Were Jesus' miracles real?

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Are Catholics expected to believe that all of Jesus’ miracles in Scripture are actually historical accounts? Could they be based on historical events? Is it possible that some of the miracle accounts are symbolic?

For instance, are we to expect that Jesus really multiplied the loaves or did something else happen? Did he really walk on water or is this symbolic regarding the lack of faith of his disciples? Did he really cure people instantaneously?

Keep in mind, I am not asking your opinion in these matters. I want to know the Church’s authoritative teachings on this subject. Please point me to references regarding the Church’s teaching.
 
Journeyman said:
Are Catholics expected to believe that all of Jesus’ miracles in Scripture are actually historical accounts? Could they be based on historical events? Is it possible that some of the miracle accounts are symbolic?

For instance, are we to expect that Jesus really multiplied the loaves or did something else happen? Did he really walk on water or is this symbolic regarding the lack of faith of his disciples? Did he really cure people instantaneously?

Keep in mind, I am not asking your opinion in these matters. I want to know the Church’s authoritative teachings on this subject. Please point me to references regarding the Church’s teaching.
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***Jesus, being fully Divine and one with His Father and the Holy Spirit, certainly had the power to perform all of the miracles attributed to Him in the Gospels.

Could there have been sharing of food at the multiplication of loaves and fishes. Certainly. But if that is all that took place, it would not have been noteworthy enough to include in the Gospels.

I believe that the miracles occurred exactly as described. Jesus was trying to make a point, that He was who He said He was and He had the authority of the Father to teach and to forgive sins.***
 
Journeyman said:
Are Catholics expected to believe that all of Jesus’ miracles in Scripture are actually historical accounts? Could they be based on historical events? Is it possible that some of the miracle accounts are symbolic?

For instance, are we to expect that Jesus really multiplied the loaves or did something else happen? Did he really walk on water or is this symbolic regarding the lack of faith of his disciples? Did he really cure people instantaneously?

Keep in mind, I am not asking your opinion in these matters. I want to know the Church’s authoritative teachings on this subject. Please point me to references regarding the Church’s teaching.
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CCC: 1335 The miracles of the multiplication of the loaves, when the Lord says the blessing, breaks and distributes the loaves through his disciples to feed the multitude, prefigure the superabundance of this unique bread of his Eucharist. The sign of water turned into wine at Cana already announces the Hour of Jesus’ glorification. It makes manifest the fulfillment of the wedding feast in the Father’s kingdom, where the faithful will drink the new wine that has become the Blood of Christ.

All of the miracles recorded in the NT were real.

Acts 2:22-24 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— 23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken[a] by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.”

Pax,
SHW
 
There is no dogmatic requirement to believe in any of the miracles attributed to Jesus (except the resurrection but then that was done to him not by him).

Actually, the miracle stories don’t tell you much about Jesus except that the authors wanted to present him as being a classical Jewish holy man. There were many other Jewish men of that period who performed similar wondrous deeds and their stories are recorded as well. We tend to think about how incredible the miracles of Jesus were and ignore the fact that others did the similar things around the same period.
 
patg said:
There is no dogmatic requirement to believe in any of the miracles attributed to Jesus (except the resurrection but then that was done to him not by him).

Actually, the miracle stories don’t tell you much about Jesus except that the authors wanted to present him as being a classical Jewish holy man. There were many other Jewish men of that period who performed similar wondrous deeds and their stories are recorded as well. We tend to think about how incredible the miracles of Jesus were and ignore the fact that others did the similar things around the same period.
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What!?

The Resurrection was done BY Jesus. He is God.

I don’t for a second believe"many other Jewish men" were performing miracles. Only God can effect a miracle. I think disbelieving in Christ’s miracles is dangerously close to disbelieving in His Divinity.

God Bless
 
bilop said:
The Resurrection was done BY Jesus. He is God.
God Bless
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Hello,

Romans 8:11 “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

John 5:21 “For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will.”

Galatians 1:1 “Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead),”

Romans 6:4 “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

God the Father and God the Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead.

Hebrews 2:9 “But we see **Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for **the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.”

Jesus regains (is crowned with) His full power and glory and honor after He has been raised from the dead and He has ascended into heaven.

Pax,
SHW
 
SHW said:
CCC: 1335 The miracles of the multiplication of the loaves, when the Lord says the blessing, breaks and distributes the loaves through his disciples to feed the multitude, prefigure the superabundance of this unique bread of his Eucharist. The sign of water turned into wine at Cana already announces the Hour of Jesus’ glorification. It makes manifest the fulfillment of the wedding feast in the Father’s kingdom, where the faithful will drink the new wine that has become the Blood of Christ.

All of the miracles recorded in the NT were real.

Acts 2:22-24 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— 23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken[a] by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.”

Pax,
SHW
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CCC 1335 seems to indicate that the miracle of the loaves was indeed a miracle and not just an instance of Jesus getting everyone to share their food as some revisionists like to teach.

However, I am looking for authoritative Church teachings that tell us that Jesus did miracles and that it is incorrect to write off some of all of the miracles as being symbolic etc… Can we just use our own opinion and decide that they were not all miracles and that they had some sort of meaning or truth such as the importance of faith etc… Have any of the Popes or Councils spoken on this?
 
bilop said:
What!?

