Why can't the church raise the dead like it can forgive sins?

[COPLAND_3]

Miracles do happen all the time, for there are many accounts that have happened and still do. St. Gregory the Great in his Dialogues tells of many great miracles of his day. Even today we hear of great miracles that are approved by the Church. But as for the need of miracles compared to in the beginning of Christianity, there is a much less need because the Christian faith spreads much more convincingly less by miracles than by the power of the Word of God proclaimed and lived out.

St. Thomas makes a good case in his exposition of the Apostles Creed…

If, however, you would say that no one has witnessed these miracles, I would reply in this manner. It is a fact that the entire world worshiped idols and that the faith of Christ was persecuted, as the histories of the pagans also testify. But now all are turned to Christ—wise men and noble and rich—converted by the words of the poor and simple preachers of Christ. Now, this fact was either miracle or it was not. If it is miraculous, you have what you asked for, a visible fact; if it is not, then there could not be a greater miracle than that the whole world should have been converted without miracles. And we need go no further. We are more certain, therefore, in believing the things of faith than those things which can be seen, because God’s knowledge never deceives us, but the visible sense of man is often in error.”

"The books of these prophets are held in veneration among us Christians, since they give witness to our faith. This wonderful conversion of the world to the Christian faith is the clearest witness of the signs given in the past; so that it is not necessary that they should be further repeated, since they appear most clearly in their effect. For it would be truly more wonderful than all signs if the world had been led by simple and humble men to believe such lofty truths, to accomplish such difficult actions, and to have such high hopes.”

 

[Mintaka]

Miracles like raising the dead are reasonably common, even now. If you go on secular doctor websites or EMT websites, they will occasionally talk about the amazing and strange and humbling things they have seen.

But honestly, how are you going to publicize most cases of this? And why? Most of these things that happen are interesting to the person it happens to, the medical personnel, and the family and friends. Unless God chooses to publicize a miracle as a great sign, most people will never ever hear about it; or if they do, it will just be one more strange story in their day.

Let’s take another example: Ven. Brother Solanus Casey. He was a great healer and miracleworker, by all accounts, and he lived in modern times and in big cities. Many of his miracles are very well-documented. But although he helped lots of Catholics and all kinds of people in Milwaukee, Harlem, Detroit and other cities, and although he was pretty much doing miracles every day of the week, he didn’t cause any kind of huge return to the Church. I’m sure he won a fair number of souls; he certainly saved lots of lives; but he still didn’t affect thousands and millions and billions of people.

St. Martin de Porres lived a similar life of total service and humble putting-up with trouble. Animals understood him. He did mass teleports of people. He routinely was able to tell people what was going on in the Philippines or Mexico while he was standing around in Lima, Peru. But even though he did help many people and made a big difference for them, Lima as a whole was still famous for being a very wicked city, even after St. Martin had come and gone. One man’s miracles can’t drag a whole population to holiness, unless they are eager to go along.

Miracles are signs that point the way to God. Yes, they are important.

However, loving evangelization and parents giving kids a good Catholic upbringing are much more effective at bringing people to God.

What does seem true is that the power to do miracles is the flower of humble faith and service, a foretaste of life in our glorified bodies after our resurrection. Since Ven. Solanus was always working hard and praying hard and putting up with lots of things to serve God’s will while staying thankful, God gave him greater power over nature since he had already been faithful in small things. If more of us Christians were more humbly faithful and patient, more of us would be miracleworkers.

Hope this helped!

 

[Muzhik]

Sounds like the caller was taking his questions straight from Richard Dawkins. Dawkins does some pretty amazing logical loops like, Jesus never rose from the dead. If he rose from the dead, you’d have dead people rising all the time. Since that isn’t happening, it didn’t happen then.

The Lutherans have a video called “Donal and Conal Meet Richard Dawkins” that deals with this question. The link goes to the ChurchPop web site. Enjoy!

 

[CeelosDeznos]

The answer is simple: the caller has mistaken the ministry to the Jews with the Apostolic commission to the Gentiles.

