Questions About Biblical Miracles (Part 4): Since we should not test God (Matt. 4:7), if people are claiming to work miracles by the power of God, is it wrong to demand proof?

There is a big difference between testing God and testing people. The Lord commands us: “Test all things; hold fast what is good” (1 Thess. 5:21); “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). Pharaoh’s magicians were put to the test, and they failed (Ex. 8:18-19); Baal’s prophets were put to the test, and they failed (1 Kings 18:20-40); Elymas was put to the test, and he failed (Acts 13:6-11); Sceva’s sons were put to the test, and they failed (Acts 19:13-17).  

We are warned of false teachers who will appear to be something they’re not, a number of whom claiming to work miracles in the Lord’s name (Matt. 7:15-23; 24:24). Of course the crucial point is the message they are espousing -- truth or error? Sadly, many who accept the reality of these “miracles” do not know enough about the Bible to discern the message. But if there are those who claim the ability to perform Bible miracles, surely it is right to expect equivalency between what they can actually do and what the Bible says. Can they work a miracle that skeptics are unable to deny? (Acts 4:14-16). Can they, by their miracles, cause unbelievers to turn to the Lord? (Acts 9:33-35). Are the results of their miracles immediate, obvious and verifiable? (Luke 4:39; 5:13, 24-25; Acts 3:1-10). Can they perform a miracle even when there is no faith on the part of the recipient? (John 9:1-7, 25, 35-38).  

Instead of limiting these alleged miraculous works to those who already believe, why not use them to convince an unbelieving world? The fact is, no one on earth today can reproduce and confirm an authentic Bible miracle, like raise the dead (Acts 9:36-42), instantaneously cure leprosy (Matt. 8:2-3), heal every sick person in a crowd (Matt. 8:16; 9:35; 12:15; Luke 4:40; 6:17-19; Acts 5:16), walk on water (Matt. 14:24-29), restore severed body parts (Luke 22:50-51), et al. If God has warned us of religious frauds, admonished us to be wise and discerning, commanded us to test all things, and given us His all-sufficient word, then it would be a big mistake not to put these self-proclaimed miracle workers to the test (cf. Rev. 2:2).

-- Kevin L. Moore

*Originally appearing in The Exhorter (April-June 1998).

Related Posts: Duration of Miraculous Gifts (1 Cor 13:8-13), Questions Part 1: Mark 16:17-18, Questions Part 2: Heb. 13:8,  Questions Part 3: Jn 14:12

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Questions About Biblical Miracles (Part 3): When Jesus said believers will do the works He did, and even greater works (John 14:12), would this not indicate miracle-working today?

Any interpretation of a scripture which involves an absurdity or an impossibility must be false. Among the many other miraculous works Jesus performed, He turned water into wine (John 4:46), fed multitudes with little food (Matt. 14:15-21), calmed storms (Matt. 8:26), walked on water (John 6:19), restored maimed and severed body parts (Mark 3:1-5; Luke 22:50-51), and raised the dead (John 12:1). No one on earth today (despite a number of exaggerated claims) can genuinely reproduce these amazing miraculous feats, much less even greater ones! To understand what Jesus meant by His statement in John 14:12, should we not first consider the context?

The Lord was with His apostles when He instituted the Lord’s supper (Luke 22:14 ff.) and therefore was speaking directly to the apostles in chapters 13, 14, 15, and 16 of John’s Gospel. The statement in John 14:12 was directed to the apostle Philip, who apparently, like the others, was struggling at the time with his beliefs (vv. 8-12). The apostles did go on to do similar miraculous works to what Jesus had done (Acts 2:43; 5:12; etc.), but there is no record of them performing greater miracles than He did. What, then, were the “greater works” of which the Lord spoke? 

The second occurrence of the term “works” in John 14:12 was not in the original text but was supplied by the English translators. Jesus actually said to the apostles, “greater [things] than these he will do.” To what would this have reference? For one thing, the ministry of Jesus was limited primarily to Judea and Galilee, but the ministry of the apostles was to extend throughout the world (Acts 1:8). Jesus did not publicly proclaim His death, burial and resurrection, but the apostles did (Acts 2:14-24). During His earthly ministry the Lord brought no one into His spiritual kingdom, but the apostles did (Matt. 16:18-19; Mark 9:1). Christ baptized no one into His death, burial and resurrection or in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, but the apostles did (Matt. 28:19; Rom. 6:3-5). In a general sense we can also do these “greater [things],” but there is no one living on earth today who can do the same (much less greater) miracles than those performed by our Lord.

-- Kevin L. Moore

*Originally appearing in The Exhorter (April-June 1998).

