Why didn't Jesus' miracles cause more people to believe?

  • Thread starter Thread starter milimac
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
M

milimac

Guest
My teenage son is struggling with the faith and one of the reason is one that I hadn’t heard before: if Jesus really did all those miracles, everyone would have believed. But in Jesus’ own time there were witnesses who did not believe. Therefore Jesus must be primarily a legend or the gospels were embellished. Even in the Bible you have those who witnessed the resurrection of Lazarus and still did not believe. He finds their unbelief unbelievable.
 
Scripture shows us that many people came to believe because of the miracles. However, when his saying became too hard to follow, they decided to no longer follow him. It’s no different than any of us today. We see real miracles all the time all around that we take for granted (the earth rotating in a set motion with the exact perfect balance to allow life to exist, for example, or people being really healed of diseases where science has no explanation, or the real Eucharistic miracles that happen). Yet, when the faith-life gets in the way of how we want to live, we decide it’s not worth believing.
 
Hmmm I’m thinking that most of Jesus’s miracles were out of love, concern for the persons, compassion for their disability or illness (withered hand, lady hemorraging, servants/daughters illness, lame walked, blind saw, etc.) and THAT is what he wanted to convey … love your neighbor, the poor, the marginalized - he is your brother, have compassion and caring for him … so the miracle in and of itself was a means to teach his followers this “new” teaching — to love each other, which he led by his own example. The notable exception to this is the multiplication miracles of the loaves and fishes – and Jesus called them out on this. He said, you are only following me because your bellies want more food…

So I think the answer to the question is not that the people didn’t believe the miracles … they didn’t want to change their lives and follow his teaching and turned away… [no-- I’m not going to love my neighbor … OK I will if he’s nice to me … but if he’s mean I should be able to knock him upside his head] They rejected his message and teaching because they didn’t want to change their lives to conform to what he was teaching — miracles, schmiracles … its all OK until you want me to CHANGE my ways … then uh-oh … I’m outta here! (so to speak).
 
It’s suggested in Scripture that many people could perform “miracles” (I use “miracles” to describe anything considered “miraculous”, not only acts such as raising the dead or healing people). For example, Aaron was able to turn his staff into a snake as a sign to the Pharaoh to let the Jews go into the desert. However, the Pharaoh’s sorcerers could also do this, so he didn’t believe. This is merely one of many examples.

The people we read about in Scripture weren’t strangers to miracles. Many people- not just Christians and Jews- were capable of performing these feats. So, “just because” Jesus raised someone from the dead, didn’t “obligate” everyone to believe. Many people could perform miracles, but they all had their own message, and their message contradicted the message of some other “miracle worker”.

So, it wasn’t as simple as, “this Jesus just raised Lazarus from the dead- we have to believe in him!” Jesus wasn’t the only person in Israel accomplishing the seemingly impossible. Miracles are meant to help us believe, but because there existed more than one person who could do these wonderful things, miracles couldn’t serve as the only proof.
 
Hi. It speaks volumes of you as a parent for going to the trouble of posting you Son’s concerns about his faith. Kudos to you!

Most people believe what they want to believe in the end. Many were and are converted by miracles, but many equally, even back then refuse to believe what is right in front of their eyes or even in their hearts. Christ could descend from the heavens right now, and still there would be those who refuse to believe. That is the answer.

This is not to say that they, or your son for that matter cannot find faith, but sometimes we have to declare before Christ, that we are willing. That is how Christ came back into my life, I became willing to believe. From there it can take a moment or most of a lifetime, but it can and does happen.

We need reminders, as well. Last night, for whatever reason, I started burning with temptation. It was very unpleasant and unwelcome. Rather than let it take its course, I called out to our mother to take away the horrid thoughts that were bothering me and instantly, they were removed. That in of itself, was a bit of a miracle for me. Our Mother and her divine son, stand ready at a moments notice to help us battle even our own dark nature.

I hope this helps.
 
The physical healings Jesus performed were not just about Him showing His love, but they were so that the healed might show their love for God. The blind and lame were not allowed in the Temple, after their healing they were allowed to commune and worship God. And I don’t know that everyone who was healed became a follower. I wonder what happened to the 9 lepers who did not return and thank Jesus. Kinda like me when I don’t see the blessings for the pain and suffering in this world we all encounter.
 
