Explaining Jesus to Muslims
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2. Jesus' Miracles

Jesus performed many miracles. At least forty are recorded in the Injil. The apostle John said:

"Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written." (John 21:25)

Jesus was not just a cheap wonder worker. His miracles were only done in God's will and always with a purpose. They were signs to reveal his glory and majesty.

The Quran says: "We gave to Jesus, the son of Mary, manifest signs, and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit." (2:87)

The question arises: "Did Jesus do these miracles with his own power or by the power that God gave him?" The answer of course is that all power comes from God. Let us look at Jesus' own statement on this matter from John 5:19-24:

"I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honour the Son just as they honour the Father. He who does not honour the Son does not honour the father who sent him. I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned, he has crossed over from death to life."

Miracles of healing

There was no disease that Jesus couldn't heal. Even if people touched his clothes they would be healed. There are many detailed accounts in the Injil of how Jesus healed lepers, epileptics, the blind, the deaf and dumb, people with fevers, people who were swollen up, the paralyzed and the lame. In a summary statement the apostle Matthew says:

"Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them." (Matthew 4:23-24)

And the apostle Mark adds: "They ran throughout the whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went - into villages, towns or countryside - they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed." (Mark 6:55-56)

Miracles of exorcism

There were many people in Jesus' day who were demon possessed. The demons always caused people to suffer in different ways. The demons, being supernatural beings, knew who Jesus was. One day when a demon possessed man saw Jesus in the synagogue at Capernaum, he cried out: "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Are you here to destroy us? I know who you are - the Holy One of God." (Mark 1:24) And another demon screamed in a loud voice: "What do you ant with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won't torture me." (Mark 5:7)

Jesus gave seventy two of his disciples power to cast demons out of people. When they returned they said: "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." Jesus replied: "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy, nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." (Luke 10:17-20)

Miracles of raising people from the dead

There are only three accounts of Jesus raising people from the dead. The most interesting account is of a friend of Jesus called Lazarus. He had been dead for three days and buried in a tomb made of stone. Jesus asked the people to take away the stone from the entrance to the tomb then he prayed: "Father, I thank you that you have heard me.

I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me." When Jesus had said this, he called out in a loud voice: "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them: "Take off the grace clothes and let him go." (John 11:41-44) Jesus said to Martha, the sister of Lazarus:

"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies. And whoever lives and believes in me will never die." (John 11:25)

Nature miracles

Jesus helped people because his heart was filled with pity for them, because they were worried and helpless and like sheep without a shepherd. Now we come to the nature miracles and again it must be stressed that Jesus did nothing to show off his power. During his life he only did God's will and these nature miracles were in the plan of God because they are signs to all mankind.

Jesus changed water into wine. (Read John 2:1-11) This miracles was a sign to the Jews that just as wine is superior to water, so Jesus' teaching was superior to that of Moses.

The miraculous catch of fish. (Read John 21:1-14) This was a reminder to Jesus disciples that he had called them to be fishers of men, that is to win men for God.

Jesus calms a storm. (Read Mark 4:35-41) While in a boat with his disciples on a lake a fierce storm arose. The disciples were afraid and thought the boat would sink. Jesus stood up and rebuked the wind and the water and immediately all was still. He was showing his disciples who he was. The disciples asked each other: "Who is this man? Even the wind and the waves obey him."

"O Lord God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O Lord, and your faithfulness surrounds you. You rule over the surging sea, when its waves mount up, you still them." (Psalm 89:8-9)

Jesus walks on the lake. (Read Mark 6:45-52) Jesus' disciples were in a boat on the lake at night. There was a strong wind and they were not able to move forward. Before daybreak Jesus came to them, walking on the water. They were terrified, thinking it was a ghost. Jesus said: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." When he entered the boat the wind died down. Jesus was again teaching his disciples just who he was.

"God alone stretches out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea." (Job 9:8)

Jesus feeds 5,000 men. (Read Mark 6:30-44) Thousands of people had been listening to Jesus' teaching in the wilderness. They were hungry and may not have enough strength to walk home. Jesus asked his disciples what food they had. They could only find five loaves of bread and two fish. Jesus blessed the food and it was miraculously multiplied so that the 5,000 men plus women and children all ate and were satisfied. Jesus was illustrating this eternal truth:

Then Jesus declared: "I am the bread of life, he who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty." (John 6:35)

Jesus curses a fig tree. (Read Mark 11:12-14, 20-21) This miracle occurred during the last week of Jesus' life. Jesus was hungry. He went to a fig tree to find fruit, but didn't find any, so he said that no one would ever eat fruit from it again.. The next day the tree was dead. The fig tree is symbolic of Israel. Jesus came to teach them and save them, but they did not respond. They did not bear the fruit of godly living that God required from them. Forty years after Jesus' death, Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans and the Jews were dispersed among the nations of the world until they returned to the land of Israel this century.

Miracles concerning Jesus' person. As well as doing many miracles, Jesus was a miraculous person in many ways, for example:

his virgin birth,                his sinless life,
his resurrection,              his ascension to heaven.

"Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." (John 20:31-31)