The “Commissioning of the Twelve” is what the caller was referring to, found in Matthew 10.5-15. It was limited to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” because it was to prove to the Jews that the Messianic Age had begun. (Matthew 10.6) Among the many things that the Jews expected the Messiah to do was bring about the resurrection of the dead. Therefore when Jesus sent the Apostles out to the Jews only, they were given the ability to perform the signs the Jews needed to believe that the Messiah had come. Among these signs that Jesus had to perform was bring about the age in which the dead would be raised.–Matthew 10.8.

But again the “Commissioning of the Twelve” was only to the Seed of Abraham. If you note the instructions, Gentiles are forbidden as recipients. Instructions are given that were only possible in the culture of Judah during the Second Temple era. Even Samaritans are forbidden as recipients because these special signs were for the Children of Abraham and no other nation. No other people expected the Messiah, had a concept of a Messiah or knew what to expect. The children of Israel was to play the part of witness to these miracles as a testimony to the Gentiles once Jesus was resurrected.

The “Great Commission” is the one that applies to the Church at large. (Matthew 28.19-20) Along with are the instructions the Apostles received on Easter evening, again after Jesus’ Passion and Resurrection, these take precedent. (John 20.19-23) These latter instructions apply to the Church because the Church is to minister to all nations. But since the Gentiles had no knowledge of the Messiah or what to expect with the coming of the Messianic age, the signs of that age were not given to them in the general fashion as they were during the ministry of Jesus in Israel. Only the Jews “were given the oracles of God,” so only they would understand when these were fulfilled and what these wonders meant. (Romans 3.2) Only when the Messianic Age has culminated in the New Heavens and New Earth after Judgment Day are the nations to witness on a permanent scale what Israel did on a typical scale during the first century.–Revelation 21.1-5.

In short the caller was uninformed about the differences between the Commission of the Twelve to the Jews and the Great Apostolic Commission to the Nations.

 

[mariedove]

The answer is simple: the caller has mistaken the ministry to the Jews with the Apostolic commission to the Gentiles.

The “Commissioning of the Twelve” is what the caller was referring to, found in Matthew 10.5-15. It was limited to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” because it was to prove to the Jews that the Messianic Age had begun. (Matthew 10.6) Among the many things that the Jews expected the Messiah to do was bring about the resurrection of the dead. Therefore when Jesus sent the Apostles out to the Jews only, they were given the ability to perform the signs the Jews needed to believe that the Messiah had come. Among these signs that Jesus had to perform was bring about the age in which the dead would be raised.–Matthew 10.8.

But again the “Commissioning of the Twelve” was only to the Seed of Abraham. If you note the instructions, Gentiles are forbidden as recipients. Instructions are given that were only possible in the culture of Judah during the Second Temple era. Even Samaritans are forbidden as recipients because these special signs were for the Children of Abraham and no other nation. No other people expected the Messiah, had a concept of a Messiah or knew what to expect. The children of Israel was to play the part of witness to these miracles as a testimony to the Gentiles once Jesus was resurrected.

The “Great Commission” is the one that applies to the Church at large. (Matthew 28.19-20) Along with are the instructions the Apostles received on Easter evening, again after Jesus’ Passion and Resurrection, these take precedent. (John 20.19-23) These latter instructions apply to the Church because the Church is to minister to all nations. But since the Gentiles had no knowledge of the Messiah or what to expect with the coming of the Messianic age, the signs of that age were not given to them in the general fashion as they were during the ministry of Jesus in Israel. Only the Jews “were given the oracles of God,” so only they would understand when these were fulfilled and what these wonders meant. (Romans 3.2) Only when the Messianic Age has culminated in the New Heavens and New Earth after Judgment Day are the nations to witness on a permanent scale what Israel did on a typical scale during the first century.–Revelation 21.1-5.

In short the caller was uninformed about the differences between the Commission of the Twelve to the Jews and the Great Apostolic Commission to the Nations.

Thank you, that really helps to explain the differences in the commands. Thanks also to all the other posts, I have learned a lot from you! I knew that there was an answer!

 

[Ignatius]

I am a faithful Catholic, but ever since I heard this question on the radio, it has been eating at me. The caller (hostile to the church in tone) had this premise: The Church claims that it can do things like forgive sins and celebrate the Eucharist because the apostles were given the command to do so, and the Church claims apostolic succession. B Does anyone have an answer to this? Thanks!

