The Miracles of Jesus – Part One
When Jesus began his ministry, he was an enlightened “Rishi” who had transcended the human level of consciousness. He was now a God-man who had attained the level of Supreme Awareness. He was now able to say to those who challenged his identity that He and God were an indivisible unity. “I and my Father are one”. (John 10:30)
Since Jesus had transcended the “human” state of consciousness, he was also freed from the limitations of space and time. Because of this, he also possessed the same “Siddhis” or miraculous powers that other “Rishis” had manifested before he was born, and would continue to demonstrate after his death.
According to the testimony of the Bible, Jesus was able to turn water into wine. He was also able to heal the sick, feed the hungry, cause the blind to see, the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak. He could raise the dead. Even the powers of nature seemed to bend to his will, for he was able to walk on water and still the raging storm.
To the Jews who witnessed these miracles, and who were only too aware of their personal limitations and their subjugation to the authorities in Rome, the appearance of a man who was able to perform such astounding feats seemed clear evidence of his divine status, for surely only a God-like being would be capable of such miracles.
But Jesus never claimed to be unique, or to be specially blessed with divine gifts. He referred to himself simply as the “Son of Man” (a being like any other being), and the miraculous powers which he possessed could be matched by anyone who truly believed in what he taught. And what he taught was that every person was inherently divine, and had the potential to do what he could do.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do.” (John 14:12-14)
In fact, while every miracle performed by Jesus was designed to relieve suffering or answer to a need, he used these occasions to drive home his central message, that what he did could be done by anyone who had the necessary faith.
“If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you”. (Matthew 17:20)
Yet when his disciples tried to do what Jesus had done and failed, and turned to him for an answer, he replied: “Because of your unbelief”. And when Peter impulsively leaped into the sea when he saw Jesus walking on the water, only to sink beneath the waves, Jesus admonished him saying: “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” (Matthew 14:31)
In fact, it was left to a Gentile to demonstrate the faith which the Jews lacked. It happened when Jesus entered the city of Capernaum. He was approached by a Roman centurion who implored Jesus to heal his servant, who was stricken with palsy.
When Jesus offered to accompany him to his home, the centurion replied: “Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me; and I say unto this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.”
When he heard the centurion’s response, Jesus marvelled, and turned to his followers, saying: “Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel”. (Matthew 8:5-13)
The question that has challenged Christians down the centuries is this. What was Jesus actually referring to when he used the word “faith”? We may get a clue to the real meaning of this word by the following words spoken by Jesus to the Roman centurion:
“Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee”.
