Editing Miracles of Jesus (section)

==Types and motives==
In most cases, Christian authors associate each miracle with specific teachings that reflect the message of Jesus.<ref>Craig A. Evans, 2001 ''Jesus and his contemporaries'' {{ISBN|0-391-04118-5}} pp. 6–7</ref>

In ''The Miracles of Jesus'', H. Van der Loos describes two main categories of miracles attributed to Jesus: those that affected people (such as Jesus healing [[the Blind Man of Bethsaida|the blind man of Bethsaida]]), or "healings", and those that "controlled nature" (such as Jesus [[Jesus walks on water|walking on water]]). The three types of healings are cures, in which an ailment is miraculously remedied, exorcisms, in which demons are cast out of victims, and the resurrection of the dead. Karl Barth said that, among these miracles, the [[Transfiguration of Jesus]] is unique in that the miracle happens to Jesus himself.<ref>Karl Barth ''Church dogmatics'' {{ISBN|0-567-05089-0}} p. 478</ref>

According to [[Craig Blomberg]], one characteristic shared among all miracles of Jesus in the Gospel accounts is that he delivered benefits freely and never requested or accepted any form of payment for his healing miracles, unlike some high priests of his time who charged those who were healed.<ref name=Blomberg197 /> In [[s:Bible (American Standard)/Matthew#10:8|Matthew 10:8]] he advised his disciples to heal the sick without payment and stated, "Freely ye received, freely give."<ref name=Blomberg197 >''The Miracles of Jesus'' by Craig Blomberg, David Wenham 1986 {{ISBN|1-85075-009-2}} p. 197</ref>

It is not always clear when two reported miracles refer to the same event. For example, in the [[healing the centurion's servant]], the Gospels of Matthew<ref>{{bibleverse|Mt|8:5–13||8:5–13}}</ref> and Luke<ref>{{bibleverse|Lk|7:1–10||7:1–10}}</ref> narrate how Jesus healed the servant of a [[centurion]] in [[Capernaum]] at a distance. The [[Gospel of John]]<ref>{{bibleverse|Jn|4:46–54||4:46–54}}</ref> has a similar but slightly different account at Capernaum and states that it was the son of a royal official who was cured at a distance.

===Healing those who were ill and infirm===
The largest group of miracles mentioned in the Gospels involves healing people who are ill, infirm or disabled. The Gospels give varying amounts of detail for each episode; sometimes Jesus cures simply by saying a few words, at other times, he employs material such as spit and mud. And as per Luke 4:40, "...all those who...were sick...were brought to Him, and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them." {{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}

==== Blind people ====
The canonical Gospels contain a number of stories about [[Jesus]] healing blind people. The earliest is a story of the healing of a [[Blind man of Bethsaida|blind man in Bethsaida]] in the [[Gospel of Mark]].<ref>{{bibleverse|Mark|8:22–26|NRSV|8:22–26}}</ref>

Mark's gospel gives an account of Jesus healing a blind man named [[Healing the blind near Jericho|Bartimaeus]] as Jesus is leaving Jericho.<ref>{{bibleverse|Mark|10:46–52|NRSV|10:46–52}}</ref>  The [[Gospel of Matthew]]<ref>{{bibleverse|Matthew|20:29–34|NRSV|20:29–34}}</ref> has a simpler account loosely based on this, with two unnamed blind men instead of one (this "doubling" is a characteristic of Matthew's treatment of Mark's text) and a slightly different version of the story, taking place [[healing the two blind men in Galilee|in Galilee]], earlier in the narrative.<ref>Daniel J. Harrington, ''The Gospel of Matthew'' (Liturgical Press, 1991) p. 133.</ref> The [[Gospel of Luke]] tells the same story of Jesus healing an unnamed blind man but moves the event in the narrative to when Jesus approaches Jericho.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=3054747 |title=Luke 18:35–43 |publisher=Bible.oremus.org |date=10 February 2011 |access-date=19 April 2018}}</ref><ref>Brent Kinman, ''Jesus' Entry Into Jerusalem: In the Context of Lukan Theology and the Politics of His Days'' (Brill, 1995) p. 67.</ref>

The [[Gospel of John]] describes an episode in which Jesus [[Healing the blind at birth|heals a man blind from birth]], placed during the [[Sukkot|Festival of Tabernacles]], about six months before his crucifixion. Jesus mixes spittle with dirt to make a mud mixture, which he then places on the man's eyes. He instructs the man to wash his eyes in the [[Pool of Siloam]]. When the man does this, he is able to see. When asked by his disciples whether the cause of the blindness was the man's sins or his parents' sins, Jesus states that it was due to neither.<ref>{{bibleverse|Jn|9:1–12|NRSV|9:1–12}}</ref>

