Early Christian Views on Miracles

Methodius, Oration on the Psalms Supporting witness

Blessed be God. Let us go on, brothers, from wonders to the miracles of the Lord, and, as it were, from strength to strength. For just as, in a golden chain, the links are joined and connected so closely that one holds the next, fits onto it, and so continues the chain, even so the miracles handed down in the holy Gospels, one after another, lead the Church of God onward. That Church delights in festivity, and these miracles refresh it, not with food that perishes, but with that which endures to everlasting life, John 6:27. Come then, beloved, and let us also, with prepared hearts and attentive ears, listen to what the Lord our God will say to us from the prophets and Gospels concerning this most sacred feast. Truly, He will speak peace to His people, and to His saints, and to those who turn their hearts to Him. Today, the trumpet blast of the prophets has awakened the world, and has made glad and filled with joy the churches of God everywhere among the nations. Summoning the faithful from the practice of holy fasting, and from the arena where they struggle against the desires of the flesh, they have taught them to sing a new hymn of victory and a new song of peace to Christ, who g

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

... are shown to be guilty not only of borrowing teachings from the Barbarians, but also of telling as wonders of Greek mythology the miracles found in our records. These were done by divine power from above through those who lived holy lives, while they were paying attention to us. And we will ask them whether the things they tell are true or false. But they will not say they are false, because they will not willingly condemn themselves for the very great foolishness of making up lies. So they must admit that these things are true. Then how can the wonders done by Moses and the other prophets still seem unbelievable to them? For Almighty God, in His care for all people, turns some to salvation by commands, some by threats, some by miraculous signs, and some by gentle promises.

Arnobius, Against the Heathen Direct teaching

44. And yet it is agreed on that Christ performed all those miracles which He wrought without any aid from external things, without the observance of any ceremonial, without any definite mode of procedure, but solely by the inherent might of His authority;

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Direct teaching

From that time He began to perform the greatest miracles, not by magical tricks, which display nothing true and substantial, but by heavenly strength and power, which were foretold even long ago by the prophets who announced Him;

Arnobius, Against the Heathen Supporting witness

... the philosophers. And we, indeed, have followed in Him these things: those glorious works and most mighty powers that He manifested and displayed in various miracles. By them, anyone might be led to feel the necessity of believing, and might confidently decide that they were not such things as could be thought to belong to man, but such as showed some divine and unknown power. What powers did you follow in the philosophers, so that it was more reasonable for you to believe them than for us to believe Christ? Was any one of them ever able, by one word or by a single command—I will not say to restrain the madness of the sea or the fury of the storm, to restore sight to the blind, or to give it to men blind from their birth, to call the dead back to life, or to put an end to sufferings of many years—but, and this is much easier, to heal by one rebuke a boil, a scab, or a thorn fixed in the skin? Not that we deny that they are worthy of praise for the soundness of their morals, or that they are skilled in all kinds of study and learning. For we know that they both speak in the most elegant language, and that their words flow in polished periods; that they reason in syllogisms with

Methodius, Oration on the Psalms Supporting witness

...ngs were happening, and the disciples were rejoicing and praising God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying, "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord; peace in heaven, and glory in the highest," Luke 19:37-38 the city began to ask, "Who is this?" Matthew 21:10 In this way it stirred up its hardened and long-standing envy against the glory of the Lord. But when you hear me say "the city," understand that I mean the ancient and disorderly multitude of the synagogue. They ungratefully and maliciously ask, "Who is this?" as if they had never yet seen their Benefactor, Him whom divine miracles beyond the power of man had made famous and renowned. For the darkness did not comprehend John 1:5 that never-setting light which shone upon it. Therefore, very fittingly in regard to them, the prophet Isaiah cried out, saying, "Hear, you deaf; and look, you blind, that you may see. And who is blind, but my children? And deaf, but those who have dominion over them?" Isaiah 42:18-20 And the servants of the Lord have become blind; you have often seen, but did not observe; your ears are opened, yet you do not hear. See, beloved, how exact these words are; h

John 7:31 Direct teaching

And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?

John 6:2 Supporting witness

And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.

John 4:48 Supporting witness

Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.

