What great miracle made all of Jesus words believable?

Answer 1

If Jesus really did rise from the dead, this would be the greatest miracle of all time, making his words and his story believable. But first, that very miracle has to be believable.

Mark's Gospel originally ended at verse 16:8, and the "Long Ending" (verses 16:9-20) were added much later to more or less harmonise Mark with the other gospels. So, Mark really only tells us that the young man said that Jesus was risen. It does not tell us who this young man was or whether he was, fro example, a grave robber.

We could turn to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, which certainly demonstrate that Jesus had risen and was seen by the disciples. However, the stories are so different that at least one, and possibly both must be considered not really true. And the accounts in Matthew and Luke must be discounted when it is realsied that the authors of these two gospels relied on Mark's Gospel for everything they really knew about the life and mission of Jesus.

The Gospel of John leads to exactly the same conclusion. This Gospel is considered to have been inspired by Luke's Gospel, with some additional material taken direct from Mark. And, once again, it differs so much from the other gospels, even Luke, that its resurrection account must also be be discounted.

So, the greatest miracle of all time comes down to a matter of faith and no more. Therefore this miracle does not, after all, make the words of Jesus any more believable.

Answer 2

To begin, there were far more sightings of Jesus than the gospels themselves affirm. Paul mentions the resurrection of Jesus in his letters (most of which predate the gospels) many times. Other non-canonical gospels do as well. Even secular historians of the time mention the resurrection in passing.

More than this, the early Church fathers based their whole lives on the resurrection of Jesu, many of whom could trace their own teaching to the apostles themselves. As just one example, Irenaeus, who wrote a great deal on the resurrection, was a pupil of polycarp, who was, himself, a pupil of John the apostle - one of the eyewitnesses to both the crucifixion and the resurrection.

It is very easy to sit back in a study 2000 years later and pooh-pooh the intelligence and integrity and honesty of those who lived in those days as if they were brainless savages out to con people over 2000 years. Let's not forget that as a result of the resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit, the motley crew of disciples were transformed into a force that saw Christianity spread across the Roman Empire - against all odds - within just a few decades. It saw missionary work and Christian communities established in India, Persia, the far east, Africa, Western Europe and elsewhere - in less than a hundred years. Early Christians died the most brutal and horrible deaths for their faith - including almost all the 12 disciples. And they would have not have died knowing that the resurrection was a lie or a hoax - or even if they showed the slightest doubt of its authenticity and factual nature.

Moreover, billions of people throughout history have had their lives overturned by this one resurrected man from the backwater of the Roman Empire. There are some today who still dismiss the resurrection because they 'know better' than the billions of highly intelligent, rational, logical, wise people who have accepted, throughout history, the factual nature of the resurrection. Atheist Frank Morrison, who was a rational lawyer, who took three years out from his practice to write a book dismissing the resurrection, was converted as a result of his research, and becme a Christian. The sheer weight of the evidence compelled him to conclude that Jesus actually did rise from the dead. Morrison wrote his book--but not the one he had planned. It is titled, Who Moved the Stone?The first chapter, very significantly, is, "The Book That Refused to Be Written."

So, the greatest miracle of all, as far as Jesus was concerned, was his resurrection. Without the resurrection, the crucifixion is meaningless. With out the crucifixion, the Incarnation is meaningless. Without the Incarnation, God is meaninless.

An alternate opinion:

The above conclusion is correct. All of Jesus' Words are believable only to the "faithful"... only those whose minds and hearts have been personally opened by Him to understanding.

"Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures." (Luke 24:45)

To the rest of the world, the Bible remains a virtual "parable"... a tool Jesus used to prevent the multitudes from understanding the Truth of what He is saying. To the vast majority of mankind, it remains virtually unknown.

God's seemingly unknown plan, however, is on a time schedule... and Jesus' greatest miracle, which will cause the whole world to believe all of His Words, He hasn't performed yet - the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth.

While His resurrection may be a miracle to some men whose minds and hearts have been opened to it... doubts persist and the whole world... those who are able to read and whose governments allow the Bible within their borders... still don't believe all of Jesus' Words.

The only miracle of Jesus that the whole world will recognize... and finally begin to come to utter and total belief in all of His Words, is when He returns to the earth when the sun is blocked out and the moon is blood red... and all of the nations of the earth look up to see the brilliant light approaching.

This miracle will cut short the prophesied Great Tribulation... the final attempt of the nations and governments of the world to unite into one global system, which would spell the end of all life on earth, unless God cuts it short.

"For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be [again]. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." (Matt.24:21-22)

"Immediately after the Tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be shaken..." (verse 29).

That will be a miracle the world can sink its teeth into. The prophesied darkening of the sun and moon are signs of which the world is aware [even if it doesn't believe it]. And the world will stubbornly refuse to believe... until it actually sees it happen.

Then... belief in all of Jesus' Words will not be far behind.

"...the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth... and heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, HID THEMSELVES IN THE DENS AND IN THE ROCKS OF THE MOUNTAINS; and said to the mountains and rocks, FALL ON US, AND HIDE US FROM THE FACE OF HIM THAT SITTETH ON THE THRONE, AND FROM THE WRATH OF THE LAMB: for the Great Day of His wrath is come..." (Rev.6:12-17).

The whole terrified, dying world shall witness this miracle... and begin to believe all of Jesus' Words.

"And THEN shall appear THE SIGN OF THE SON OF MAN IN HEAVEN: and THEN shall ALL THE TRIBES OF THE EARTH MOURN, and THEY SHALL SEE THE SON OF MAN COMING IN THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN WITH POWER AND GREAT GLORY..." (Matt.24:30).

The dubious circumstances surrounding Jesus' resurrection is sufficient for the few whom God is calling now, to understand and believe all of Jesus' Words. But it will take THAT "Great Miracle" of Jesus... His return to the earth making war... to cause the whole world to begin to believe all of His Words. When He stands on the earth with His army and His saints.

"...who shall be able to stand?" (Rev.6:17)

Answer 3

I have never heard of a great miracle that made all religious teachings believable, and doubt that there ever was such a miracle.