==== Lepers ====
A story in which [[Jesus cleansing a leper|Jesus cures a leper]] appears in {{Bibleref2|Mark|1:40–45}}, {{Bibleref2|Matthew|8:1–4}} and {{Bibleref2|Luke|5:12–16}}. Having cured the man, Jesus instructs him to offer the requisite ritual sacrifices as prescribed by the [[Deuteronomic Code]] and [[Priestly Code]] and to not tell anyone who had healed him. But the man disobeyed, increasing Jesus's fame, and thereafter Jesus withdrew to deserted places but was followed there.

In an [[Cleansing ten lepers|episode]] in the Gospel of Luke ({{Bibleref2|Luke|17:11–19}}), while on his way to [[Jerusalem]], Jesus sends ten lepers who sought his assistance to the priests, and they were healed as they go, but the only one who comes back to thank Jesus is a [[Samaritan]].

==== Paralytics ====
[[Healing the paralytic at Capernaum]] appears in [[Matthew 9:1]]–[[Matthew 9:8|8]], {{Bibleverse|Mark|2:1–12|9}} and {{Bibleverse|Luke|5:17–26|9}}. The Synoptics state that a paralytic was brought to Jesus on a mat; Jesus told him to ''get up and walk'', and the man did so. Jesus also told the man that his sins were forgiven, which irritated the Pharisees. Jesus is described as responding to the anger by asking whether it is easier to say that someone's sins are forgiven, or to tell the man to ''get up and walk''. Mark and Luke state that Jesus was in a house at the time, and that the man had to be lowered through the roof by his friends due to the crowds blocking the door.

A similar cure is described in the Gospel of John as the [[healing the paralytic at Bethesda]]<ref>{{bibleverse|Jn|5:1–18}}</ref> and occurs at the [[Pool of Bethesda]]. In this cure Jesus also tells the man to take his mat and walk.<ref>{{bibleverse|Jn|5:1–18}}, {{bibleverse|Mt|12:9–13}}</ref>

==== Women ====
The [[cure of a bleeding woman|curing of a bleeding woman]] appears in {{Bibleref2|Mark|5:21–43}}, {{Bibleref2|Matthew|9:18–26}} and {{Bibleref2|Luke|8:40–56}}, along with the miracle of the [[daughter of Jairus]].<ref>{{Bibleref2|Mark|5:21–43}}, {{Bibleref2|Matthew|9:18–26}} and {{Bibleref2|Luke|8:40–56}}.</ref> The Gospels state that while heading to Jairus's house, Jesus was approached by a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years and that she touched Jesus's cloak ([[Tzitzit|fringes of his garment]]) and was instantly healed. Jesus turned about and, when the woman came forward, said, "Daughter, your faith has healed you, go in peace".

The Synoptics<ref>{{Bibleref2|Mark|1:29–34}}, {{Bibleref2|Luke|4:38–39}} and {{Bibleref2|Matthew|8:14–15}}</ref> describe Jesus as [[Healing the mother of Peter's wife|healing the mother-in-law]] of [[Simon Peter]] when he visited Simon's house in [[Capernaum]], around the time of Jesus [[Twelve Apostles|recruiting Simon as an Apostle]] (Mark records the event occurring just after the calling of Simon, while Luke records it just before). The Synoptics imply that this led other people to seek out Jesus.

[[Jesus healing an infirm woman]] appears in {{Bibleref2|Luke|13:10–17}}. While teaching in a synagogue on the Sabbath, Jesus cured a woman who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years and could not stand straight at all.

====Other healings====
The healing of a [[Healing a man with dropsy|man with dropsy]] is described in {{Bibleref2|Luke|14:1–6}}. In this miracle, Jesus cured a man with [[dropsy]] at the house of a prominent Pharisee on the Sabbath. Jesus justified the cure by asking, "If one of you has a child or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?"

In the [[Healing the man with a withered hand|healing of the man with a withered hand]],<ref>{{Bibleref2|Mt|12:10}}, {{Bibleref2|Mk|3:1–3}}, {{Bibleref2|Lk|6:6–8}}</ref> the Synoptics state that Jesus entered a [[synagogue]] on [[Biblical Sabbath|Sabbath]] and found a man with a withered hand, whom Jesus healed, having first challenged the people present to decide what was lawful for Sabbath—to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill. The Gospel of Mark adds that this angered the [[Pharisees]] so much that they started to contemplate killing Jesus.

