Step 1: \u00a0<\/strong>The New Testament\u2019s synoptic gospels all report that the critics of Jesus accused him of working miracles by demonic power:<\/p>\n\u201cBut the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.\u201d \u00a0(Matthew 9:34)<\/p>\n
\u201cBut when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.\u201d \u00a0(Matthew 12:24)<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.\u201d \u00a0(Mark 3:22)<\/p>\n
\u201cBut some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.\u201d \u00a0(Luke 11:15)<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Step 2: \u00a0<\/strong>It is extremely unlikely that early Christians would have invented such a grave allegation against their revered Messiah. \u00a0(Jews of the first and second centuries took demons seriously.)<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Step 3: \u00a0<\/strong>It seems probable, therefore, that the allegation of working miracles through the power of the devil must really have been leveled against Jesus.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Step 4:<\/strong> \u00a0But what occasion would his critics have had to level such an allegation against him if he had not at least seemed to be performing miracles?<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Step 5:<\/strong> \u00a0Accordingly, it seems likely that the historical Jesus really did perform seeming miracles. \u00a0(Which is to say that he wasn\u2019t simply a wise teacher, charismatic rabbi, or homespun philosopher to whom miracles were subsequently attributed in a process of gradual mythologizing.)<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00a0 \u00a0 The article below went up on the website of the Interpreter Foundation earlier today: \u00a0 In God\u2019s Image and Likeness 2:\u00a0Enoch, Noah, and the Tower of Babel:\u00a0Genesis 11: The Tower of Babel Part of our book chapter reprint series, this article originally appeared in In God\u2019s Image and Likeness 2: Enoch, Noah, and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1019,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[10709,6555,1356,10697,10715,9035,10712,10721,7134,1369,1582,4063,10700,3640,9886,2625,10718,10706,10703,10694],"class_list":["post-84656","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-beelzebub","tag-biography","tag-christ","tag-colin-brown","tag-demons","tag-devil","tag-devils","tag-diabolical","tag-gospels","tag-jesus","tag-jews","tag-life","tag-miracle-worker","tag-miracles","tag-n-t-wright","tag-new-testament","tag-prince","tag-reliability","tag-wonder-worker","tag-wonders"],"yoast_head":"\n
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