Addendum: “Jesus performed miracles but didn’t advertise them. We advertise them but don’t perform them” (Vance Havner).

Related Posts: Duration of Miraculous Gifts (1 Cor 13:8-13), Questions Part 1: Mark 16:17-18, Questions Part 2: Heb. 13:8, Questions Part 4: Matt. 4:7

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Questions About Biblical Miracles (Part 2): Since the Lord obviously performed miracles in the past, and He “is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8), should we expect miracles today?

The statement in Hebrews 13:8 emphasizes the Lord’s consistent nature, but has nothing to do with the particular ways He has chosen to carry out His overall purpose. Even if God happens to change His mind (e.g. Gen. 6:6-8; 18:20-32; Num. 16:20-24), this does not affect the consistency of His nature. The divine will has been communicated to man in different ways throughout history (Heb. 1:1-2), but the Lord remains the same. At one time God required animal sacrifices, Sabbath observance, a priesthood of Levi’s descendants, circumcision, abstinence from certain foods, etc., but He subsequently changed all these things (Heb. 7:12; 8:6-13). God created the universe in six days (Gen. 2:1-2), but He is not currently continuing that activity. God made the first human beings supernaturally (Gen. 2:7, 22), but no one today is being formed directly from dust or a rib. The point is, God worked miracles in the first century AD in order to communicate and confirm His will during a time when the Bible was not yet complete in its written form. But once God’s written word had been finished, these miracles had served their purpose and were no longer needed (cf. John 20:30-31). 

-- Kevin L. Moore

*Originally appearing in The Exhorter (April-June 1998). The current article published 19 August 2020.

Related Posts: Duration of Miraculous Gifts: 1 Cor. 13:8-10, Bible Miracles: Fact or Fiction?, Questions Part 1: Mark 16:17-18, Questions Part 3: Jn 14:12, Questions Part 4: Matt. 4:7

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Questions About Biblical Miracles (Part 1): Does Mark 16:17-18 indicate that miraculous gifts are for all baptized believers?

The first consideration is the historical context of this statement. Even if these miraculous abilities were promised to everyone who believes, they were imparted through the apostles’ hands (Acts 8:18) and were limited to the first-century church (1 Cor. 13:8-13). Moreover, no Christian possessed all the spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:4-11, 28-30) except maybe the specially-chosen apostles (cf. Matt. 10:1; 2 Cor. 12:12). But when the entire context of this passage is considered, it doesn’t necessarily say what many have assumed. 

Notice in Mark 16:10-20 the frequent use of plural pronouns (“those,” “they,” “them,” “their”) in reference to the apostles. They did not believe and Jesus rebuked their unbelief. In giving the Great Commission (vv. 15-16) Jesus changed to the singular pronoun “he” to refer to the recipient of the gospel, but then changed back to the plural in referring to the unbelieving apostles. Christ promised the apostles that if they believed, miraculous signs would follow them (cf. Matt. 17:20). The last two verses of Mark 16 show that this promise was fulfilled in them: “And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through accompanying signs. Amen” (emp. added; cf. Acts 1:1-8; 2:4-8, 43; 3:1-8; 5:12; 16:16-18; 28:3-9; et al.).

-- Kevin L. Moore

*Originally appearing in The Exhorter (April-June 1998).

Related Posts: Duration of Miraculous Gifts: 1 For 13:8-10, Ending of Mark (Part 1), Questions Part 2: Heb. 13:8, Questions Part 3: Jn 14:12, Questions Part 4: Matt. 4:7

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The Duration of Miraculous Gifts: a Careful Analysis of 1 Corinthians 13:8-13

While the 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians is often referred to as the Bible’s “love chapter,” it is actually the centerpiece of a three-chapter discourse on the use and abuse of miraculous gifts. Superiority of love is the theme of chapter 13, but superior to what?

At the heart of all the problems of the mid-first-century Corinth church was a lack of love (cf. 8:1-3; 16:14). Because of jealousy, arrogance, and strife over the fact that they all did not have the same miraculous gifts, Paul writes chaps. 12–14. The variety of spiritual gifts came from the same divine source and was intended for the common good of the community (12:1-11). Just as the different body parts function as a unit, so the diversity among the Corinthians should be harmonized for the benefit of the whole body of Christ (12:12-30). A better/more excellent way to overcome discord is the way of love (12:31), so Paul highlights the importance of godly love (13:1-3) and gives a brief description of it (13:4-7). He then affirms that love is superior to miraculous gifts because it will endure long after the gifts have fulfilled their intended purpose (13:8-13).

