Why does Paul never mention Jesus performing miracles in his epistles?

Why Does Paul Never Mention Jesus Performing Miracles in His Epistles?

1. The Nature and Purpose of Paul’s Letters

Pauline epistles function primarily as theological discourses, pastoral communications, and corrective instructions for believers grappling with real-life church issues. These letters do not aim to recount historical events in a narrative style. Instead, they address specific questions about doctrine, morality, and church order in contexts such as Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, and elsewhere.

This focus naturally shapes Paul’s content. Writing to correct theological misunderstandings (e.g., 1 Corinthians 15:12–14), he highlights salvation and the resurrection of Jesus. In these contexts, the miraculous events of Christ’s ministry, while certainly part of Gospel proclamation, were already broadly assumed and known in the early Christian communities.

2. Central Emphasis on the Crucifixion and Resurrection

Paul repeatedly underscores “Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). He states in 1 Corinthians 1:22–23, “Jews demand signs and Greeks search for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified.” The preeminence of the cross and resurrection in Paul’s writings does not diminish the significance of Jesus’ miracles; rather, it reflects Paul’s conviction that the crucifixion and resurrection form the core of the Christian message.

He elaborates in Romans 1:4 that Jesus “was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead.” From Paul’s vantage point, the resurrection is the ultimate miracle validating Jesus’ identity and mission. Thus, he centers on the event that surpasses all other miraculous signs because it opens the door to eternal life (see also 1 Corinthians 15:3–4).

3. Widespread Early Church Knowledge of Jesus’ Miracles

The early believers likely had access to eyewitnesses who were present for Jesus’ miracles or had heard firsthand reports. Many scholars date Paul’s letters as some of the earliest Christian writings, which circulated alongside preaching and oral tradition. For instance, frequent references in Acts (e.g., the preaching of Peter in Acts 2:22) show that miracles were broadly preached across the early congregations.

Because the churches that Paul addressed would already have been steeped in knowledge about Jesus’ earthly ministry—including His miracles—Paul’s writings focus on issues they had not fully grasped, such as resurrection theology, justification by faith, sanctification, and unity in Christ (e.g., Romans 3:28; Galatians 2:16).

4. Well-Established Evangelistic Tradition

By the time Paul wrote his letters, congregations had formed around a shared belief not just in the cross and resurrection, but in the reported miracles—including healings, exorcisms, and mastery over nature. Early creeds (such as the one embedded in 1 Corinthians 15:3–7) summarize the essential Christian truth claims. They emphasize the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus as the definitive salvific event.

Moreover, the Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—later compiled this widely circulated testimony of Jesus’ miracles into narrative form. Archaeological and textual evidence, including early manuscript fragments (e.g., Papyrus P52 for the Gospel of John) and references found in writings such as those of the early Church Fathers, reinforce the reliability of these accounts.

5. The Reliability of the Four Gospels

Although Paul’s letters do not detail Jesus’ miracles, the four Gospels thoroughly record them. Notably, the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) present multiple miracle narratives with overlapping details. Scholars like Dr. James White and Dr. Dan Wallace have documented the remarkable consistency of the surviving manuscript evidence, showing that we can trust the textual integrity of the New Testament.

Additionally, archaeological discoveries—such as first-century fishing boats found on the Sea of Galilee shoreline, or the Pilate inscription recovered at Caesarea Maritima—support the historical milieu described in the Gospels. These findings verify key places, persons, and cultural details, lending credibility to the accounts of Jesus’ ministry and miracles.

6. Ancient Historical and Extra-Biblical References

Beyond Scripture, first-century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, in the disputed Testimonium Flavianum, mentions Jesus as a doer of surprising works (though the passage has textual complexities). Early non-Christian sources, including certain Talmudic references, allude to Jesus as someone known for extraordinary deeds (albeit with hostile interpretations).

These indirect confirmations demonstrate that Jesus’ reputation for miracles was recognized in multiple circles. Paul's silence about them in theological letters simply reflects his intent in writing, not skepticism about whether Jesus performed them.

7. Paul’s Own Ministry of Miracles

Interestingly, Paul himself acknowledges the reality of miracles in his ministry as validation of the true Gospel. He writes, “By the power of signs and wonders, and by the power of the Spirit of God” (Romans 15:19) and refers to “the signs of an apostle” (2 Corinthians 12:12). These remarks imply that miracles continued in the life of the Apostle and the early Church, further demonstrating that Paul was neither dismissive nor indifferent to miraculous works.

8. Evidence for a Creator and the Historicity of Scripture

From a broader standpoint, modern scientific and historical investigations increasingly confirm the fine-tuned complexity of the universe and the extraordinary design in biological systems—observations frequently cited by proponents of intelligent design. Geologically, the global fossil record has features consistent with catastrophism, which aligns with a worldwide flood narrative described in Genesis.

In parallel, the Dead Sea Scrolls show remarkable consistency between the ancient Hebrew manuscripts and the modern Old Testament text, supporting the reliability of Scripture’s transmission. These lines of evidence converge to affirm the central truth claims of Scripture, including the reality of Christ’s resurrection (the greatest miracle) and the historically rooted context of His life.

9. Conclusion

Paul’s epistles were never meant to recount a comprehensive biography of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Rather, they addressed the theological, moral, and pastoral needs of early Christian believers who already had a shared understanding of Jesus’ miraculous life. Paul’s emphasis on the crucifixion and resurrection should not be interpreted as minimizing the significance of miracles; it is simply the outworking of an apostolic mission laser-focused on the message that saves.

In short, the absence of repeated miracle references in Paul’s letters does not reflect any denial of their historicity. Instead, it highlights how the early Church understood the miracle-working nature of Jesus to be well-known and fundamental, while Paul’s principal concern was always to clarify, defend, and celebrate “the word of the cross” and the power of “Christ crucified” (1 Corinthians 1:17–23).