The miracles of

Jesus Christ
During his earthly ministry, Jesus performed many miracles. Jesus'
miracles were primarily intended to point to his divinity. The miracles
revealed him as the Son of God, the true promised Messiah.

In one respect people recognized him as the Messiah. This is why in

connec on with some of his miracles He was hailed as the Son of David.
However, in another aspect, most of these people failed to understand
what kind of Messiah He is.

Jesus' miracles did not indicate that He would be an earthly leader who
would deliver the na on from foreign oppression. His miracles indicated
that He was the only one who could deliver His people from the
condemna on of sin by sa sfying God's jus ce through His atoning self-
sacrifice. This truth also explains why He worked miracles and forgave
sins (cf. Mark 2:5)
 The miracles of
Jesus Christ
The life and work of Jesus reveals God's will for human beings: to heal
them, to cure them, to restore to them the wholeness lost in the Fall.
This becomes even clearer when we keep in mind that the Lord Jesus
came to reveal and do the will of the Father. The works performed by the
power of the Son of God are not limited to physical healing, deliverance,
and resurrec on from the dead. The greatest miracle was worked on the
cross of Calvary and three days later in His resurrec on.

Turning Water into Wine

JJesus' first miracle was recorded at a wedding feast held in Cana of
Galilee, where his mother, Mary, had been invited. We must keep in
mind that a wedding feast in that day and culture lasted for days. A er
the arrival of Mary, Jesus and his brothers, the tragic news came that the
wine had run out. It was the same, as in our days, not having any sweets,
snacks, or sodas; in short, a CATASTROPHY!

The Holy Spirit, through John, shows us that Mary went to Jesus to ask
for help from His supernatural power. At first the Lord was reluctant, but
in the end, he granted his mother's request.

With this, He ordered the Ceremonial of the me to fill with water, the
jars used by the Jews for purifica on. When this was done, Jesus
ordered that the water, already transformed into wine, be served to the
chief of the ceremonial.
Upon tas ng it, he was surprised at how tasty that wine was. And
without knowing the origin of the wine, he went to the groom and
praised him very highly. For it was the custom at that me to serve the
best wine first, and a er everyone had had enough, a lower quality
wine.
With this, the Bible shows us that we serve an excellent God. Everything
that comes from Him is good, even what we do not understand. Jesus
took care of the lack of joy before it came. It is possible that the bride
and groom were not even aware of the problem. Because when Jesus is
present, he an cipates.
He takes care of areas of our lives that we have no idea about.

The Healing of the Officer's Son

Jesus' second miracle took place in the same city as the first. But this
me, Cana did not see the Lord turn water into wine, but with just one
word restored the health of the son of a king's official.

Going back to the beginning, it is possible that the rumor about the
miracle of the wine spread and reached the king's official, who had a sick
son. Cascading effect, seeing that the Lord was there, he pleaded for
help. Jesus declares that signs are necessary for people to believe in God
and His favor. Promptly, the Son of God declared that the boy would s ll
be alive, and commanded that the officer could return home and go on
with his life normally, because his son was well.

He trusted Jesus' words and returned. When he arrived home, he found

his son completely healed. Happy and puzzled, he asked about what
me he had regained his health. When the servants answered, he
realized that it was exactly at the moment when Jesus declared healing
over the boy. We serve a gracious God. All we need to do is what this
man did. Trust in his words and go our way.
The Healing of the Paralytic at Bethesda
IIt was a crowd of sick, disabled people. The reason for so many people
together was the angel who descended at the pool of Bethesda and
healed the first one who fell into the water. It is curious to note that the
Lord Jesus addresses someone in par cular, he does not stop or speak to
another person. He approaches a man of an old man who is lying on a
stretcher. Jesus talks to him and finds out that for thirty-eight years he
has been wai ng for healing, but no one has ever helped him. He on the
other hand never gave up.

Intrigued, Jesus asks that he wants to be healed, and the man answers
yes. From this, the Son of God commanded and immediately the man,
who had been wai ng for his miracles for four decades, walked again.

This shows us that we cannot give up wai ng on the Lord. He does not
fail. He is good to those who wait on him (Lamenta ons 3.25).

The First Wonderful Fishing

Have you ever had that moment when everything seems to be going
wrong? Well, the fourth miracle of Jesus was performed in this scenario.
When everything seems to be falling apart in your life. It is possible that
they were feeling this way. They were already washing their nets on a
morning that came, a er a frustra ng night at sea. They tried, they did
what they knew how, but nothing worked. They weren't even paying
much a en on to the crowd on the shore, un l someone in their arms
made an unusual request: "Can you move the boat away from the shore
a li le, please" - I imagine these were Jesus' words to Simon Peter.
The Master's kindness impacted the brute Peter, who began to pay
a en on to his words. When the sermon was over, the Lord asked the
fishermen to go back to fishing.
Peter makes it clear that they had tried all night, but it didn't work, and
that during the day, no one fishes. Even so, knowing all this, Peter
consents - "But because you are the one who is saying this, I will let down
the nets”.

Obedience bore much fruit. Shortly a er stopping where Jesus had

indicated, they caught an extraordinary amount of fish. Such was the
amount that the nets were breaking. They had to call for help. Amazed
by what had happened, Simon Peter knelt before the Lord and
worshiped Him with words that revealed his unworthiness to stand
before the Son of God. Contrary to what they imagined, the Master
revealed his desire to be even closer to them. If they would follow him,
their lives would be radically transformed.

The Liberation of the Demon-Possessed

We know that Jesus turns water into wine, heals the sick, and is very
good at fishing, but the next challenge is more daun ng. They were in
the synagogue, a place of worship and adora on of God. When the Lord
Jesus arrived, a demon possessed man railed against him. In his words,
the demon claimed to know him and to know the purpose of his coming.
Eyes wide-eyed on all sides, they could see when, without responding to
the spirit, the Lord, with just one command, told him to shut up and
leave that man alone. And so it happened! Everyone was amazed,
wondering among themselves what this teaching and authority was all
about. They recognized that Jesus was different, for even unclean spirits
could follow his orders. And the fame of Jesus began to spread
throughout all Galilee.
 The healing of Peter's mother-in-law
In our culture people o en speak very badly about their mothers-in-law.
Many consider them cursed and the root of all evil that plagues their
home. Jesus' sixth miracle shows us that God has a different view of the
ma er. Arriving at Simon Peter's house, the Lord no ces that his mother-
in-law is sick. Immediately, He takes her hand and the woman's health is
restored. How good it is to have the Lord Jesus as an ac ve agent in our
families. He transforms lost reali es into frui ul soil. Prospects of
destruc on into blessing.

