Jesus’ Miracles

Many Christians are under the impression that Jesus’ miracles were unique to himself and thus constitute evidence for his divinity. However, the majority of Jesus’ miracles are recorded in the Old Testaments as having been done by earlier Prophets.

Furthermore, there are also texts in the New Testament which confirm tha t Jesus did not act on his own. Jesus is quoted in John 5:30, as saying: “I can of mine own self  do nothing…” and in Luke 11:20, as saying, “But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the Kingdom of God is come upon you.”

In Acts 2:22, Paul writes:  “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs which God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know…”

Jesus the “Son of God”

Another of the evidences used for Jesus’ divinity is the application of the title “Son of God” to Jesus. It should first be noted that nowhere in the Gospels does Jesus actually call himself “Son of God”.

Instead, he is recorded to have repeatedly called himself “Son of man” (e.g. Luke 9:22) innumerable times.

And in Luke 4:41, he actually rejected being called “Son of God”: “And demons also came out of many, crying, ‘You are the Son of God!’ But he rebuked them, and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.” However, there are numerous places in the Old Testament where this title has been given to others.

God called Israel (Prophet Jacob) His “son” when He instructed Prophet Moses to go to Pharaoh in Exodus 4:22-23:

And you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Israel is my first-born son, and I say to you , ‘Let my son go that he may serve me.’ ”  ’ ” [2] See also, Hosea 1:10, of the King James Version.

In 2nd Samuel 8:13-14, God calls Prophet Solomon His son:

“He [Solomon] shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 14I will be his father, and he shall be my son.”

God promises to make Prophet David His son in Psalms 89:26-27:

He shall cry unto me, ‘Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation,’ Also I will make him my first-born, higher than the kings of the earth.” [3] In the Revised Standard Version, it states: “And I will make him the first-born, the highest of the kings of the earth.” See also Jeremiah 31:9, “…for I am a father to Israel and Ephraim is my first-born.”

Angels are referred to as “sons of God” in The Book of Job 1:6,

“Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.” [4] See also, Job 2:1 and 38:4-7. Other references to sons of God can also be found in Genesis 6:2, Deuteronomy 14:1 and Hosea 1:10.

In the New Testament, there are many references to “sons of God” other than Jesus. For example, when the author of the Gospel according to Luke listed Jesus’ ancestors back to Adam, he wrote:

“The son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.”

Luke 3:38

Some claim that what is unique in the case of Jesus, is that he is the  only begotten [5] The term “begotten” in Old English meant ‘to be fathered by’ and it was used to distinguish  between Jesus, who was supposed to be the literal son of God, from the figurative use of the term ‘son’ for God’s “created sons”. Son of God, while the others are merely “sons of God”. However, God is recorded as saying to Prophet David:

“I will tell the decree of the Lord: He said to me, ‘You are my son, today I have begotten you.’ ”

Psalms 2:7