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The Miracles Of Our Lord
George MacDonald was a 19th century Scottish writer, poet and minister. He is best known for his fairy tales and fantasies. His best-known works are Phantastes, The Princess and the Goblin, At the Back of the North Wind, and Lilith. MacDonald says of miracles. “This, I think, is the true nature of the miracles, an epitome of God's processes in nature beheld in immediate connection with their source—a source as yet lost to the eyes and too often to the hearts of men in the far-receding gradations of continuous law. That men might see the will of God at work, Jesus did the works of his Father thus.” Topics covered in this book the beginnings of miracles, the cure of Simon’s wife’s mother, miracles of healing unsolicited, miracles of healing solicited by the sufferers, miracles granted to the prayer of friends, the casting out of devils, the raising of the dead, the government of nature, and miracles of destruction.
132 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1871
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About the author
George MacDonald
1,681 books2,492 followersGeorge MacDonald was a Scottish author, poet and Christian Congregational minister. He became a pioneering figure in the field of modern fantasy literature and the mentor of fellow-writer Lewis Carroll. In addition to his fairy tales, MacDonald wrote several works of Christian theology, including several collections of sermons.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 20, 2017
This is the first book that I've read from MacDonald. Based on C.S. Lewis' approving comments, I have to admit that I expected more. I'm sure that probably says more about me than it does about the book. But although I don't share Lewis' opinion of the author, I can definitely see how Lewis' writing was shaped by him.
I'm in the middle of reading Lewis' "Miracles" right now, and there are at least 3 huge ideas that Lewis pulls from this book. Here is one example:
“I will say that his miracles in bread and in wine were far less grand and less beautiful than the works of the Father they represented, in making the corn to grow in the valleys, and the grapes to drink the sunlight on the hill-sides of the world, with all their infinitudes of tender gradation and delicate mystery of birth. But the Son of the Father be praised, who, as it were, condensed these mysteries before us, and let us see the precious gifts coming at once from gracious hands— hands that love could kiss and nails could wound.” (MacDonald, "Miracles of our Lord", Locations 44-48)
Lewis references this passage from MacDonald and says:
“There is an activity of God displayed throughout creation, a wholesale activity let us say which men refuse to recognize. The miracles done by God Incarnate, living as a man in Palestine, perform the very same things as this wholesale activity, but at a different speed, and on a smaller scale... The miracles, in fact, are retelling in small letters the same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see… God creates the vine and teaches it to draw up water by its roots and, with the aid of the sun, to turn water into a juice which will ferment and take on certain qualities. Thus each year from Noah’s till ours, God turns water into wine. That, men fail to see… But when Christ at Cana makes water into wine, the mask is off. The miracle has only half its effect if it only convinces us that Christ is God: it will have its full effect if whenever we see a vineyard or drink a glass of wine we remember that here works He who sat at the wedding party in Cana. Every year God makes a little wheat into much wheat: the seed is sown and there is an increase, and men according to the fashion of their age say, “It is Ceres”, “It is Adonis”, “it is the Corn King”, or else “It is the laws of Nature”. The close up, the translation of this annual wonder is the feeding of the five thousand.” [Lewis, "Miracles", Pg. 13-14]
Now personally, I think that Lewis said it better, but that's not really the question, is it? The question is whether Lewis would have said it on his own. I think not. So maybe it's more accurate to say that they said it together. All truth is God's truth. And much of this truth comes down to us through many hands. So by the time it reach us, we should not be surprised to find the fingerprints of the saints all over it. May we never forget, though, that this truth is a gift from God, not men.
I'm in the middle of reading Lewis' "Miracles" right now, and there are at least 3 huge ideas that Lewis pulls from this book. Here is one example:
“I will say that his miracles in bread and in wine were far less grand and less beautiful than the works of the Father they represented, in making the corn to grow in the valleys, and the grapes to drink the sunlight on the hill-sides of the world, with all their infinitudes of tender gradation and delicate mystery of birth. But the Son of the Father be praised, who, as it were, condensed these mysteries before us, and let us see the precious gifts coming at once from gracious hands— hands that love could kiss and nails could wound.” (MacDonald, "Miracles of our Lord", Locations 44-48)
Lewis references this passage from MacDonald and says:
“There is an activity of God displayed throughout creation, a wholesale activity let us say which men refuse to recognize. The miracles done by God Incarnate, living as a man in Palestine, perform the very same things as this wholesale activity, but at a different speed, and on a smaller scale... The miracles, in fact, are retelling in small letters the same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see… God creates the vine and teaches it to draw up water by its roots and, with the aid of the sun, to turn water into a juice which will ferment and take on certain qualities. Thus each year from Noah’s till ours, God turns water into wine. That, men fail to see… But when Christ at Cana makes water into wine, the mask is off. The miracle has only half its effect if it only convinces us that Christ is God: it will have its full effect if whenever we see a vineyard or drink a glass of wine we remember that here works He who sat at the wedding party in Cana. Every year God makes a little wheat into much wheat: the seed is sown and there is an increase, and men according to the fashion of their age say, “It is Ceres”, “It is Adonis”, “it is the Corn King”, or else “It is the laws of Nature”. The close up, the translation of this annual wonder is the feeding of the five thousand.” [Lewis, "Miracles", Pg. 13-14]
Now personally, I think that Lewis said it better, but that's not really the question, is it? The question is whether Lewis would have said it on his own. I think not. So maybe it's more accurate to say that they said it together. All truth is God's truth. And much of this truth comes down to us through many hands. So by the time it reach us, we should not be surprised to find the fingerprints of the saints all over it. May we never forget, though, that this truth is a gift from God, not men.
