Describe One Miracle Particular to Luke, and another of a different type.

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Describe One Miracle Particular to Luke, and Another Miracle of a different Type.

The word miracle which derives from the Latin ‘miraculum’ meaning amazement or wonder may also be defined as an extraordinary event, considered to have a supernatural cause. In common with the other New Testament Gospels, Luke presents Jesus as a worker of miracles and indeed as the object of miraculous activity. Miracles, especially healing miracles, play an important part in all of the synoptic Gospels. However, through further research and study it is quickly made apparent that Luke includes more miracle stories in his Gospel than either of the other synoptic Gospel writers. Luke includes no less that 19 miracles in his Gospel, which include healing miracles, exorcisms, resurrections and nature miracles. Luke used these miracles to show the power and authority of Jesus, but also to give the proof that he was truly the Son of God to non-believers. According to Banks, “While there is no clear pre-Christian evidence that the Jews expected a miracle-working Messiah, it appears that some did regard Moses, the miracle-working deliverer of God’s people, as a prototype of the Messiah.”

        Most of the miracles stories tell us about Jesus healing, because of the faith shown by the person in need of a cure. Through the miracles, the gospel writer is trying to show the authority of Jesus as Messiah, how God’s power is at work. In these stories it is not only physical healing we find, but also spiritual healing through the forgiveness of sins. In the time of Jesus, pain and suffering had no remedies, and illness was often seen as punishment from God. Therefore, through the miracles, we see that Jesus challenged these thoughts, and practices against the sick. We can also see that Jesus was always compassionate to anyone in need and his concern to alleviate ailments in life. Banks writes, “This era of salvation is also known in the synoptic Gospels as the kingdom or reign of God is the main theme of Jesus’ ministry.”

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        One of the miracles found in Luke’s Gospel was that of the healing of a crippled woman on the Sabbath, found in Luke 13:10-17. This is often called a ‘mirror miracle’ in that it replays the Sabbath healings of 4:31-41. This is an instantaneous healing miracle, unique to Luke’s gospel, and is the second miracle found in the Journey narrative of Luke’s gospel. It is significant as Jesus healed a woman in a culture where men shunned women. This miracle showed that Jesus had the power and authority to reverse the condition of the woman. The crowd recognises Jesus as the ...

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