< Signposts: Parables, Miracles, and Lives
April 23, 2024
Whenever you study a parable, either by Jesus or in the Old Testament, there are a bunch of questions that are not worth asking: what was the character's ancestry, what was their life like before the parable, after the parable, etc. The answer to those questions is: "it doesn't matter, it is a fictional story". But even though a parable is fictional, and understood by everyone as such, the point of the story is a sketch of a truth to communicate. It is like an artist sketching a few lines, instead of a full-blown color portrait.
But anyone can tell a parable. Jesus did more too. He did real, physical miracles, to teach truths, and the truths primarily were who He was. Parables alone would not have worked, the miracles provided real authentication that Jesus was who He said he was. There are a bunch of questions that are not worth asking: instead of feeding the 5,000 and later the 4,000, why didn't Jesus feed everyone? Instead of healing the sick, why didn't Jesus heal every single sick person on earth? Jesus Himself addressed those questions in Luke 4:22-27; after Jesus gave His reply, they tried to throw Jesus over a cliff in Luke 4:28-30. But the answer to why God performed most miracles is very similar to the answer why Jesus told parables. They were "signposts" pointing to a truth God wanted to teach us. Just like the miracle of Jesus cursing the fig tree, at the center of every miracle is a message.
But parables and miracles don't point anywhere for those who do not have eyes to see and ears to hear. As The Nelson Study Bible p.1613 says, parables are like a wrapped gift. The wrapping can encourage someone to open it, or distract someone from opening it. Matthew 13:10-15, Mark 4:11-12, and Luke 8:10. Jesus spoke parables so that those who were not seeking God would NOT understand. Similarly, the miracles were done with an appropriate crowd, so that those who were not seeking God would be able to deny them. In one case it was not turning out that way though. In Mark 8:11-12, the Pharisees demanded a sign of Jesus, and Jesus told the Pharisees that they would receive no sign except the sign of Jonah. A great miracle happened to Jonah, but the Ninevites did not see it. All they saw was a prophet speaking. And right after they someone brought a blind man to Jesus in Mark 8:22-30. Perhaps this was a setup so that the Pharisees could watch. But Jesus did not do the most straightforward thing; heal the blind man there. Jesus led the man, still blind, outside of the village. In private Jesus healed the blind man, and then commanded the blind man to tell no one.
Miracles too, were done in a way that not all saw. For example, in John 9, when Jesus healed the man blind from birth, the Pharisees questioned the man, and his parents, and still refused to see. It was not that they were not given enough evidence. But rather, they were given evidence such that they still had the "freedom" (if you can call it that), to refuse the evidence.
So a parable gives the truth from God in a veiled form. A miracle shows the direct power of God, which also teaches truth and confirms the faith of those who want to follow Jesus. But there is a third thing, almost as important and parables and miracles, that we should not overlook either. It is our lives. The story of Hosea has no miracles, and it is real, not a parable, but is its message any less important? Imagine a non-believer, who does not read the Bible, does not encounter many Christians, and feels too busy to spend much time investigating the claims of Jesus. But he or she works with you. If they know that you claim to be a Christian, and so they know you have investigated it more than they have. It they look at your life, and don't see any difference between your life and non-Christians, they might conclude "there is nothing there." If it did not change your life, then why would it be hopeful that it might change theirs?
Here are questions that are worth asking about every parable and every miracle. What is the main point? What does it say about God, people, and especially Jesus? How would a Christian's life be different if they understood and lived this message vs. they did not? How should our life be different?
