05.01.05 - Miracle, Evidential
(5) Miracle Evidential
Miracle had also a teaching and evidential purpose, and belonged largely to the initial and progressive stages of revelation, and was intended to authenticate the worker and his work, as also to encourage and nerve Prophet and Apostle in the belief and discharge of their mission, and to strengthen the belief of others both in the agent and his action, the messenger and his message. They are, therefore, closely connected with the occasion of their occurrence, and with the ignorance and needs of men, and so have an historic and evidential value. The)- arc not only “ ti-nita” marvels and wonders; not only “ dunaiucis “mighty works, indicating their efficiency and super natural power; but the} are “ scuicia “ signs, marking the purpose, object, and end of their operation, and connecting them with the revelation and purpose of God. As signs they pointed from the outward act to the inward and spiritual signification, from the visible fact to the invisible truth, and the material action to the divine and spiritual purpose. The} accordingly answered a real Divine and spiritual purpose, served an important and real end: the}- answered a revealing purpose, and possessed an evidential value, being connected with some important event, fact, action, or teaching “ God working with them signs following.” Thus Moses, by divers miracles, substantiated his commission, authority, and Divine appointment before Pharaoh, as the deliverer of Israel from Egyptian bondage; while, by certain plagues inflicted on the land and the people, he chastened the determined will of Pharaoh into submission to let Israel go, and won from the magicians the confession that it “ was the finger of God.” So the signs given to Gideon as he entered upon his task; of delivering Israel, and the three signs given by Samuel to Saul on his being selected and anointed king over Israel gave the assurance that God had chosen and appointed them to their work and office.
Elijah, by the marvels of Carmel, wrought conviction in Israel that Jehovah was God; while the woman whose dead son he raised to life testified concerning him “ By this I know thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth/ 1 So in the case of the Apostles “ power over devils,”
“gifts of healing,” working of miracles,” “the gift of prophecy,” and “ speaking with tongues,” were the credentials and signs of apostolic authority: and these things, following upon their mission and teaching, were the distinguishing marks that God was with them, and had sent them and commissioned them to speak and teach in His name. Indeed, the very call, commission, and endowment of the Apostles for their work were spiritual and Divine; and as such they believed themselves, and were believed in by others, to be supernaturally endowed for their work. Their gifts came from God, and were bestowed for the sake of the work and the kingdom of God. The Apostles may not have often appealed to outward signs, and did not often work miracles in proof of their authority and commission; but their call and commission was of God, and, in the case of Paul, was the outcome of a direct revelation from God; while his message was also given him by revelation, and signs and miracles were wrought by him in the midst of the people, by which he proved himself not inferior to “the chiefest of the Apostles.” The Lord Jesus also wrought miracles to attest His mission, and appealed to them 1 1 Kings 18:24. in proof that lie came from God, and spake in the name of God, and wrought the works of God; that it was God the Father who spake in Him and by Him, and who did the works. “He was approved unto God by powers, wonders, and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of the people.” Christ appealed both to His words and His works, to His teachings and His miracles, and claimed to be believed on account of both, because by these He was “declared to be the Son of God with power.” Men who listened to His teachings declared “His word was with power,” that He “spake as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” Others beholding His works said “We know that Thou art a Teacher come from God: for no man can do these signs that Thou doest, except God be with him.”- Because Jesus Christ claimed to be the Son of God, to have come forth from God, He both spake the words of God and did the works of God, “healing the sick of the palsy,” and making him whole, and declaring his “sins to be forgiven him.” When the disciples of the Baptist, hearing of His works, went to Him with the question “Art Thou the Coming One?” the Messiah, the Christ He pointed to His miracles as evidence of 1 1 is Messiahship. And it is worthy of note that the Jews regarded miracles as evidence of Messiahship, and said “ We know when He who is called Christ is come He will teach us all things,” 3 and “When He is come will He do more signs than those which this man hath done?” 4 Jesus said “I that speak unto thee am He.” It was by His works, His miracles, “ He manifested His glory,” and many believed on Him. Thus
2 John 1:3
4 John 7:31. it is the miracles of Christ are held to be an evidence of Messiahship, and a proof that He was the Saviour, the Son of God. They were a ground of belief and confidence to men, a demonstration of His divinity as a Teacher, and of the authority and divinity of His religion; while He is “declared to be the Son of God with power by His resurrection from the dead.” His character, mission, and teaching, His religion, kingdom, and Church, are in strictest accord with this confession and claim. There is no incongruity or discord between them: the witnesses agree, and the truth is thereby attested and confirmed. So that, while miracles are not to-day in the system of Apologetics what they once were as proofs and evidences of divine revelation, they are “aids to faith; to faith in the message of the Old Testament Scriptures as a revelation of the gracious purposes of God; faith in the Person, teaching, and work of Christ as the fulfilment of God’s gracious purpose of redemption; and faith in the mission and teaching of the Apostles as the heralds of salvation to men, and the proclaimers of that Gospel “which is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.”
“ Miracles “ have been spoken of “ as the swaddling clothes of Christianity,” and belonging to the introduction and establishment of the Christian religion, and were used by the inspired authors of the New Testament as auxiliaries to the preaching of the truth, and subordinate to the enduring virtues of the Christian character. As “ signs “ and “ aids to faith “they were merciful indications of a superhuman power mercifully offered to help men to believe the truth spoken and the message proclaimed, by calling attention to it and emphasising its supreme importance. And while miracles with prophecy may still be regarded as the direct and fundamental proofs of revealed religion because whoever could and did work miracles in proof that God had sent him and was working with him, the miracles being the sign thereof, because wrought by the power of God and the wisdom of God yet too much stress must not be placed upon this witness, and too much importance must not be attached to these at the present day.
They can only be evidences of the wisdom and power, of the presence and authority of God when the mission and truth are in accord with the divine will and purpose. It is the moral truth, the spiritual purpose, the divine results, that are the all-important factors. We must not forget that the working of miracles has been associated with falsehood, imposture, and deception.
Paul speaks of “ deceivers,” “ false prophets,” who shall show signs and work miracles, and lead astray the very elect; while the “ lawless one,” “ whose coming is according to the working of Satan, shall be with power and signs and lying wonders.” 1 Hence the one important, the abiding miracle, is the moral miracle, the miracle of conversion, of a holy life, of the divine and spiritual effects of the Gospel, which distinguish the New Testament and the Christian religion from all other writings and all other religions.