During the Classical Era things like Magic and Miracles were taken for granted. It was common for people to go around claiming to be demigods and to seem to do amazing things to prove this.

It’s possible that many hearing about his miracles from second-hand sources mistook them for exaggerations or deceptions, and it’s recorded in the bible that Pharisees accused Jesus of getting his powers from the devil as an attempt to discredit him.

But in any case, an important thing to note is just how many people DID believe him. Christianity is probably the only instance of a religion growing from a handful of peasants to every corner of the world.
 
@milimac

For those who believe no proof is necessary. for those who don’t believe no proof is possible

Hi

They did"nt believe because of their unbelief and there hearts where hard hearted and stony hearts that"s why more people did"nt believe in miracles
Matthew 13:58 And he did not do many deeds of power there, because of their **unbelief.
Mark 6:6 And he was amazed at their unbelief. [ The Mission of the Twelve ] Then he went about among the villages teaching.

Hebrews 3:3 Therefore, brothers and sisters, holy partners in a heavenly calling, consider that Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 2 was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses also “was faithful in all God’s house.” 3 Yet Jesus is worthy of more glory than Moses, just as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. 4 (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) 5 Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that would be spoken later. 6 Christ, however, was faithful over God’s house as a son, and we are his house if we hold firm[g] the confidence and the pride that belong to hope.

Warning against Unbelief
7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says,

“Today, if you hear his voice,
8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
** as on the day of testing in the wilderness,**
9 where your ancestors put me to the test,
though they had seen my works 10 for forty years.
Therefore I was angry with that generation,
and I said, ‘They always go astray in their hearts,
and they have not known my ways.’
11 As in my anger I swore,
‘They will not enter my rest.’”
12 Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you may have an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partners of Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end. 15 As it is said,

“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
16 Now who were they who heard and yet were rebellious? Was it not all those who left Egypt under the leadership of Moses? 17 But with whom was he angry forty years? Was it not those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, if not to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

Isaiah 43:10 You are my witnesses, says the Lord,and my servant whom I have chosen so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he.Before me no god was formed,nor shall there be any after me.11 I, I am the Lord and besides me there is no savior.12 I declared and saved and proclaimed when there was no strange god among you;and you are my witnesses, says the Lord.13 I am God, and also henceforth I am He;
there is no one who can deliver from my hand; I work and who can hinder it?
 
Last edited:
Thank you! For the video.
In addition I would add, what a Zionist said, that in Jewish perspective the Messiah can not be defeated. Nor die. Jesus died? Then He is not Messiah.
We must also keep in mind that in NT it is said “because they did not understand that he was not the Messiah but he was Christ” (I will get back withe where it says this) and also St. Peter in his letters to the Romans said referring to the Jews “their heart has hardened so you can believe”.
God bless you!
 
I went through these same problems as a teenager (by God’s grace I finally found my way back home!). I’d suggest getting some material from Peter Kreeft, possibly a book like “Case for Christ” by Strobel. Just some general apologetics you can read and, if he’s willing, have him read.

We don’t want our kids, or anyone, to be Catholic simply because it’s been handed down. We have to first know that we believe because there’s reason to believe- we aren’t investing our lives in ghost stories and men in silly robes. And we also believe because we have a personal relationship with Christ that’s changed our lives, and we should be able to back that up. Doubt is not the opposite of faith, it’s actually what gives faith legs and makes it get up and address real problems. Doubt and faith couple to move the practice of theology forward.

Also, if you’re son is interested in philosophy or religion in general it might help to introduce him to the writings of some of our great saints. Augustine’s “Confessions”, some of JPII’s work, Romano Guardini, Fr. Spitzer- these men helped my reversion immensely because I began to see the Church was home to some remarkably intelligent folks who made an awful lot of sense.
 
One:
They were not like nowadays. There weren’t news stations airing the miracles. There weren’t news stations at all, really.
Two:
A ton of people DID follow Him, and a lot of people thought THIS IS HE!!
But, His teachings became too difficult for them. He said you had to eat His Flesh and drink His Blood! It is against the Law of God to drink Blood! What is He saying?!
What?! He will destroy the Temple!? He says He is the he Way, the Truth, the Life?! He thinks He is the Son of Man of Daniel?!
Is this a blasphemer?!
What is this?! He is not fighting the Romans and making us Jews free from their oppression!?
What is this?! He was captured?! And He is supposed to be the Messiah?! Heh, will He save Himself, then?
What?! He simply died, and without so much as cursing our enemies! Bah.
Three:
For those who believe, no explanation is needed. For those who do not, no explanation is enough.

