Investigating the Bible: Miracles before Christmas

By DAVID CARLSON PASTON

There were at least seven miracles mentioned in the New Testament before the miracle of Jesus’ birth. First, was the miracle of the creation. “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:1-3, English Standard Version used throughout).

Then, childless Elizabeth, Mary’s cousin, and her husband Zechariah, were blessed with a child: “… Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years.” (Luke 1:7). Zechariah was chosen by lot to go inside the temple, where the angel Gabriel gave him God’s promise, but Zechariah doubted. “And the angel answered him, I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.’” (Luke 1:19-20). So when Zechariah “…came out, he was unable to speak … and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple.” (Luke 1:22).

Mary became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Six months later Gabriel came to Mary in Galilee, saying, “…Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you …” (Luke1:28). Gabriel said, you shall “…bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.” (Luke 1:31-32). Mary asked, “‘How will this be, since I am a virgin?’ And the angel answered her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you, and therefore the child to be born will be called holy––the Son of God … For nothing is impossible with God.’” (Luke 1:34-35).

Next, an angel appeared to Joseph as he quietly planned to end his engagement to pregnant Mary. The angel came in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21). “When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.” (Matthew 1:24-25).

When Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth, who was in her sixth month of pregnancy with John, there were three more miracles: Unborn John the Baptist leaped for joy in Elizabeth’s womb when Mary arrived; then Mary, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied, saying “… from now on all generations will call me blessed;” (Luke 1:48). Finally, after the birth of John the Baptist, Zechariah regained speech and prophesied.

In World War I, there was a miracle before Christmas 1917. The Americans and the Germans were engaged in fierce fighting, both sides entrenched and separated by a narrow strip of no man’s land. A wounded German soldier was trapped there in barbed wire and cried out in pain for help, but no German came. Finally, an American soldier began slowly crawling to the German soldier. His American comrades saw him and stopped shooting. As he neared the soldier, the Germans also stopped shooting and the battlefield was strangely silent. He untangled the wounded man and carried him to the amazed German soldiers, putting him into their open arms. As he turned to go, a hand rested on his shoulder and turned him around. A German officer, wearing the Iron Cross, the highest German honor for bravery, pulled it from his chest and pinned it to the American’s uniform, who walked back safely to the American trenches.

David Carlson Pastor (yes, that is his last name, not his profession) lives in Oregon and is a graduate of Bethel Theological Seminary in Minnesota (M.Div., M.Th.).