FACTS AND THOUGHTS

 
LESSON SIX - THE EVIDENCE OF MIRACLES
 
Luke 4:31-9:20
 
 
When Jesus, in the synagogue in Nazareth, announced both His Messiahship and His program, and his fellow townsfolk both rejected Him and tried to kill Him, He managed to slip away. Probably in some secluded place He perhaps waited until sundown (when the Sabbath ended), then made His way to Capernaum. We next read of Him there on another Sabbath, and again in a synagogue.
 
There, we are told by Luke, He was engaged in teaching, and He exhibited such "authority" that His hearers were astonished. But then at once Luke went on to tell of an exorcism (of a demon) performed by Jesus, right there in the synagogue. Therefore we conclude that He taught by means of the exorcism.
 
This leads us to suggest that this week's study is to look at the miracles performed by Jesus. John, in his Gospel, always called the miracles "signs." Luke, not using this term, tells of so many acts of healing and exorcism that we infer that they were performed to teach the people Who He really was.
 
And later on (recounted in Chapter Seven), when John Baptist, languishing in prison, and perhaps despondent, sent messengers to ask of Jesus if he were the Messiah, it is to be noted that Jesus did not answer directly. Instead, He performed numerous more miraculous healings right before the eyes of John's deputies. Jesus thus seemed to be saying, "What I say may not seem to be enough to convince you; so look at my miracles and let them give you the answer.
 
So let us look at the miracles of Jesus, as Luke told them, and see in them evidence of the true identity of Jesus.
 
We list here the following references in Luke's account: 4:31-37; 4:38-39; 4:40-41; 5:1-11; 5:12-16; 5:17-26; 6:5-11; 6:17-19; 7:1-10; 7:11-17; 7:18-23; 7:36-50; 8:2-3; 8:19-25; 8:26-39; 8:40-42; 8:43-48; 8:49-56; 9:1-2; 9:10; 9:11; 9:12-17. In every case we see the miraculous. And finally we shall refer to 9:18-20.  
 
We see here more than twenty miraculous acts by Jesus. This seems to have characterized His early career. While in several cases the text carefully points out that Jesus was acting with compassion for the need, all of them point to Him as the Anointed Man of God. And whenever He spoke of Himself, it was always as "The Son of Man." Not just "Son of Man," but it was ever "The Son of Man." He was unique. And He seemed constantly to be saying by His acts, "Can't you see Who I am?" It was finally climaxed when Peter made his great confession, that Jesus was "The Christ of God." (Luke 9:20.)
 
It is also significant that from that time on, and up to the arrest and crucifixion, Luke records less than ten miraculous acts, and in each case it was to emphasize a definite moral lesson.
 
Thus we conclude that the miracles recounted by Luke during the first half of his Gospel were designed to demonstrate Who Jesus was.
 
Let us look at several of these miracles in a little more detail.
 
It was in another synagogue in another city. This time it was Capernaum, on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee, about twenty miles from Nazareth. Another sabbath: was it one week after his reading from the sixty-first chapter of Isaiah? Perhaps.
 
Jesus was teaching, and He was teaching with authority, to the astonishment of His hearers. And (notice the many times the word "and" appears in this passage, showing that the events were interrelated) there was a demon-possessed man there, who tried to interrupt the teaching. He first objected to the kind of teaching he was hearing from Jesus. Then, apparently emboldened by his own voice he began to identify Jesus. And Jesus ordered the demon to be silent and to come out of the man. Which he did, after first throwing the man to the ground. (Did not this fulfill the words of Isaiah quoted by Jesus: "To set at liberty them that are bruised"?) (Luke 4:18.)
 
Note the reaction of those present in the synagogue. They were astonished at the authority and power exhibited by Jesus. This was powerful teaching indeed. It was the first lesson taught by Jesus to demonstrate Who He was.
 
One might pause here a moment to consider the demon-possessed man. He was objecting to the words of Jesus. Do we have people today objecting to and opposing the preaching of the gospel of Jesus? One thinks back to the Columbine High School massacre in Colorado several years ago. One of the gunslingers pointed his pistol at a fellow classmate and asked him, "Do you believe in God?" When the classmate replied in the affirmative, the gunman shot him right in the face and killed him. Was this demon-possession? And do perhaps many of the acts of senseless violence we hear about today really give evidence of demon-possession? If so, what is really required, but to invoke the all-powerful name of The Son of Man?
 
Immediately after the synagogue service that sabbath, Jesus repaired to the house of Simon (Peter.) There He found Peter's mother-in-law sick and with an high fever. (Notice Luke the physician observing that it was a "great fever, and yet Jesus cured her instantaneously: "Immediately she rose up and ministered unto them." Luke 4:39.) One scholar has suggested that perhaps the high fever indicated malaria, and therefore was the marvel of immediacy, for recovery from malaria is usually quite prolonged.
 
