Miracles

A miracle is an event, an action or effect which is beyond the powers of man, a miracle is therefore showing a divine action, the presence and power of God, this often occurs with a revelation or message.
In the New Testament Greek text we find these four words were usually used to indicate a miracle:

Semeion, a "sign," This word is used to describe when a miracle is a sign to the people, it will often involve an action or a message. It is used to indicate that the person who creating the miracle has a commission from God, it is used as an indication of the presence and work of God.

Examples are:

Matt 12:38,39; Matt 16:1,4; Mark 8:11; Luke 11:16; Luke 23:8; John 2:11,18,23; Acts 6:8.

 

Terata, This is used to describe an event considered a miracle which made the people "wonder;"

Example:

Acts 2:19.

 

Dunameis, "great works of a greater and higher power;"

Examples are:

Acts 2:22; Rom 15:19; 2 Thess 2:9

 

Erga, This was used to indicate that the miracles were seals to a divine mission, proofs that the person was a messenger of God. Jesus also used miracles as proof of his divine mission.

Examples are:

John 5:20,36; John 5:20,36; John 10:25,38.

 

The person, uses a miracle as clear proof that they had come with the authority of God.
(See Table of miracles recorded in the Gospels.)

When miracles occurred

In the Bible there are three notable times of miracles:
(1) During the time of Moses;
(2) During the time of Elijah and Elisha;
(3) During the time of Jesus and His apostles.
Each period lasted less than 100 years.
Not all the miracles done by Jesus were recorded. John 20:30-31

"30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name."

The total number of miracles for all three periods is less than 100.
When Jesus performed miracles, there was three reasons for Him doing them.
(1) To show His love and meet a human need;
(2) To teach a spiritual truth;
(3) To demonstrate that He was the Messiah.

A Miracle will not or cannot save lost sinners, John 2:23-25;

"23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.
24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, 25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man."

Luke 16:27-31.

"27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."

Miracles are always associated or linked to a message from the Word of God.

Miracles of Jesus

Even if miracles could be explained away, as has often been attempted, there are many recorded by the disciples and evangelists. Matthew and Luke, for example, as well as records of numerous miracles also contain the reports that Jesus "went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of disease and all manner of sickness among the people," Matt 4:23.

"And a great number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases; and they that were troubled with unclean spirits were healed. And all the multitude sought to touch him; for power came forth from him, and healed them all"

Luke 6:17-19.

"17 And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;
18 And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed.
19 And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all."

Miracles Done by the Apostles.

The apostles followed this same pattern as Jesus in their miracles. The ability to do miracles was one of the proofs of their apostolic authority.

Examples found are:

Heb 2:1-4; 2 Cor 12:12; Mark 16:20; Rom 15:18-19.

Peter

Paul

Paul’s ministry was mainly preaching, he was a well educated man and was able to get the message of Salvation over to the Gentile world, Acts 19:8-12.

There were three reasons which made this possible: the witness of the believers as they went from place to place, the message by Paul and his co-workers, and the "special miracles" that God enabled Paul to perform.

Satan and Miracles

Satan imitates whatever God’s people are doing, because he knows that the unsaved world cannot tell the difference 2 Cor. 11:13-15;

Rev 13:1-8;

Matt 24:24;

2 Thess 2:8,9.