Jesus - Some things he did
Whole books have been written about the things that Jesus did. Indeed, John, Jesus' best friend and one of his disciples, wrote at the end of his account of Jesus life
"Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name." (John 20 v 30-31. NIV)
To get a full account of these things why not begin to read the Gospels for yourself? Each Gospel will take only an hour or two to read. What follows is a brief summary of the things Jesus did, things that convinced his immediate disciples, and many others, that his is indeed the Son of God.
This summary is divided into four groups. (Click on the heading to go directly to the section). Examples of Jesus...
In each case notice how many people were present and witnessed what Jesus did. A few of Jesus' miracles were performed in private for just a few people, but the majority were performed in public with crowds of hundreds or thousands witnessing what he did and how he did it. When John the Baptist, a contemporary of Jesus, sent messengers to him to ask if he was the "one who is to come" Jesus replied
"Go and tell John how the blind see, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life and the Good News is preached. Blessed is he (or she) who has no doubts about me".
Jesus expected that the things he did should be taken as evidence of who he claimed to be.
The incidents listed below are listed in the order in which they first appear in the Bible narrative - which is not necessarily the order in which they occurred. Click on the Bible references at the beginning of each account to open an new window displaying the Bible text describing the event.
Dealing with Illness
A man with leprosy
Matthew 8 v 2-3 Mark 1 v 40-42 Luke 5 v 12-13 Leprosy was one of several skin diseases that condemned people to be outcasts from society and (it was thought) rejected by God. The man doubts if Jesus is willing to help him - in response he egts the assurance "I am willing" and is healed immediately.
An army officer's servant
Matthew 8 v 5-13 Luke 7 v 1-10 This centurion (an army officer in charge of 100 men) recognised Jesus authority to command and that he was himself "not worthy". Jesus tells all those following that no where else has he seen "such great faith".
Peter's mother-in-law and many others
Matthew 8 v 14-15 Mark 1 v 30-31 Luke 4 v 38-39 A private healing (of Peter's mother-in-law) is followed by many public healings as all those who are sick are brought to Jesus and cured. The whole town knew what Jesus had done.
Picture shows remains of Peter's house in Capernaum as it appears todays. Various things including the size, shape and decorations identifies this as probably Peter's house.
A paralysed man
Matthew 9 v 2-8 Mark 2 v 1-12 Luke 5 v 18-26 How would you answer Jesus' question? Which is easier to say - "Your sins are forgiven" or "Get up and walk"? Obviously it is easier to say 'Your sins are forgiven' because nothing happens, nothing shows whether it worked or not. But Jesus proves he can do the easy thing to say by saying the hard thing 'Get up and walk'. And there in front of all these people, including those who oppose Jesus, the man gets up and walks!.
Jesus can forgive your sin ... and mine!
The woman who touched him
Matthew 9 v 20-22 Mark 5 v 25-34 Luke 8 v 43-48 Just a touch of Jesus' garment was enough to heal this woman.
Reach out to him and touch him with your need.
Two blind men
Matthew 9 v 27-31 Two men follow Jesus calling out for his help. He heals them and they go out and tell everyone what he has done.
A man with a withered hand
Matthew 12 v 9-13 Mark 3 v 1-5 Luke 6 v 6-10 Jesus goes into the synagogue (the local place of worship). The leaders want to know whether it is lawful to heal him on the holy day (working on the holy day was against the law). Jesus keeps a sense of priority - a man is more important than a sheep. So there, in front of everyone, he heals him. (There had to be at least ten men present for the synagogue to meet - probably the whole town was there).
A man born blind
Matthew 20 v 29-34 Mark 10 v 46-52 Luke 18 v 35-43 Two men are begging by the road when they hear that Jesus is passing through town. They start to shout to get Jesus attention. The croud tells them to be quiet. But they succeed, Jesus hears them, asks what they want, and gives them the sight that they ask for. And the whole croud sees it happen.
A deaf and mute man
Mark 7 v 31-37 Passing through the region called "Ten Towns" (on the east side of the Jordan river) this man is brought to Jesus who heals his deafness and enables him to speak. The people were overwhelmed with amazement. "He has done everything well," they said. "He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak." (v 37)
Notice how Jesus cares for the man by taking him aside from the croud. Jesus still does everything well. He still cares.
A blind man
Mark 8 v 22-25 A blind man receives his sight - again, notice how Jesus cares for him, initially protecting him from some of the shock of hios healing and the inevitable reaction.
