“Bringing Dry Bones Back to Life” (a study of Hebrews)

An Introduction

Many people believe Christianity faces a fate where its buildings will become museums to be visited by those wanting to review history. It’s believed that Christianity will live in small groups of people, but the vitality will be gone.

People base these pessimistic predictions on reports that say religion is declining in American life. Sociologists tell about a startling contradiction: people are as religious as they were in generations ago, but they go to church less.

How does any person sitting here today evaluate the “spiritual health of this congregation?” Do we look at budgets, attendance, ministries, or patterns of growth? They certainly offer ‘indicators’ but we quickly acknowledge that ‘vital signs’ are taken from the ‘inside out.’

Because we worry about the future of the church, we should recall that the Bible is not a story of triumph after triumph: Discouragement overtook the children of Israel many times. Elijah complained in 1 Kings 19:10: “He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.””

Do you remember God’s response? Verse 18: “Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel–all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.”

I especially like Ezekiel 37:1-10: “The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. {2} He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. {3} He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “O Sovereign LORD, you alone know.” {4} Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! {5} This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. {6} I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.'” {7} So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. {8} I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. {9} Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.'” {10} So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet–a vast army.”

Jesus’ ministry didn’t always look like a success story. There were instances when ” From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.” (John 6:66 (NIV) There have always been periods of decline among the people of God.

What resources do we have to bring life to a tired community? Of course, it is God who ultimately works to bring life to the church. In the past (and in many places today) periodic “revivals” or “meetings” were tried to achieve renewal. In many instances, these occasions were very useful in stimulating the church to greater service. Meetings, campaigns, and other special programs indicate our awareness that communities do grow tired and that one of our great needs is to find the resources for renewal.

In reality, we have likely been more successful in providing momentary diversions than in providing on going renewal of the church.

If the writer to the Hebrews had one text it was: “Let us draw near.”

Hebrews 10:19-23: “Therefore, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way which he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, . . . let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.”

(Hebrews 4:14-16 NIV) “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. {15} For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin. {16} Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

(Hebrews 6:1 NIV) “Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God…”

(Hebrews 10:22 NIV) “…let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”

The Christians here were in danger of committing apostasy (of turning their back on Christ and going back to the law). They had been Christians long enough to have developed spiritual depth and insight…yet they were said to be “dull of hearing” and still needed “milk instead of solid food.”

As Christians, we know the answer to the world’s problems, but the problem was: “How to make the world believe the answer?” Story of a young Christian who seemed considerably troubled. With a deeply concerned look on his face, he said, ” Why doesn’t the world believe what we have to say?” Then he added, “I think it’s because so many Christians don’t act like they believe it themselves.” Then he asked the logical, but thorny, question: “How can we make Christians believe what they believe?”

That is the very theme of the book of Hebrews: How to make Christians believe, how to make Christians act like Christians. This is what the world is waiting to see and what the epistle was written to effect. It is addressed to a group of Jewish Christians who had begun to drift, to lose their faith.

They had lost all awareness of the relevancy of their faith to the daily affairs of life. They had begun to drift into outward formal religious performance, but to lose the inner reality. Doubts were creeping into their hearts from some of the humanistic philosophies that abounded in the world of their day, as they abound in the world of our day. Some of them were about to abandon their faith in Christ, not because they were attracted again by Jewish ritual and ceremony, but because of persecution and pressure.

They felt it was not worthwhile; they were losing too much, and that it was possible, just possible, that they had been deceived and the message of Christ was not true after all.

Hebrews 1:1-2 (NIV)
¹  In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,
²  but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.

The great tragedy is this: men have groped and grasped after God as though they were in a dark world that gave no evidence of God. But this is just not so; there is no need for man to be in the dark about God. Why? Because God has revealed Himself, and He has revealed Himself in many different ways:

• through nature or what might be called a revelation of His Supreme deity and power. A person can look at nature and clearly see God’s deity and power
• through conscience or what might be called an inner witness or sense of duty to God.
• through law or what might be called a revelation of Supreme justice
• through religion or what might be called a revelation of how to worship and become acceptable to God
• through prophets and priests or what might be called the revelation of God through human spokesmen and mediators.