The Purification of the Leper

The seventh great deed of the Lord Jesus is one of my favorites. The leper
who approaches him on the street could not have been there. By Jewish
cleansing law, he should be in quaran ne in some city or colony, far away
from there. The fact is that he had heard about Jesus' miracles, this is
clear from his words. However, there is an insecurity in his heart.

He is not sure that Jesus, "wants" to heal him. Then, the Son of God goes
against everything and everyone and "TOUCHES" the leper. A er that,
he says, "I want to. Be cleansed! " And immediately the leprosy le him.

So it happens with us. We know that God is powerful to help us, to heal,
to restore the most diverse areas of our lives, but what puzzles us is to
know if he really wants to.
 The Healing of the Paralytic
The eighth miracle is the result of a joint effort. Four friends carried a
paraly c to the house where Jesus was teaching, but because of the
crowds, there was no possibility of entering through the doors or
windows. But this was not enough of a hindrance for them.

Without hesita on, and in some ingenious way, they climbed the man
onto the roof, in which they opened a crack and lowered the paraly c
into Jesus' presence through the roof. Of course, a situa on like this
causes a lot of fuss and takes everyone's concentra on away.

Scripture reveals that the faith of these men, was no ced by the Lord
Jesus, who released a word of forgiveness of sins to the paraly c.
Apparently, his illness was directly linked to some mistake in his life.

Having heard the words of Jesus, the religious were extremely offended.
For, for them, only God has the authority to do this. Jesus, reading their
thoughts, publicly rebukes their inten ons and commands the paraly c
to walk again. Which again happens.

The event shows that the authority of Jesus, goes far beyond physical
healing. He is powerful to heal and restore us completely. To all of us!
 Jesus Heals the Withered Hand
As Jesus' popularity grew, so did the opposi on of the religious
authori es. His ninth miracle, is performed in a synagogue, probably on
a beau ful Saturday morning.

Jesus makes his way to the place, passing through the cobblestone
streets that were highlighted by the intense brightness of the sun. A
bright and beau ful yellow was born from the combina on.

Irritated by Jesus' lifestyle and teaching, the Pharisees ques oned

whether he could heal on the Sabbath. The Master of Galilee, responded
with another ques on. He asked if the animals they had, falling into a pit
on the Sabbath, would receive his help or wait un l Sunday came?

Knowing they had no answer, the Lord declared that human life is far
more valuable than that of animals. Asking the man to stretch out his
hand, Jesus healed him in front of everyone.

It doesn't ma er if people say it's not the right me. The right day. Have a
lively and ac ve expecta on of God's blessing. It can fall on you and your
family at any me.

The Healing of the Centurion's Servant

This miracle of Jesus leaves many people puzzled. It turns out that the
man who asked for healing for his servant impressed the Lord with his
faith.
It happened that many Jewish leaders came to Jesus, at the request of a
Roman Centurion, in order to beg for healing for one of his servants. The
Jews made a point of emphasizing how much this man, although
Roman, that is, gen le, loved the na on, and as proof of this, he built a
synagogue.

Convinced, the Lord proceeded toward the Centurion's house. On the

way, he was stopped by a group of the Roman's friends with an
intriguing and surprising message. In his words, the Centurion told Jesus
that he was not worthy to receive him into his home and pleaded that he
would send a word and the servant would be healed.

The founda on of his argument was the principle of authority. He said

that when he gave orders to his servants, they obeyed him. They
recognized that his voice was, a voice of command to be obeyed.
Likewise, he makes it clear in his words that he believes that if the Lord
Jesus gave a command the sickness would leave his servant's body.

Upon hearing the message sent by the Centurion, Jesus was impressed
by the faith shown. He was amazed by the fact, that not even in the
na on of Israel, had he seen anything like it.

When he returned home, the Centurion's servant was healed.

 Resurrection of the Widow's Son
Have you ever had the feeling of being in the right place at the right
me? If so, this is what best describes the encounter between Jesus and
the widow of Nain. The Master was near the entrance to the city.
Accompanied by his disciples and an excited crowd, when another
crowd came to meet him, with tears in their eyes and pain in their hearts.
It turned out that the oldest son of a widow was dead and being taken to
the cemetery. Upon seeing the scene, Jesus went to meet the widow
and now grieving mother and comforted her. He asked her to stop
crying, not without reason. His second command is even more
surprising. He approached the dead young man, touched him and
commanded him to come back to life. Immediately the boy opened his
eyes, got up and, led by Jesus, went to embrace his mother.

He is powerful to bring to life our most precious dreams and longings.

Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed

Impossibili es. That was all this man had. He was blind, dumb, and
demon-possessed when Jesus found him. It was a difficult situa on.

Just imagine! No sight and no voice. How did he communicate? He was

certainly misunderstood. Perhaps the loneliness and abandonment
opened the gates of his soul to the specters of hell, which kept him
company and tormented him. But the Bible says that when Jesus found
him, he healed him, and his sight was restored, and his voice unstopped.

The Lord is powerful to remove the greatest and most challenging

impossibili es from our lives. That which suppresses the best of us, that
isolates us. He came to set us free.
 Jesus Calms the Storm
Of all the miracles of Jesus, this is one of the most famous, for sure. It is
something without precedent. The fact is, the Master had invited his
disciples to cross the Sea of Galilee to the other side.

During the crossing, at night, the wind began to blow strongly, so that
the waves became rough. The boat began to suffer from the situa on
and so did the crew, except for one, Jesus. He was sleeping. I can only
imagine, someone sleeping in the midst of chaos. In the midst of a real
possibility of sinking.

Intrigued by Jesus' "carelessness", the disciples woke him up with harsh

words. They ques oned whether He really cared about them. That's
what we do, God's calmness bothers us. When things apparently start to
go wrong, we blame Him. It is very unfair of us. Only a loving and good
God, like Him, con nues to bear with us. Displeased by the way he was
awakened, Jesus got up and started giving orders to nature. First he
commanded the wind to be s ll, then it was the sea's turn. Jesus
commanded it to calm down.

Amazed, the disciples realized that they did not know him as well as they
thought. For, even nature obeys his command.