Tertullian, Against Marcion Supporting witness

...me Spirit." This will be the spirit of religion and the fear of the Lord. "To another, the gifts of healing, and to another the working of miracles." This will be the spirit of might. "To another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues." This will be the spirit of knowledge. See how the apostle agrees with the prophet, both in distributing the one Spirit and in explaining His special graces. This too I may say with confidence: the one who compared the unity of our body, through all its many and different members, to the joining together of the Spirit's different gifts, also shows that there is only one Lord of the human body and of the Holy Spirit. This Spirit, according to the apostle's argument, did not mean that the service of these gifts should be in the body, nor did He place them in the human body. And on the subject of love being above all these gifts, He even taught the apostle that it was the chief commandment, just as Christ showed it to be: "You shall love the Lord with all your heart and soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbour as your own self." Luke 10:

1 Corinthians 12:9 Supporting witness

to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,

1 Corinthians 12:30 Supporting witness

Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?

Tertullian, Against Marcion Direct teaching

He Himself afterwards deprived it of its authority, because when He declared that many would come and show great signs and wonders, so as to turn aside the very elect, and yet for all that were not to be received, He showed how rash was belief in signs and wonders, which were so very easy of accomplishment by even false christs.

Origen, Against Celsus Direct teaching

But even if it be impossible to show by what power Jesus wrought these miracles, it is clear that Christians employ no spells or incantations, but the simple name of Jesus, and certain other words in which they repose faith, according to the holy Scriptures.

Origen, Against Celsus Supporting witness

...have we not eaten and drunk in Your name, and by Your name cast out demons, and done many wonderful works? And then will I say to them, Depart from Me, because you are workers of iniquity.” But Celsus, wishing to make the miracles of Jesus like the works of human sorcery, says in express terms as follows: “O light and truth! He distinctly declares, with his own voice, as you yourselves have recorded, that others will come to you, using miracles of a similar kind, who are wicked men and sorcerers; and he calls him who makes use of such devices, one Satan. So that Jesus Himself does not deny that these works at least are not at all divine, but are the acts of wicked men. And being compelled by the force of truth, He at the same time not only laid open the doings of others, but convicted Himself of the same acts. Is it not, then, a miserable inference, to conclude from the same works that the one is God and the others sorcerers? Why ought the others, because of these acts, to be considered wicked rather than this man, seeing they have him as their witness against himself? For he has himself acknowledged that these are not the works of a divine nature, but the inventions of certain

Origen, Against Celsus Supporting witness

...uch things. But he assumes what he needs to prove when he claims that Jesus did not deny that these works have nothing divine in them, but come from wicked men. In doing this, he treats things of different kinds as if they were the same. A wolf is not the same kind of creature as a dog, even though it may look somewhat like one in the shape of its body and in its voice. Nor is a common wood-pigeon the same as a dove. In the same way, there is no resemblance between what is done by the power of God and what is produced by sorcery. And we may also say, in answer to the false charges of Celsus: are we to call miracles only those things that wicked demons do through sorcery, and not those things done by a holy and divine nature? And does human life only grow worse, and never become better? It seems to me that we must state this as a general principle: wherever something evil tries to make itself seem to be of the same kind as the good, there must certainly be something good set against the evil. So also, in opposition to those things brought about by sorcery, there must necessarily be some things in human life that are the result of divine power. From this it follows that we must ei

Tatian, The Diatessaron Direct teaching

...e is there,” do not believe him. For false Messiahs and lying prophets will arise, and they will do signs and wonders in order to lead astray even the elect, if they are able. But as for you, beware, for I have told you everything beforehand. If they say to you, “He is in the desert,” do not go out, lest you be taken. And if they say, “He is in the chamber,” do not believe it. For as lightning appears from the east and is seen to the west, so will the coming of the Son of man be. But first he must suffer much and be rejected by this generation. Pray therefore that your flight may not be in winter, nor on a Sabbath. For there will then be great tribulation, the like of which has not been from the beginning of the world until now, nor will be. And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would have lived. But because of the elect, whom he elected, he shortened those days. And there will be signs in the sun and the moon and the stars. And upon the earth there will be affliction of the nations, and wringing of hands because of the confusion caused by the noise of the sea and an earthquake. The souls of men will go out from fear of what is coming upon the earth. And in thos

Archelaus, Disputation with Manes Direct teaching

.... For there shall arise false Christs, and false apostles, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, so that, if it were possible, they would deceive even the elect. Behold, I have told you before. If they say to you, Behold, he is in the desert, do not go out. If they say, Behold, he is in the secret chambers, do not believe it." And yet, after all these warnings, this man has neither sign nor wonder of any kind to show. He has no recognized relation or credential to show. He never even had a place among the number of the disciples. He never was a follower of our departed Lord, in whose inheritance we rejoice. This man, I say, never stood by our Lord in His weakness, and never came forward as a witness of His testament. Yes, rather, he never even came within the acquaintance of those who ministered to Him in His sickness. In short, no one at all bears witness for him, and yet he wants us to believe this claim that he is the Paraclete. Whereas, even if you were to do signs and wonders, we would still have to count you a false Christ and a false prophet, according to the Scriptures. And therefore it is well for us to act with greater caution, in agreement with t

