1. Introduction

Question 1

1. What are Miracles?

Answer 1

• Hume’s Definition of Miracles: a transgression of law of nature by a particular volition of the Deity.
• H. Van Der Loos: divides miracles into…
1. Miracles of healing
2. Miracles of control over nature.
• C.S Lewis: divides these miracles into…
1. Miracles of the Old Creation (Powers that Jesus has as a perfect human)
2. Miracles of the New Creation (Powers that are a foreshadowing of what life will be like for humans in the Afterlife)

 Most of the healings are miracles of the Old Creation
- God created humans in the Garden of Eden to be immune and Jesus restores this to people temporarily.
 Nature miracles are likely to be of the New Creation
- In the Afterlife, people will be able to walk on water like Jesus

Question 2

2. Theories of Miracles:

Answer 2

• Atheists and Liberal Christians often look for naturalistic explanations.
- There are two popular ones as followed…
1. Jesus was a hypnotist: his charisma caused people to experience the placebo effect (problems facing people (e.g. blindness) may have been psychological.
• However, not all can be explained in this way. (some disabilities were physical)
2. Jesus was an illusionist: Jesus wasn’t walking on water but a sandbank
• However, Mark’s Gospel shows the Messianic Secret to be apparent.

Question 3

3. Seven Signs in John

Answer 3

• There are only 7 signs in John, but they are much more unlikely than the synoptic gospel. (These signs cannot be explained in the same way)
• Brown: John’s Gospel deliberately makes these signs unbelievable in a literal sense. For John, the spiritual meaning is much more important.

Question 4

4. John’s Signs can be Interpreted in 3 Ways

Answer 4

1. Supernatural: Signs are supernatural miracles with meanings to them
2. Naturalistic: Signs are non-supernatural ‘spiritual theatre’ prepared to convey spiritual truths.
3. Mythological: Signs are fictional and only the meaning matters

Question 5

Summary

Answer 5

1. What are Miracles?
2. Theories of Miracles:
3. Seven Signs in John
4. John’s Signs can be Interpreted in 3 Ways