Some ask the question: How can we be sure that the miracles of Jesus were real? Could they have been fabricated? The Lord doesn’t ask us to have blind faith. Genuine faith always rests upon the solid, underlying “substance” of sufficient proof to warrant confidence in what we have not seen.
Jesus’ Miracles Were Real
1-Many witnesses were still alive when the Scriptural records were published. One highly pertinent factor is the brief time that elapsed between Jesus’ miraculous public ministry and the publication of the gospels. Many eyewitnesses to Jesus’ miracles would have still been alive to refute any untrue miracle accounts.
The apostle Paul affirms, “that He (Jesus at His ascension) was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:6). Most of the 500 were still alive when Paul wrote his letter. Unanimously, they could give a true testimony to the surety of Jesus’ resurrection, for an incident that could be attested by so many firsthand witnesses could not be easily denied.
2-Those that told of the miracles of Jesus were willing to die for their testimony. These men had noble characters and their reputation was clean (Peter, James, and John, for example). These men were willing to suffer rather than deny their beliefs. In fact, most of the disciples were martyred for their faith. https://bibleask.org/how-did-the-twelve-disciples-die/
3-Enemey witnesses to the miracles of Jesus provided no dispute. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, for example, none of the chief priests or Pharisees disputed the miracle. John wrote, “Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation” (John 11:45-48).
If the religious leaders of Israel could have disputed it, they would have. Because there were so many enemy witnesses who observed and challenged Christ, successful “fabrication” of miracle stories in His ministry would have been impossible.
4-The book of Acts is the recorded history of the early church. They are actual events that took place in Rome. Paul, in Acts 26:24-31, stated in a court of Law that King Agrippa “knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner.” “These things” are the facts concerning Jesus’ death, resurrection, and all the things that had been miraculously happening. King Agrippa was also an eye-witness to these accounts.
5-Historically, the miracles of Jesus are better attested than many other ancient truths we hold true today. If we are going to doubt the miracles of Jesus which are better attested than most historical happenings even a 1000 years later, then we should be casting the same doubt on most of history.
6-The miracles of Jesus transformed evil men into saints. This is the biggest proof that divine power was the source of these miracles. Millions of people today and countless more throughout history testify to that.
The members of the Corinthian Church were examples of God’s miraculous changing power. Paul referred to their conversion: “Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
