Miracles of Jesus
Jesus performed many miracles during His three years of ministry on Earth. These included power over nature, power over sickness, power over demons, and power over death. Many of these are recorded multiple times through the first four books of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Below are the details of some of these mighty works.
Power Over Nature
Jesus began His miracle ministry at a wedding in Cana of Galilee, where He turned water into wine. It was actually just a favor for His mother, Mary, because the wedding likely involved her close friends or family. They ran out of wine, so Mary asked Jesus to intervene to avoid embarrassment among the wedding party. Jesus told the servants to fill six 20-30-gallon waterpots with water. After Jesus turned the water into wine, the wedding manager was so impressed with the quality of the wine that he made a point to honor the bridegroom. This resulted in jump-starting the faith of His first five disciples who were there with Him (John 2:1-11).
Soon after, Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee and the crowd pressed in on Him. Two boats were beached nearby and Jesus asked Simon (later Peter), one of the fishermen cleaning his nets, to let Him sit and preach from his boat. Simon obliged Him, and after preaching, Jesus told Simon to launch out for a catch. Simon said he had tried all night and didn’t catch anything, but took Jesus at His word. When Simon let down his net, a multitude of fish filled it and broke it. Simon called for his fishing partners James and John to bring the other boat and they filled both boats to the point of sinking. Jesus called them into ministry using the fishing analogy, saying they would now become fishers of men. They immediately left their fishing business and followed Him (Luke 5:1-11).
The third time Jesus came to His disciples after being raised from the dead, He produced another haul of fish, this time while He called to them from shore. The fish count was 153 (John 21:1-11).
After Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist, was killed for challenging the sins of King Herod and his new wife, Jesus and His disciples took a boat across the sea of Galilee to a desolate place to rest and grieve. But people saw them go, and thousands followed them hastily on foot out of the cities because they had seen His healing miracles. When they caught up with Jesus, he had compassion on them, taught them about the kingdom of God, and healed many sick people until evening. His disciples told Him to send them away so they could get food, but Jesus told them to feed the people right there. The disciples informed Him that they had only five barley loaves and two fish. Jesus directed the crowd to sit down on the grass and He blessed the food, divided it among the disciples, and multiplied it supernaturally as the disciples distributed it to the crowd of five thousand men, plus women and children. Everyone was full and they gathered twelve baskets full of leftovers (Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:31-44, Luke 9:10-17, John 6:1-13)
Jesus did this same miracle on another occasion when trying to get away to rest. This time, he multiplied seven loaves and a few little fish to feed around four thousand men, plus women and children, with seven baskets of left overs gathered. Again, many brought with them those who were lame, blind, dumb, and maimed, and Jesus healed them all over a three-day period (Matt 15:29-38, Mark 8:1-9).
On another occasion, when trying to get some rest with His disciples on the sea of Galilee, Jesus fell asleep in the back of the boat. About that time, a storm arose to the point that the waves were filling the boat and the disciples feared for their lives. They woke Jesus and He asked them why they were afraid and had no faith. He rebuked the wind and the waves of the sea and there was a great calm. The disciples marveled and didn’t know what to think of the wind and sea obeying His command, as this was fairly early in His ministry (Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-41, Luke 8:22-25).
A similar incident happened again after feeding the 5,000 men. Jesus perceived that many might want to force Him into an earthly kingdom, so He sent the disciples back to the boat and went off alone on the mountain to pray. That evening, when Jesus hadn’t rejoined them, they launched out across the Sea of Galilee. But high winds arose and, from the mountain, Jesus saw the disciples toiling to row the boat against the wind. He caught up to them, walking on the sea. They thought He was a ghost and cried out in fear. Jesus identified Himself and boarded the boat. As soon as He did, the wind stopped (Mark 6:45-51, John 6:15-21).