There wasn’t a lot of raising people from the dead. Only two of the Apostles raised anyone from the dead:
Peter raised Dorcas from the dead (Acts 9:36-41).
Eutychus was raised from the dead by Paul (Acts 20:9, 10).

There are no other accounts of even the Apostles raising someone from the dead and no citations of anyone else, even those who walked with Jesus of doing so. Sacred Scripture indicates that the Resurrection of the dead will occur when Christ returns.

 

[Ignatius]

W
This is why so many people doubt, they havent seen anything that makes them take notice, they just see it as something written down 2000 yrs ago, it could be true, it could all be fiction, and weve all been duped. If people in modern times saw just one thing they could attribute to the existence of God, I truly believe it would turn millions of people to the faith.

They saw all of those miracles, and yet they ridiculed, spit on, and tortured Jesus to death. People haven’t changed much in 2000 years, the people now would do the same.

 

[Jon_S_1]

So, he HAD to demonstrate his abilities for people to believe him…NO difference in todays world…Of course people are going to be skeptical of such claims of things that supposedly happened 2000 yrs ago, without any kind of demonstration back then, those people would not have paid him much attention either.

I realize he is not on earth anymore, but he COULD cause major miracles to happen, either THRU the church or on his own, but the CC is his ‘representative’ here on earth… he could cause all the water in the oceans to rise up if he wanted, he could cause the dead to crawl out of the ground and walk again, he could do anything whether hes in heaven or on earth.

If something major like this happened today, the churches would be overflowing daily, I would bet most nations would be suddenly changed, an event like this would turn many millions of people to God.

I am pretty sure God feels that by creating the universe, a world with just the perfect parameters for you to live, water to drink, just the right distance from its star, magnetic field to protect us, etc etc etc… Through all this he feels he has demonstrated more of a miracle than anything you mention.

There is enough out there to fill the churches with droves, but people are too consumed with themselves to even notice or care.

 

[Peebo]

I read a book many decades ago called “like a mighty wind” it was about Protestant missionaries who were teaching tribe people in the pacific that they could do anything that they wanted if the had faith in Jesus Christ…well it turns out the second world war broke out and the missionaries had to flee the island…when they returned after the war they were amazed to hear these illiterate…uneducated had did exactly what the missionaries had taught them…they had prayed to do Holy Spirit and he had appeared to them as a mighty wind with tongues of fire…they had raised the dead,healed the sick…I can’t remember everything beause it was so long ago…this shows the childlike faith which these people believed…they had no theological experience…no concept of disputes over church doctrines…all they believed in their innocence was what the Bible and the words of Jesus Christ that they could do anything in his name…which they did…I’m sure there are many stories of Catholics who have heard of similar things among Catholics

 

[MarcoPolo]

If something major like this happened today, the churches would be overflowing daily

Doubtful. Really, too many people are invested in not believing to be swayed even by a miracle. We can’t even get skeptics to acknowledge a timeless First Cause. Jesus even predicted hardened skepticism: "“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” (Luke 16:31)

 

[SyroMalankara]

If people in modern times saw just one thing they could attribute to the existence of God, I truly believe it would turn millions of people to the faith.

From the worst of us, of which I count myself, as messed up as Catholics are as people - we still haven’t destroyed the Church. 2015 years and counting.
Ain’t that miracle enough?

I’ve seen over four dozen denominations bite the dust in the ~35 years that I’ve been alive, still only 1 Catholic Church.

 

[Ignatius]

This is why so many people doubt, they havent seen anything that makes them take notice, they just see it as something written down 2000 yrs ago,.

Where did she get the idea that this was common? People didn’t believe because they had seen these things, the vast majority never saw any miracles.
There wasn’t a lot of raising people from the dead. Only two of the Apostles raised anyone from the dead:
Peter raised Dorcas from the dead (Acts 9:36-41).
Eutychus was raised from the dead by Paul (Acts 20:9, 10).