Next me things get out of your control, don't turn to God with
indigna on and unbelief. Just be s ll and wait. His solu on will show
that you s ll don't know him as well as you think you do.
 Jesus Heals the Gerasene Demon-Possessed
Full of hate. Exactly how these men were. It is unknown why they had
taken on the appearance of monsters. The truth is that they lived
isolated in the mountains and with a reputa on that would leave them
more and more abandoned. Their soul was the Devil's theater. The
prince of darkness sent thousands of servants to torment these men
and turn them into machines of torment. And it was effec ve!
All this is changed when Jesus arrives. The presence of the Son of God
causes the demons to be strange and amazed. Jesus commands them
and they become quiet. They ask permission to move house and go to
the pigs - Jesus consents. They enter the large herd of pigs and do what
they do best, they destroy it completely, throwing themselves over the
cliff and falling into the sea.

However, the human beings were le well, free. And for Jesus, that's
what ma ers most.

The Cure of the Woman of

Flow of Blood
In the life of the woman of the flux of blood, as she is popularly known
among Chris ans her health cost her everything. No ma er how hard
she tried and how much she spent, her health only got worse. Her
estate and possessions came to an end a er a long twelve years of
trying. One thing is certain, she is an extremely determined woman.
She never gave up!
The good news for him, is that Jesus is nearby. And when he learned
what He was capable of, she became extremely excited. She drew up the
plan with herself, and by faith, she believed that touching Him would be
enough. So, with a good plan and a resolute convic on she set out to
"face" the crowd. A er figh ng against physical weakness and enduring
the blows of the crowd, she finally gets what she wanted so much, to
touch Jesus!

When Jesus realized that amidst all the hands and hugging and pushing
and shoving, someone had accessed His divine power, He stopped
everything. Nobody moved from then on. The Master took control.

The disciples ques oned his sensi vity:

"But what do you mean? That many touches?" - Jesus retorted - I felt the
power going out of me.

The woman realized that it was because of her that this was happening,
so she came forward. Frightened and s ll in shock, she told Jesus in front
of everyone what had happened. Moved and happy, the Lord Jesus
called her His daughter and made it clear that her healing was the result
of her faith. From now on she could go on and live in peace.

To see the manifesta on of Jesus' miracles in our lives, we need to have

courage, a tude, and endure the pain and weakness that surround us.
This, so that just like this woman was able to touch Jesus, to access the
power of God.

Nobody said it would be easy, but it is not impossible.

 The Resurrection of Jairus' Daughter
Jairus came to Jesus before the woman with the flux of blood touched
him. The request was that of a desperate father, who was about to lose
his sick daughter to death. Moved by the situa on, the Lord made his
way to Jairus' house, but was "delayed" by the crowd.
I can imagine Jairus' anguish as the woman witnessed his miracle. I
believe he thought to himself - This is completely unnecessary! Jesus
comes soon! - In short, many fears surround us when we deal with me.
Fear that there won't be me. Fear that the Lord will not arrive. Fear of
losing in the detail. Well, in Jairus' life, this fear started winning.

A moment a er being stopped by the crowd, the head of the synagogue,

frequented by Jairus and his family, arrived with the sad news. The girl
was dead. But remember I said that fear started winning? Well, when
Jesus is on the field, the game only ends when he blows the whistle.
Seeing Jairus' afli on, Jesus encourages him not to doubt and asks him,
"Just believe!" He then went with his disciples to Jairus' house and
comforted everyone, saying that they need not weep anymore.

Then the author of life says that the girl is not dead, only sleeping. And
the people went to the other extreme. Unkindly, they started laughing at
Jesus, because they were sure that she was dead. Here it is clear, that the
reference changes based on the ability of the one who is looking.

While you and I look, saying that there is no way, we see only our
possibili es. When Jesus looks, He sees no limits. So, He told them all to
leave, leaving with Him only Peter, James and John. When they were
alone, Jesus prayed for the girl and commanded her to stand.
Immediately the girl obeyed the command and was restored to health.
The girl's parents were amazed, and Jesus asked them not to share this
with anyone.
 The Healing of Two Blind Men
Two blind men followed him, crying out eagerly for mercy. Calling Jesus,
the Son of David, they caused a real s r in the place. The truth is, they
followed Jesus all the way home.

Their insistence caught the Master's a en on. So, He asked them if they
believed that He was able to do this. The blind men consented that they
did - Yes, we believe!

Then Jesus assured them that it would happen, just as they believed,
and touching their eyes, they immediately saw again.

Many of us have been through this, the point is that unlike the blind
men, we are begging Jesus for miracles, but we don't honestly believe
that He can help us.

We must ask and hope with confidence, for we serve a kind God.

Jesus Heals the Mute Man

Demon-possessed and mute, his life a chao c silence. Oppressed by
darkness and with hundreds of obstacles between him and a normal life,
he came into Jesus' presence with his iden ty completely disfigured.
When the Lord Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, the man spoke again. With
his mind and soul set free, he was now able to express what he felt. He
was now an audible voice, not a choked cry. Upon seeing what had
happened, the people were amazed at Jesus. In the na on of the
impossible, it was said, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.! “
ike this has ever been seen in Israel! "

Jesus is wonderful!
The First Multiplication of Bread
People were with the Lord on a long teaching journey, and they ran out
of food. Realizing the scarcity and dangers of a long hungry journey,
where there were children and the elderly, Jesus took responsibility and
shared it with the disciples.

When they were ordered to feed the crowd, Jesus' students were
disturbed, because not even the salary of almost a year's work would
buy bread for so many people.

Given the necessary me, Jesus asked how many loaves of bread they
had. From the crowd, the only thing that came up were five loaves of
bread and two li le fish. The Lord took the loaves and fishes into his
own and gave thanks to God the Father.

Before receiving the abundance, Jesus was grateful for the li le he had.
What a great lesson.

A er His prayer, the loaves and fishes were given to the apostles and the
apostles to the crowd, so that about 20,000 people ate, un l they were
sa sfied. When everyone had eaten, Jesus' disciples gathered the
le overs, and twelve baskets full of loaves remained.

The great lesson that remains is the fact that we have a generous and
good God. Abundant. Willing to supply our real needs, Jesus
encourages us to trust and live in peace.
 Jesus Walks on Water
Once again at the sea. On this occasion, the Lord directed that the
disciples should cross the sea, heading for Capernaum, and He would
follow them a erwards. As night fell, the wind began to blow strongly,
and the waters became rough.

A er about six kilometers of difficult naviga on, Jesus' disciples realized

that there was someone walking on the water. With their vision blurred
by fear, the night, and the turbulence, they cried out in fear, imagining
that it was a ghost. Seeing the commo on, the mysterious character
iden fied himself. It was Jesus, the Son of God.