December 29, 2019
George MacDonald never disappoints me.
I listened to this via Librivox while often doing other things, so I didn't catch every word or thought. But what I did catch always encouraged my faith and/or made me think. Usually both.
MacDonald points out that Christ's miracles are not amazing in themselves in the way that we often think about them. Jesus could do these things because He was and is Jesus. Being the Son of God, it's no wonder that He could do miracles.
But maybe He didn't do miracles by breaking scientific laws, but by operating within scientific laws that we're currently unaware of. And so maybe when Peter walked on water, it wasn't because he was defying the law of gravity, but because at that moment, he "got it." And maybe on the new heaven/earth, we'll be able to do all sorts of "miraculous" things, because we'll have been made perfect in our glorified bodies.
I don't know. And I'm not sure that's where MacDonald was going with his book. He didn't write much about our ability to do miracles, but rather mostly about Jesus Himself doing them. But, like I said, MacDonald does encourage me to think.
I listened to this via Librivox while often doing other things, so I didn't catch every word or thought. But what I did catch always encouraged my faith and/or made me think. Usually both.
MacDonald points out that Christ's miracles are not amazing in themselves in the way that we often think about them. Jesus could do these things because He was and is Jesus. Being the Son of God, it's no wonder that He could do miracles.
But maybe He didn't do miracles by breaking scientific laws, but by operating within scientific laws that we're currently unaware of. And so maybe when Peter walked on water, it wasn't because he was defying the law of gravity, but because at that moment, he "got it." And maybe on the new heaven/earth, we'll be able to do all sorts of "miraculous" things, because we'll have been made perfect in our glorified bodies.
I don't know. And I'm not sure that's where MacDonald was going with his book. He didn't write much about our ability to do miracles, but rather mostly about Jesus Himself doing them. But, like I said, MacDonald does encourage me to think.
September 6, 2020
My husband and I love reading George MacDonald to each other, and often do so at night before falling asleep. This was an unexpected gem of our late-night readings, a series of sermons on Jesus' various miracles. I love MacDonald's imagination, how he notices the pauses and phrases in scripture that most preachers and theologians gloss over or never even notice. He has a way of getting you to feel each character's individuality in each story and get inside of their possible thoughts, including Jesus'. The last essay on the transfiguration--just wow. Read that one back to back with early church father Athanasius' On the Incarnation and you'll see what I mean. The awe of Christ just drips off these pages and left me falling asleep with wonder and joy.
June 28, 2024
C.S. Lewis’ favourite theologian here examines all of the various miracles attributed to Jesus. This is a very mature, and quite dense, book of theology, written in a 19th century Scottish style. So not the most accessible. Nevertheless it is quite beautiful and moving, and points to a Saviour who is compassionate and mighty to save. It also does a magnificent job of retaining the mystery and wonder of the accounts, not attempting to explain away anything difficult.
March 3, 2021
This is a must-read for anyone with an interest in the miracles of Jesus. There are so many deep insights, that I believe this book will bear re-reading several times. I will certainly be recommending it to others!
December 24, 2007
This is *not* your typical work on miracles. Far from being a pat exposition of the gospels, MacDonald uses the Biblical accounts of miracles as a starting point for intense reflection of God's benevolence and the challenge of salvation (an almost Kierkegaardian challenge, for MacDonald).
MacDonald doesn't shy away from controversy, either. He takes on Humean arguments against Miracles within the first few pages of the book, and throughout he addresses debates about science and religion -- and the strain that miracles put on the relationship between them.
But MacDonald's elegant and poetic writing, combined with his typically sharp insight, is what makes this book worth reading.
MacDonald doesn't shy away from controversy, either. He takes on Humean arguments against Miracles within the first few pages of the book, and throughout he addresses debates about science and religion -- and the strain that miracles put on the relationship between them.
But MacDonald's elegant and poetic writing, combined with his typically sharp insight, is what makes this book worth reading.
June 8, 2015
MacDonald's unique perspective on the miracles of Christ make them more intimate, as well as dealing adequately with the theological issues in the background of the events. In particular, his treatment of the resurrection, the transfiguration, and Jesus' overall desire to make whole were remarkable. This is a must read for any MacDonald fan; I would also recommend this to anyone who had questions about the validity of the miracle accounts in the Gospels, as the insights in this book are honest and full of detail.
July 26, 2012
I have never been one for much theological study, but George MacDonald sums up what I believe to be the nature of God: he loves us, even as he punishes us, until we are all good enough for oneness with him, and love as he does.
July 12, 2015
Loved this book..was so hard to put it down...highly recommend it
December 20, 2015
This was difficult to read because of its age, but I loved the content and the way it was organized. We used it for a Sunday School lesson and found it quite useful
April 29, 2017
This work shows how the recorded miracles of Jesus are designed to reveal Him to us in a way that will deepen our relationship with Him. George MacDonald does a great job of drawing out and showing this in a very down to earth and conversational way. I listened to the audio version of this work from LibriVox.
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February 11, 2019lack of love and striving for punishment,
hope for a better life and sorrow on failure
hope for a better life and sorrow on failure
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews