Did Jesus Really Perform Miracles?

Airing on
Probe Radio

Nov.
16-20

Daniel Morais with Michael Gleghorn — “I can believe Jesus was a great person, a great teacher.  But I can’t believe He performed miracles.”  Ever hear comments like this? Maybe you’ve wondered this yourself.  Did Jesus really perform miracles?

Marcus Borg, a prominent member of the Jesus Seminar, has stated, “Despite the difficulty which miracles pose for the modern mind, on historical grounds it is virtually indisputable that Jesus was a healer and exorcist.” Commenting on Jesus’ ability to heal the blind, deaf, and others, A. M. Hunter writes, “For these miracles the historical evidence is excellent.”

Critical historians once believed that the miracles attributed to Jesus in the Bible were purely the product of legendary embellishment.  Such exaggerations about Jesus’ life and deeds developed from oral traditions which became more and more fantastic with time until they were finally recorded in the New Testament.  We all know how tall tales develop.  One person tells a story.  Then another tells much the same story, but exaggerates it a bit. Over time the story becomes so fantastic that it barely resembles the original.  This is what many scholars once believed happened to Jesus’ life, as it’s recorded in the Gospels.  Is this true?  And do most New Testament historians believe this today?

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MEET THE AUTHOR
NAMEDANIEL MORAIS WITH MICHAEL GLEGHORN

"Daniel Morais wrote this article while serving as my intern with Probe Ministries. Daniel is a practicing optometrist with a passionate interest in both apologetics and biblical studies. Although he completed his internship a couple of years ago, he continues to be involved in research and writing and is currently working on a commentary on the Gospel of Matthew."

Michael is a research associate with Probe Ministries. After earning a B.A. in psychology from Baylor University and a Th.M. in systematic theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, he is back at DTS pursuing more suffering a Ph.D. in theology. The joy of Michael's life is his wife Hannah and their daughter.

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Probe Answers Your Questions:

"What is a Biblical Definition of a Miracle?"

"My Friend Believes Jesus' Miracles Were All Done by Mind Power"

"Were Jesus' Miracles a Demonstration of His Humanity or Deity?"