O que são milagres e qual o seu propósito na Bíblia?

O que a Bíblia ensina sobre os milagres

Na Bíblia, o milagre é uma intervenção direta e soberana de Deus na história humana, alterando o curso natural dos fatos para cumprir um propósito divino. Eles nunca acontecem como mero espetáculo: nas Escrituras, cada ato extraordinário funciona como um sinal que revela quem Deus é, confirma a Sua palavra e aponta para o Seu Reino.

Desde o livramento de Israel no Mar Vermelho até os feitos narrados nos profetas, o milagre testemunha que o Criador não está limitado pelas leis da própria criação.

27 "Behold, I am Yahweh, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for me?(Jeremiah 32:27)

37 For nothing spoken by God is impossible."(Luke 1:37)

26 Looking at them, Jesus said, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."(Matthew 19:26)

21 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and Yahweh caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 The children of Israel went into the middle of the sea on the dry ground; and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.(Exodus 14:21,22)

11 I will remember Yah’s deeds;

for I will remember your wonders of old.

12 I will also meditate on all your work,

and consider your doings.(Psalms 77:11,12)

14 You are the God who does wonders.

You have made your strength known among the peoples.(Psalms 77:14)

A fé e a soberania divina

Nos Evangelhos, Jesus frequentemente associa o milagre à confiança de quem se aproxima dele. No entanto, a Bíblia não trata a fé como uma força mágica ou um mecanismo de barganha que obriga Deus a agir; a fé bíblica é a certeza humilde de que Deus tem poder para intervir segundo a Sua própria vontade.

A falta de fé, por outro lado, revela um coração fechado à ação divina, como ocorreu na própria cidade de Jesus, onde a incredulidade impediu o reconhecimento dos Seus feitos.

20 He said to them, "Because of your unbelief. For most certainly I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. (Matthew 17:20)

23 Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."(Mark 9:23)

50 But Jesus hearing it, answered him, "Don’t be afraid. Only believe, and she will be healed."(Luke 8:50)

21 Jesus answered them, "Most certainly I tell you, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you told this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it would be done. (Matthew 21:21)

58 He didn’t do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.(Matthew 13:58)

27 Jesus, looking at them, said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God."(Mark 10:27)

27 But he said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."(Luke 18:27)

Os milagres de Jesus: cura, provisão e misericórdia

O ministério terreno de Cristo foi marcado por atos de compaixão diante da dor humana. Em Caná da Galileia, na cura da mulher encurvada ou na multiplicação dos pães, Jesus respondeu à aflição concreta das pessoas e demonstrou autoridade sobre doenças, carências materiais e forças da natureza.

Essas ações serviram para atestar publicamente que ele era o Messias prometido, inaugurando o tempo da reconciliação com Deus.

11 This beginning of his signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.(John 2:11)

16 He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to the sky, he blessed them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. 17 They ate and were all filled. They gathered up twelve baskets of broken pieces that were left over.(Luke 9:16,17)

10 He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath day. 11 Behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years. She was bent over and could in no way straighten herself up. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your infirmity." 13 He laid his hands on her, and immediately she stood up straight and glorified God.

14 The ruler of the synagogue, being indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the multitude, "There are six days in which men ought to work. Therefore come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day!"

15 Therefore the Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Doesn’t each one of you free his ox or his donkey from the stall on the Sabbath and lead him away to water? 16 Ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham whom Satan had bound eighteen long years, be freed from this bondage on the Sabbath day?"

17 As he said these things, all his adversaries were disappointed; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.(Luke 13:10-17)

49 but they, when they saw him walking on the sea, supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; 50 for they all saw him and were troubled. But he immediately spoke with them and said to them, "Cheer up! It is I! Don’t be afraid."(Mark 6:49,50)

14 When therefore the people saw the sign which Jesus did, they said, "This is truly the prophet who comes into the world."(John 6:14)

15 and the prayer of faith will heal him who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.(James 5:15,16)

17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it didn’t rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 He prayed again, and the sky gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.(James 5:17,18)

Sinais na igreja primitiva e a pregação do Evangelho

Após a ascensão de Jesus, o livro de Atos registra apóstolos e discípulos realizando sinais extraordinários no nome de Jesus. O objetivo desses acontecimentos era autenticar a mensagem da cruz diante de judeus e gentios, fortalecendo a proclamação da verdade em meio à perseguição.