A woman
Luke 13 v 10-17 This woman is set free from her crippling condition just by Jesus speaking to her. He then confronts his opponents for their double standards but all his opponents were humiliated, yet the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing. (v 17)
A man with dropsy
Luke 14 v 1-4 The question of healing on the Sabbath (holy day) comes up again. But Jesus is more concerned with the victim and heals him in front of his opponents.
Ten lepers
Luke 17 v 11-19 Ten lepers are healed. Yet only one has enough humility to return to Jesus and thank him for his healing.
Malchus
Luke 22 v 50-51; John 18 v 10 If possible, read these verses in their context (always the right way to read the Bible).
Jesus is being arrested. Armed guards have come to take him away. In a few hours he will be on trial for his life, condemned and crucified. Yet when one of his disciples tries to resist and injures one of those coming to make the arrest Jesus tells his disciple to stop and heals the man's injury. The man was the servant of the High Priest who had ordered Jesus arrest.
The official's son
John 4 v 46-54 In his second recorded miracle, Jesus heals the son of a royal official at Capernaum. When Jesus told him his son would live the official believed him. Capernaum where the man lived was about 20 kms from Cana where he had met Jesus. He had to trust Jesus' word all that way home before finding out that it was true.
The paralysed man at the pool
John 5 v 1-9 At the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem, a place where many sick people gathered in the hope of a cure, Jesus heals a man who had been unable to walk for 38 years. A great number of people were there and witnessed what Jesus did. The remains of the pool of Bethesda can still be seen in Jerusalem.
A man born blind
John 9 People used to think (and perhaps some still do think) that anyone who suffered did so because of sin, either theirs or someone else's. Now, this may be true. Sin has consequences. Sometimes when we sin we hurt ourselves and other people - and we sometimes have to live with the aftermath of that. But Jesus shows here that this is not always true. We cannot always judge by appearances.
This man was born blind - and Jesus heals him. He was a grown man, his history would have been well known in the place where he lived. His parents were still alive and are called to testify. In the end all the man can say is "Once I was blind but now I see...". Meeting Jesus can be like that. Suddenly we realise who Jesus is and what he has done for us and it is as though we were once blind, but now we see.
Dealing with Nature
Calming the storm
Matthew 8 v 23-27 Mark 4 v 37-41 Luke 8 v 23-25 Jesus calms a storm on the Sea of Galilee with a wave of his hand and a sharp command - a storm of such an intensity that it terrifies his crew of experienced sailors.
They ask a very important question. Who is this man? What kind of man is he?. How do you answer?
Feeding a crowd of five thousand
Matthew 14 v 15-21 Mark 6 v 35-44 Luke 9 v 12-17 John 6 v 5-14 In one of his most amazing miracles, Jesus feeds a crowd of over 5,000 people with just five loaves of bread and two small fish. And there is enough food left over at the end to fill 12 large baskets! There are over 5000 witnesses, who all took part!
Picture shows area on northern shore of Sea of Galilee where tradition says this miracle took place.
Walking on the lake and stilling the storm
Matthew 14 v 22-33 Mark 6 v 45-52 John 6 v 16-21 Many things are impossible - unless...
For example, it is impossible for me to see the road outside my house from where I sit unless I perhaps set up a mirror...
Jesus comes walking on the surface of the Sea of Galilee! One of his disciples, Peter, asks to come to him and begins walking on the water as well. Then Jesus calms the storm.
Impossible? Of course it is unless the disciples are right when they say "Truly you are the Son of God".
Feeding four thousand people
Matthew 15 v 32-38 Mark 8 v 1-9 In another example of God's power, Jesus has compassion on a large hungry crowd of followers who have not eaten for about three days. He feeds them with seven loaves of bread and a few small fish and yet seven baskets of food are left over after everyone is full.
A Coin in a fish's mouth
Matthew 17 v 24-27 Jesus performs a simple miracle in order to satisfy those who demanded the temple tax. But he takes the opportunity to teach Peter a valuable lesson about God's relationship with his children.
The fig tree
Matthew 21 v 18-19 Mark 11 v 12-14, (15-19), 20-21 This miracle is another demonstration of Jesus power over natural objects. That might be all we need to say since the purpose of this web page is to show that Jesus proved who he claimed to be (God himself) by the power he displayed in the things he did. However, it raises the question - Why would Jesus curse a tree?
The answer is found in the verses in the middle of the section in Mark's gospel. By this miracle Jesus warns of the coming judgement upon the nation of Israel, represented by the tree, because of its failure to produce the 'fruit' God required of them. The clearing out of the temple by Jesus shows the state that the worship of God had sunk to. The prophesy of Micah 7 v 1-4 probably finds it's fulfillment in Jesus actions and warning. Jesus has power not only to heal and feed but also to judge.