The Comparative Duration of Love (1 Cor. 13:8-13)

Love never fails (13:8a); it is everlasting (cf. 1 John 4:8). In contrast, miraculous gifts are temporary. Prophecies (cf. 12:10, 28, 29; 14:1-6) will be done away. Tongues (cf. 12:10, 28, 30; 14:2 ff.; Acts 2:4-11) will cease. [Miraculous] Knowledge (cf. 12:8; 14:6) will vanish. Note that all these gifts were means by which God’s message was revealed (cf. 12:8, 10; 14:6).

“For we know in part and we prophesy in part” (13:9). God’s revelation came part-by-part, piece-by-piece through spiritually-gifted individuals (cf. 12:29-30; 14:26, 31). “But when the perfect [to téleion]¹ comes, the partial will be done away” (13:10). The word téleion is the neuter form of téleios, i.e., not necessarily a perfect person but presumably a perfect thing.²  
Téleios means “brought to completion; fully accomplished, fully developed …. complete, entire, as opposed to what is partial and limited” (H. K. Moulton, Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised 400).

Since the miraculous gifts were providing “parts” that would eventually comprise something “whole” or “complete,” and the gifts enumerated here were each used by God to reveal His will, it appears that to téleion is a reference to God’s complete revelation that would ultimately comprise the Christian canon (cf. Rom. 12:2; Jas. 1:25).³ Despite the cessation of the revelatory gifts themselves, the results of these gifts (communication and confirmation of the divine will) would carry on in the written word (cf. John 20:30-31).

Three “before” and “after” illustrations follow (13:11-12). Before to téleion came, spiritual infancy was the norm; but afterwards spiritual maturity would be possible (cf. 2:6; 3:1-2; 14:20; 1 Pet. 2:2). Before, the will of God was not entirely clear; but after, it would be as clear as looking in a clean mirror (cf. Jas. 1:23-25). Before, knowledge was only partial; but after, it would be full and complete (cf. 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Eph. 3:1-4).

“But now abide [ménō] faith, hope, love, these three …” (13:13). The term ménō means to abide, remain, continue. The miraculous gifts were only temporary and were to cease, be abolished, vanish away (v. 8). In contrast: faith, hope, and love abide, remain, continue. The greatest of these is love because love “never fails” (v. 8), i.e., is everlasting. Faith will continue until the end of time, but will no longer be needed in eternity (cf. Heb. 11:1). Hope will continue until the end of time, but will no longer be needed in eternity (cf. Rom. 8:24-25). God’s complete word stands as the foundation of our faith and proof of his love.

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Not “perfection” (NIV). The substantival use of the adjective téleios here does not have an explicit referent: the “perfect” what? This word appears eight times in the Pauline writings: Rom. 12:2; 1 Cor. 2:6; 13:10; 14:20; Eph. 4:13; Phil. 3:15; Col. 1:28; 4:12.

     ² This assessment is not conclusive, however, since the neuter form may simply convey a general principle (see D. B. Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics 295, 333); cp. 1 John 1:1.

     ³ This coincides with the death of the apostles through whom miraculous gifts were imparted (Acts 8:18). Alternatively, it has been suggested that to téleion (cp. Eph. 4:13) may refer to the maturation of the church, which could point to the same historical juncture as the completion of the NT. Others interpret to téleion in view of the believer’s eternal state, whether at death or the Lord’s parousia (see F. D. Farnell, “When Will the Gift of Prophecy Cease?” BibSac 150 [1993]: 191-93).

Related Posts: Bible Miracles: Fact or Fiction?, The Pentecost-Day Miracle

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Speaking in Tongues

     The Greek word rendered “tongues” in the New Testament is glôssai, simply meaning “languages” (cf. Revelation 7:9; 11:9). The first historical account of miraculous tongue-speaking is recorded in Acts 2:1-11. Having received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the apostles began speaking in languages that were understood by Jews from various nations. Consistent with what glôssai actually means, these “tongues” were real languages spoken by real people living in different parts of the world.

     The Bible affirms that “tongues” were intended primarily for the benefit of unbelievers (1 Corinthians 14:22), serving no useful purpose if they could not be understood (1 Corinthians 14:7-11, 14-20). If a tongue-speaker wanted to say something in a religious gathering where there may have been some who could not understand him, either his message was to be interpreted or he was to remain silent (1 Corinthians 14:12-13, 26-28).

