Jesus performed miracles and used them to teach Jews, who were steeped in the Hebrew scriptures. He intended these miracles not only to amaze but also to challenge his listeners by revealing their prejudices and renewing their beliefs. Jesus’ stories can also help us find ourselves in them. In the videos of our next two sessions we focus on Gospel miracles and the teaching that accompanies them. In this Sunday’s video, James Alison interprets two miracles. Jesus heals a man with a withered hand. The Pharisees object to healing on the Sabbath. Jesus challenges them with teachings from Deuteronomy. Later, Jesus heals a man who cannot speak. Some accuse him of healing with the power of Satan. To this accusation, he refers them to the Exodus account of the plagues and weak responses of Pharaoh’s magicians. On the following Sunday, Alison focuses on Jesus’ healing of a woman bent over for 18 years. The ruler of the synagogue was indignant about
this healing on the Sabbath. Jesus responded with a hilarious story from Judges about Eglon the king of Moab and with citations from Job. Alison then interprets the story about Zacchaeus. When Jesus invited himself to be the tax collector’s guest, the crowd accused him of associating with a sinner. Jesus quoted the passage from Hosea, “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.”
Join us to learn more about these stories.
Barry Evans, Facilitator