The miraculous [[healing the deaf mute of Decapolis]] only appears in the Gospel of Mark.<ref>{{bibleverse|Mk|7:31–37||7:31–37}}</ref> Mark states that Jesus went to the [[Decapolis]], met a man there who was deaf and mute, and cured him. Specifically, Jesus first touched the man's ears, then touched his tongue after spitting, and then said, "[[Aramaic of Jesus#Ephphatha (Ἐφφαθά)|Ephphatha!]]", an [[Aramaic of Jesus|Aramaic]] word meaning "be opened"''.''

The miraculous [[Healing the centurion's servant|healing of a centurion's servant]] is reported in {{bibleref2|Matthew|8:5–13}} and {{bibleref2|Luke|7:1–10}}. These two Gospels narrate how Jesus healed the servant of a [[centurion]] in [[Capernaum]]. {{bibleref2|John|4:46–54}} has a similar account at Capernaum but states that it was [[Healing the royal official's son|the son of a royal official]] who was healed. In both cases the healing took place at a distance.

[[Jesus healing in the land of Gennesaret]] appears in {{bibleref2|Matthew|14:34–36}} and {{bibleref2|Mark|6:53–56}}. As Jesus passes through [[Kinneret (archaeological site)|Gennesaret]] all those who touch his cloak are healed.

{{Bibleref2|Matthew|9:35–36}} also reports that after the miracle of [[Jesus exorcising a mute]], Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.

The [[Malchus|healing of Malchus]] was Christ's final miracle before his resurrection. [[Saint Peter|Simon Peter]] had cut off the ear of the High Priest's servant, Malchus, during the scene in the [[Garden of Gethsemane]]. Jesus restored the ear by touching it with his hand.

=== Exorcisms ===
{{See also|Exorcism in Christianity#New Testament}}
According to the three [[Synoptic Gospels]], Jesus performed many [[exorcism]]s of [[demonic possession|demons]]. These incidents are not mentioned in the [[Gospel of John]] and appear to have been excluded due to theological considerations.<ref>Twelftree (1999), p. 283.</ref>

The seven major exorcism accounts in the Synoptic Gospels which have details, and imply specific teachings, are as follows:
* [[Jesus in the synagogue of Capernaum|Exorcism at the Synagogue in Capernaum]]—Jesus exorcises an evil spirit who cries out, "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!"<ref>{{bibleref2|Mark|1:21–28|9}} {{bibleref2|Luke|4:31–37|9}}</ref>
* [[Exorcism of the Gerasene demoniac]] or Miracle of the (Gadarene) Swine—Jesus exorcises a possessed man (changed in the Gospel of Matthew to two men). When Jesus asks the demon's name (finding the name of the possessing demon was an important traditional tool of exorcists),<ref name=Keener>Craig S. Keener, ''A Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew'' (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1999) p. 282.</ref> he is given the reply [[Legion (demon)|Legion]], "for we are many". When the demons ask to be expelled into a nearby group of pigs rather than be sent out of the area, Jesus obliges, but the pigs then run into the lake and drown.<ref>{{bibleref2|Matthew|8:28–34|9}}, {{bibleref2|Mark|5:1–20|9}}, {{bibleref2|Luke|8:26–39|9}}</ref>
* [[Exorcism of the Syrophoenician woman's daughter]] (Matthew 15:21–28 and Mark 7:24–30)—A [[Canaanite woman|Gentile woman]] asks Jesus to heal her daughter, but Jesus refuses, saying that he has been sent only to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel". The woman persists, saying that "dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table". In response Jesus relents and informs her that her daughter has been healed.<ref>{{bibleref2|Matthew|15:21–28|9}} {{bibleref2|Mark|7:24–30|9}}</ref>
* [[Exorcising the blind and mute man]] ({{bibleref2|Matthew|12:22–32|9}}, {{bibleref2|Mark|3:20–30|9}}, and {{bibleref2|Luke|11:14–23|9}})—Jesus heals a possessed man who is blind and mute. People are astonished and ask, "Could this be the Son of David?"
* [[Exorcising a boy possessed by a demon]] ({{bibleref2|Matthew|17:14–21|9}}, {{bibleref2|Mark|9:14–29|9}}, and {{bibleref2|Luke|9:37–49|9}})—A boy possessed by a demon is brought forward to Jesus. The boy is said to have foamed at the mouth, gnashed his teeth, become rigid, and involuntarily fallen into both water and fire. Jesus's followers could not expel the demon, and Jesus condemns the people as unbelieving, but when the father of the boy questions if Jesus could heal the boy, he replies "everything is possible for those that believe". The father then says that he believes and the child is healed.<ref>{{bibleref2|Matthew|17:14–21|9}}, {{bibleref2|Mark|9:14–29|9}}, {{bibleref2|Luke|9:37–49|9}}</ref>
* [[Jesus exorcising at sunset]] ({{bibleref2|Matthew|8:16–17|9}}, {{bibleref2|Mark|1:32–34|9}}, and {{bibleref2|Luke|4:40–41|9}})—This miracle appears in the Synoptic Gospels just after Jesus heals Simon Peter's mother-in-law. In this miracle, Jesus heals people and casts out demons.
* [[Jesus exorcising a mute]] ({{bibleref2|Matthew|9:32–34}})—This miracle immediately follows the account of Jesus healing two blind men. A man who is possessed and can not talk is brought to Jesus, who casts out the demon. The man is then able to speak.

