results (on Matt, viii, 28 sq., see Paulus, ad loc. ; Bret- schneider, Handb. d. Dorjm. i, 307 sq. ; Hase, Leben Jesii, p. 134 ; on Matt, xxi, 18 sq., see Fleck, Vertheid. d. Chris- tenth, p. 138 sq.), in which respects they are in strik- ing contrast with the silly thaumaturgy of the apocry- phal gospels (see Tholuck, GUiubiviirdi(jk.d.evan(j. G'esch. \). 40G sq.), consisting mostly of raising the dead and the cure (Mark vi, 56) of such maladies as had baffled all scientific remedies (insanity, epilepsy, palsy, leprosy, blindness, etc.). He asked no reward (comp. Matt, x, 8), and performed no miracles to gratify curiosity (Matt, xvi, 1 sq. ; Mark viii, 11 sq.), or to excite the astonish- ment of a sensuous populace ; rather he repeatedly for- bade the public report of his extraordinary deeds (Matt, ix, 30; Mark i, 44; vii, oG; viii, 26; Luke v, 14; viii, 56 ; Plitt, in the Jless. J/ebop/er, 1850, p. 890 sq., takes an erroneous view of Mark v, 19, for in verse 20 Jesus bids the man relate his cure to his 7-elatives only), and he avoided the popular outbursts of joy, which would have swelled loudh' at his particularly successful achiev- nients (.John v, 13), only suffering these miracles to be acknowledged to the honor of God (Luke viii, 39 sq. ; xvii, IG sq.). In effecting cures he sometimes made use of some means (Mark vii, 33 ; viii, 23 ; John ix, G scj. ; comp. Spinoza, Tract, theol. pol. c. G, p. 244, ed. Paul. ; Med.-herm. Untersuch. p. 335 sq. ; Paulus, Lebea Jcsii, i, 223), but in general he employed simply a word (^latt. viii, 1 sq. ; John v, 8, etc.), even at a distance (Matt. viii, 5 sq. ; Luke vii, G sq. ; John iv, 50), or merely a touch of the invalid (Matt, viii, 3, 15) or the afflicted member (blind eyes, Matt, ix, 29; xx, 34; see Seller, Christ, an in operibus mirabilib. arcanis usus sit reniediis, Erlang. 1795; also, Jesus an miracula suis ipsius viribus ediderit, ib. 1799) ; on the other hand, likewise, a cure was experienced when the infirm touched his garment (Matt, ix, 20 sq. ; xiv, 36), but in such a case always on the presumption of a firm faith (^latt. ix, 28; compare John v, G), so that when this failed the miraculous power -was not exercised (:Matt. xiii, 58; Mark xi, 5). On this very account some motlerns liave asserted (Guts- muth, Diss, de Christo Med. Jen. 1812 [on the opposite, Ammon's Theolog. Journ. i, 177 sq.] ; Ennemoser, Mag- netism, p. 473 sq. ; Kieser, Sgst. des Tellurism. ii, 502 sq. ; Meyer, Naturanalogien od. die Erschein. d. anim. Mag- net, mit Hins. auf Theol. Hamb. 1839 ; comp. Weisse, i, 349 sq.) that these cures were ])rincipally effected by Jesus through the agency of animal magnetism (comp. Luke viii, 48 ; see generally Pfau, De Christo academ. N. T. medico primario, Erlang. 1743; Schulthess, in the Neuest. theol. Nachr. 1820, p. 3G0 sq.). See Healing. That the Jewish Rabbis and the Essenes performed, or perhaps only pretended to perform, similar cures, at least upon dffimoniacs, appears from Matt, xii, 27 ; Luke xi, 19 ; Mark ix, 38 sq. ; comp. Josepl^us, War, ii, 8, 6 ; ^ nt. viii, 2, 5). The sentiments of Jesus himself as to the value and tendency of his miracles are undeniable; he disapproved that eagerness for wonders displayed by his contemporaries (Matt, xvi, 1; John ii, 18) which sprung from sensuous curiosity or from pure malevolence (jMatt. xii, 39; xvi, 4; Mark viii, 11 sq.), or else had a thank- less regard merely to their own advantage (.John iv, 48; vi, 24), but which ever desired miracles nierely as such, while he regarded them as a national method for at- taining his purpose of awakening and calling fortli faith (John xi, 42; comp. Matt, xi, 4 sq.; Luke vii, 21 »i.'), and hence often lamented their ineffectualness (Matt. xi, 20 sq. ; Luke x, 13; see especially Nitzsch, Qunntum Chi-istus miraculis tribuerit,\iiGh. 1796; Schott. Opusr, i. Ill sq.; Lehiierdt, De nonnullis Chr. effatis nude ipse quid quantumq. tribuerit mirnciilis cognoscetur, Rcgiom. 1838 ; comp. Paulus, in the Xm. /hi id. Journ. ix, 342 sq., 413 sq.; Storr, in Flatt's Mii;i,r.. iv, 178 sq.; Eiseln, in the KircheiMdtter fur das Bislh. Ruttenburg,i, IGl sq.; I>cWett(i,Biblisch.Bogm.p. 196 sq.; Strauss, Ghiub.'nS: lehre, i, 86 sq.). As an undeniablj' effective means of introducing Christianity, these miracles have ever re- tained a profound significance, of which they cannot be
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deprived by any efforts to explain tliom on natural prin- ciples {Br. lib. Rationalismus, p. 215 sq.), or to ascribe them to traditional exaggeration ; for all investigations of this character have as yet generally resulted only in a contorted exegesis, and are oftentimes more ditKcult of belief than the miraculous incidents themselves (^see on the subject generaOy Koster, Immanuel oder Churact. der neutest. Wundererzdhlungen, Lpz. 1821 ; Johannsen, in Schroter and Klein's Opjyositionschr. v, 571 sq. ; vi, 31 sq. ; IMiiller, De mirac. J. Ch. nat. et necess. Marburg and Hal. 1839 ; Neander, p. 25G sq.). See Miracle.