When he heard who it was, Simon Peter challenged him. Peter said that if
it was really Jesus, he would be able to make him walk on water too.
Challenge accepted, the Lord authorized and Peter, too, walked on water.
Amazed, the disciples received them both in the boat, with reverence
and holy awe of Jesus, declaring that He was indeed the Son of God.

The Healing of the Canaanite Daughter

The twenty-first miracle of Jesus is performed outside Israel, but
specifically in the territories of past enemy na ons, Tyre and Sidon. A
Canaanite mother came crying out behind Jesus and His disciples on the
road. She was crying out begging for help from the Son of David because
her daughter was sick. However, in her case it was not so simple.

Even though he heard her cries, the Son of God was ini ally silent and
kept walking. Annoyed by the noise, the disciples approached Jesus and
asked him to sort it out, telling the woman to go away. It was then that
the Master stopped.
He turned to the woman and told her that he had not been sent to
people of other na ons, but to the people of Israel. Jesus was referring
to His earthly ministry and mission. For in a general sense, He was sent
to people all over the world (See John 3.16).

Not sa sfied, but submissive, the woman gave a response full of wisdom
and faith. Comparing the other na ons to puppies, she told Jesus that
people like her would be sa sfied to be fed by the li le that "fell from the
table of the people of Israel." Impressed by the response, Jesus praised
the Canaanite woman for her great faith and declared healing over her
daughter, who was immediately healed.

The Healing of a Deaf and Stuttering Man

The healing method applied in this miracle is unusual. It concerns a man
who was deaf and stu ering. Brought before Jesus by other people, they
begged Him to lay hands on him.

The Lord moved away from the crowd, put his fingers in his ears, spat on
his tongue and touched it. A er this, He said to him, "Ephphphatha,"
which means, "Open up. Then the man began to hear and to speak.
Seeing his joy, the Lord asked the witnesses not to tell anyone about it,
which was useless, because the more he forbade, the more people
talked about what had happened.
The Second Multiplication of Bread
Three days ago people went into an immersion of teaching and miracles
with the Lord Jesus, and once again, the food ran out. Once again, His
mercy aflorced and He decided that people could not travel hungry, it
was dangerous.

The problem was the disciples' a tude, which clearly reveals ours most
of the me. Upon hearing Jesus' plan, they thought about how they
could feed those people, since they didn't have enough money. The first
mul plica on did not generate the security that the Lord desired.

What changed this me was the amount of food found: seven loaves of
bread and some small fish. Jesus commanded them to sit down, prayed
in thanksgiving, and gave it to the disciples, who then gave it to the
crowd.

The Bible says that they all ate un l they were full. Glory to God! We
serve an abundant God. About twenty thousand people were fed, again
by the power of God. By His provision.

The same is available to us. The Lord desires to bless us and to mul ply
our resources. No, God is not a s ngy, mediocre Father, a lover of goods,
of things. He loves people. He cares for you and me.
The Healing of the Blind of Bethsaida
Another not very "tradi onal" healing method. By this me people knew
that Jesus was capable of just about anything. They brought a blind man
to Him, begging the Lord to heal him.

Jesus walked away from the village as the man, spat in his eyes, and then
asked him if he was seeing. He answered that - Yes! but the people
looked like trees - that is, the degree was s ll high. The Lord laid His hands
on him once more, and he could see perfectly.

The Healing of the Possessed Young Man

On this occasion, the father of a son possessed by evil spirits comes to
Jesus begging for help. The man reports that he has even spoken to the
disciples, but they could not help my son. Angered by this informa on,
Jesus cries out his dissa sfac on with a genera on that he describes as
"unbelieving and wicked.

The Lord then asked for the boy to be brought and praying for him,
rebuked the evil and the boy was healed.

Many Chris an scholars and laymen, believe that God no longer acts in
healings and miracles. That this is a closed dispensa on. Meaning that
Jesus' miracles, and those performed by the apostles, were for a certain
period of me. That they had an expira on date.
 Jesus and the Tax Coin
Even though he was God, the Lord was an excellent ci zen and gave us an
example of ci zenship. Showing us that it is God's will to par cipate in our
lives as a whole, and to provide for our needs. Enabling us to fulfill our civil
du es.

A tax collector came to Peter and asked if Jesus paid the Temple taxes, to
which Simon nodded - yes, he does!

Even though he was not present, the omniscience of the Son of God made
him aware of the conversa on between Peter and the tax collectors, and
when they entered the house where the Master was, they were surprised
by Jesus' ques on:

"What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect
tribute and taxes: from their own children or from others?"

By this, Jesus was saying to Peter - look, as King over all I have no
obliga on to pay taxes, but that I would. The point was to show us that we
are ci zens and have du es and rights to the state.

As it turns out, they didn't have the money to pay the tax. So, Jesus
commanded Peter to go fishing, and the first fish he caught would have a
coin in its mouth. It would be enough to fulfill their duty
 The Healing of a Blind Man
Passing through the streets of their me, the disciples no ced a man
who they knew, was blind from birth. And so, they asked Jesus who had
sinned for him to be born with that disability.

This thinking was a result of the triumphalist theology of the Old

Testament, where the obedient and good prospered, were healthy and
triumphant, and the disobedient were afligued by illness, financial
crises, and nothing went right in their lives.

This thought is very clear in the minds of Job's friends (Job 16.4,5).

Jesus' response is significant. When he said that no one had sinned and
more, that sickness was for the glory of God. He then spat on the
ground, mixed it with earth and put it in the blind man's eyes. Then, he
ordered him to go to the Pool of Siloam to wash himself.

When he washed his eyes, he realized that he could see.

Jesus Heals a Sick Woman

Eighteen years ago, she naturally looked at the floor. If she wanted to
talk to someone by looking them in the eye, she had to make a giant
effort. This woman had been oppressed by the Devil and disease for
eighteen years. When Jesus met her, it was a Sabbath, and it happened
in a synagogue. In other words, even though she had been sick for so
long, God was s ll her refuge, her hope. The Lord called her, put her in
front of everyone and declared healing on her life, laying his hands on
her.
Immediately, says the Bible, she was healed! The ruler of the synagogue
was very angry with Jesus because he had healed the woman on the
Sabbath. Jesus was even angrier when he saw that the people who
represented God on earth were hypocri cal sons of the devil who were
driving people away from him. With harsh words, the Master rebuked
him and he was ashamed.

The Healing of a Hydropic

The tradi onal day of rest had become the minefield of theology at the
me. God's representa ves had turned the Day into something almost
superior to God, and God did not agree with this. Ea ng in the house of
a prominent Pharisee, on a Sabbath, there stood before Jesus a sick
man. With a strong character and personality, the Lord asks whether or
not healing is allowed on the Sabbath a er all. He knew that the
previous episodes had "gone viral" in the web of the me.