The list could go on and on, but the point is that God has revealed Himself to man, and each revelation has been very important for man’s understanding of God. But despite all these revelations, something vital is still missing. If man is ever to know God, there is only one way, the very same way that man gets to know anybody.

Man can know about a person, know all the facts about a person’s life; but until he personally meets the person and associates and fellowships with him, he does not personally know him.

Therefore if man was to ever know God, God had to reveal Himself in the most supreme way possible: He had to come to earth and show Himself to man, revealing exactly who He is and what He is like. This is the whole point of the first four chapters.

The word better is used thirteen times in this book as the writer shows the superiority of Jesus Christ and His salvation over the Hebrew system of religion. Christ is “better than the angels” (Heb. 1:4). He brought in “a better hope” (Heb. 7:19) because He is the Mediator of “a better covenant, which was established on better promises” (Heb. 8:6).

Another word that is repeated in this book is perfect; in the original Greek it is used fourteen times. It means a perfect standing before God. This perfection could never be accomplished by the levitical priesthood (Heb. 7:11) or by the Law (Heb. 7:19), nor could the blood of animal sacrifices achieve it (Heb. 10:1). Jesus Christ gave Himself as one offering for sin, and by this He has “perfected forever them that are sanctified” (Heb. 10:14).

Eternal is a third word that is important to the message of Hebrews. Christ is the “author of eternal salvation” (Heb. 5:9). Through His death, He “obtained eternal redemption” (Heb. 9:12) and He shares with believers “the promise of eternal inheritance” (Heb. 9:15). His throne is forever (Heb. 1:8) and He is a priest forever (Heb. 5:6; 6:20; 7:17, 21). “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8).

When you combine these three important words, you discover that Jesus Christ and the Christian life He gives us are better because these blessings are eternal and they give us a perfect standing before God. The religious system under the Mosaic Law was imperfect because it could not accomplish a once-for-all redemption that was eternal.

These people were “second generation believers,” having been won to Christ by those who had known Jesus Christ during His ministry on earth (Heb. 2:3). They were true believers (Heb. 3:1) and not mere professors.

They had been persecuted because of their faith (Heb. 10:32-34; 12:4; 13:13-14), and yet they had faithfully ministered to the needs of others who had suffered (Heb. 6:10). But they were being seduced by teachers of false doctrine (Heb. 13:9), and they were in danger of forgetting the true Word that their first leaders, now dead, had taught them (Heb. 13:7).

The tragic thing about these believers is that they were at a standstill spiritually and in danger of going backward (Heb. 5:12ff). Some of them had even forsaken the regular worship services (Heb. 10:25) and were not making spiritual progress (Heb. 6:1). In the Christian life, if you do not go forward, you go backward; there is no permanent standing still.

“How can you go back into your former religion?” the writer asked them. “Just take time to evaluate what you have in Jesus Christ. He is better than anything you ever had under the Law.”

Much like our own times, the writer of Hebrews and his audience are not accustomed to daily miraculous experiences that make God’s presence in our world glaringly obvious. These people are not first-generation followers. None of them saw Jesus; apparently they are not accustomed to the miracle-working of the early apostles and leaders.

Like us, the activity of God in their world is apparently more subtle. When the social world around them seems to be doing just fine without God or when they seem to be suffering and ridiculed and excluded from the materialistic successes around them, they could decide that God really isn’t active. Their faith has cost them a great deal in the social setting in which they live.

They could decide to just blend back in, find their identity in the social structures and material world around them. Or they could believe that God has acted in Christ in ways that have eternal import for their lives.

“God Speaks To Us…Through Jesus“

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways. (1:1)

Here is an indication of how God wrote the Old Testament. Its purpose was to prepare for the coming of Christ. Whether by prophecy or type or principle or commandment or whatever, it made preparation for Christ.