Jesus also overrode nature with His own body. He took Peter, James and John up on a mountain to pray, and as He prayed, He transfigured before them. His face shined like the sun and his clothes glowed as white as glistening light. He talked to Moses and Elijah about His coming death in Jerusalem and a bright cloud appeared above them. The voice of God spoke, encouraging the disciples to listen to Jesus. They fell on their faces in fear. Jesus comforted them and when they looked up, the sound and light show was over. He told them to tell no one until after He was raised from the dead, but they didn’t understand what He meant by it (Matthew 17:1-9, Mark 9:2-9, Luke 9:28-36).
As mentioned on the Home page, Jesus also defied gravity and flew to Heaven when He left Earth. As the disciples watched Jesus disappear into the clouds, angels appeared and told them Jesus would return in the same manner that He left. This occurred right after He told His disciples to receive power from the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of Him in all the world, and teach all future disciples to obey all things He commanded the first disciples to do (Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-20, Luke 24:50-52, Acts 1:9-11).
Power Over Sickness
In the Bible, Jesus healed everyone who came to Him for healing. Even with huge crowds, he often healed everyone in need. Some people received healing by faith without Jesus initiating it. Others had friends or family asking on their behalf, including some with Jesus only speaking a word and not going to them in person.
One day after synagogue, Jesus and His disciples went to Simon’s house and his mother-in-law was in bed sick with a fever. Simon and his wife asked Jesus to help her and He touched her hand and rebuked the fever. It left immediately and she started hosting her family and guests (Matthew 8:14-15, Mark 1:29-31, Luke 4:38-39).
On another occasion, people heard that Jesus was back in His own city of Capernaum in the house (likely His house), and a big crowd showed up. As He was preaching, some men tried to get their paralyzed friend in to be healed, but they couldn’t get through the crowd. They went up on the roof, broke through it, and lowered their friend down on his bed. Jesus saw their faith and told the man with palsy to rise, take up his bed, and go home. He was immediately healed and did as Jesus had instructed (Matthew 9:1-8, Mark 2:1-12, Luke 5:17-26).
Jesus healed another lame man when He went to Jerusalem (cont.)
for a Jewish celebration. He stopped at the pool of Bethesda where He identified a man who had been lame for 38 years. He told him to rise, take up his bed, and walk and was immediately made whole, and stood up and walked. This stirred up the Pharisees, who said carrying his bed on the sabbath is unlawful “work,” (John 5:1-13).
Another time, when Jesus returned to his home town, a centurion sent Jewish messengers to Him on behalf of his servant who was sick of the palsy and near death. Jesus started toward the centurion’s house, but other messengers were sent and met him on the way to say he wasn’t worthy to have Jesus in his house. He asked Jesus to just speak the word and his servant would be healed. Jesus marveled at his faith, which He said was greater than anyone in Israel. The servant was healed before the messengers got word to the centurion (Matt 8:5-13, Luke 7:1-10).
A similar situation occurred in Cana. A nobleman came to Jesus to ask Him to heal his son, who was also near death in Capernaum. Jesus told him to go home and that his son would recover. He believed Jesus and headed home. On his way, his servants met him and told him his son was healed (John 4:46-51).
Jesus healed several deaf, dumb, and blind men in a variety of ways. Two blind men followed Him to his house and begged for mercy. Jesus asked them if they believed He could heal them. They said yes. Jesus touched their eyes and told them it would be done according to their faith, and their eyes were opened (Matthew 9:27-30).
At the Sea of Galilee, people brought to Him a deaf man with a speech impediment. Jesus put His fingers in the man’s ears, spit, touched his tongue and commanded them to open. Right away, his ears were opened and he spoke plainly (Mark 7:31-37).
In Bethsaida, a blind man was brought to Him. Jesus took him by the hand and led him out of town. There, He spit on his eyes and touched them. When He asked the man if he could see, the man said he saw men as trees, walking. Jesus put His hands on his eyes again and he then saw everyone clearly (Mark 8:22-25).