Answering nothing, the Pharisees showed their dissa sfac on and

taboo, on the subject. Seeing their cowardice, the Master took the man
by the hand and healed him. Then, he asked if their son or their animal
fell into a hole on the Sabbath - would they help or wait un l the next
day?
Again, they were silent.

We realize that we serve a God who does not want to alienate us. He
s mulates us to think about the mo va ons of our acts of faith, always
pu ng the human being first.
 The Resurrection of Lazarus
Imagine being able to be friends with Jesus two thousand years ago. At
this me, he was a "star" among the people. Popular. Well-known. Loved
and hated. The Lord gathered the necessary ingredients of a personality
that influenced. And he was a friend of Lazarus, Martha and Mary, three
siblings from a family tradi onally welcoming and dear to Jesus.

As it happens, tragedy came to them. Lazarus became seriously ill, and

his sisters asked that messengers go to the Master to warn him, so that
he could arrive in me to heal their brother. But the Son of God
purposely decided to delay. When he arrived in the village, at the home
of Martha and Mary, Lazarus had already been dead and buried for four
days. The sisters' disappointment was obvious. Mary didn't even want to
go to meet him. The Lord spoke to the two, consoling them and
promising that Lazarus would be resurrected. Understanding that this
would be a future event, they were not very excited.

Seeing their sadness, Jesus wept with them. He knows that we were not
originally created to die.

Finally, he went to the sepulcher. To everyone's surprise he commanded

it to be opened and prayed to God the Father, thanking Him for the
miracle and for the a en on given to his words. Then he called Lazarus'
name, commanding him to come back to life. A moment later, the
former dead man came out of the tomb all wrapped up in swaddling
clothes. Amazed, the crowd could hardly believe their eyes. Many things
will escape our control. During life, God will allow routes to be changed
in order for us to mature in our rela onship with Him. It is not that He
doesn't love us, on the contrary, it is because He loves us that He does
this.
 The Healing of the Lepers
It happened that when Jesus entered a village on the border between
Galilee and Samaria, he was followed by ten lepers, who were asking to
be healed. When the Lord heard their cries, he ordered them to go to the
priest. By Jewish law, they were to return to the priest only a er they
were healed and then be reintegrated into society.

Believing in the word of Jesus, they went on their way and on the way,
they were cleansed. One of them, curiously, realizing that he had been
healed, interrupted the trip and returned. The reason? He wanted to
thank Jesus personally. "Curious," the Master asked about the other
nine, and pointed out the detail that this man was a Samaritan. The
others, probably Jews, did not care about his gra tude, but the foreigner
did.

The Healing of the Blind Bartimaeus

Accustomed to crumbs and handouts, this is how Bar maeus lived. On
the sidelines, watching everyone pass by. It happened that at some
point he heard about Jesus, and it completely changed his perspec ve.

It is not possible to know how long he thought about Jesus and the
things that the Son of God did, but it is clear that blind Bar maeus was
overcome with intense passion when he heard that the Lord was passing
by. Shou ng "Son of David", he begged the Lord Jesus to have
compassion on his life. Angry, the people urged him to shut up. Stop it!
But Bar maeus was not in midated, he shouted even more, says the
Bible. No cing the commo on, Jesus stopped and sent for him.
Knowing this, Bar maeus threw off the cloak that hindered his
movement and went quickly to meet Jesus. Upon reaching him, the
Master asked what he wanted and Bar maeus quickly replied that he
wanted to see.
Jesus pointed out that his faith a tude had healed him, and he was
healed.

The Fig Tree is Cursed

One day, while walking out of Bethany, Jesus became hungry. He saw a
fig tree that looked like it had lots of fruit, but when he came to it,
nothing. It was full of leaves! Angered, Jesus declared that it should
never bear fruit again. And immediately, it withered away.

The words of Jesus have power to live and to die. Since He is the
sovereign of crea on, what He blesses is blessed, what He curses is
cursed.

The Restoration of Malchus' Ear

Have you ever taken care of your enemy? Apparently, he did, a er Peter
cut off Malchus' ear. Obviously, Jesus was aware of His purpose on the
Cross and the soldiers were not His real enemies.

Commanding the disciples to stop this, the Master touched Malchus' ear
and it was restored.

The penul mate of Jesus' miracles teaches us that we must know God's
purpose for our lives. We cannot run away from it, and we must not hurt
people when things get difficult.
 The Second Big Fishing
A er Jesus' death on the Cross, the disciples were stunned. They had
been following the Son of God for three years and had le their old
professions behind. One day, they decided to go fishing. Apparently the
"business" of changing the world had gone wrong, and they sought the
security of what they already knew. But something not new happened.
THEY DIDN'T CATCH ANYTHING. They tried all night, but it didn't work.

Now, think with me. Jesus was crucified. You had to go back to the slave
lifestyle and things are not working out. DEPRESSION? At the very least.
But something unusual happened. In the morning, they realized that
there was someone on the beach. And calling them his children, he
asked them if they had anything to eat. Their answer was - No!

Then the instruc on came! They were to cast the nets on the right side
of the boat, the fish were there. Having done so, the nets filled with fish
and their memory was ac vated, for a similar miracle that three years
ago changed their lives. John was the first to no ce and told Peter - it's
Jesus!

As they disembarked, with nets full of fish, the disciples no ced fish
roas ng in the fire. Jesus had prepared breakfast for them. The great
lesson of this episode, for me, is the way the Lord God restores the
apostles' hope. One of the most important things in life is hope.

When it is taken away from us, our mo va on dies.

 King David
The story of David is one of the best known in the Holy Bible. King David
was Israel's second monarch, the man chosen by God to lead his people.
The life of David is narrated in the Old Testament, in the books of 1 and 2
Samuel, 1 Kings and 1 Chronicles.

The meaning of the name “David”, dawid, is uncertain. However, one of

the most accepted possibili es is that the name David means “beloved”,
coming from the Hebrew dod. It has also been suggested that dawid
should be equated with the term dawidum, 'chief' or 'army officer'. If
this were the case, then “David” would be a tle rather than a proper
name, but this sugges on is very unlikely.
 Who was David
David was the youngest son of Jesse, belonged to the tribe of Judah, and
was the grandson of the Moabite Ruth and the Jew Boaz. He was born in
Bethlehem, a town that was about 10 kilometers south of Jerusalem. His
father was a wealthy and respected man in the town.

