Born Again (6)

John 3:2 (C)

As for the statement, "For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him," this is not necessarily a statement of flattery, but it could be his honest opinion as to why he thinks that Jesus has come from God as a teacher. Considered in itself, there is nothing wrong with this statement. The New Testament writers readily describe the ministry of Jesus as one characterized by the miracles that he performs, as well as the abundance and magnitude of these miracles.

We read in Acts 10:37-38, "You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached – how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him." Peter uses the same language to explain why Jesus could perform all the miracles that he performed. It was because "God was with him."

Then let us also take a look at the final verse in the Gospel of John. There, John writes, "Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written" (21:25; see also 20:30). This statement refers to everything that Jesus did, and not only to the miracles that he performed, although his miracles are certainly included, since this statement refers to everything that he did. Not only are his miracles included in everything that he did, but as we have just noted, they are a significant part of his ministry. And here John tells us, "If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written."

Even if we regard this statement as a hyperbole – that is, as an obvious exaggeration not intended to deceive but used as a literary device, and for effect – the image that John presents to us is still significant. He does not say, "If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even a whole room would not have the space for the books that would be written." If this is what John says, we would already be impressed with the idea that Jesus accomplished a great number of things, for how many people could perform so many things that if these things were all recorded in writing, the books would fill even a whole room? Even if all our significant deeds were to be recorded on the scrolls that the New Testament writers used at the time, they might still not be enough to fill a large room. But John says that if all the things that Jesus did were recorded in writing, even the whole world might not have room for the books that would be written.

In other words, Jesus must have done many, many things, and he must have done many, many miracles, so that if they were all written down, even the whole world would not have the room to contain all the books that would be written. Again, even if we regard this statement as an exaggeration, and even if only a small fraction of these "many things" were miracles, it would still mean that Jesus performed an overwhelming number of miracles. It would still mean that he performed an outright ridiculous number of miracles. We must also remember that the ministry of Jesus spanned only several years, and it was during these several years that he did these "many things," including his miracles.

(to be continued)