What is a Miracle? If we look at the words
the New Testament uses for miracles from the Greek text we see the following:
(1) It is an act of a supernatural being. The word dunamis has
the idea of a supernatural power. It speaks primarily of the
agent of the act. That power may be delegated to a human agent.
Obviously, Jesus’ power came from God. So the idea from the word dunamis is that there is supernatural power involved.
(2) Another word - terasa - speaks of the effect. A miracle is
an unusual event. Terasa speaks of the wonderment of the event –
as in signs and wonders. As a matter of fact, terasa is always
used with semeion.
(3) The Greek word semeion means sign. A miracle is a
significant event. It has purpose. Matthew, Mark and Luke uses
the first two more. John uses the word semion, because he is
focused on the purpose of Jesus in performing the miracles.
(4) Therefore, in our search for a definition, if we combine the
ideas of these words used in the New Testament, we might come up
with the following definition:
Definition: A miracle is an unusual and significant event (terasa)
which requires the working of a supernatural agent (dunamis) and
is performed for the purpose of authenticating the message or
the messenger (semeion).
Jesus Christ is the same
yesterday and today and forever". (Hebrews 13:8)
A man with leprosy | Matthew 8:2-4 , Mark 1:40-42 , Luke 5:12-13 |
The faith of the Centurion | Matthew 8:5-13 , Luke 7:1-10 |
Jesus heals many | Matthew 8:14-15 , Mark 1:30-31 , Luke 4:38-39 |
Jesus calms the storm | Matthew 8:23-27 , Mark 4:37-41 , Luke 8:22-25 |
The healing of demon possessed men | Matthew 8:28-34 , Mark 5:1-15 , Luke 8:27-35 |
Jesus heals a paralytic | Matthew 9:2-7 , Mark 2:3-12 , Luke 5:18-25 |
Jesus raises Jairus' daughter | Matthew 9:18-25 , Mark 5:35-42 , Luke 8:49-55 |
A sick woman | Matthew 9:20-22 , Mark 5:25-29 , Luke 8:43-48 |
Jesus heals the blind | Matthew 9:27-31 |
Jesus heals the mute | Matthew 9:32-33 |
Man with shriveled hand | Matthew 12:10-13 , Mark 3:1-5 , Luke 6:6-10 |
Jesus and Beelzebub | Matthew 12:22 , Luke 11:14 |
Jesus feeds the 5000 | Matthew 14:15-21 , Mark 6:35-44 , Luke 9:12-17 , John 6:5-13 |
Jesus walks on the water | Matthew 14:25-33 , Mark 6:48-51 |
The faith of the Canaanite (Syrophoenician) woman | Matthew 15:21-28 , Mark 7:24-30 |
Jesus feeds the 4000 | Matthew 15:32-38 , Mark 8:1-9 |
The healing of a boy with a demon | Matthew 17:14-18 , Mark 9:17-29 , Luke 9:38-43 |
The temple tax | Matthew 17:24-27 |
Blind Bartimaeus receives his sight | Matthew 20:29-34 , Mark 10:46-52 , Luke 18:35-43 |
The fig tree withers | Matthew 21:18-22 , Mark 11:20-25 |
Jesus drives out an evil spirit | Mark 1:23-26 , Luke 4:33-35 |
The healing of a deaf and mute man | Mark 7:31-37 |
The healing of a blind man at Bethsaida | Mark 8:22-26 |
Large catch of fish | Luke 5:4-11 |
Jesus raises a widow's son | Luke 7:11-15 |
A crippled woman healed on the Sabbath | Luke 13:11-13 |
A man with dropsy | Luke 14:1-4 |
Ten healed of leprosy | Luke 17:11-19 |
The servant of the high priest's ear | Luke 22:50-51 |
Jesus changes water to wine | John 2:1-11 |
Jesus heals the official's son | John 4:46-54 |
The healing at the Pool of Bethasda | John 5:1-9 |
Jesus heals a man born blind | John 9:1-7 |
Jesus raises Lazarus | John 11:1-44 |
Jesus and the miraculous catch of fish | John 21:1-13 |
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