Finally, when leaving Jericho with His disciples, a blind man named Bartimaeus was sitting by the way side begging. When he heard the crowd, he asked what was going on. They said Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. Bartimaeus cried out to Jesus for mercy. The (cont.)
crowd rebuked him, but he cried out even louder. Jesus stopped and asked him what he wanted Him to do for him. Bartimaeus asked to receive his sight. Jesus told him to receive his sight, that his faith had healed him. Immediately, he could see, and followed Him, glorifying God. The fickle crowd also praised God (Mark 10:46-52, Luke 18:35-43).
On a sabbath day, Jesus taught at the temple and enraged the Pharisees with statements like, “I am the light of the world,” and “Before Abraham was, I Am.” They tried to stone Him to death, but He supernaturally hid Himself and passed right by them. Outside the temple, He came upon a man who was blind from birth. Jesus spat on the ground, made mud, and wiped it on the blind man’s eyes. Jesus told him to go wash in the pool of Siloam. He washed and came back seeing. Since it was the sabbath day, the Pharisees were angry when they found out someone had “worked.” When the man couldn’t tell them who had done this for him, except to say He must be a prophet from God to do such miracles, they threw him out of the synagogue. Jesus heard about this, found him and told him He was the Son of God. The man worshiped Him (John 8:12-59; 9).
On another sabbath day Jesus taught at the synagogue, a man with a withered hand was there. Despite the scribes and Pharisees opposition to healing on the sabbath day, Jesus told the man to stand up and stretch out his hand. He did, and his hand was restored to normal (Matthew 12:9-14, Mark 3:1-6, Luke 6:6-11).
Another time Jesus was teaching in the synagogue on the sabbath, a woman was attending who had an infirmity for 18 years which caused her to be bowed over and not be able to straighten up. Jesus laid hands on her and told her she was free from the infirmity. She immediately stood up straight and glorified God. The ruler of the synagogue rebuked Jesus for “working” on the sabbath day, but Jesus called him a hypocrite. The Pharisees were ashamed, and the people rejoiced in Jesus’ mighty works (Luke 13:10-17).
One of the chief Pharisees was favorable to Jesus, and had Him over at his house for a meal on the sabbath day. Other Pharisees were also there, and also a man with swelling in his legs. Jesus healed the man while questioning the Pharisees hypocritical stance on not healing on the sabbath. They remained quiet, and He taught a parable about humility (Luke 14:1-14).
Early in Jesus’ ministry, Jesus healed a leper who kneeled before Him, asking for healing if it be Jesus’ will. Jesus said it was His will, and touched and healed him immediately. The man began telling people all over the area to the point that it became difficult to handle the crowds in cities. Jesus often had to stay out in the rural areas where people came from every direction (Matthew 8:2-4, Mark 1:40-45, Luke 5:12-15).
On one occasion, in a small village, Jesus encountered ten lepers who called out for mercy from far away. Jesus told them to go show themselves to the priests to enable them to return to society, and they were healed as they went (Luke 17:12-14).
On several occasions, Jesus healed many sick and crippled people in large crowds. When Jesus and His disciples came ashore in the land of Gennesaret, people knew immediately who He was and ran throughout the region, carrying sick people to Him on beds and laying them in the streets in every village He entered. People believed that if they only touched the hem of His garment, they would be healed, and all that touched Him were completely healed (Matthew 14:34-36, Mark 6:53-56).
One evening, at the door of Simon Peter’s house in Capernaum, people brought many who were possessed with demons, and He cast them out with His words, and laid hands on, and healed all who were sick. Matthew recorded this as a fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy (Isaiah 53:4) that Jesus took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses (Matthew 8:16-17, Mark 1:32-34, Luke 4:40-41).
Jesus ended His healing ministry with a rather unusual act. When Judas betrayed Jesus, he brought with him the Jewish chief priests, Pharisees, and many temple guards with swords to capture Him in the dark of night. Simon Peter, trying to defend Him, drew his sword and cut the right ear off the high priest’s servant, Malchus. Jesus rebuked Peter and told him it was His Father’s will that He be taken, and He fully restored Malchus’ ear. All the disciples deserted Jesus and ran off, and the guards took Him away (Matthew 26:47-57, Mark 14:43-53, Luke 22:47-54, John 18:1-12).
