The miracles of Jesus - Classical Christian Literature by Athleo.net

152 CHRIST THE HEALER
remains of our beloved ones to the grave that He
once stood by the grave of Lazarus, and restored to
the sisters of Bethany the brother whom they
mourned ;
or that He stopped the mournful procession
near the gates of the city of Nain, and gave back life
to him who was the only son of his mother, and she
was a widow. At the most, such incidents reveal to
us One who has the keys of death and the grave, and
fill
us with such assurance as Martha had even before
the miracle— " I know that he shall rise again in the
resurrection at the last day." For us the ravages of
disease and the pangs of dissolution are lightened
only (glorious hope though it is !) by the hope of
immortality.
The miracles of Jesus, however, even those which
in outward circumstance are least impressive, have
for us most important lessons, and are susceptible of
immediate, almost instinctive, applications. And
this in two ways. They are rays emanating from the
source of divine glory, illustrations of the character of
Christ, examples of His method of work, emblems
and symbols of the kingdom which He founded.
And, on the other hand, they are parables in act,
illustrating for us the action of spiritual forces,
pictures of events which are continually going on in
the sphere of the higher life. Considered in this
light, we perceive that acts which were beyond the
power of other men were but the fit accompaniments
of a character and life so unique, so lofty, so divine.
We perceive that they are indispensable elements of
that teaching which was given to make the world wise.
There are few incidents in the Gospel history
which seem less to invite comment than that