Christians believe that a miracle is the direct, extraordinary, and creative work of God. During certain times in history, it is believed that God intervened in a special way. The miracles recorded in the Bible were powerful signs that the miracle-worker was his spokesperson (Mark 2:10–11). The ones witnessing the miracles understood that they were witnessing a singular event. Christians believe that even though God created a universe that is providentially ordered, he can bypass his own natural law for his own purposes.

Look in the Book

For his first miracle, Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding feast at Cana (John 2:1–11). The Bible says that Jesus told some servants to fill six stone water jars, used for ceremonial washing, with water—about 180 gallons of water (John 2:6). Of course, they would have drawn the water from a well. Then Jesus said to draw water again, and they drew out wine instead of water. Jesus turned the entire well of water into wine.

It didn't take faith to see the miracles that Jesus performed. Even his enemies didn't deny that he restored a man's withered arm, but they were furious that he performed this miracle on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:9–14; Mark 3:1–6; Luke 6:6–11). There's a good reason Jesus performed so many miracles in Galilee. The Israelites brought their sick relatives and friends to the city of Tiberius, located on the Sea of Galilee, so they could be placed in the waters for healing. No wonder the Bible said that multitudes went out to Jesus with their sick; they came from the hospital town of Tiberius.