     Some read 1 Corinthians 14 and stop at verse 5, thinking they have discovered a whole new purpose for tongue-speaking. But from what Paul goes on to say in the rest of the chapter, it is evident that in these first five verses he is rebuking the Corinthians for their misuse of this gift. Certain ones in Corinth were speaking in tongues, but instead of speaking to men they were merely speaking to God since no one could understand them (v. 2). Nevertheless, they should have been speaking to men so as to be understood (vv. 7-11, 14-20). Some were speaking in tongues in order to edify themselves (v. 4), but their gifts should have been used to edify others (vv. 4-19).   

                                                                    

     Not everyone in the early church had the ability to speak in tongues (1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 28-30). The apostles and Cornelius’ household received this gift through the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4; 10:44-47; 11:15-17), but these two cases were for specific purposes that were fulfilled. Other Christians received the ability to speak in tongues by the laying on of an apostle’s hands (Acts 19:6; cf. 8:17-19). However, this gift was not meant to be permanent in the church (1 Corinthians 13:8).

     The miraculous gift of tongue-speaking, like the other spiritual gifts, fulfilled its purpose of communicating and confirming the divine message during a time when the church was in its infancy and without God’s complete written revelation. Now that the Bible is complete, speaking in tongues is no longer needed.

     There is a big difference between tongue-speaking in the Bible and the ecstatic utterances or unintelligible babblings that many today call tongue-speaking. There may be counterfeit “miracles” (Matthew 24:24) and various miraculous claims (Matthew 7:21-23), but this is not sufficient proof that such is from God. “Test all things; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

--Kevin L. Moore

Related Posts: Holy Spirit Baptism, Bible Miracles: Fact or Fiction

Originally appearing in The Exhorter (April–June 1998).

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Bible Miracles: Fact or Fiction?

     A common viewpoint with which a number of modern critics approach the Bible is the following: "Seeing that the pages of the Bible are filled with incredible miracle stories, none of which can be replicated or observed today, and supernaturalism is beyond our current experience, the books of the Bible appear to be imaginative creations produced by biased persons with ideological agendas rather than by credible witnesses and historians."
     But surely critics of the Bible do not view themselves as unbiased persons without an agenda! Anyone who is convinced and passionate about anything is necessarily biased to some degree. If biblical writers sincerely believed the message they transmitted, does their "biased agenda" automatically render them incapable of honesty and factual reporting? John Drane has aptly observed:

But the idea that only ‘unbiassed’ people can ever tell the truth belongs to a way of understanding reality that no longer stands up to critical scrutiny. The philosophical notion developed through the European Enlightenment, that merely by the exercise of human reason it is possible to step outside our own experience of life and judge things in some kind of ‘objective’ way entirely detached from our own perspective, is now seen to have been just wishful thinking on the part of self-opinionated white Westerners who wished to justify their own ideas over against what they regarded as the ‘irrational’ understandings of people of other times and places. (Introducing the New Testament [Rev.] 221-22)     Miracles by their very definition are out of the ordinary. When the universe is conceptualized through the restrictive lenses of scientific method and philosophical naturalism, viewed as a closed system operating according to inflexible laws that are totally predictable and never vary, any deviation from what is expected is regarded as impossible. However, no scientist is in the position to deny that miracles occurred in the past, as these unique happenings are outside the range of scientific investigation. It is one thing to assert that supernatural manifestations as depicted in scripture are not witnessed today, but to dismiss even the possibility that they could have ever taken place is to assume one's own conclusion and involves unprovable (unscientific) speculation. Science has its limitations. It does not encompass all reality and is not the infallible key that accounts for every conceivable anomaly.               
     The historical method is also somewhat restricted. The historian’s role is simply to repeat the facts of history without attempting to provide creative explanations. The biblical record is a matter of historical evidence. Unlike myths, legends, and fairy tales, Bible miracles are reported in the context of real historical events, in a simple, straightforward, and unembellished manner, typically occurring in the presence of multiple (sometimes hundreds and even thousands of) witnesses. If biblical authors are proven to be trustworthy in other areas (e.g. geography, historical data, etc.), then their testimony deserves serious consideration and should not be rejected outright.
     When one is predisposed from the start to deny the possibility of exceptional phenomena that defy the natural world as we currently know it, then the entire Bible, with its description of miraculous events, will be like the proverbial baby thrown out with the bath water. On the other hand, if one is open to the prospect that God is real and that Jesus is in fact who he professed to be, extraordinary workings are not beyond what is to be expected. Thus Bible miracles are not surprising at all, and certainly not impossible in a theistic world. One’s assessment of supernaturalism in the biblical record is inextricably linked to his/her assessment of the plausibility of God.
--Kevin L. Moore

Related Posts: Duration of Miracles: 1 Cor. 13:8-13