15 Old Testament Parables
Balaam at Mt. Pisgah Numbers 23:24
Jotham's parable of the trees make a king at Mt. Gerizim. Judges 9:7-15
Nathan's parable of the poor man's lamb. 2 Samuel 12:1-4
Woman of Tekoa's parable of two brothers fighting. 2 Samuel 14:5-7
A young prophet's parable of the escaped prisoner near Samaria. 1 Kings 20:35-42
Jehoash's parable of the thorn bush and the cedar. 2 Kings 14:9
Parable of the vineyard yielding wild grapes. Isaiah 5:1-7
Parable of the potter. Jeremiah 18:1-12
Parable of the vine wood. Ezekiel 15
Parable of the two sisters, Oholah and Oholibah. Ezekiel 23:1-49
Parable of the abandoned baby daughter. Ezekiel 16
Parable of the two eagles and the vine. Ezekiel 17:3-10
Parable of the lions' cubs. Ezekiel 19:2-9
Parable of Israel, a vine planted by water. Ezekiel 19:10-14
Parable of the boiling pot. Ezekiel 24:3-5, 10-14
30 Parables of Jesus
Parable of the sower. Matthew 13:3-8; Mark 4:3-8; Luke 8:5-8
The wheat and the tares. Matthew 13:24-30
Parable of the mustard seed. Matthew 13:31-32; Mark 4:31-32; Luke 13:19
Parable of leaven. Matthew 13:33; Luke 13:20-21
Parable of the hidden treasure. Matthew 13:44
The pearl of great price. Matthew 13:45-46
Parable of the dragnet. Matthew. 13:47-50
The unmerciful servant. Matthew 18:23-35
Laborers in the vineyard. Matthew 20:1-16
Parable of the two sons. Matthew 21:28-32
Parable of the landowner and the vine growers. Matthew 21:33-46; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19
Parable of the wedding of the King's Son. Matthew 22:1-14
Parable of the ten virgins, and their lamps and oil. Matthew 24:1-13
Parable of the talents. Matthew 25:14-30
Parable of the seed growing secretly. Matthew 4:26-29
Parable of the two debtors. Luke 7:41-43
Parable of the Good Samaritan. Luke 10:25-37
Parable of the friend at midnight. Luke 11:5-8
Parable of the rich fool. Luke 12:16-21
Parable of the barren fig tree. Luke 13:6-9
Parable of the great supper. Luke14:7-24
Parable of the lost sheep. Matthew 18:12-14; Luke 15:4-7
Parable of the lost coin. Luke 15:8-10
Parable of the prodigal son. Luke 15:11-32
Parable of the unjust steward. Luke 16:1-9
The rich man and Lazarus. Luke 16:19-31
Parable of the unprofitable servants. Luke 17:7-10
Parable of the unjust judge. Luke 18:1-8
The pharisee and the tax-collector. Luke 18:10-14
Parable of the ten minas. Luke 19:12-27
40 Miracles in the Old Testament
Miracles can be classified as power over sickness, power over nature, power over demons, and power over people. The biggest miracle is creation. As Pastor Gary Brandenberg has said, "once you get past that miracle, it is easy to believe all the others."
Mention of miracles in general: Numbers 14:22
Translation of Enoch. Genesis 5:22-24
Noah's flood. Genesis 6-8; Luke 17:26-27
Scattering at the Tower of Babel. Genesis 11:1-9
Abraham entertaining the Three Visitors. Genesis 18:1-33
Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Genesis 19:1-29; Luke 17:28-29
Jacob and the mandrakes. Genesis 30:14-16
The streaked, , speckled, and spotted sheep. Genesis 30:23-43
Joseph's dreams. Genesis 37:5-11; 41:1-39 and interpretations. Genesis 40:5-22
The birth of Isaac. Genesis 21:1-7
Moses and the burning bush. Exodus 3:2-4:18
Moses and the ten plagues in Exodus 5-13, Deuteronomy 11:3. The main message is given in Exodus 9:16.
Parting of the Red Sea. Exodus 14:7-31; 15:19; Deuteronomy 11:4
The pillar and the cloud of fire. Exodus 13:21-22
Manna and quail. Exodus 16:12-26
Sweet water from bitter. Exodus 15:23-25
Moses' and the Amalekites. Exodus 17:11-12
Miriam became leprous. Numbers 12:11-15
Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Numbers 16:6-35
Aaron's rod sprouted. Numbers 17:1-6
Sudden plague stopped by Phinehas. Numbers 25:8-9
Joshua parting the Jordan River. Joshua 3:15-17
The walls of Jericho. Joshua 6:20.
Joshua's long day. Joshua 10:11-14
Elijah had many miracles in 1 Kings 17-2 Kings 2.
The Shunammite woman's son. 2 Kings 4:19-37
Elisha and death I the pot. 2 Kings 4:38-41
Naaman and Gehazi's leprosy. 2 Kings 5:8-27
Elisha and the floating axe head. 2 Kings 6:5-7
Elisha's warnings 2 Kings 6:9-24
The route of the Syrian army. 2 Kings 7:6-7
Elisha had many miracles in 2 Kings 2-8.