David was raised as a shepherd. This profession taught him many

quali es that he put into prac ce throughout his life. When he assumed
the throne of Israel, for example, he demonstrated courage, dedica on,
and care for the people. Exercising his profession of shepherding sheep,
David faced challenging situa ons, such as a bear and a lion (1 Samuel
17:34- 37). The biblical text states that David was a redhead, from the
Hebrew 'admoni, "red", and had a good appearance (1 Samuel 16:12).

David is anointed king by Samuel

The first me David is men oned in the Bible is in the text describing the
occasion of the prophet Samuel's visit to Bethlehem. God had rejected
Saul as king of Israel, and revealed that his successor was in the house of
Jesse.
The prophet Samuel interviewed David's brothers as possible
candidates for the throne. Ini ally David was not present. However,
when none of the other sons of Jesse met the divine specifica ons,
David was called from the field where he was tending the flock.

When David came forward, God confirmed to the prophet Samuel that
he was the chosen one. So David was anointed in the presence of his
brothers (1 Samuel 16:13). However, the purpose of such anoin ng was
not publicly revealed at that me. Most commentators understand that
probably those who were present at that me understood that perhaps
Samuel was anoin ng a possible successor in his prophe c ministry. It
would be something similar to what the prophet Elijah did when he
anointed the young Elisha as his successor.

Whatever the case, the important thing is that the Bible states that from
that day on "the Spirit of the Lord came upon David" (1 Samuel 16:13).
Although he was chosen by God, it would s ll take some me before
David would be recognized by the people as king.
 David and Goliath
One episode that brought David extreme recogni on among the people
of Israel was when he faced and killed the Philis ne giant Goliath (1
Samuel 17). David had le home to bring food to his brothers who were
warriors, as well as to gather informa on for his father about the ba le
against the Philis nes.
This challenge had been going on for forty days, but no one had yet been
chosen to fight Goliath. For the Israelites, figh ng that giant seemed like
suicide. King Saul himself understood the risks of this choice. That is why
he offered many rewards to whoever was willing to fight Goliath.
Besides the rewards, Saul also offered his daughter's hand in marriage.
When David offered to accept the Philis ne giant's challenge, he
received the best military equipment among the Hebrews. However, he
refused the offer because he could not handle the armor. At the me of
the fight, David used the stone and a sling as his weapon. The giant was
defeated, his head was cut off, and the young shepherd's victory showed
that the Lord of hosts was with him.
 David in Saul's court
It is not possible to precisely pinpoint the chronology of events following
David's anoin ng by Samuel, his victory over Goliath, and his
performance in Saul's court. What we do know is that David was
recommended as a musician to ease Saul's melancholy (1 Samuel
16:18). When he faced Goliath, he took turns as shepherd of his father's
flock and his du es at Saul's court.

In addi on to being the king's private musician, David also began to be

Saul's armor bearer. The king had grown fond of him (1 Samuel 16:21-
23). A er David's heroic act of defea ng the giant, his popularity grew
greatly among the people.
 David's Friendship with
Jonathan and Saul's Envy
It was a er the victory over Goliath that the friendship between David
and Jonathan was born. This proverbial friendship was highlighted in
biblical literature. The friendship between the prince of Israel and David
an example of companionship, loyalty, integrity, and sincerity (1 Samuel
18:1-4).

This strong and true friendship survived periods of trial, and the alliance
made by David and Jonathan endured even a er the death of Saul's son,
when King David sent for the crippled Mephibosheth and assigned him
the inheritance of Saul's family (2 Samuel 9:7-13).

It was also during this period that Saul's jealous anger grew against
David. He had become the people's favorite (1 Samuel 18:5). The
Israelites even began to compose songs for David, extolling his
achievements more than the achievements of the king himself.

Saul could not handle the situa on, and on several occasions, he tried to
harm and even kill David. He did this both directly and indirectly (cf. 1
Samuel 18:11; 19:10). Saul knew that David's popularity seriously
threatened his family's con nuance on the throne. That was the main
reason for this persecu on.

In fact, this was true, which makes the friendship between David and
Prince Jonathan all the more extraordinary, for Jonathan recognized
that indeed the Lord's plan for Israel's future included David as king (1
Samuel 23:16-18). Jonathan even tried to appease his father's anger
against David, but was unsuccessful, and David finally had to flee.
 David the fugitive
When David fled from Saul, he first sought shelter in Ramah, alongside
the prophet Samuel. The king was s ll intent on capturing him, but was
unsuccessful (1 Samuel 19:18-24).

A er Ramah, David went to the sanctuary of Nob. There he secured food

and weapons for his journey to Gath, a city of the Philis nes. It was in this
city where David received training that trained him as a great warrior.

During this period David also began to form an unlikely army. He gathered
men who were considered wretched, debtors and malcontents. Among
his loyal companions, many were not even Hebrews.

In this period David was gaining the confidence of clans of Judah that
were dissa sfied with the role played by Saul. However, while King Saul
was alive, David did not try anything against his life.
 David the King
David's history as king began even before he assumed the throne of
Israel. He first became king of the tribe of Judah in Hebron (2 Samuel 2-
4). This place was approximately 50 kilometers from Jerusalem, and
became its capital.
As king in Hebron, David made important strategic alliances. Gradually
he began to win over the top leadership of Israel. In doing so, he
bypassed the indisposi on with many of those who supported the
house of Saul. David stayed in Hebron for seven and a half years.
David became king over the twelve tribes of Israel a er the death of Ish-
bosheth, Saul's son. Ish-bosheth had been proclaimed king by some of
his father's supporters. One of them was Saul's former captain, Abner,
who was also eventually killed. David assumed the throne of Israel s ll in
Hebron, but soon a er he moved his capital to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 3-5).
In this way, King David became the first to rule Israel as a unified empire.
Even with the division that occurred a er the death of his son, King
Solomon, the dynasty of the house of David lasted approximately 425
years.
 The sin
It was during the period of great prosperity of the kingdom of Israel that
David experienced his bi erest fall, where he conspired to commit
adultery with Bathsheba and plo ed the death of Uriah, his wife's
husband.
King David was harshly rebuked by the prophet Nathan, exposing a sin
that un l then seemed to be covered up. David married Bathsheba,
repented deeply, God forgave him, but did not stop punishing his sin (2
Samuel 12). From the union between Bathsheba and David was born his
heir to the throne of Israel, King Solomon.

The consequences of David's sin could be seen clearly in the sequence of

Israel's history. Certainly, this sin described in the Scriptures is a warning
to each of us, for God's holy and righteous character does not tolerate
this kind of thing.