And as soon as it was sunset, (and the Sabbath had ended), crowds gathered with their sick. Jesus healed them all, and exorcised demons from some. He was demonstrating Who He was. Could not the people see this? And yet Jesus silenced the demons when they tried to identify Him. He did not need their testimony, and besides He wanted the people to identify Himself on their own.
 
Jesus then left the crowds, went away alone, and was praying. (This is Luke's second reference to the prayers of Jesus. The first was at the time of His baptism: see Luke 3:21.) As "Man," as "The Son of Man," Jesus must pray, often and long. Observe how many times Luke notes the prayers of Jesus.
 
And when they begged Jesus to remain in Capernaum, He declared He had other places waiting, adding that "therefore I was sent." (Luke 4:43) Again a reference back to His words in Nazareth. He had to preach in other cities as well: preach about the Kingdom, and preach about Himself. He must give to all the opportunity to identify Who He really was.
 
A NATURE MIRACLE. (Luke 5:1-11)
 
Next, Luke tells of an event by the Sea of Galilee at the bay of Gennesaret. After using Peter's fishing boat as a pulpit (to avoid the pressure of the crowds,) He rewarded Peter by giving him a large catch of fish - so large in fact that it was causing Peter's net to break. But with the help of James and John and their boat, they salvaged the entire catch. Peter, amazed at the scope of this miracle, and awed by the holiness of the Lord, and likewise overwhelmed by his own sense of sinfulness in the presence of Jesus, begged Jesus to leave him.
 
As we read this episode, are we also awed by the holiness and majesty of Jesus? If not, why not? Ought we not to be so awed by Him?
 
And so Jesus was demonstrating His power, not only over sickness and disease, not only over demons, but also over the fishes of the sea.
 
HEALING A LEPER. (Luke 5:12-16.)
 
On another occasion, says Luke, a leper came to Jesus. Not only did the man have leprosy, but Luke the physician notes that he was full of it. When the leper expressed his faith in Jesus ("thou canst make me clean"), Jesus actually touched the man's leprosy, healed him, and ordered the man to go to a priest and so fulfill the command of Moses. (Luke 5:1-14.)
 
Would you be willing to reach out and actually touch a person "full of leprosy"? We see here the compassion of Jesus. When we see people in need, ought we not treat them with equal compassion? Would it not attract more of them to the faith we believe and proclaim? Perhaps we need meditate on the need for more like compassion. 
 
So the crowds continued to come. But Jesus went aside, to the desert, and again "prayed." (Luke 5:16.)
 
THE PALSIED MAN. (Luke 5:17-26.)
 
Another healing took place in an house where Jesus was holding forth, teaching. Luke tells several significant points about this event.
 
Jesus was inside what was probably a private house. Pharisees and teachers of the Mosaic torah (law) were there, having come from all over the entire land including Jerusalem. The house was crowded, when four men came carrying a litter. Unable to gain admission through the crowds, they tore off some roof tiles, and lowered the litter right in front of Jesus. Jesus, seeing the faith of the men, spoke. And what did He say?
 
Ignoring for the moment the affliction of the man on the litter, Jesus first dealt with the man's inner need: his spiritual need. He said, "Man, thy sins are forgiven thee."
 
This caused consternation among the Pharisees and the scribes, who murmured among themselves how could a mere man do God's work, i.e., forgive sins? But The Word of God, Jesus, Who could "discern the thoughts and intents of the heart," (Hebrews 4:12), perceived not only that they murmured but also what they murmured.
 
The Pharisees believed that God in heaven could forgive sins, but in their minds it was impossible for a man on earth to grant forgiveness. The lesson here was that Jesus was a new kind of man, even "The Son of Man," and so he replied "that ye may know that The Son of Man hath authority on earth to forgive sins," and so He healed the man's palsy.
 
As in all the miracles, the lesson was, "Who is He, this Jesus, this The Son of Man," and Jesus taught the answer by the miracle.
 
THE WIDOW'S SON IN NAIN, AND THE DAUGHTER OF JAIRUS. (Luke 7:11-17; 8:40-42; 49-56.)
 
Another type of miracle was raising people from the dead, and of the three recorded instances by Jesus Luke recounted two of them. (The only other instance was the raising of Lazarus, as recounted by John in Chapter Eleven of his Gospel.)
 
Jesus, we are told, acted out of compassion; but this emphasized just another facet of His character. And the fact that Luke recorded two such instances doubly emphasized the importance of these miracles in identifying Who Jesus was, for those who had eyes to see. For Jesus had authority even over death itself; and therefore His power and authority were unlimited.
 
THE QUERY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST (Luke 7:18-35).
 
Meanwhile, John the Baptist had been languishing in prison. Herod had arrested and confined him for his honesty. Shut away from accurate news, and hearing reports about the miracles of Jesus (which he may have considered exaggerated), the Baptist sent two supporters to Jesus with the simple question, "Are you the Messiah for whom we are looking, or not?"
 