There seems to be a misunderstanding on the forum that miracles and such were done much in those times. No, Jesus’ miracles were far greater than anything the magicians could do. Exorcists would need various tools and things, but Jesus, He references the story of Moses when He asked, “can you not see the Finger of God at work?” The magicians in Moses’ day (MUCH MUCH before Jesus’ birth by Mary) could do some similar miracles as Moses at first. They could turn their staffs into snakes as well. Moses’ snake ate theirs, but still. But, after a while, they couldn’t keep up. So they had to admit the power of God.
 
A coupld things to remember. First, mamy of the Jews of Jesus’ time were confused by Jesus. The Jews of the times had a tremendous problem with Christ because he often “blasphemed” in their understanding of the obligation of a faithful Jew to the Mosaic law, yet he did things that could only be attributed to God (in the miraculous healings he performed) Many believed because of the miraculous events attributed to Him, and many disbelieved because to them he was a blasphemer, a false prophet, and false prophets had been an ongoing curse of the Jewish people.
And because of the this division among the people, Jesus posed a political problem for the Jewish leaders. He was dividing the people into factions, (those who believed, those who didn’t) and unrest or division was not popular with their Roman overlords. Many former divisions due to false prophets resulted in Jews being persecuted more heavily by the Romans. And there was also the problem of jealousy of Jesus’ popularity by the Jewish leaders of the day.
Jesus Himself said, "I did not come to bring peace, but a sword … families will be divided by me, father against son, mother against daughter, etc… ( pardon me but I’m not good at Scriptural verbatim) Jesus was a revolutionary in a sense and that contributed to the unwillingness to believe.
Echoing what other posters have said, kudos to you for your concern and involvement with your son and his faith formation. God Bless and a prayer said for your continued efforts in this.
 
Last edited:
Because miracle workers in Jesus time were a dime a dozen. Who was it Joni the circle drawer who commanded the rain to fall standing in a circle?
 
Even in modern times, CATHOLICS still refuse to believe. Take Lourdes for instance. When you read about some of the astounding miracles that took place there over the years, I mean people who were brought in on a stretcher with irreversible cancer that were so close to death, that their very physicians pleaded with them not to even make the trip for fear that that alone might kill them. And then while there, the extraordinary happens. Leaving their physician utterly and completely dumbfounded! And yet knowing all of this, what do we see? Catholics today just yawn and say something like; I don’t believe in Marian Apparitions…besides, the Church doesn’t require my belief Which will usually leave me in a state like that physician…utterly and completely dumbfounded!
 
Last edited:
Some never saw a miracle, only heard reports from others.

Some believed but thought Christ was 'only a wonder-worker".

Some believed but couldn’t cope with what He said, like those who turned away when He said “You must eat my flesh and drink my blood”.

Some believed but weren’t prepared to meet His demands. “Love my enemy? Do you know what that ***** did to me? Turn the other cheek? I have a right to defend myself! Sell my goods and give to the poor? I’ll have nothing to live on!”
 
Mark121359 said:
Even in modern times, CATHOLICS still refuse to believe. Take Lourdes for instance. When you read about some of the astounding miracles that took place there over the years, I mean people who were brought in on a stretcher with irreversible cancer that were so close to death, that their very physicians pleaded with them not to even make the trip for fear that that alone might kill them. And then while there, the extraordinary happens. Leaving their physician utterly and completely dumbfounded! And yet knowing all of this, what do we see? Catholics today just yawn and say something like; I don’t believe in Marian Apparitions…besides, the Church doesn’t require my belief Which will usually leave me in a state like that physician…utterly and completely dumbfounded!
Click to expand...
Do you any any actual evidence of such a miracle as the one you describe?
 
I was thinking along these lines, also. He worked miracles and they believed (for a time) but when they crucified him and he died… They thought it was all over. Just their imagination, maybe… The people thought the Messiah would usher in the “kingdom” and get rid of the Romans. They didn’t get “the kingdom of God is within you!”
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top