As cartas do Novo Testamento mostram que a operação de milagres também faz parte dos dons distribuídos pelo Espírito Santo para a edificação da comunidade de fé.

22 "Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him among you, even as you yourselves know,(Acts 2:22)

31 When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were gathered together. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.(Acts 4:31)

11 God worked special miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out.(Acts 19:11,12)

12 Truly the signs of an apostle were worked among you in all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty works.(2 Corinthians 12:12)

8 For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 and to another workings of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of languages, and to another the interpretation of languages.(1 Corinthians 12:8-10)

28 God has set some in the assembly: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracle workers, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various kinds of languages.(1 Corinthians 12:28)

39 But Jesus said, "Don’t forbid him, for there is no one who will do a mighty work in my name and be able quickly to speak evil of me. 40 For whoever is not against us is on our side. (Mark 9:39,40)

O milagre maior: a encarnação e a ressurreição

Embora curas físicas e provisões alimentares façam parte da narrativa bíblica, o ápice da intervenção de Deus na história é a pessoa de Jesus Cristo. Seu nascimento de uma virgem e sua ressurreição dentre os mortos constituem a vitória definitiva sobre o pecado e a morte.

O apóstolo João conclui que o valor central desses registros não é alimentar a curiosidade, mas levar quem lê a crer que Jesus é o Filho de Deus e, crendo, ter vida eterna.

14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin will conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.(Isaiah 7:14)

22 Now all this has happened that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,

23 "Behold, the virgin shall be with child,

and shall give birth to a son.

They shall call his name Immanuel,"

which is, being interpreted, "God with us."(Matthew 1:22,23)

9 When he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight.(Acts 1:9)

7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’(Acts 22:7)

8 So then the other disciple who came first to the tomb also entered in, and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they didn’t know the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.(John 20:8,9)

29 Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."

30 Therefore Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 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 20:29-31)

O discernimento contra sinais enganosos

As Escrituras advertem com firmeza: a manifestação de algo sobrenatural não é garantia de que sua origem seja divina. Tanto o Antigo quanto o Novo Testamento ensinam que sinais podem ser imitados ou usados para desviar o povo da verdade.

Jesus e os profetas alertaram contra a busca doentia por prodígios e condenaram a postura daqueles que viram milagres evidentes, mas se recusaram a se arrepender de seus caminhos.

1 If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, "Let’s go after other gods" (which you have not known) "and let’s serve them," 3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet, or to that dreamer of dreams; for Yahweh your God is testing you, to know whether you love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 You shall walk after Yahweh your God, fear him, keep his commandments, and obey his voice. You shall serve him, and cling to him.(Deuteronomy 13:1-4)

38 Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from you."

39 But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the huge fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. (Matthew 12:38-40)

20 Then he began to denounce the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they didn’t repent. 21 "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23 You, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, you will go down to Hades. For if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in you, it would have remained until today. 24 But I tell you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment, than for you."(Matthew 11:20-24)

13 I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits, something like frogs; 14 for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole inhabited earth, to gather them together for the war of that great day of God the Almighty.(Revelation 16:13,14)

O testemunho contínuo da criação

Além dos eventos que rompem o curso normal do mundo, a Bíblia reconhece que a manutenção diária da vida e a complexidade do ser humano já revelam a grandeza miraculosa de Deus. Toda a ordem criada aponta para o Criador que a sustenta momento a momento.

13 For you formed my inmost being.

You knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14 I will give thanks to you,

for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Your works are wonderful.

My soul knows that very well.(Psalms 139:13,14)

1 I will give thanks to Yahweh with my whole heart.

I will tell of all your marvelous works.(Psalms 9:1)

37 As he was now getting near, at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works which they had seen, 38 saying, "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest!"(Luke 19:37,38)

1 Yahweh said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these my signs among them; 2 and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your son’s son, what things I have done to Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that you may know that I am Yahweh."(Exodus 10:1,2)