Notice that Jesus did not give immediate reply, but instead performed numerous miracles and exorcisms, and even restoring sight to a number of blind persons. Then He directed John to examine the evidence. This would be more convincing to the Baptist than self-testimony by Jesus.
 
And when the disciples of John had left to return to the Baptist, Jesus praised John and John's ministry. And yet Jesus declared that being in the Kingdom of God was to be greater than John. And before His remarks were concluded, Jesus spoke of Himself not as Messiah but as The Son of Man.
 
MESSIAH, or THE SON OF MAN? (Luke 9:18-22.)
 
We might go on examining all the miraculous acts of Jesus, but it might seem to our readers to be an exercise in redundancy. More than twenty in all were they. A statistical analysis would suggest the following: Exorcisms: two; healings: five; control over nature: three (miraculous catch of fishes; quieting a storm; feeding 5,000 men); dead raised: two; one leper cleansed; forgiveness extended: two. In addition there were numerous occasions wherein Jesus healed large numbers of people without having their identities announced nor the type of healing set forth.
 
Finally Jesus took His disciples to a place of seclusion. From the other Gospels we know that the place was called Caesarea Philippi, at the head of the river Jordan and below Mount Herman. There again He prayed (according to Luke.) Then he asked the disciples about Himself. "Who do the people say," and by contrast, "Who do you say that I am."
 
It was Peter who made reply: "the Messiah of God."
 
Now it is most interesting to compare the differences between the description given by Luke with that of Matthew, the most detailed description of the episode. (See Matthew 16:13-20.) In Luke there is no praise of Peter; nor is there any extended statement by Jesus as to His own power and authority. Furthermore, when Jesus proceeded to forecast His own death (in Matthew) one gains the impression that He as Messiah will die. There it is not until Jesus speaks of His second coming in power that He uses the term "The Son of Man."
 
But in Luke's version, when Peter makes the confession: "The Messiah of God," Jesus immediately silences him and them, and begins to speak of His role as The Son of Man, and challenges His followers to follow Him in self-denial. - Why is this?
 
Matthew's Gospel was intended for Jewish readers, and so is intended to present evidence that Jesus was fulfilling the role of Messiah. But Luke presents the Manhood of Jesus, is intended for all people: Gentiles as well as Jews; and so tends to downplay His Messiahship. In fact, as is true in all the Gospels, Jesus almost invariably identifies Himself as "The Son of Man."
 
In the book, "He Called Himself The Son of Man," it was strongly alleged by this writer that Jesus considered "The Son of Man" to be both inclusive of the term "Messiah" and also a far more important title.
 
But here we go beyond that comparison. As we shall hope to show in future lessons in this series, the humanity of Jesus was of a different kind than the humanity of all the sons of Adam.
 
In a recent study in Ephesians, it was emphasized that believers in Jesus form a new creation, a new race of mankind, and that race is centered "in Jesus." It is as the Progenitor of this new race of mankind that Jesus is "The Son of Man." This we hope to bring out in the second half of Luke's Gospel, which takes a turn different from what one might expect by comparing it with the other Gospel records.
 
Who was Jesus? He has just taught it, by His miraculous acts. And when Peter made his confession, one can imagine Jesus thinking to Himself: "Finally! At last somebody is beginning to see." And yet even Peter's response was not sufficient.
 
But the first eight chapters of Luke have more in them than just the self-identifying miracles of Jesus. He must choose His disciples and train them; He must teach to all The Sermon on the Mount (yes, even Luke's shortened version.) And this will constitute another lesson.
 
QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW, STUDY, AND DISCUSSION
 
1. Review of preceding text: Which of the miracles recounted in the foregoing discussion gives to YOU the most convincing evidence as to the true Person of Jesus? Why?
 
The following questions are based on Luke 6:11-7:1:
 
2. Why do you think Jesus used the term "The Son of Man": why did He not say simply: "Man"? In other words, what do you think is the significance of the term "Son of"?
 
3. Note the following sequence of events: (1) rising hatred for Jesus (6:11); (2) all-night prayer vigil (6:12); (3) choosing 12 disciples to be apostles (6:13); and (4) teaching the disciples (6:20). Do you see any significance in this sequence, and if so, what?
 
4. List in two columns the four Beatitudes listed by Luke and the four Woes pronounced by Jesus. (6:20-26). Then compare them with the passage from Isaiah quoted by Jesus in the synagogue in Nazareth. (Luke 4:18-19.) What comparison, what significance, do you see?
 
5. In 6:21-38 Jesus cited various ways in which we should deal with those who seem to be opposed to us. Which of these speaks to YOU of your own need of improvement in attitude? What will you do about it?
 
6. Can you relate the passage of the Sermon found in Luke 6:39-46 to the New Creation in Jesus? Discuss this relationship.
 
7. Try to memorize Luke 6:45.
 
 
 
 
 
--- Norman L. MacLeod Jr.
 

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