What's a Miracle?

We shall read two Sunday School Bible stories in church this morning. The first is in Genesis, the introduction to Jacob’s favorite son Joseph of the Coat of Many Colors, where Joseph’s brothers sell him into slavery. From the Gospel according to Matthew, the second story is about Jesus walking on water, a miracle story.

The gospels cast the miracle stories differently. In the synoptic gospels, Mark, Matthew and Luke, called “synoptic” because they basically see Jesus the same way even if each writer’s agenda is different for his book, the miracles are works of power that Jesus performs in loving compassion when he comes upon a situation of people in sorrow, need, sickness or any other adversity. Today’s story is copied below for anyone who might enjoy reading it again. The work of power may help Matthew’s readers see who Jesus is, here “The Son of God,” but Jesus’ purpose in the story is compassion, to help, just as it was in last week’s story of his Feeding of the Five Thousand.

In the Fourth Gospel, the Gospel according to John, the evangelist presents a miracle as a sign, for example, a signal of Jesus’ divinity, and then may deliberately count the event as just that, a sign. It may even be a sign that those expecting the Messiah should have been looking for because it was foretold by Moses, and John the evangelist points that out to remind them.

Why are the gospels so different?  

Matthew 14:22-33 (NRSV) Jesus Walks on the Water
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land,[a] for the wind was against them. 25 And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”

28 Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he noticed the strong wind,[b] he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

TW+