bhlincoln:
You say miracles stopped, yet century after century we have seen them among the Saints. You are simply in denial.
Hi Bh Lincoln,
Here’s a “gift” in writing I just got from a friend, and i’d like to share with you!
Chrysostom says miracles ceased…
**Chrysostom (349-407): ** But mark, I pray thee, how great a multitude of persons healed the evangelists pass quickly over, not mentioning one by one, and giving us an account of them, but in one word traversing an unspeakable sea of miracles. Then lest the greatness of the wonder should drive us again to unbelief, that even so great a people and their various diseases should be delivered and healed by Him in one moment of time, He brings in the prophet also to bear witness to what is going on: indicating the abundance of the proof we have, in every case, out of the Scriptures; such, that from the miracles themselves we have no more; and He saith, that Esaias also spake of these things; “He took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.” He said not, “He did them away,” but “He took and bare them;” which seems to me to be spoken rather of sins, by the prophet, in harmony with John, where he saith, “Behold the Lamb of God, that beareth the sin of the world.”
NPNF1: Vol. X, Homilies on Matthew, Homily 27, §2.
**Chrysostom (349-407): ** For when Christ performed miracles, they often contradicted Him. But when Christ brought forward the prophet, saying, “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on my right hand,” they were silent, and “no man,” we read, “was able to answer Him a word.” And on all occasions He Himself also appealed to the Scriptures; for instance, “If he called them gods to whom the word of God came.” (John x. 35.) And in many places one may find this. On this account here also Peter says, “I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh;” that is, upon the Gentiles also. But he does not yet reveal this, nor give interpretations; indeed, it was better not to do so (as also this obscure saying, “I will show wonders in heaven above,” put them the more in fear because it was obscure.) And it would have been more an offence, had it been interpreted from the very first. Then besides, even as plain, he passes over it, wishing to make them regard it as such. But after all, he does interpret to them anon, when he discourses to them upon the resurrection, and after he has paved the way by his discourse. *NPNF1: Vol. XI, Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles, Homily 5. *
Chrysostom (349-407),
speaking of the impossibility of the dead to speak to the living: But God, forseeing all these things, has prevented such an attempt, and out of regard for us, has not permitted any one at any time to come from thence to relate to living men the things that take place there. He has taught us to regard the Holy Scriptures as more worthy of trust than everything else. For He has made certain things more clear to us than they would have been made by the resurrection of the dead; He has instructed the whole world; He has driven away error, and brought in the truth; He has, by the instrumentality of fishermen and men of no reputation, procured all these benefits, and afforded to us on all sides sufficient proofs of His own providence.
F. Allen, trans., Four Discourses of Chrysostom, Chiefly on the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, 4th Sermon, §3 (London: Longmans, Green, Reader and Dyer, 1869), p. 99. Cf. Catharine P. Roth, trans., St. John Chrysostom On Wealth and Poverty, 4th Sermon (Crestwood: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1984), pp. 86-87.
**Chrysostom (349-407): ** In order to learn another reason why the teaching of the prophets is more worthy of belief than the report of those who rise from the dead, consider this fact, that every dead person is a servant, but what the Scriptures utter, the Master has uttered. So even if a dead person rises, even if an angel descends from Heaven, the Scriptures are more worthy of belief than any of them. For the Master of the angels, the Lord of the dead and the living, Himself has given the Scriptures their authority.
Cf. Catharine P. Roth, trans., St. John Chrysostom On Wealth and Poverty, 4th Sermon (Crestwood: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1984), p. 85.
Regards,
James Swan