Power Over Demons
As with healing, Jesus was completely unchallenged when it came to evil spirits. Demonic responses often involved begging or trying to negotiate a lesser punishment. He could even cast them out when He was far away. The first exorcism occurred while Jesus taught in the synagogue in Capernaum. A man with an unclean spirit cried out begging Jesus to leave them alone and asking Him if He was going to destroy them. Jesus commanded the demon to come out of the man. With a loud cry, it left him (Mark 1:21-27, Luke 4:33-36).
Across the sea, in the land of the Gergesenes, upon getting out of the boat, Jesus and His disciples were met by a man possessed with devils, coming out of the cemetery without clothes. People had bound him in chains, but he broke free and he was so fierce, no one would pass by there. But not so fierce to intimidate Jesus. The demons started whining that Jesus should leave them alone and not torment them before their time (which is after judgment day). They said their name was Legion because there were many demons, then begged to be cast into a nearby herd of pigs instead of out of the country. Jesus cast them into the pigs, and the whole herd of around 2,000 ran down a steep slope into the sea and drowned.
The man was then clothed and in his right mind and wanted to follow Jesus, but Jesus told him to tell those he knew what God had done for him (Matthew 8:28-32, Mark 5:1-20, Luke 8:26-39).
Not long after, two men Jesus had healed from blindness brought Him a man who couldn’t speak due to a demon possession. Jesus cast out the devil and the man was able to speak (Matthew 9:32-33).
A man possessed with a demon, resulting in him being blind and dumb, was brought to Him and He delivered him, so that he could see and speak. The people were amazed, but the Pharisees said Jesus cast out devils by the prince of devils. Jesus told them that Satan’s kingdom can’t stand if he is divided against himself, and that His casting out devils means that the kingdom of God has come (Matthew 12:22-28, Luke 11:14-20).
When Jesus went to the coasts of Tyre and Sidon and tried to enter a house secretly. likely to rest. However, a Greek woman came running and begged Jesus to deliver her daughter from a devil. Jesus tested her persistence since she wasn’t Jewish, but she showed great faith and won Him over. He spoke it and her daughter was delivered by the time she reached her house (Matthew 15:21-28, Mark 7:24-30).
At another time, a man came to Jesus begging for mercy on his only child, who was possessed with a deaf and dumb spirit that threw him into fire and water, and caused foaming of his mouth and gnashing of his teeth. His disciples had failed to cast it out and Jesus said it was because of their unbelief. He commanded the devil to come out of the boy and never enter him again. It departed, and the boy was cured (Matthew 17:14-20, Mark 9:17-29, Luke 9:37-42).
Power Over Death
Jesus had just asked Matthew to follow Him and He and His disciples were invited to his house for a meal. Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, interrupted them, falling to his knees with an urgent request for Jesus to save his young daughter’s life, as she was at the point of death. They all headed to the ruler’s house with a crowd following. On the way, a woman who had struggled with a blood disease for twelve years, touched the hem of His garment. She felt the healing occur, and Jesus felt power go out of Him. He told her to take comfort, that her faith had made her whole. As Jesus spoke, someone from the ruler’s house brought word that Jairus’ daughter had died. Jesus told him not to fear, but only believe. When they reached the ruler’s house, the mourners were weeping and wailing. Jesus removed everyone except the parents, and Peter, James and John. He then took the girl by the hand, and told her to arise. She immediately arose, astonishing all in the house (Matt 9:18-26, Mark 5:22-43, Luke 8:41-56).