There are also brief mentions of other exorcisms, such as the following:
* Jesus casts seven devils out of [[Mary Magdalene]]. ({{bibleref2|Mark|16:9|9}}, {{bibleref2|Luke|8:2|9}})
* Jesus continues to cast out devils even though [[Herod Antipas]] wants to kill him. ({{bibleref2|Luke|13:31–32|9}})

===Resurrection of the dead===
{{See also|Resurrection of the dead}}
All four [[canonical gospel]]s describe the [[resurrection of Jesus]]; three of them also relate a separate occasion on which Jesus calls a dead person back to life:
* [[Daughter of Jairus]].<ref>{{bibleverse|Mk|5:21–43}}</ref><ref>{{bibleverse|Mt|9:18–26}}</ref><ref>{{bibleverse|Lk|8:40–56}}</ref> Jairus, a major patron of a [[synagogue]], asks Jesus to heal his daughter, but while Jesus is on the way, Jairus is told his daughter has died. Jesus tells him she was only sleeping and wakes her with the words [[Aramaic of Jesus#Talitha kum (Ταλιθὰ κούμ)|Talitha kum!]]
* [[The Young Man from Nain]].<ref>{{bibleverse|Lk|7:11–17}}</ref> A young man, the son of a widow, is brought out for burial in Nain. Jesus sees her, and his pity causes him to tell her not to [[cry]]. Jesus approaches the coffin and tells the man inside to get up, and he does so.
* The [[Raising of Lazarus]].<ref>{{bibleverse|Jn|11:1–44}}</ref> A close friend of Jesus who had been dead for four days is brought back to life when Jesus commands him to get up.

=== Harmony with nature ===
{{See also|Jesus in Christianity}}
The Gospels include eight pre-resurrection accounts concerning Jesus's power over nature:
* [[Marriage at Cana|Turning water into wine]] at a wedding, when the host runs out of wine, the host's servants fill vessels with water at Jesus's command, then a sample is drawn out and taken to the master of the banquet who pronounces the content of the vessels as the best wine of the banquet.
* The [[miraculous catch of fish]] takes place early in Jesus's ministry and results in [[Saint Peter]], [[Saint Andrew]], [[James, son of Zebedee]], and [[John the Apostle]] joining Jesus as his apostles.<ref>{{bibleverse|Lk|5:1–11}}</ref>
* [[Jesus walking on water|Walking on water]]{{snd}}Jesus walks on water.
* [[Calming the storm]]{{snd}}during a storm, the disciples woke Jesus, and he rebuked the storm causing it to become calm. Jesus then rebukes the disciples for lack of faith.
* Finding a [[coin in the fish's mouth]] is reported in Matthew 17:24–27.<ref>{{Bibleref2|Matthew|17:24–27}}</ref>
* [[Cursing the fig tree]]{{snd}}Jesus cursed a fig tree, and it withered.

Post-resurrection miracles attributed to Jesus are also recorded in the Gospels:
* A miracle similar to the miraculous catch of fish, also called the [[catch of 153 fish]] to distinguish it from the account in Luke, is reported in the [[Gospel of John]] but takes place after the [[Resurrection of Jesus]].