Showing posts with label Historical Jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Historical Jesus. Show all posts

Tuesday, 4 June 2013

Did Jesus Perform Miracles?

Mark 6:1–6

Most New Testament critics today admit Jesus performed what we would call miracles. Granted, they may not all believe these were genuine miracles, but the idea of Jesus of Nazareth as a miracle worker and exorcist is part of the historical Jesus that’s generally accepted by critics today.

Rudolf Bultmann, who is recognized as one of the most skeptical New Testament critics of the last century, wrote:

The Christian fellowship was convinced that Jesus had done miracles and they told many stories of miracles about him. Most of these stories contained in the Gospels are legendary or are at least dressed up with legend. But, there can be no doubt that Jesus did such deeds, which were, in his and his contemporaries’ understanding, miracles; that is to say, events that were the result of supernatural divine causality. Doubtless he healed the sick and cast out demons.