This He did through the words of the Old Testament. He used men as instruments, but was Himself behind them, enlightening and energizing them. The deists teach that God started the world going and then went away, leaving it to run by itself. But God is not detached from His creation; He is not uninvolved in our world. The true and living God, unlike the false gods of man’s making, is not dumb or indifferent. The God of Scripture, unlike the impersonal “First Cause” of some philosophers, is not silent. He speaks. He first spoke in the Old Testament, which is not a collection of the wisdom of ancient men but is the voice of God.

The senses of man, marvelous as they are, are incapable of reaching beyond the natural world. For us to know anything about God, He must tell us. We could never know God if He did not speak to us. Thus, in the Old Testament, the writer reminds us, “God … spoke.”

How does God work in our world? Through Jesus!

In these last days [God] has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. (1:2)

God’s full, perfect revelation awaited the coming of His Son. God, who used to speak in many different ways through many different people, has finally spoken in one way, through one Person, His Son Jesus Christ.

The whole New Testament is centered around Christ. The gospels tell His story, the epistles comment on it, and the Revelation tells of its culmination. From beginning to end the New Testament is Christ. No prophet had been given God’s whole truth. The Old Testament was given to many men, in bits and pieces and fragments. Jesus not only brought, but was, God’s full and final Revelation.

Yes, he has always cared about and paid attention to our needs. He has desired to be in communication with us from the start. He spoke to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. He talked to Abraham through angels and in bodily form. He came to Joseph and Daniel in dreams. Oh, he even raised up a string of prophets to give a more general word to people – Moses, Deborah, Isaiah, Amos. But we weren’t getting his point. We were garbling the message. We were fighting over words and their interpretation.

So heaven pulled out all the stops and God chose to enflesh his message in a Son. Love became incarnate in Jesus of Nazareth. In the mind of the unnamed writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews, Jesus is the final and unanswerable proof that God not only knows about our human plight but cares for us with love that knows no boundaries.

Jesus isn’t almost divine but “the exact imprint of God’s very being.” He isn’t trying to come up with a remedy for sin but “made purification for sins” and sat down at God’s right hand. He isn’t as good as God’s other servants and messengers but has inherited “the name” that is “more excellent than theirs.”

He isn’t as good as God’s other servants and messengers but has inherited “the name” that is “more excellent than theirs.”

This preacher-writer of ours can’t say enough about Jesus! He strings together a series of descriptors for him that anticipate the all-important, incomparable role assigned to him in this sermon-epistle. These verses are very simple. They tell us Christ is superior to everyone and everything. The three primary features of His superiority are: preparation, presentation, and preeminence. Keep in mind that all through the book Christ is presented as being better than the best of everyone and everything that was before Him—absolutely better than anything the Old Testament, the Old Covenant, provided.

*Appreciation to James Thompson and “Strategy for Survival” book

 ——————————————–

From the Passover Lamb to Jesus, the Lamb of God

Passover: Four Questions

Introductory Question

Child: Why is this night different from all other nights?

Leader: Once we were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but now we are free. We set aside this night each year to remember the great things God did for us.

Question 1

Child: On all other nights we eat either bread or matzah, but why, on this night, do we eat only matzah?

Leader: Matzah reminds us of two things — we were delivered from slavery in Egypt, and we have a new life.

Question 2

Child: On all other nights we eat whatever kind of vegetables we want, but why, on this night, do we eat only a bitter one?

Leader: We remember how bitter our ancestors’ slavery was while they lived in Egypt.

Question 3

Child: On all other nights we do not dip our vegetables even once, but why, on this night, do we dip twice?

Leader: We are reminded of tears and of a miraculous deliverance, as we just saw portrayed with the parsley.

Question 4

Child: On all other nights we eat either sitting up straight or reclining, but why, on this night, do we all recline?

Leader: Before, we were slaves, but now we are able to recline to express the rest we enjoy as free people. This pillow represents our freedom.

 ——————————————–

1. It enables us to form a habit of close and ultimate union, communion, and fellowship with God. The law and force of habit are well understood; for all men live and act, more or less under the influence of habit. Those who neglect their duty, or engage in sinful practices, will soon find that they are drawn to these things by an invisible and almost irresistible influence.  

