Back to Bible Basics for Orthodox Christians Session 7

Back to Bible Basics for Orthodox Christians

Session 7 – The Bible as Story in Miracles

Patristic Reference: Saint John Chrysostom Homilies

Prayer before reading of the Holy Scriptures: Shine within our hearts, loving Master, the pure light of Your divine knowledge, and open the eyes of our minds that we may comprehend the message of Your Gospel. Instill in us also reverence for Your blessed commandments so that, having conquered sinful desires, we may pursue a spiritual life, thinking and doing all those things which are pleasing to You. For You, Christ our God, are the light of our souls and bodies, and to You we give glory, together with Your Father who is without beginning and Your all holy, good and life giving Spirit, always now and forever and to the ages of ages.

  1. Miracles are for ‘proof’ of God’s power and for belief
    1. John 6.30 – “Therefore they said to Him, ‘What sign will You perform the, that we may see it and believe You?’” OSB 1435
    2. John 10.37-38 – “If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me,; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.”  OSB 1446
    3. John 20.30-31 –  “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” OSB 1465-1466
  2. Miracles of the Old Testament
    1. Plagues of Egypt – God as our Savior from death – Exodus 7-10 OSB 73-77
    2. Crossing the Red Sea – God as our Savior from captivity – Exodus 14 OSB 83
    3. Bitter water turned to sweet – Salvation through the Cross and Baptism  – Exodus 15 OSB 84
    4. Manna from Heaven – God as the Bread of Life – Exodus 16 OSB 85
    5. Jonah in the Belly of the Whale – God in the Tomb – Jonah 2.1-10 OSB 1021
    6. Three Youths in the Furnace – God’s power of death – Daniel 3.19-24 OSB 1243
  3. Miracles performed by Christ in the New Testament
    1. Feeding the 5000 – Matthew 14.14-21 OSB 1295-1296
    2. Feeding the 4000 – Matthew 15.22-29 OSB 1298
    3. Healing the Blind Men – Matthew 20.29-34 OSB 1308
    4. Raising of Jairus’s daughter (Interrupted by Healing the woman with the flow of blood) – Mark 5.21-43 OSB 1337
    5. Raising the Son of the Widow from Nain – Luke 7.11-17 OSB 1377
    6. Seven Signs of the Messiah – See Footnote on OSB 1424
      1. Changing water into wine – John 2.1-11 OSB 1424
      2. Healing nobleman’s son – John 4.46-54 OSB 1430-1431
      3. Healing of the Paralytic – John 5.1-15 OSB 1431-1432
      4. Feeding the 5000 – John 6.1-14 OSB 1434
      5. Jesus walks on water – John 6.15-21 OSB 1434-1435
      6. Open the eyes of man born blind – John 9.1-41 OSB 1442
      7. Raising Lazarus from the dead – John 11.38-44 OSB 1447-1448
  4. Miracles performed by Apostles in New Testament
    1. Apostles speak in the languages of the world – Acts 2.1-13 OSB 1471-1472
    2. Saint Peter heals the lame man ‘with a look’ – Acts 3.1-10 OSB 1474
    3. Peter’s shadow performs miracles – Acts 5.12-16 OSB 1477
    4. Paul survives viper bite – Acts 28.1-6 OSB 1516

Saint John Chrysostom on John 20-30-31 – Since this Evangelist has mentioned fewer than the others, he tells us that neither have all the others mentioned them all, but as many as were sufficient to draw the hearers to belief. For, If, it says, they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books. Whence it is clear, that What they have mentioned they wrote not for display, but only for the sake of what was useful. For how could they who omitted the greater part, write these others for display? But why went they not through them all? Chiefly on account of their number; besides, they also considered, that he who believed not those they had mentioned, would not give heed to a greater number; while he who received these, would have no need of another in order to believe. And here too he seems to me to be for the time speaking of the miracles after the Resurrection. Wherefore He says, In the presence of His disciples. For as before the Resurrection it was necessary that many should be done, in order that they might believe that He was the Son of God, so was it also after the Resurrection, in order that they might admit that He had arisen. For another reason also he has added, In the presence of His disciples, because He conversed with them alone after the Resurrection; wherefore also He said, The world sees Me no more. John 14:19 Then, in order that you may understand that what was done was done only for the sake of the disciples, he added, That believing ye might have life in His Name. Speaking generally to mankind, and showing that not on Him who is believed on, but on ourselves, he bestows a very great favor. In His Name, that is, through Him; for He is the Life.