Jehoshaphat's great victory without even fighting. 2 Chronicles 20:20-25
Sennacherib's army. 2 Kings 19:3-37; 2 Chronicles 32:1-22; Isaiah 37:8-38
Hezekiah's steps. Isaiah 38:8
Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego. Daniel 3:13-29
Nebuchadnezzar's madness. Daniel 4:28-37
Daniel in the lions' den. Daniel 6:12-24
Jonah swallowed by the big fish, the sea immediately becoming still, and Jonah surviving. Jonah 1:15-2:10
Miracles by an evil power
Pharaoh's magicians. Exodus 7:11-8:19
False prophets and false Christs. Mt 24:24
Simon Magus Acts 8:9-24
Elymas the Sorcerer Acts 13:6-12
Working of Satan with power, signs, and lying wonders. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10
Mortal wound that was healed. Revelation 13:3
Signs of the beast that looks like a lamb and speaks like a dragon. Revelation 13:13-15
45 Gospel Miracles
There are unnamed wonderful works in Matthew 4:23-24; 8:16; 9:35; 10:1,8; 11:4-5; 11:20-24; 12:15; 14:14,36; 15:30; 19:2; 21:14; Luke 13:32; John 2:18,23; 3:2; 5:36; 7:21; 10:25,32,38; 14:11-12; 15:24; 20:30
Zechariah temporarily made mute. Luke 1:20-22
Star of Bethlehem. Matthew 2:2,9-10
Turning water into wine. John 2:1-11
Healing the nobleman's son at Cana. John 4:46-54
Healing the male man at the Pool of Bethesda. John 5:1-9
Healing the lame and sick. Matthew 4:23-24
First miraculous catch of fish. Luke 5:1-11
Exorcising the synagogue demoniac. Mark 1:23-28; Luke 4:31-36
Healing Peter's mother-in-law. Matthew 8:14-15; Mark 1:29-31; Luke 4:38-39
Healing the leper. Matthew 8:2-4; Mark 1:40-45; Luke 5:12-16
John saw someone else casing out demons. Mark 9:38
Healing the paralytic. Matthew 9:2-8; Mark 2:3-12; Luke 5:18-26
Healing the withered hand. Matthew 12:9-13; Mark 3:1-5; Luke 6:6-10
Healing a centurion's servant. Matthew 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-10
Raising a widow's son. Luke 7:11-15
Healing a blind and mute demoniac. Matthew 12:22; Luke 11:14
Jesus casting out demons. Matthew 12:28
Calming a storm. Matthew 8:18, 23-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25
Exorcising the Gadarene Demoniac. Matthew 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-39
Raising Jairus' daughter. Matthew 9:18-19, 23-26; Mark 5:22-24, 35-43; Luke 8:41-42, 49-56
Healing two blind men. Matthew 9:27-33
Healing the woman with a flow of blood. Matthew 9:20-22; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 8:43-48
The Transfiguration. Luke 9:28-36
Jesus drove out a demon His disciples could not. Luke 9:37-40
Exorcising a mute demoniac. Matthew 9:32-33
Feeding the 5,000. Matthew 14:14-21; Mark 6:34-44; Luke 9:12-17; John 6:5-13
Walking on water. Matthew 14:24-33; Mark 6:45-52; John 6:16-21
Delivering the Syrophoenician's daughter. Matthew 15:21-28; Mark 7:24-30
Healing a deaf mute in Decapolis. Mark 7:31-37
Feeding the 4,000. Matthew 15:32-39; Mark 8:1-9
Healing a blind man at Bethsaida. Mark 8:22-26
Exorcising a demon-possessed boy. Matthew 17:14-18; Mark 9:14-29; Luke 9:38-42
Finding the coin for tribute. Matthew 17:24-27
Healing the man born blind. John 9:1-7
Sabbath healing a crippled woman. Luke 13:10-17
Healing a man with dropsy. Luke 14:1-6
Raising Lazarus from the dead. John 11:17-44
Healing ten lepers. Luke 17:11-19
Healing blind Bartimaeus. Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43
Cursing the fig tree. Matthew 21:18-19; Mark 11:12-14
Restoring Malchus' ear. Luke 22:49-51; John 18:10
Jesus' Resurrection. Matthew 28; Mark 16:1-9; Luke 24:1-8; John 20:1-17; Acts 2:24; Romans 1:4; 1 Corinthians 15:4; 2 Corinthians 5:15
Jesus came through a locked door to the disciples. John 20:19-23
Jesus came through the locked door and appeared to Thomas. John 20:25,27-28
Second miraculous catch of fish. John 21:1-11
General mention of miracles and exorcisms. Luke 11:20; 23:8
Other New Testament Miracles
There were unnamed miracles in Acts 2:22; 4:30; 14:3; 2 Corinthians 2:12
Jesus with the apostles for 40 days after His resurrection. Acts 1:3-4
Flames of fire at Pentecost. Acts 2:1-15
Peter and John heal the lame man. Acts 3:1-12
Ananias and Sapphira. Acts 5:1-10
Peter's shadow. Acts 5:15-16
Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch. Acts 8:27-40
Peter was released from prison. Acts 12:4-19
Herod's worms. Acts 12:22-23
Paul heals the lame man in Lystra. Acts 14:8-11
Paul cast a demon out of a slave girl. Acts 16:16-19
Earthquake made the chains fall off in Philippi. Acts 16:26-29
Paul doing miracles in Ephesus. Acts 19:11-13
Paul raised Eutychus from the dead. Acts 20:9-12
Paul survived the snakebite on Malta. Acts 28:3-5
Raising the two witnesses in Revelation 11:7-12
Many other places in Revelation.
FYI, among Pre-Nicene Christians, 33 writers mentioned Biblical miracles. See www.biblequery.org/History/ChurchHistory/WhatEarlyChristiansTaughtOnDoctrine.docx (or .html) for more info.
For Further Reading
Evangelical Dictionary of Theology p.778-780.
The Concise Evangelical Dictionary of Theology p.318.
The Eerdman's Bible Dictionary p.722-723.
The Nelson Study Bible New King James version (1997) p.1613.
The New International Dictionary of the Bible p.660-662.
The New Unger's Bible Dictionary p.872-875, 962-963.
Wycliffe Bible Dictionary p.1134-1138.
By Steven M. Morrison.