Jesus and some of His disciples went to a city called Nain. As they approached the gate of the city, a young, dead man was being carried out among a crowd of people, including his mother, who was a widow. Jesus had compassion on her and touched her son’s body and told him to arise. The man sat up and began to speak. The people Glorified God, and word spread throughout Judaea and the surrounding region (Luke 7:11-17).
Lazarus, a close friend of Jesus, fell sick. He lived in Bethany, with his two sisters, Mary and Martha. The sisters sent word to Jesus of his illness, but Jesus didn’t go to Bethany right away. He chose to wait two days in order to bring added glory to God. When He was ready to go, His disciples tried to change His mind due to the Pharisees recently trying to kill Him with stones. Jesus told them Lazarus had died, and Thomas complained that if they went, they would die with him. When they arrived, Lazarus had been dead four days. Many had come from Jerusalem to comfort Mary and Martha. Jesus told Martha that Lazarus would rise again, and the sisters led him to the tomb as a crowd gathered. The tomb was a cave with a stone covering its mouth. Jesus called for the stone to be removed. When it was, Jesus called Lazarus to come forth, and he did, bound from head to feet with grave cloths. Jesus told them to take the cloths off and many believed. However, some reported the miracle to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they plotted to kill Him from that point on due to pride and jealousy (John 11).
Jesus was crucified the day before the sabbath. The day after the sabbath, Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James, and Salome, went to His tomb with spices to anoint His body. Upon arrival, they saw that the stone was rolled away from the door. When the ladies told the disciples what they found, Peter and John ran to the tomb and found it empty, with only the linen cloths remaining. Mary Magdalene returned there with them, and stayed after they left, weeping. As she did, she saw two angels sitting in the tomb. They asked her why she was weeping, and she said it was because she didn’t know where the body of her Lord had been laid. She then turned back and Jesus was standing there. She didn’t recognize Him until he said her name. He told her to go tell the disciples she had seen Him. When she did, they didn’t believe her.
Later that day, two of Jesus’ followers, Cleopas and another, walked to a village called Emmaus, discussing all that had happened. Jesus joined them on their way, but didn’t allow them to recognize Him. He detailed the scriptures from Moses to the Messiah. The two men asked the stranger to stay with them, since it was evening. Jesus went in for a meal and took bread and broke it. When He gave (cont.)
it to them, their eyes were opened and they knew it was Jesus. Then he vanished out of their sight. They ran back to Jerusalem and found the disciples hiding in a locked room together, for fear of also being killed by the Jewish leaders. The two men told them they had seen Jesus, and as they spoke, Jesus appeared in their midst. They were terrified at first, but Jesus spoke peace to them and showed them His hands, side, and feet, which still bore the scars. Thomas wasn’t with them, and later doubted their story. He said, unless he put his finger into the nail scars and his hand into His side, he wouldn’t believe. Eight days later, Jesus appeared there to them again. This time Thomas was there and Jesus told him to feel the scars and believe. Thomas proclaimed Jesus as his Lord and his God.
Jesus appeared again to several of the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias as they were fishing, as discussed previously. They fished all night, but caught nothing. In the morning, Jesus called to them from the shore to cast the net on the right side of the boat. They caught a net full, and realized it was Jesus. They then shared a meal and discussed their plans to follow Him and feed His sheep.
Jesus appeared and spoke with the disciples during a 40-day period after His resurrection. He first retold them how His mission had been to suffer and be killed, then rise again on the third day, which He had already told them a number of times (Matthew 16:21, 17:22-23, 20:18-19, and Luke 9:22, 18:31-33). His last words to the disciples were the Great Commission, which is to go into all the world with the power of the Holy Spirit and preach the gospel to all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Teaching these future disciples to obey all things He had commanded them to do. Then He rose into the sky and disappeared into the clouds. As they watched Him fly away, angels appeared and told them Jesus would return in like manner.
Around 120 of the believers prayed and worshipped God together for another ten days, received the power of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (50 days after the resurrection), and began preaching to others with signs and wonders following…a mission that continues to this very day (Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20, 21, Acts 1:1-15).