Jesus' Miracles: An ancient history, or timeless experience?

Jesus was asleep in the boat, and a storm arose, and they went and woke Him, saying, ‘Save us, Lord; we are perishing.’ And He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?’ Then He rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.

The Bible records 37 distinct miracles performed by Jesus across the four Gospels, a number commonly cited by scholars and religious sources. These miracles include healings, exorcisms, control over nature, and raising the dead, and they are presented as signs of Jesus' divine authority and identity as the Messiah.

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John document these events in chronological order, with Mark recording the most miracles. While some sources note that Jesus performed many other miracles not recorded in the Gospels, such as the statement in John 21:25 that "Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.”

The Gospel documents the miracles that Jesus Christ performed during His earthly ministry. All of His actions were aimed at benefiting people and strengthening their faith in God. Having unlimited opportunities to create miracles, Christ never used them for His own amusement or glorification. In fact, there were many more miracles, but we will only consider those described in the Holy Scriptures.

The New Testament words on miracles

The New Testament makes it clear what constitutes true miracles performed for a good purpose, and what actions should not be considered miracles. The following are highlighted in the texts: A miracle is an event that indicates something extraordinary, an action that is beyond the capabilities of an ordinary person and nature.

The sign should be understood in the sense of the miracle itself, its semantic designation. Power is not just an action that requires a lot of energy, but a powerful act with significant meaning and results.

The first miracle of Jesus

The first miracle of Jesus Christ is well known not only to believers. It is the transformation of water into wine. Christ was always accompanied by the Virgin Mary. She was the most faithful and devoted preacher, although she was not one of the apostles. In Cana of Galilee, near Nazareth, a wedding was being celebrated. Jesus, his mother, and his disciples were invited to the wedding.

Unfortunately, the groom's family was not wealthy enough to provide a large amount of wine. As the guests continued to celebrate, Maria approached her son with a request to help the hosts. She called for the servants and instructed them to follow Jesus's instructions without question.

There were several stone vessels in the house. Christ ordered the people to fill them with water. Then, when all the jugs were full, He said to fill a vessel from any of them and bring it to the steward. He specified when, what, and to whom to serve, after tasting it first. When the steward tasted the drink that was presented to him, he immediately ordered that the guests' cups be filled with it.

He then turned to the host and expressed his surprise. Usually, the best wine is served first, but he had saved it for later. The first miracle of Jesus was performed to confirm and glorify the Son of God. The disciples, who were still in doubt, believed in Christ and his teachings.

Jesus' 37 Miracles in Chronological Order

According to John, "If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written," making it challenging to determine the chronological order of the 37 miracles that Jesus Christ accomplished. But the remaining miracles he performed are listed below:

The Healing of the Son of the Canaanite Steward (Cana) John 4:43-54

The Miraculous Catch of Fish (The Miraculous Catching of Fish; Lake Galilee/Gennesaret) Luke 5:1-11

The healing of the demoniac in the synagogue of Capernaum, Mark 1:21-28;

Luke 4:31-37

Healing of Peter's mother-in-law and the multitude Matthew 8 14-15;

Mark 1 30-31; Luke 4 38-39

The Healing of the Leper Matthew 8:2-4; Mark 1:40-45; Luke 5:12-15

The Healing of the Centurion's Servant Matthew 8:5-13

The Resurrection of the Widow of Nain's Son Luke 7:11-17

The Storm's Taming (Lake of Galilee) Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25

The Healing of the Gadarene Demoniacs (The Healing of the Demoniacs in the Country of Gadarenes/Gergesenes) Matthew 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-37

The miracle occurred in the land of Gadara (according to Mark and Luke) or Gergesa (according to Matthew). After the ship crossed the Sea of Galilee, a demon-possessed man came out to meet Christ, asking for his salvation. The demon-possessed man's name was Legion, which represents the multitude of unclean spirits.

Before being cleansed, the demons requested that the Son of God allow them to enter the nearby pigs. Their wish was granted, and 2,000 pigs jumped off the cliff and into the sea. The Savior told the former demon-possessed man to return to the city and tell people about the miracle. But the locals were afraid of Him. They asked Him to leave the city.

The Healing of the Paralytic at Capernaum Matthew 9:1-8; Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-26

The healing of the paralytic in Capernaum has a special meaning. Christ asked his friends to bring him a paralytic who had been suffering from his condition for several years. With his Word, he restored the man's life, but in doing so, he attracted the attention of the Pharisees.