They may see many examples to warn them of the dangers which confront them, and they may feel keenly the awful forebodings and warnings of a guilty and an aroused conscience; but, in spite of all these, the force of habit generally overcomes all their fears and feeble resolutions. Under its still-increasing power they continue their neglect, or sinful practices, until their characters have been largely developed; and then it is well-nigh impossible to change them. “An act often repeated hardens into a habit, and a habit long continued petrifies into character.”

On the other hand, if one begins his life on the ascending scale, and forms the right kind of habits, he will soon find that he will have little difficulty in ascending still higher and higher on his way to eternal life and a home with God.

These habits become helps and encouragements to him, and will cause him to hunger and thirst after the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.

The habit of prayer, and especially of secret prayer, is altogether in harmony with this general law of habit and the growth and development of human character. In no other religious exercise is one brought so near to God; and in no other can he be so familiar with the Creator of his body and the Father and Preserver of his spirit.

Furthermore, it is a law of nature that one forms attachment to and for those with him he associates, and even becomes like them in his character; and since this is true, it follows that no other act of devotion is so favorable for the cultivation of godliness. Those therefore, who have been most devoted to prayer, in its true sense, have always been the most pious and the happiest of men.

2. It serves to cultivate and educate our spiritual nature. It is generally understood that all parts of our nature are developed and strengthened by exercise; and if that is a law of our human constitution, then what can be more serviceable in the way of spiritual culture than the devotion to the practice of prayer, and especially private prayer?

When one prays in secret there is no motive; to try to deceive God, or to make a vain display of his person, dress, or good works. Instead, his mind turns upon itself; the conscience is awakened; and he sees himself in the light of God.

The practice of secret devotions brings one under the deep and solemn conviction that he is on holy ground, and that the eye of God is upon him; and with that feeling he is almost compelled to be humble, to repent of his sins, to forgive those who have sinned against him, to sympathize with the afflicted, to love and honor the Lord, and to endeavor to exercise all the powers of his being in harmony with the will of God.

There is, therefore, a deep significance in the words of Jesus: “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thine inner chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee.” (Matt. 6:6).

3. It serves to preserve us from many evils. It is impossible to live in this world without coming in contact with the influence of evil to some extent.

(John 17:15)  My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.

(1 Corinthians 5:9)  I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people–

(Ephesians 6:10-15)  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. {11} Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. {12} For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. {13} Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. {14} Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, {15} and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

The worst enemies that anyone has are his lusts and passions.

(James 1:13-16)  When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; {14} but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. {15} Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. {16} Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers.

(1 Peter 2:1-2)  Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. {2} Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

4. It secures to us and for us much positive good by fulfilling a condition upon which God has promised to bestow His blessings. Some have erroneously supposed that the influence of prayer is wholly subjective, or, at least, that it never extends beyond the narrow limits of our own earthly associations. The Bible, however, plainly teaches that God hears the prayers of His faithful children, and that He is influenced for good by them.

5. Prayer is a powerful and divinely appointed means of convicting, sanctifying and saving others. This is especially true of the family. The relation of the parent to a child is one of the nearest, dearest, and most interesting on earth; and for that reason it involves an influence which is peculiar to itself.

The example of the parent is to the child, during the most tender and impressible period of its existence, the standard of all that is right, noble, and magnanimous. The child’s greatest concern is to imitate the parent, whether it be good or bad; and if the parent prays or neglects to pray, he may expect the child to follow.

The parent, therefore, is responsible for the proper exercise of the influence of prayer over his child; and it will be a terrible thing for him to stand before the Judge of all the earth and have his child say to him, “You were responsible for bringing me into the world, but you never taught me to read and study the Bible and to pray to the heavenly Father; and now it is too late.”

Heaven is full of answers to prayers for which no one ever bothered to ask. On a gloomy day in 1857 a man in New York City by the name of Jeremiah Lanthier scanned the morning newspaper as he rode to his office. He was distressed to read that the depression gripping the nation was causing fear and panic among the people. Factories were stopping production and thousands were unemployed. Although Lanthier was not a big industrialist, but only a clerk, he had one important distinction. He was a man who had great faith in God!

