Could Jesus Perform Miracles?

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Could Jesus Perform Miracles?

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One of the major objections to miracles is that they violate natural law. Critics argue that natural law is immutable, therefore natural law cannot be violated.

If there was no God, then this might be true. But where did the laws of nature, physics, energy and matter come from? How did they originate? Did these laws of such incredible precision and orderliness create themselves? Those who deny a Creator have no answers.

But if God is real, we would expect that miracles—in exactly the way they are recorded for us in the Gospels—would be a very reasonable part of the life of One who wanted to prove His divine identity to those around Him.

Strictly speaking, Jesus did not perform miracles on His own, having given up that divine power (Philippians 2:6-8 Philippians 2:6-8 [6] Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: [7] But made himself of no reputation, and took on him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: [8] And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross.
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). He clearly said He did not have the ability to perform supernatural works on His own, saying, "the Son can do nothing of Himself" and "I can of Myself do nothing" (John 5:19-30 John 5:19-30 [19] Then answered Jesus and said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do: for what things soever he does, these also does the Son likewise. [20] For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all things that himself does: and he will show him greater works than these, that you may marvel. [21] For as the Father raises up the dead, and vivifies them; even so the Son vivifies whom he will. [22] For the Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment to the Son: [23] That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honors not the Son honors not the Father which has sent him. [24] Truly, truly, I say to you, He that hears my word, and believes on him that sent me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death to life. [25] Truly, truly, I say to you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. [26] For as the Father has life in himself; so has he given to the Son to have life in himself; [27] And has given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. [28] Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, [29] And shall come forth; they that have done good, to the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, to the resurrection of damnation. [30] I can of my own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father which has sent me.
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). Obviously, then, Jesus relied on God the Father to perform the many miracles that characterized His ministry (John 14:10 John 14:10Believe you not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak to you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwells in me, he does the works.
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).

And for God, the omnipotent Creator who designed the laws of nature, it is nothing to supernaturally intervene in the creation to carry out what we might deem impossible. Jesus said: "With God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26 Matthew 19:26But Jesus beheld them, and said to them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
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).

Miracles do indeed happen. In Christ's case, the Father answered His every prayer and backed up His every command, so that, as Christ's disciples recognized in Matthew 8:27 Matthew 8:27But the men marveled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
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, even the wind and the sea obeyed Him.