not happen. And if God has the need for it, it doesn’t matter whether you prayed for it, it will happen.

When you trace the entire 37 miracles of Jesus in the New Testament, you will find a hard time finding one equivalent to the modern day miracles. When do we know the situation has gone beyond normal? And when it has gone beyond normal, can we be specific with the extra-ordinary while we are in the ordinary? To understand this, one needs to cite just one example in which one person supposedly prayed for a miracle in the NT.

WHAT YOU CALL A MIRACLE MUST EXHIBIT…DUNAMIS.

We need to be careful here. The NT has nine Greek words for power but theologically, a miracle should be under dunamis. and that dunamis exhibited in the event of an individual should establish wonder and we must trace its figurative use.

When you evaluate the modern miracles in the lens of the NT miracles, I am sure there will be more differences than similarities.

Pr ITM White
The Gospel Hawker