Concerned with the grim economic situation, he sent a note to all his business acquaintances, telling them that each day at noon a prayer meeting would be held in his office. With high hopes he arranged 20 chairs in a circle, but the first day no one came. All alone he prayed fervently that God would bring about a great change in him and in America. The second day he was encouraged, for a few friends joined him. A short time later a similar gathering was started on Wall Street, another on Williams Street, and finally a fourth on Broadway. Then like wildfire the movement spread to all parts of the country. The moral tone of the nation was affected, and there was a great upsurge in the spiritual life of the people. Some historians say that this effort of united prayer and faith was an integral part of the improvement in the economy which soon followed.

I learned early in life that we need to be careful what we pray for, because God might grant it. I prayed for patience, and it seemed my whole world fell apart…..disaster, difficulty, and despair one after the other. My mother had a simple explanation: “you prayed for patience and God put you in circumstances when patience was required.”

The following is also true: I asked God to take away my pride, and God said, “NO.” He said it was not for Him to take away, but for me to give it up. I asked God to make my handicapped child whole, and God said, “NO.” He said the child’s spirit is whole, the body is only temporary. I asked God to grant me patience and God said, “NO.” He said that patience is a by product of tribulation. It isn’t granted it’s earned. I asked God to give me happiness and God said, “NO.” He said He gives blessings, happiness is up to me. I asked God to spare me pain, and God said, “NO.” He said suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to Me. I asked God to make my spirit grow, and God said, “NO.” He said I must grow on my own, But He will prune me to make me fruitful. I asked God if He loved me, and God said, “YES.” He gave me his only Son who died for me, and I will be in Heaven someday because I believe. I asked God to help me love others as much as He loves me, and God said, “AH, FINALLY, YOU HAVE THE IDEA.”

Many successful people have acknowledged in their memoirs that whenever they came to an impasse in their work and were completely baffled, they sought wisdom from the Lord.

This was true in the life of the inventor of the telegraph, Samuel F. B. Morse. In an interview, George Hervey inquired, “Professor Morse, when you were making your experiments at the university, did you ever come to a standstill, not knowing what to do next?” “I’ve never discussed this with anyone, so the public knows nothing about it. But now that you ask me, I’ll tell you frankly — I prayed for more light” “And did God give you the wisdom and knowledge you needed?” Yes He did,” said Morse. “That’s why I never felt I deserved the honors that came to me from America and Europe because of the invention associated with my name. I had made a valuable application of the use of electrical power, but it was all through God’s help. It wasn’t because I was superior to other scientists. When the Lord wanted to bestow this gift on mankind. He had to use someone. I’m just grateful He chose to reveal it to me.” In view of these facts, it’s not surprising that the inventor’s first message over the telegraph was: “What hath God wrought!”

Every time you face a perplexing problem, seek wisdom from above. And when the answer comes, always be sure to thank God and give Him all the glory.

Good advice for difficult times? A sign in front of a church carried this admonition: “When your knees knock together, kneel on them.” That’s good advice! Quieting our hearts before God will calm our fears and renew our courage.

 ——————————————–

It is a sad truth is that many theologians throughout the history of the church have not taken any of the miracles of our Lord seriously. The Jews of our Lord’s day did not challenge the actual events, but rather the power by which these miracles were performed (cf. Mark 3:22ff.)

The heathen Greek did not challenge the miraculous event either, but only its interpretation.⁹³ Others, such as Spinoza, held the pantheistic view that miracles were contrary to the nature of God.⁹⁴

Miracles were considered impossible by Spinoza because of his presuppositions. Skeptics, like Hume, held that miracles are simply incredible, because they contradict man’s normal experience.⁹⁵ Since Hume doubted that nothing could be known with absolute certainty, those phenomenon which took place outside of the normal course of nature could never be accepted as true.