The Resurrection of Jairus's Daughter (Capernaum) Matthew 9:18-26; Mark 5:21-43; Luke 8:41-56

In the synagogue where Christ was preaching, there was a chief. He asked the Son of God to resurrect his daughter, who had died recently. Jesus replied that the chief's daughter was alive but asleep. The chief's request was met with ridicule, but Jesus, accompanied by the girl's parents and three apostles, went to the chief's home. There, he performed a miracle of resurrection, which spread throughout Capernaum.

The Healing of the Bleeding Woman Matthew 9:20-22; Mark 5:25-29; Luke 8:43-48

The miracle is related to a twelve-year-old girl who approached Christ for healing. The girl had been bleeding for several days. She touched the hem of his garment and was healed. In disbelief, she thanked God for the miracle. Christ replied that it was her faith that had brought her healing.

The Healing of the Two Blind Men Matthew 9:27-31

Two blind men begged the Savior to restore their sight. Jesus replied that they could not be healed without faith. The men believed in God, and Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately, they regained their sight and were overjoyed. However, Jesus forbade them to tell anyone about the miracle. Despite his warning, the blind men shared the story of their healing.

The Healing of the Dumb and Demon-Possessed Man Matthew 9:32-33

A mute demon-possessed man was brought to the Savior. The demon prevented him from speaking. After the demon was cast out, the man regained the ability to speak.

The healing of the paralytic at the sheep's/ram's pool (at the pool of Bethesda, Jerusalem) John 5:1-16

Healing the Paralytic (Judea) Matt. 12:9-14; Mark. 3:1-6; Luke 6:6-11

The healing took place on a Saturday, in the presence of the Pharisees, who condemned Christ's activities. After the healing of the paralytic, Christ rebuked them, emphasizing that the traditions of the past should not hinder people from receiving healing. Helping others should be done on any day of the week.

Healing of the demon-possessed deaf-mute-blind man (Capernaum) Matthew 12:22-23

The miracle is remarkable because after the evil spirit was exorcised, the man began to see and speak again.

The miraculous feeding of five thousand people with five loaves (Decapolis/Decagraphe) Matthew 14:14-21; Mark 6:32-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-15

This miracle is mentioned by all the evangelists. During a sermon in a deserted place, the people wanted to leave to buy food and return. With his power, Christ was able to feed five thousand people who were present at the sermon with five loaves and two fish.

The Walking of Jesus Christ on the Waters Mt 14: 22-36; Mk 6: 45-56; John 6: 16-21

One day, when the disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee, they saw Christ standing on the water. The Apostle Peter expressed a desire to approach his teacher, and he was granted permission to do so. However, Peter's faith was weak, and he could not stand on the water. Peter began to sink. The Son of God saved him and rebuked him for his lack of faith. From that moment on, Peter's faith in Christ grew even stronger.

Healing the Canaanite's Daughter (near Tyre) Matthew 15:21-28; Mark 7:24-30

The miracle revealed to the world the truth that even a pagan woman who showed humility before the Almighty could be blessed by Him. The woman prayed for her sick daughter. Initially, Jesus refused her request, as he did not see any faith in her. However, he was impressed by her humility and granted her wish. The daughter of the Canaanite woman was immediately healed.

The Healing of the Deaf-Mute Stammerer (Decapolis) Mark 7:31-37

Jesus healed a deaf and tongue-tied man. The patient was brought to Jesus and asked him to lay his hands on the man. Jesus placed his fingers on the man's ears, then spat on his finger and touched the man's tongue. After saying, "Open your mouth," the man was healed. The news spread throughout the world.

The miraculous feeding of four thousand people with seven loaves (Decapolis/Decagraphe) Matthew 15:32-38; Mark 8:1-9

A miracle similar to how the Savior fed the five thousand. But this time, the 4,000 who were present at the sermon felt full.

Healing a blind man in Bethsaida, Mark 8 22-26

The healing took place in Bethsaida. A blind man was brought to the Son of God. Christ took him away from the others, spat in his eyes, and placed his hands on him. Then he asked the man if he could see anything. At that moment, the blind man was able to see. His joy knew no bounds. His faith in Christ was once again strengthened.

The healing of the demon-possessed boy at the new moon (Tabor) Matthew 17:14-23; Mark 9:14-32; Luke 9:37-45

An episode in which Christ healed a boy who was possessed by a demon every full moon. When the boy's father came to Jesus for the first time, he said that he had already brought his son to Jesus, but the miracle had not occurred. Jesus was displeased with the man's lack of faith, but he still helped the boy, even though the demon was strong and did not immediately leave the boy. Afterward, the boy returned to his father, and the man believed in God.

