Jesus understood that performing miracles were a message from God to symbolize his control. God was working through Jesus. In the gospel accounts of the New Testament, Jesus used miracles to fulfil Old Testament prophecy and prove his divine being. Jesus did not perform miracles to be impressive but to verify his declaration to being the Son of God. ‘Indeed this was the Son of God’, Matthew 27:54.
All the miracles of Jesus pointed to him as the Messiah. Jesus did not just cure the blind man or the leper for the purpose to take suffering away, but to create the testimonial of his kingdom. Jesus’ life ministry was to physically heal so that they would recognize from these healings he was their Messiah, the Son of God as was done in Mark.2.
The miracles performed before Mt.12 were to help people, belief was not required for all. However, after Mt.12 and the refusal of him being the Messiah led by the religious leaders he responded to individual people on the basis of their devotion. Before the Mt.12. rejection Jesus’ course of action was, enlighten the people what God has done for them; present his power to them.
Jesus gave 12 men called to be apostles the power to carry out miracles to attempt and do the same things on their own. They would be given power under his guidance to do similar things. Jesus now required people to come to their own conclusions on who he was. The apostles performed miracles in the book of Acts but they were in general to the gentiles not the Jewish nation. Given that the nation had already discarded him as their Messiah.
The early church used the traditions and stories about Jesus and his sayings for preaching and teaching about whom he was. Jesus was part of a three-fold ministry of preaching, teaching and healing.
The gospels teach that the importance of all miracles is that they are prophesised works of the messiah and that they are signs rather than great works. The early church teaches Christians to recognize their true religious significance.
Numerous events recorded in the Old Testament are considered to be miraculous - exodus from Egypt and the division of the waters of the red sea.
The New Testament records many miracles – acts of healing miracles regarded as part of proclamation of the kingdom of God by Jesus.
Demon exorcism is viewed as a healing miracle. In the Bible, victims of possession are by no means assumed blame for their condition. There are no references in the Christian Scriptures, which suggest that their possession was caused by a kind of sin in their existence.
Not any of the victims were criticized for having allowed themselves to turn out to be possessed.
Few exorcisms involve particular preparation: Jesus' disciples were not able to free a boy of a demon that was apparently causing the child to be both mute and epileptic. Jesus cured the child and explained that the only method to relieve an individual of this sort of evil spirit was through prior prayer as well as fasting.
Exorcism is reliant upon the victim's faith: In Mark 9:18, Jesus explained to a man that all things are achievable, including the exorcism of his son, to those who believe.
In Mark (1:21-7) Jesus cast out a demon from a man. The teaching of the gospel is that he has control over the spiritual world.
‘The leaders of the Jews witness the miracles of Jesus, but the scribes conclude from his exorcism that he is in collusion with Satan and the Pharisees demand of him that he have God perform a sign on his behalf to attest to them that he is Gods chosen agent.’ Kingsbury, 1983.
Jesus cured Simons mother in law of a fever in Mark (2:29-34). The miracle signifies the authority of Jesus over physical illness. It shows Jesus can complete the requirements of Gods people.
The feeding of the 5000 is the only miracle that is actually mentioned in all four of the Gospels. The gospel teaches that this story let’s us recognize that nothing in life goes to waste, even the experiences we face if we believe in Jesus to aid us get through them.
The feeding of the 5000 turns out to be as significant symbolically as is it is factually. As is regularly the case the information given in these accounts are spiritually important. With these insights, we can observe the message Jesus was sending: "By the Grace of God you'll be spiritually fed as the Bread of Life gives Himself to you. The witness of His Word will sustain you and enough of the Bread of Life will be given for all the House of Israel." (John 6:25-40).