Schleiermacher and others explained the miraculous in terms of the unknown and misunderstood. Our Lord’s miracles were ‘relative miracles,’ as a savage might consider television, which he does not understand.⁹⁶ The Rationalistic School would have men believe that Christ never claimed to perform any miracles. Only those who sought the spectacular found something miraculous in the records.⁹⁷ Christ did not change the water to wine at Cana, but merely provided a new supply of wine. He did not walk on the water, but on the nearby shore. Others, Like Woolston have found the Gospel miracles to have no factual or historical validity, but are merely ‘tales’ which contain a much deeper spiritual truth.⁹⁸

Such are the views of the skeptics and critics of God’s Word. But for the sincere student of Scripture, there is no satisfaction in these theories. The miracles are an integral part of our Lord’s ministry. They not only authenticate His message; they are a vital part of it.⁹⁹

The Terms Employed

The miraculous works of our Lord Jesus were communicated by the use of three primary terms, each of which accentuated one particular facet of the supernatural activity of Christ. These three terms are found together in several passages. “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know” (Acts 2:22, cf. also 2 Corinthians 12:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:9).

The term ‘miracle’ (dunamis), emphasizes the mighty work that has been done, and, in particular, the power by which it was accomplished. The event is described in terms of the power of God in action.

If ‘miracle’ emphasizes the cause of the miraculous event, ‘wonder’ (teras) , underscores its effect on those who are witnesses. On many occasions, the crowds (even the disciples) were amazed and astonished by the works of our Lord (e.g. Mark 2:12; 4:41; 6:51, etc.). Origen pointed out long ago that this term ‘wonder’ is never employed alone in the New Testament, but always in conjunction with some other term which suggests something far greater than a mere spectacle.¹⁰⁰

The most pregnant term used with reference to the miracles of our Lord is ‘sign’ (se„meion), which focuses upon the deeper meaning of the miracle.¹⁰¹ A sign is a miracle which conveys a truth about our Lord Jesus. A miracle is usually a sign, but a sign need not always be a miracle (cf. Luke 2:12).

The miracles of our Lord are at one and the same time a visible manifestation of divine power (miracle) an awe-inspiring spectacle (wonder), and an instructive revelation about God (sign).¹⁰²

Classification of the Miracles

Perhaps the most common classification of the miracles of our Lord is into three categories: (1) those which pertain to nature; (2) those which pertain to man; and, (3) those which pertain to the spirit world.¹⁰³

I find it helpful to distinguish between what can be called ‘Class A’ and ‘Class B’ miracles. ‘Class A’ miracles overrule or transcend the laws of nature. Such would be the case of our Lord’s walking on the water (Mark 6:45-52). Here the law of gravity was overruled. ‘Class B’ miracles do not overtly violate natural laws. For example, the stilling of the storm did not appear to violate any natural law. Storms on this lake, we are told, stopped as quickly as they commenced. The fact that it stopped at the time of our Lord’s rebuke is evidence of His sovereignty over nature. ‘Class B’ miracles would be viewed by unbelievers as mere coincidence. ‘Class A’ miracles, such as the raising of Lazarus were an outright affront to natural laws and processes (thus the statement, ‘he stinks’ in John 11:39, stressing the normal course of nature). Both categories, ‘Class A’ and ‘Class B,’ are miracles, but ‘Class A’ miracles are more undeniably so to the skeptic.

Characteristics of the Miracles of Our Lord

Miraculous deeds were not unknown to the age in which our Lord revealed Himself to men. But the miracles which He accomplished were far different than those claimed by other religions. For a few moments, we shall attempt to characterize the miracles of our Lord:¹⁰⁴

(1) They were truly historical. In the Gospel accounts, the writers have not presented the miracles of our Lord as anything other than actual events. They are not true myths, mythical stories with ‘spiritual lessons,’ but real events conveying spiritual truths. The Miracles of other religions are far more mythical in nature. Though perhaps not precisely stated, we can sense a kind of ‘once upon a time’ mood. Not so in the Gospels.

(2) They were reasonable. The miracles of the Apocryphal Gospels are fantastic and questionable.¹⁰⁵ They are completely out of character, with Jesus arbitrarily and capriciously using His supernatural powers. In contrast, the Gospels show a highly ethical use of His power, in a way totally consistent with His person.

