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 What is Miracle?
‡ Miracle comes from the latin word miraculum,
from mirari, meaning "to wonder".
‡ Miracle is a suspension of the laws of nature.
‡ It is an event that appears inexplicable by the
laws of nature and so is held to be supernatural
in origin or an act of God.

´Miracles are spontaneous, they cannot be

summoned, but come of themselvesµ
± (Katherine Anne Porter).
 What is Miracle?
‡ Miracle are thought to be events which cannot
be explained by the human intellect or
natural science.
‡ Miracle is an unexpected event attributed to
divine intervention.
‡ Miracles are the sudden disappearance of a
cancerous growth or the revival of one from a
near death experience.
 'ature
‡ A miracle is said to be above nature when the
effect produced is above the native powers and
forces in creatures of which the known
laws of nature are the expression, as raising a
dead man to life.
‡ A miracle is said to be outside, or beside, nature
when natural forces may have the power to
produce the effect, at least in part, but could not
of themselves alone have produced it in the way
it was actually brought about.
 'ature
1. The word terata literally means "wonders", in reference to
feelings of amazement excited by their occurrence, hence
effects produced in the material creation appealing to,
and grasped by, the senses, usually by the sense of
sight, at times by hearing.
2. The word dynamis, "power" is used in the 'ew
Testament to signify:
‡ the power of working miracles, (en dymamei semeion ³
Romans 15:19);
‡ mighty works as the effects of this power, i.e., miracles
themselves (al pleistai dynameis autou ³ Matthew
11:20) and expresses the efficient cause of the miracle, i.e.,
Divine power.
 'ature
‡ Semeion means "sign", an appeal to
intelligence, and expresses the purpose or
final cause of the miracle.
‡ Miracles are signs of God's
Providence over men, hence they are of
high moral character, simple and obvious in
the forces at work, in the circumstances of
their working, and in their aim and
purpose.
 Miracle Stories

‡ Miracles are not produced to proof or

entertainment.
‡ It is the only reaction sufficient for a
miracle of Jesus is FAITH.
‡ Reactions of ´amazementµ and ´aweµ are
always insufficient.
 FORM or ELEME'T
of
MIRACLE STORY
1. Introduction or the setting ² this sets up the
characters, place and setting for the miracle
which will soon take place.
2. Problem or request ² this manifests the
problem needing Jesus· intervention. The
request is often explicit, though this is not
necessary. At times there is no request at
all!
 FORM or ELEME'T
of
MIRACLE STORY
3. Response of Jesus ² this is the intervention
of Jesus, either by word and/or action.
4. Result of the action of Jesus ² this is the cure
or resolution of the problem.
5. Reaction of the crowd ² Miracles are sign;
this is the perception of those who have
experienced the sign.
 Four Miracle Stories found in
Synoptic Gospel
1. Stories of Healing (possibly 15) or
narratives of people who get cured from a
certain ailment or disease.
± Blind men (Matt 9, 27 ² 31)
± Ten Lepers (Luke 17, 11 ² 19)
± Man with a withered hand (Mark 3, 1 ² 6)
 Four Miracle Stories found in
Synoptic Gospel
2. Exorcisms (5) or stories of expulsion of
demons
± Mark 1, 21 ² 28; Matt 8, 28 ² 34
3. Resuscitation Stories (2) or narratives of
people brought back to life
± Little girl of Jairus (Mark 5, 35 ² 43)
± Only son of the widow of 'aim (Luke 7, 11 ²
17)
 Four Miracle Stories found in
Synoptic Gospel

4. 'ature Miracles (6)

± Multiplication of loaves (Luke 9, 12 ² 17)
± Calming of storm (Matt 8, 23 ² 27)
± Jesus walking over the waters (Mark 6, 45 ²
52)

Comparative Tables of the Gospel Miracle

Stories
 Function of Miracle Stories
‡ Miracle stories are revelatory. It is something
about Jesus and the Kingdom of God.
‡ Miracles advance the kingdom of God. They
are the means by which the kingdom comes.
‡ Protological thinking is when it seeks to give
an explanation of something in a primitive or
precise form.
‡ Miracle stories are narrative tool. It advance
the plot of the evangelist.
 Tool for interpreting Miracle
Stories
‡ First step in studying miracle stories is to
discover its ´formµ, or identify the five
elements which make up the form: setting,
request, intervention, result, reaction.
‡ Many miracle stories are true to form.
‡ It is when these go ´out of formµ or lack one
or more elements that a reason must be
sought which could lead to a deepening of
meaning.