King David was far from being a perfect man, but he was a sincere person,
faithful and loyal to his friends. But most of all, David was sensi ve to the
voice of God.
King David was someone who had his heart completely set on God. He
knew his limited human condi on before an Almighty God. Therefore, he
was true to repentance and seeking divine favor.
 The Twelve Tribes of Israel
The twelve tribes of Israel are named a er Jacob's twelve sons: Reuben,
Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun,
Joseph, and Benjamin. Joseph’s two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim also
became tribes of Israel. The tribe of Levi did not receive an inheritance
like the others.

A er an encounter with God, Jacob had his name changed to Israel. Just
as his descendants became known as the people of Israel, the
descendants of each of his sons became tribes with their names. When
they conquered the region, each tribe received a por on of the land of
Israel.
 1. Reuben
Reuben was the first son of Jacob, which he had by Leah. Despite being
the eldest son, Reuben did not receive the eldest son's right to be the
next head of the family and receive a greater inheritance. He lost that
right because of his sin. Reuben had intercourse with one of Jacob's
concubines, dishonoring his father (Genesis 49:3-4).

In the 40 years in the desert, some men from the tribe of Reuben
rebelled against Moses and Aaron being punished by God. Later, the
tribe of Reuben decided to stay on the east side of the Jordan River, but
helped the other Israelites conquer the rest of Israel under Joshua.

2. Simeon
Simeon was Leah's second son. With Levi, he killed every man in the
town where his sister was raped. Simeon's tribe had no great men of
note.

3. Levi
Another son of Leah, Levi was a violent man. However, the tribe of Levi
was chosen by God to be a tribe consecrated to serving God. Only the
tribe of Levi could work in the care of the temple (Numbers 3:6-8).

Moses, Aaron and Miriam were from the tribe of Levi. Aaron's
descendants became the priests of Israel. Due to their consecra on to
God, the tribe of Levi did not receive their own land, being sca ered
throughout the country.
 4. Judah
Judah was Leah's fourth son. It was he who had the idea to sell Joseph
into slavery, and on another occasion he was tricked into sleeping with
his daughter-in-law.

Judah became Israel's largest tribe and later a separate kingdom. King
David and his descendants were from the tribe of Judah and God
promised that the Savior would come from that tribe (Genesis 49:10).
As a descendant of David, Jesus was from the tribe of Judah.

5. Duh
Dan was the first son of Jacob by his concubine Bilhah, Rachel's
handmaid. The tribe of Dan was small and was known for its violence
and idolatry.
6. Naphtali
Naphtali was the second son of Bilhah. Barak, the military leader in the
me of Judge Deborah, probably came from Naphtali.

7. Gad
Gad was the son of Jacob's other concubine named Zilpah, Leah's
handmaid. The tribe of Gad also se led east of the Jordan River, with
the tribe of Reuben. Some valiant warriors from Gad allied themselves
with David when he was s ll on the run, before he was king.

8. Asher
Asher was the second son of Zilpah. The tribe of Asher received a
por on of the land of Israel, but they were not able to drive out many of
the other peoples who lived in their territory.
 9. Issachar
Issachar was Leah's fi h child, which she had a er a me without being
able to have children. The tribe of Issachar produced a judge of Israel,
named Tola, who led the country for 23 years.

A er Israel was divided into two countries (Israel and Judah), a man from
Issachar named Baasha conspired against the king of Israel and killed
him (1 Kings 15:27-28). Baasha became king, but he did not obey God.
His son and successor was short-lived as king and was also assassinated.

10. Zebulun
Zebulun was Leah's last son. A er she had Zebulun, Leah had a daughter
named Dinah and stopped having children. Elon, who led Israel for ten
years, came from the tribe of Zebulun.

11. Joseph
His mother Rachel's first child, Joseph was his father's favorite because
he was born when Jacob was old. Because of this, his brothers hated him
and one day they sold him into slavery. Joseph spent several years as a
slave in Egypt, but then he was used by God to save all the people from
famine!
12. Benjamin
Benjamin was the last son of Jacob. His mother Rachel died in childbirth
and he became the ward of his father and brothers (Genesis 35:16-18).
Her mee ng with Joseph in Egypt was very emo onal because he was
her only full brother.

The tribe of Benjamin had a troubled history. At the me when there was
no king, the men of a city in Benjamin raped and killed the concubine of a
Levite. Because of this, the rest of Israel rallied against them and nearly
wiped out the tribe of Benjamin.
 The story of Ruth
The book of Ruth is one of only two books in the Old Testament named
a er a woman and contains examples of a woman of faith, strength, and
kindness. The book is characterized by hope and op mism, narra ng
the journey of Ruth and Naomi from sorrow to happiness and from
emp ness to fullness.
Who was Ruth in the Bible?
Ruth was a Moabitess who lived in the period of the judges, and who
appears as the main character in the Old Testament book that bears her
name. The meaning of the name "Ruth" is debated among scholars,
however there is a possibility that the Hebrew rut is derived from re'ut
which means something like "female companion."
Ruth married two Jewish farmers. First with Mahlon (Rt. 4:10), then,
already a widow, she married Boaz. Mahlon was the firstborn son of
Elimelech and Naomi (Rt. 1:2; 4:3), and Boaz was a rela ve of Elimelech
(Rt. 4:3).

The biblical account reveals to us that Elimelech's two sons married

Moabite women. Elimelech and his family were Israelites from Judah,
and they le for Moab during a famine.
 Job
Job was a very wealthy man who lived in the land of Uz. The loca on of
this city is uncertain, but one of the most accepted possibili es among
scholars is that Uz was in a region east of Judah and perhaps bordering
on the desert, but it was a good land for raising ca le and farming (Job
1:3,14).

The Bible tells us that Job was upright, upright, and God-fearing. The
proof of Job's faithfulness can be seen in the statement that he "turned
away from evil" (Job 1:1). God Himself tes fied that Job was the most
godly and righteous man who lived on earth in his genera on.

Job ini ally had seven sons and three daughters, but in total he fathered
twenty children, for the first ten children died during the period of
intense suffering to which he was subjected, but later God granted him
to father ten more children.

Job was married, although the Bible does not reveal his wife's name.
According to the biblical text, Job's family was probably very united, for
his sons visited each other in their homes and held banquets where they
socialized (Job 1:4).
 Job's Wealth
Job possessed great wealth, and enjoyed a high social posi on. Some
ancient legends suggest that Job was a king, but there is no basis for such
a sugges on and we must reject it. Furthermore, if Job were a king, the
biblical account would probably inform us, since the text was concerned
to provide details about the wealth that Job had.