Archelaus, Disputation with Manes Direct teaching

...ns, and you will not turn us away from the faith of Christ in this way. Yes, even if you were to do signs and wonders, even if you were to raise the dead, even if you were to show us the very image of Paul himself, you would still remain accursed. For we were taught beforehand about you. The Holy Scriptures have both warned us and armed us against you. You are a vessel of Antichrist, and truly no vessel of honor, but a low and worthless one. He uses you the way any barbarian or tyrant might, when trying to invade a people who live under the righteousness of the laws. Such a ruler sends some chosen instrument ahead, as if marked out for death, to find out exactly how great the strength is of the rightful king and his nation. For he is too afraid to make the attack himself without knowing first, and he also lacks the courage to send anyone from his own close circle on such a mission, because he fears that person may be harmed. So your king, Antichrist, has sent you in a similar role, and as one marked out for death, to us, a people living under the rule of the good and holy King. And I do not say this carelessly or without careful thought. Rather, because I see that you perform no

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Supporting witness

...presence of His coming; even him whose coming is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders.” Here, the word order is: “And then the wicked will be revealed, whose coming is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the Spirit of His mouth, and will destroy with the presence of His coming.” He does not mean that the coming of the Lord follows the working of Satan, but the coming of the wicked one, whom we also call Antichrist. If one doesn't pay attention to the correct reading of the passage and doesn’t present the pauses properly, there will not only be inconsistencies, but also he may utter blasphemy, as if the arrival of the Lord could be according to the working of Satan. Therefore, in such passages, the transposition must be presented by the reading, preserving the apostle’s intended meaning; thus, we do not read “the god of this world” in that passage, but “God,” whom we truly call God; and we understand it concerns the unbelieving and blinded of this world, who will not inherit the world of life to come.

Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Supporting witness

...Him when He was present in the world. And yet there can be little doubt that, when the Jews see the signs of the times showing that He has already been among us, they are troubled. They are also ashamed to admit that He has come, since they put Him to death with their own hands, because they were stung with anger when He Himself convicted them of not obeying the laws. And they say that the one who was thus sent out by God is not this Christ whom they are expecting. Instead, they admit that another Messiah will come, who as yet does not exist, and that he will bring in some of the signs that the law and the prophets showed beforehand, while they think the rest of those signs have been misunderstood. For they say that his descent will be from the line of David, but not from a virgin and the Holy Spirit. Rather, he will come from a woman and a man, according to the rule that all are brought forth from seed. And they claim that this Messiah will be their King, a warlike and powerful man who, after gathering together the whole people of the Jews and making war against all the nations, will restore Jerusalem, the royal city, for them. Into this city he will gather the whole Hebrew rac

Hippolytus, Treatise on Christ and Antichrist Supporting witness

and they shall also perform signs and wonders, in order that men may be put to shame and turned to repentance for their surpassing wickedness and impiety.

Anonymous, Treatise on Re-Baptism Supporting witness

believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders;

Didache, The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles Supporting witness

...another. Matthew 24:10 Then the deceiver of the world will appear as the Son of God, and he will do signs and wonders, and the earth will be handed over into his hands. He will do wicked things such as have never happened since the beginning. Then humanity will come into the fire of testing, and many will be caused to stumble and will perish. But those who endure in their faith will be saved from the curse itself. Then the signs of the truth will appear. First, the sign of an outspreading in heaven. Then, the sign of the sound of the trumpet. And third, the resurrection of the dead. Yet not of all, but as it is said: "The Lord will come and all His saints with Him." Then the world will see the Lord coming on the clouds of heaven.

Exodus 4:17 Direct teaching

And this rod that was turned into a serpent thou shalt take in thy hand, wherewith thou shalt work miracles.

Exodus 4:30 Direct teaching

And Aaron spoke all these words, which God spoke to Moses, and wrought the miracles before the people.

Matthew 10:8 Direct teaching

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

John 2:11 Direct teaching

This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

John 2:23 Direct teaching

Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.

Acts 15:12 Direct teaching

Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles.

Acts 8:6 Direct teaching

And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

Acts 19:11 Direct teaching

And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:

1 Corinthians 12:28 Supporting witness

And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.

1 Corinthians 12:10 Supporting witness

to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

Hebrews 2:4 Supporting witness

while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

Acts 2:43 Supporting witness

And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.