Exploring the Bible

During His time on Earth Jesus preformed a number of miracles, sometimes called signs. These miracles were recorded in the Gospel accounts written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Intended to teach us about the power of God they were also intended to show us who Jesus really is. The miracles reveal God, Jesus, has the power to alter the rules of science, physics, nature and life and death. Jesus turned water into wine, calmed a raging storm, healed all types of sickness and even raised people from the dead. Each of these miracles show us who Jesus is, His power, and in many cases, a great deal more. Nearly all of us are familiar with most of these miracles. Between the four gospel accounts we are given thirty-seven miracles Jesus preformed during His earthly ministry. There are additional miracles in the New Testament which we will not look at here. These include the virgin birth of Jesus, His resurrection from the dead, and His ascension into heaven. While these are certainly miraculo...

 During His time on earth, Jesus performed a total of thirty-seven miracles. These are recorded in the gospel accounts written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Of the thirty-seven, are there certain miracles that were more important or more significant than others? Is there one miracle that stands out as the greatest miracle performed by Jesus? The answer can be both yes, and no. Each miracle performed by Jesus was done to not only show His power over natural law, but to teach His disciples. These miracles were recorded in the Bible so they could also teach us, nearly two thousand years later. In this way each miracle story is unique and very important in helping us to understand Jesus, who He is, and what He was trying to teach the disciples, and indeed us. While every miracle is certainly important, can we pick just one? Perhaps the gospel writers did this for us.  Of the thirty-seven miracles recorded in the gospels, nineteen of them are only listed in one of the four gospe...

 Did God part the Red Sea for the people of Israel, is it just a morality tale, or is it just a lot of non-sense? The parting of the sea is a key point in the Exodus story. This element not only clearly shows the power of God, but it allowed the people of Israel to escape while simultaneously destroying the Egyptian army. There are several points to the Parting of the Red Sea which often come into question. One of the most interesting aspects, is that the parting of the sea has happened again, and there were witnesses. The first, and very pivotal element, of the story is the sea itself. The Red Sea is a very large and very deep body of water. This has caused many to doubt the story. Suppose God did part the waters of the Red Sea as the Bible says. At some of the narrowest points the Red Sea remains nearly thirty miles across. While in many aspects this is not a long distance, we must remember the Israeli people had to cross this span in a single day. Traveling thirty miles, with el...

What is the Veil of Veronica The Veil of Veronica was first mentioned in the 4th of 5th century and has since become most associated with the Stations of the Cross. The Veil is believed by some to hold the image of Jesus' face, obtained while Jesus was being taken to the cross. The remarkable story, if true, would make Veronica's Veil one of, if not, the most valuable and sensational relics of all time. As with any relic or artifact of this kind, it is shrouded in mystery and has no shortage of critics.  A nearly two thousand year old artifact prompts many questions. Is the Veil real? Where did it come from? Why and when did it become associated with the Stations of the Cross? Who is Veronica, and why was she chosen to receive the Veil? Does the Veil still exist, and if so, where is it today?    Via Dolorosa The story of Veronica's Veil starts near the end of Jesus' earthly ministry. On Good Friday Jesus was condemned to death and eventually lead to Calvary where He was...

The Christmas Story is a story of hope, redemption and Joy. It is also a story shrouded in mystery.  In the Gospel of Matthew we learn of the Magi who visit the Holy Family after following a star to Bethlehem. This is an amazing story of the birth of Jesus, but can any of this story be confirmed by historical records or scientific analysis? Who were the Magi, where did they come from, and why did they make the trip? Was there an actual star or astronomical event which matches the Biblical description of the ‘Christmas Star’? Can any of these events, if confirmed, help us establish when the birth of Jesus actually took place? "After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, Where is the one who was born King of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”  (Matthew 2:1–2) The Magi, often referred to as the wise men, traveled from the east, most probably from the area of Bag...

  In approximately 700 B.C., in the city of Jerusalem, a massive attack and siege by Sennacherib of Assyria was imminent. The Assyrian army was vast, well trained and battle tested. Sennacherib had defeated every advisory that stood in his way, and now his army posed a grave danger to Jerusalem and her people. The city walls were formidable and would not be easily penetrated, so a lengthy siege of Jerusalem was expected. King Hezekiah knew if the city were to survive a siege it would need a constant supply of drinking water as well as additional fortifications. For the moment we will focus strictly on the water supply. Without fresh water the city would fall. To accommodate this need Hezekiah developed a masterful plan that was ingenious and at the same time filled with risk and danger. "It was Hezekiah who  stopped the upper outlet of the waters of  Gihon and directed them to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah was successful in everything that he did." ...

Are Medical Miracles real? - It would seem nearly 8 out of 10 Americans believe they are. In a recent survey 79% of American said they believe in miracles. What may be more surprising to many is the fact that 75% of doctors surveyed said they also believed in miracles. Even more surprising may be the fact 55% of doctors said they have seen miraculous results in their own patients.  How many miracles take place, and can they be confirmed? There are no real statistics kept for the number of miracles which take place. The Catholic church does not keep track of miracles except when they are related to the canonization of a saint. In these cases, a complete investigation is done, and all claims are carefully researched and confirmed before the miracle is deemed to be authentic. Since the Catholic church tracks these miracles, and has a trial for each miracle, I will be using their methods and numbers in this post. The first order of business is to determine what is a miracle? The church...