A net full of fish
Luke 5 v 1-11 After a night of fishing on the Sea of Galilee during which he caught nothing, Peter receives a command from Jesus to lower his nets again. This time so many fish are caught that Peter's nets begin to break.
Water becomes wine
John 2 v 1-11 This was Jesus' first miracle, which took place at the town of Cana in the Galilee area. Jesus, a guest at a wedding, changes water into wine after the host's wine ran out unexpectedly. His disciples state that through this miracle He revealed his glory.
When we see and understand the things that Jesus did, we begin to see his glory too.
Another catch of fish
John 21 v 1-11 After his resurrection, Jesus performs another miracle. His disciples, who had been wondering who the figure on the beach is, immediately identify him by this sudden abundance of fish. It is Jesus of Nazareth alive from the dead!
Dealing with Evil Spirits
The reality of evil spirits is much more understood and accepted by middle eastern and far eastern cultures than it is by western cultures. However, the presence of evil is a reality to all. God is a spirit and the Bible (as well as the sacred books of other religions) speaks clearly of other spiritual beings that God has created - eg. angels. But the Bible makes it clear that some of these spiritual beings rebelled against God and now oppose him. These are led by Satan, the devil, who has lesser spirits, demons, who support him. It is this opposition to God that is the root of all evil and suffering in the world.
Where Jesus met examples of demons oppressing people he cast the demons out. Notice how the demons obey his commands and submit to his authority, proving that Jesus is superior to them and has the right to judge them.
The man in the graveyard
Matthew 8 v 28-34 Mark 5 v 1-20 Luke 8 v 26-39 It is with a word of command, "Go!", that Jesus heals the man of his oppression. The demons obey. Many people are told and come from town and country to see the man sitting in his right mind. Afterwards Jesus sends him to go and "tell how much God has done for you".
The dumb man
Matthew 9 v 32-33 The demon prevented the man from speaking. Jesus dealt with the demon and restored the man's speach. The crowd (namy people) was amazed and said, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel."
The man blind and dumb
Matthew 12 v 22 Luke 11 v 14 The demon is driven out by Jesus, the man's faculties are restored, the crowd is amazed.
A foreign woman's daughter
Matthew 15 v 21-28 Mark 7 v 24-30 Jesus heals the womans's daughter - and the demon left her.
The blind, mute son
Matthew 17 v 14-18 Mark 9 v 14-27 Luke 9 v 37-42 "Everything is possible for him who believes" - Jesus tells the father. Like the father we don't always find believing easy, we also want to say "I do believe - help my unbelief". The father showed his faith by doing what Jesus suggested - "Bring him here to me".
Jesus still invites us to bring our problems to him - believe him, he can deal with it.
The man in the Synagogue at Capernaum
Mark 1 v 23-28 Luke 4 v 33-37 Notice how the evil spirit not only obeys Jesus, but recognises who he is "The holy one of God". The people are amazed because "he speaks with authority". Jesus still does.
Dealing with Death
Jesus said he came to give us Life - which would be a rather empty boast if we could not find any evidence of him dealing with death...
Jairus's dead daughter brought back to life
Matthew 9 v 18-19,23-26 Mark 5 v 22-24,35-43 Luke 8 v 41-42,49-56 Jesus demonstrates that he has the power to raise the dead back to life when he raises the daughter of a leading man in the town. Everyone knew she was dead - that was why the musicians and mourners were there for the funeral - but all that region got to hear about her coming back to life again.
Jesus rises from the dead
Matthew 28 v 2-20 Mark 16 v 1-20 Luke 24 v 1-48 John 20 v 1-31 In the greatest miracle of all, Jesus is raised from the dead, just as he had foretold on numerous occasions.
See the fuller description of the resurrection on this site.
The cancelled funeral
Luke 7 v 11-16 A mother is going out to bury her son - until Jesus steps in and cancels the funeral. There was a large crowd but they all went home saying God has come to help his people...
The Lazarus incident
John 11 v 1-45 In this spectacular miracle Jesus brings back to life a man who had not only died, but had been laying in his tomb for several days. Jesus makes an astounding claim...
Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die." (v 25-26) And to prove he meant it - he raises Lazarus from the dead.
Lazarus had three problems: He was sealed in a tomb behind a heavy stone door; he was bound head to foot in grave clothes; he but his biggest problem was that he was dead! Men could and did move the stone, men could and did unwrap him, but only God could give him back his life, and Jesus did it - proving who he is.
We started this page by saying that John, one of Jesus disciples wrote...
"Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name." (John 20 v 30-31. NIV)
Now you have read the accounts - DO YOU BELIEVE?