There are no other accounts of even the Apostles raising someone from the dead and no citations of anyone else, even those who walked with Jesus of doing so. Sacred Scripture indicates that the Resurrection of the dead will occur when Christ returns.

Does that clear things up a bit?

 

[DCNBILL]

Doubtful. Really, too many people are invested in not believing to be swayed even by a miracle. We can’t even get skeptics to acknowledge a timeless First Cause. Jesus even predicted hardened skepticism: "“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” (Luke 16:31)

This^

People who are skeptical will remain that way until they change their hearts not until they see something miraculous.

The door is in front of them and God is on the other side, the problem remains that the knob is not on God’s side.

 

[Ignatius]

People who are skeptical will remain that way . . . . until they see something miraculous.
.

No, the people to whom Jesus performed miracles arrested, beat, mocked, spit on, and tortured Him to death in spite of all of the miracles.

"they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead. “ Lk 16:31

 

[DCNBILL]

No, the people to whom Jesus performed miracles arrested, beat, mocked, spit on, and tortured Him to death in spite of all of the miracles.

"they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead. “ Lk 16:31

Why the misquote?

 

[Ignatius]

Why the misquote?

Ah, you were saying the opposite of what I thought you were saying, key word “not”.
Forgive me, my eyes are going. This causes Big problems rereading my work and adding lots of duplicated words.

 

[DCNBILL]

Ah, you were saying the opposite of what I thought you were saying, key word “not”.
Forgive me, my eyes are going. This causes Big problems rereading my work and adding lots of duplicated words.

No problem, have the same issues myself.

 

[ericc]

Too many scientifically proven miracles will destroy freewill because one is compelled to believe then.

 

[Abu]

Simply because Jesus specifically gave His Apostles the sacrament of Reconciliation for the His Church for posterity, but did not empower them to raise the dead for posterity.

Peter is the Rock on which Jesus built His Church. It is clear from Scripture that Peter had a special commission and special powers from Christ to care for the flock of Christ, to bind and loose, and to confirm his brothers in faith – indeed he had the very powers of the Keys to the Kingdom. Obviously, these powers were essential to the Church as constituted by Christ. And Christ promised to be with the Church always to the end of time, and said that the powers of hell would not prevail against it.

Peter often spoke for the rest of the Apostles (Mt 19:27; Mk 8:29; Lk 12:41; Jn 6:69). The Apostles are sometimes referred to as “Peter and his companions” (Lk 9:32; Mk 16:7; Acts 2:37). Peter’s name always heads the list of the Apostles (Mt 10:1-4; Mk 3:16-19; Lk 6:14-16; Acts 1:13). Finally, Peter’s name is mentioned 191 times, which is more than all the rest of the Apostles combined (about 130 times).

After Peter, the most frequently mentioned Apostle is John, whose name appears 48 times. Peter is conspicuously involved in all the Church’s important “firsts.” Peter led the meeting which elected the first successor to an Apostle (Acts 1:13-26). Peter preached the first sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2:14), and received the first converts (Acts 2:4 1). Peter performed the first miracle after Pentecost (Acts 3:6-7), inflicted the first punishment upon Ananias and Saphira (Acts 5:1-11), and excommunicated the first heretic Simon the magician (Acts 8:2 1).

Peter is the first Apostle to raise a person from the dead (Acts 9:36-41). Peter first received the revelation to admit Gentiles into the Church (Acts 10:9-16), and commanded that the first Gentile converts be baptized (Acts 10:44-48).

 

[thistle]

Yes, but at the time it was done, he was marveled at their unbelief, yet it still happened…so why could it not happen in our time?

I think an event like this could change the course of many many people, just like back then, the people need to see something, if it was good enough then, it should be good enough in our times.

This is similar to the UFO hype, LOTS of people claim to see them, even be abducted, but since it is not PROVEN by modern science, alot of people are skeptical, same thing with Christianity, we all read the bible, hear of all the great things Jesus did 2000 yrs ago, but we dont see any REAL hard evidence of it in our world, walking on water, multiplying food, etc. those things dont happen anymore, its all about faith, believing in something even though you cant prove it.

Why are you always looking for evidence? Is your faith so weak?

John 20:29 Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”