For Christians, the stories of Jesus performing miracles and wonders are a wonderful proof of his miraculous nature. They often were raised being awed by the stories of Jesus healing the sick, feeding the masses, and walking on water. This helped to separate Jesus in their minds from mortal man. These miracles became the ‘proof’ they needed to make that difference between themselves and this Wondrous Figure of Jesus Christ.

Baha’is believe that a true student of the Bible knows that miracles are no real proof of a miraculous nature. The Bible warns that false prophets can also show great signs and wonders (Matt 24:24). For example, the Bible tells that the high priests that opposed Moses performed miracles and tricks that convinced the Pharaoh of Egypt to oppose Moses. Therefore, the Bible does not say that miracles are enough to prove that someone is of God.

Jesus often told those who saw the miracles not to tell anybody about them (Mark 9:9). Rather, Jesus wanted to be followed because of the way He lived, and because of the Message of peace and love that He brought to the world. Therefore, the teachings of Jesus, and the example of Jesus that has endured over the years and that has inspired a great civilization, are the real proof of Jesus’ miraculous nature. Jesus says that his followers should not follow Him because of miracles, but rather because his teachings give spiritual food and life (John 6:26-35).

In the end, miracles are really only useful for those who see them. And even then, all the people who saw Jesus’ miracles did not necessarily believe (1 Cor 12:8-10). Baha’is do not believe that Jesus was incapable of healing the sick or of feeding the masses. But for Baha’is, the more important point is that healing someone of a physical malady only lasts until that person dies of some other cause such as old age or getting run over by a cart. For Baha’is, the everlasting healing is the healing of the soul, which lasts beyond death. Jesus’ real miracle was not, then, the fact that He gave so many people physical sight, but rather that He gave them spiritual sight to be able to see their own nature. Through this, they received eternal life. Even as Jesus referred to those who appeared to be living in this material world, but were in fact spiritually dead when he told his followers to “let the dead bury the dead.” (Luke 9:60). For Baha’is, then, Jesus’ real miracle was that He inspired so many people over the ages to the eternal, spiritual life.

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