The Healing of the Blind Man (Jerusalem) John 9:1-38

The healing of the blind-born is different from the healing of ordinary blind people. When this man was brought to him during a feast in Jerusalem, Jesus immediately said that neither the parents nor the blind man was to blame for his blindness, but that it was God's will. With these words, he took him aside, spat on the ground, and used the same ground to wipe the blind man's eyes. And the man who had been blind from birth began to see after washing his eyes in the Pool of Siloam.

The Miracle of the Statue Matthew 17:24-27

It was not officially called a miracle, but it did happen. At the time, the tax collector wanted to accuse Christ and his disciples of not paying their taxes. Jesus was displeased with this, but he still instructed Peter to go to the lake and catch a fish with a coin in its mouth, which was enough to pay the tax for Christ and his followers.

Healing a crippled woman who had been suffering from an illness for 18 years (Galilee)Luke 13:11-17

The Pharisees forbade teaching on the Sabbath, but Christ still taught. Then a woman came to him, bent over and suffering from a disease for 18 years. The Savior placed his hands on her, and she was healed. She immediately straightened up and thanked Him for His miracles.

Healing of the Ten Leper Brothers (Samaria)Luke 17:11-19

One day, ten lepers came to Christ – nine Jews and one Samaritan. They begged him to heal them of their ailment. The Savior replied that they should go to a priest. On their way, the lepers were healed. However, only the Samaritan returned to thank Jesus for his healing. This story serves as a reminder to be grateful for miracles and not take them for granted.

Healing a man with dropsy (Galilee) Luke 14:1-4

On Saturday, a man with dropsy was brought to Jesus. Beforehand, he had asked the Pharisees if it was permissible to perform miracles on the Sabbath. The Pharisees remained silent, unsure of how to respond. In the end, Jesus healed the poor man.

The Resurrection of Lazarus (Bethany) John 11:1-57; John 12:9-11

One of the most popular episodes. Lazarus was dead for four days. On the fourth day, Jesus raised him, increasing his fame among the Israelites.

The Healing of the Blind Man of Jericho Matthew 20:30-34; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43

The blind man's name was Bartimaeus. He met Jesus on his way from Jericho to Jerusalem. In a desperate prayer, he asked for a cure for his blindness. Christ granted him the long-awaited healing.

The miraculous drying of the fig tree (Mount of Olives) Matthew 21:18-2

Jesus saw a fig tree with no fruit but leaves. With a word, he caused it to wither. This episode makes it clear that a fig tree with no fruit is like a faith that is only outwardly observed. A person must have faith from the heart.

Miraculous healing of the ear of the high priest's servant Malchus (Gethsemane) Luke 22 50-51

At one point in His Mission, the Savior saw the high priest's servant's ear being cut off before His eyes. Not seeing any wrongdoing, the Son of God placed His hands on the servant and healed him.

A Wonderful Catch (Lake of Galilee) John 21:1-14

A miracle was revealed to His disciples near a lake. The disciples, while sailing in a boat, cast a net into the lake and caught 153 fish.

The Healing of the Son of the Canaanite Steward (Cana) John 4:43-54

The healing of the demoniac in the synagogue of Capernaum, Mark 1:21-28;

Luke 4:31-37

Healing of Peter's mother-in-law and the multitude Matthew 8 14-15;

Mark 1 30-31; Luke 4 38-39

The Healing of the Leper Matthew 8:2-4; Mark 1:40-45; Luke 5:12-15

The story is about a leper who disobeyed the law of not approaching healthy people and approached Christ. He begged to be healed of his leprosy if God wanted to. In response to his plea, Jesus touched the leper. At that moment, the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed. Jesus had only one request: not to spread the news of the miracle and to visit a priest.

The Healing of the Centurion's Servant Matthew 8:5-13

The Resurrection of the Widow of Nain's Son Luke 7:11-17

Near the gates of the city of Nain, Jesus saw a funeral procession. A widow's son had died. Seeing her grief, the Son of God took pity on her and raised her son from the dead. The people around them began to praise God and believed that Christ was a great prophet. However, the Savior was greater than a prophet. He was the Messiah.

The Storm's Taming (Lake of Galilee) Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25

When Jesus and his followers were crossing the Sea of Galilee, a terrible storm arose that could destroy the boat. The disciples hurried to wake up their Master. He, in turn, ordered the wind to stop, and it did. The Master reproached his disciples for their lack of faith, as it was possible to stop the storm with prayer, without addressing Him, but to the Lord.