Heard on the Street

A cross empty of power.

I was running the other day, listening to some preaching on my iPod, when the preacher began speaking about Jesus and the miracles he performed during his earthly ministry. He said Jesus performed healings, signs, and wonders to prove his divinity.

There are two problems with this. First, there were prophets in the Old Testament who healed and performed signs and wonders. Elisha, for instance, raised a young boy from the dead. (2 Kings 4:8–37) Elijah also raised a young boy from the dead, and even called down fire from heaven. (1 Kings 17:17–23; 2 Kings 1:10) Did these signs prove that these men were divine? Second, Mark's gospel shows us that Jesus couldn't do any mighty healings in his hometown of Nazareth. 


If Jesus' healings were to demonstrate he was divine, the Word shows him a failure.

The fact is Jesus stood in the shoes of an Old Testament prophet during his earthly ministry. His healings, like those of other prophets, served to confirm God's Word that one was coming who would save the world. 


Jesus was that one. His earthly ministry attested to his future death, burial, and resurrection.

GospelPeter Smythe