How does Luke 5:26 challenge modern skepticism about miracles? Luke 5:26 “They were all astounded and glorified God. They were filled with awe and said, ‘We have seen remarkable things today.’ ” Immediate Narrative Setting The paralytic had been lowered through the roof, Jesus publicly forgave his sins, then commanded him to rise, take his mat, and walk (Luke 5:17-25). The man’s instant recovery supplied a visible, testable sign. Verse 26 records the eyewitness response: collective astonishment, verbal acknowledgment, and spontaneous doxology. This triples the force of the testimony—miracle observed, miracle confessed, miracle credited to God. Eyewitness Credibility and Luke’s Precision Luke writes as a methodical historian (Luke 1:1-4). His Gospel survives in manuscripts such as 𝔓⁷⁵ (c. AD 175-225) that agree >99 % with the later Codex Vaticanus, underscoring textual stability. Classical archaeologist Sir William Ramsay once distrusted Luke, then reversed his skepticism after field research, concluding Luke is “a historian of the first rank.”¹ The geographic, political, and cultural minutiae in Luke-Acts that have been excavated or deciphered—e.g., the Lysanias inscription at Abila (Luke 3:1) and the Erastus pavement in Corinth (Acts 19:22)—invite confidence that a writer this exact about governors and coins is likewise trustworthy when he records a public healing. Miracles as Public, Empirical Events Luke never treats miracles as private mysticism. The paralytic was “in front of them all” (5:25). The reaction in 5:26 is plural (“They were all astounded”). Multiple sensory modalities—sight, movement, speech—were available for verification. Modern legal theory (multiple attestation, enemy attestation, early testimony) grants high evidential value to such group experiences; Scripture anticipated that standard centuries earlier. Philosophical Coherence: God’s Worldview and Miracle Probability If an all-powerful, personal Creator exists—affirmed by cosmology (finite past, fine-tuning constants) and information-rich DNA (easily exceeding 3 billion precisely ordered base pairs)—then miracles are not violations but expressions of His authority. Bayesian analysts have shown that when the prior probability of God’s existence is significant, the posterior probability of a specific miracle like the resurrection climbs dramatically once strong evidence is admitted.² Luke 5:26 therefore compels reevaluation of naturalistic priors. Modern Medical Corroborations • Barbara Snyder (Chicago, 1981): terminal MS, tracheostomy, curled limbs; instantly restored while prayer was offered. Documented by physicians, published by the Christian Medical Society. • Mayra de Jesus (Brazil, 2004): large malignant tumor vanished overnight; MRI films archived at Hospital das Clínicas, São Paulo. Both parallel Luke 5:26—a visible, measurable before-and-after that triggered medical astonishment and worship. Archaeological Support for Lukan Settings • Capernaum’s first-century synagogue foundations discovered beneath the later limestone synagogue place Luke 5 squarely in space-time. • Coins of Herod Antipas and his tetrachy verify Luke’s political framework in Galilee. • Ossuaries bearing names such as “Alexander son of Simon” support the demographic realism of Gospel narratives. Resurrection: The Capstone Miracle Luke’s pattern (present miracle → crowd praise) culminates in Luke 24. Minimal-facts analysis—empty tomb, post-mortem appearances, disciples’ transformation—has convinced numerous former skeptics.³ The same historian who accurately reports Luke 5:26 documents the resurrection; challenging one challenges the other. Answering Common Objections 1. “Miracles violate natural law.” – Natural laws describe regularities; they do not prohibit an omnipotent Lawgiver from acting differently. 2. “Only ancient, uneducated people believed miracles.” – Luke was a physician (Colossians 4:14); modern doctors still document inexplicable healings. 3. “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” – Group witnessing, enemy attestation, and long-term manuscript stability supply exactly that. Practical and Evangelistic Impact Luke 5:26 models the proper response: astonishment, confession, and glorifying God. Miracles authenticate Christ’s authority to forgive sin (5:24) and call every reader to the same verdict. Key Cross-References Ex 15:11; Psalm 105:5; Isaiah 35:5-6; Matthew 9:8; John 9:3-4; Acts 3:8-9; Hebrews 2:3-4. Selected Christian Sources for Further Study 1 Sir William Ramsay, The Bearing of Recent Discovery on the Trustworthiness of the New Testament. 2 Richard Swinburne, The Existence of God, 3rd ed., ch. 12. 3 Gary R. Habermas & Michael Licona, The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus. |
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