The Resurrection was done BY Jesus. He is God.
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He was dead…
I don’t for a second believe"many other Jewish men" were performing miracles.
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I said “Jewish holy men”. Maybe you just haven’t read enough first century Jewish history to believe it.
Only God can effect a miracle.
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And God can certainly use anyone as a vehicle for a miracle.
I think disbelieving in Christ’s miracles is dangerously close to disbelieving in His Divinity.
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I never said I did not believe that he performed miracles - I said that you are not required to believe in any specific stories and that the miracle stories are not unique to him.
 
Journeyman said:
CCC 1335 seems to indicate that the miracle of the loaves was indeed a miracle and not just an instance of Jesus getting everyone to share their food as some revisionists like to teach.

However, I am looking for authoritative Church teachings that tell us that Jesus did miracles and that it is incorrect to write off some of all of the miracles as being symbolic etc… Can we just use our own opinion and decide that they were not all miracles and that they had some sort of meaning or truth such as the importance of faith etc… Have any of the Popes or Councils spoken on this?
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CCC (Catechism of Catholic Church) #1335 is official authoritative teaching. There is no doubt at all. The Church teaches that the multiplication of the loaves and fishes was a miracle.

Hopefully someone else will be able to find other documents for you.

Pax,
SHW
 
Besides article 1335, the Catechism (an official Church document) also states the following regarding Jesus’ miracles:
The signs of the Kingdom of God
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CCC 547
Jesus accompanies his words with many “mighty works and wonders and signs,” which manifest that the kingdom is present in him and attest that he was the promised Messiah.
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CCC 548
The signs worked by Jesus attest that the Father has sent him. They invite belief in him. To those who turn to him in faith, he grants what they ask. So miracles strengthen faith in the One who does his Father’s works; they bear witness that he is the Son of God. But his miracles can also be occasions for “offense”; they are not intended to satisfy people’s curiosity or desire for magic. Despite his evident miracles some people reject Jesus; he is even accused of acting by the power of demons.
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These paragraphs clearly state that Jesus’ miracles were real, and served a real purpose in God’s divine plan. Yet in spite of them, man will continue to question and deny not only the reality of the miracles, but also the divine Sonship of Christ Himself.

The spiritual battle that was raging at the time of Christ is obviously still raging today. Fortunately, we know who the ultimate victor is.

rocketrob
 
If there were other Jewish holy men doing miracles, where are they written about? You want documentation, then give that on this statement. Also, if we were to deny the miracles of Christ, including His resurrection, then we would be denying our salvation. There is no salvation without Him.
 
patg said:
He was dead…
.
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Jesus’ human soul had separated from His human body, but the hypostatic union was never interrupted. In other words, the Second Person of the Trinity was united to Jesus’ body and soul, even in death.

CCC #627 (see also #626) Christ’s death was a real death in that it put an end to his earthly human exidstence. But because of the union which the person of the Son retained with his body, his was not a mortal corpse like others, for “it was not possible for death to hold him” and therefore “divine power preserved Christ’s body from corruption.” …

Regarding Our Lord’s Resurrection:
CCC #648 Christ’s Resurrection is an object of faith in that it is a transcendent intervention of God himself in creation and history. **In it the three divine persons act together **as one, and manifest their own proper characteristics. The Father’s power “raised up” Christ…

CCC #649 As for the Son , he effects his own Resurrection by virtue of his divine power. … Elsewhere he affirms explicitly: “I lay down my life, that I may take it again…I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.” …

Nita
 
Journeyman said:
Are Catholics expected to believe that all of Jesus’ miracles in Scripture are actually historical accounts? Could they be based on historical events? Is it possible that some of the miracle accounts are symbolic?

For instance, are we to expect that Jesus really multiplied the loaves or did something else happen? Did he really walk on water or is this symbolic regarding the lack of faith of his disciples? Did he really cure people instantaneously?

Keep in mind, I am not asking your opinion in these matters. I want to know the Church’s authoritative teachings on this subject. Please point me to references regarding the Church’s teaching.
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Yes.

Dei Verbum 19. (Vatican II document)
19. Holy Mother Church has **firmly and with absolute constancy **maintained and continues to maintain, that the four Gospels just named, whose historicity she unhestatingly affirms, faithfully hand on what Jesus, the Son of God, while he lived among men, **really did **and taught for their eternal salvation, … …the apostles handed on to their hearers what He had said and done… The sacred authors, …selected certain of the many elements which had been handed on, either orally or already in written form, others they synthesized or explained with an eye to the situation of the churches, the while sustaining the form of preaching, **but always in such a fashion that they have us the honest truth about Jesus. **
(See CCC #126 which cites this paragraph of Dei Verbum)

Nita
 
Nita said:
Jesus’ human soul had separated from His human body, but the hypostatic union was never interrupted. In other words, the Second Person of the Trinity was united to Jesus’ body and soul, even in death.

CCC #627 (see also #626) Christ’s death was a real death in that it put an end to his earthly human exidstence. But because of the union which the person of the Son retained with his body, his was not a mortal corpse like others, for “it was not possible for death to hold him” and therefore “divine power preserved Christ’s body from corruption.” …

Regarding Our Lord’s Resurrection:
CCC #648 Christ’s Resurrection is an object of faith in that it is a transcendent intervention of God himself in creation and history. **In it the three divine persons act together **as one, and manifest their own proper characteristics. The Father’s power “raised up” Christ…

CCC #649 As for the Son , he effects his own Resurrection by virtue of his divine power. … Elsewhere he affirms explicitly: “I lay down my life, that I may take it again…I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.” …

Nita
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:yup: And from today’s Gospel: “'The Jews then said to him, ‘What signs have you to show us for doing this?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up,’” (Jn. 2:18-19).
 
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