(3) They were useful. Almost every miracle of our Lord was designed to meet a physical need. Our Lord refused to employ His powers to satisfy His own appetites, or to ensure His protection. He turned down every invitation to do the miraculous to satisfy idle curiosity (cf. Luke 23:8).

(4) They were accomplished openly. The miracles were performed in the most public situations, not oft in a dark corner. While so many alleged ‘miracles’ of today defy documentation, those of our Lord were mainly public.

(5) They were accomplished simply. Others who claimed to be ‘miracle workers’ always operated with a great deal of ritual and ceremony. A ‘miracle’ was an extravaganza, a carrying-on with pomp and circumstance. Our Lord most often merely spoke a word, and at times performed His miraculous deeds at a distance (cf. Matthew 8:5-13).

(6) They were accomplished instantly. With very few exceptions, the miracles of Jesus were completed instantly and completely.

(7) They were accomplished in a variety of circumstances. While some could do their deeds only under the most controlled environment, Jesus did His works under a great variety of circumstances. His powers were demonstrated over nature, over sickness and disease, and over the forces of Satan. The sicknesses He healed were of amazing variety.¹⁰⁶

(8) They were accomplished on the basis of faith. The miracles of the Gospels were accomplished on the basis of faith, either that of our Lord (cf. John 11:41-43), or of the one cured (cf. Mark 5:34), or of others who are concerned (cf. Matthew 8:10, Mark 2:5). Where there was little faith, little was accomplished (cf. Mark 6:5,6).

(9) They were gratuitous. While in the cults, a fee of payments was expected, the miracles of our Lord were free of charge. No fee was expected or accepted. Our Lord’s ministry, from start to finish, was one of grace.

(10) They were free from retaliation. With the possible exception of the cursing of the fig tree (Mark 11:12-14) none of the miracles of Jesus were of a punitive or negative variety. This is in contrast, not only to the desires of his own disciples (Luke 9:52-56), but also the practices of other ‘healers’ of His day, and even of what often occurred in the Old Testament.¹⁰⁷

(11) They were eschatological. The miracles of Jesus were evidence of the dawn of a new age. With the presentation of Jesus as Messiah, a new age had begun. He had come to restore man from his fallen state, and creation from the chaos resulting from sin. He had come to restore and to save. Man had been placed an the earth to rule over it. When the last Adam (Jesus Christ) came nature immediately recognized its master. When our Lord confronted sickness and disease He mastered it. He came to save, and thus the word often used for healing was ‘to save.’¹⁰⁸

The Purpose of the Miracles

Several purposes emerge from the Scriptures for the exercise of miracles by our Lord.

(1) They attracted men. Though not the primary thrust of our Lord’s miraculous ministry, one outcome was that His miracles attracted men and women who were anxious to hear His message. To many, His deeds were at least those of a prophet (cf. John 3:2; 4:19). Here was a man with a message from God.

Our Lord made many attempts to avoid the spectacular and to arouse misdirected Messianic hopes (Matthew 8:4; 12:16; 16:20, etc.). But we must also recall that it was the miraculous healing ministry of Jesus which drew the multitudes to the place where the Sermon on the Mount was delivered (Matthew 4:24-25).

(2) They accredited Jesus. It was expected that when Messiah came He would be accredited by miracles. When our Lord presented Himself at the synagogue in Nazareth, He quoted a passage from Isaiah chapter 61:

“And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book, and found the place where it was written, ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are downtrodden, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:17-19) .

The people expected Messiah to present Himself by signs (John 7:31). Our Lord’s power over demons demonstrates the coming of the Kingdom: “But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you” (Luke 11:20). By reason of His work alone, men should receive Him as Messiah (John 10:37-38).

(3) They reveal God. As we have previously noted, the miracles of Jesus were not merely deeds to authenticate the message of Messiah, but a vital part of that message. The miracles not only revealed the power of God, but His person. In the miracles of Jesus we see the sympathy and compassion of God. Jesus was deeply moved by human suffering and need (cf. John 11:35). These needs prompted Him to action. Again, the miracles reveal Jesus to be the Redeemer and Restorer of a fallen universe. He came to save.