The Bible tells us that Job owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand
camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred she-asses. Such a
large number of ca le at the me Job lived, certainly represented an
imposing heritage.

To take care of so much property, Job had a very large number of

servants in his service, so that, all in all, Job was the richest man in the
east (Job 1:3).

Job's Suffering and Patience

According to the biblical text, one day there was a mee ng in the
heavenly regions, and the children of God went to present themselves
before the Lord. The best interpreta on of the expression “sons of God”
in this text is that it refers to angels.

However, in their midst was also Satan, who had come “from around the
earth and wandering in it” (Job 1:7). Then God asked if Satan had
observed Job. Realize that it was God who started the conversa on
about Job, that is, it was not Satan who chose Job for the test of suffering
to which he was subjected, but God himself.
In the face of God's tes mony to Job's faithfulness, Satan suggests that all
his integrity was due to the fact that Job was blessed by God and had as
much possessions as he desired.

In other words, Satan was accusing Job of being a selfish person, so that
his faithfulness was condi onal on the goods that God had given him to
possess, and that if all these things were taken away from him, Job would
surely blaspheme God.

So the Lord allowed Satan to put Job to a test, where he could touch
everything he owned except his life (Job 1:12).

With God's permission, Job lost all his ca le, and his servants were killed
by the sword (Job 1:13-17). As if all this were not enough, his children
who were all gathered in the house of his firstborn died when a great
wind blew over the house they were in, and the house fell on them.

Faced with so much suffering, Job tore his clothes, shaved his head,
threw himself on the earth and worshipped. It is at this me that he says
the well-known words "naked I came out of my mother's womb, and
naked I shall return; the Lord gave him, and the Lord took him; blessed be
the name of the Lord" (Job 1:21).

Thus, Job was stricken with a terrible illness. It is not possible for us to
know what kind of illness punished Job. Some scholars suggest
elephan asis, erythema, and smallpox. The great difficulty in
determining the type of the disease is due to the fact that the descrip on
of the symptoms is presented in a poe c text.
Seeing her husband immersed in so much suffering, Job's wife advised
him to hasten the inevitable end and curse God. She obviously didn't
know that Job's life was preserved by God, and fatally shared the
common opinion that all this was a divine punishment.

Job's answer to his wife was that she was talking like "any crazy person".
The Hebrew term translated as "crazy" has a sense of unfaithfulness and
apostasy, that is, Job told her that she was speaking as an unfaithful
person before a God who, just as He had poured good upon them, could
also pour out temporal evil without being unjust.

Job's friends
According to the biblical text, Job was visited by three friends, Eliphaz,
Bildad and Zophar. These friends were also wise and wealthy and
belonged to a similar social posi on as Job. The three men came to Job to
comfort him.

A er the silence was broken by Job (Job 3), a long and formal discussion
began between him and his friends. Based on this discussion, we can see
that Job's friends began to establish a sequence of speeches with cause-
and-effect reasoning, where they basically accused Job of being to blame
for all that suffering.

So, in a nutshell, we can say that Job's friends accused him of being an
adulterer, a thief, someone without hospitality, and crazy. Finally, they
urged him to repent. In the speeches of Job's friends, we can perceive all
the folly of human wisdom (Job 4-31).
 God answers Job
A er Job's great argument with his friends, the Lord spoke to Job out of
the whirlwind. God did not answer the ques ons Job asked while he was
deba ng with his friends, but rather, God asked him seventy rhetorical
ques ons, where all His wisdom and sovereignty made Job realize his
ignorance.

Job then understood that it was enough for him to just trust in God, for
He can do all things, and "none of His plans can be frustrated" (Job 42:2).
God is the Lord of all, He rules the universe and needs no one to advise
Him of anything. Everything He does is by His sovereign will.

God also rebuked Job's three friends, saying that they had acted foolishly,
and what they had said during their discussion with Job was not right.
Then the Lord commanded them to come to Job and offer a burnt
offering, and that by Job's prayer they would not be punished for their
folly (Job 42:7-9).

The Bible says that when Job prayed for his friends, the Lord changed his
fortune, and gave him double all that he had previously possessed. Thus,
Job came to have fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one
thousand yoke of oxen and one thousand donkeys.

Job also had ten other children, seven sons and three daughters. Job's
daughters were named Jemimah, Keziah, and Keren-Happuch, and they
were the most beau ful women in all the East.

A er all that happened, Job lived 140 years, and saw to his fourth
genera on (Job 42:16). Very blessed by God, Job died at a very advanced
age. James, in his epistle, referred to Job as an example of pa ence in
enduring the afli ons that befell him (Jas 5:11).
 Paul
Paul of Tarsus, also called the Apostle Paul, Saul of Tarsus , was one of the
most influent writers of early Chris anity, whose works make up a
significant part of the New Testament. The influence he exerted on
Chris an thought, called "Paulinism," was fundamental because of his
role as a prominent apostle of Chris anity during the ini al spread of the
Gospel throughout the Roman Empire.

Known as Saul before his conversion, he was dedicated to the

persecu on of Jesus' first disciples in the Jerusalem area. He was so
zealous for his religious beliefs and Jewish tradi ons that he launched a
persecu on against all who believed in Christ. According to the account
in the Bible, during a journey between Jerusalem and Damascus, on a
mission to find believers there, he "brought them bound to Jerusalem",
because Damascus was the commercial center of the me and Paul
believed that if he exterminated the Chris ans there, faith in Jesus would
not be spread.
The change of life and the consequent accomplishments sustained a
strong witness to the presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of Saul, who
received the name Paul a er his conversion. People were touched by
Paul's tes mony of life and also by his change of a tude. His arguments
were powerful because Paul was a brilliant scholar. But everyone knew
that his words were true by his new way of living.

Together with Simon Peter and James the Righteous, he was one of the
most prominent leaders of nascent Chris anity. He was also a Roman
ci zen, which gave him a privileged legal status.

Thirteen le ers in the New Testament are a ributed to Paul, but his
authorship in seven of them is disputed by modern scholars. Augus ne
developed Paul's idea that salva on is based on faith and not on "works
of the Law. Paul's conversion radically changed the course of his life.
Through his missionary ac vi es and works, Paul eventually
transformed the religious beliefs and philosophy of the en re
Mediterranean basin region. His leadership, influence and legacy led to
the forma on of communi es dominated by Gen le groups who
worshipped the God of Israel, adhered to the Jewish moral code, but
who abandoned the ritual and dietary obliga ons of the Mosaic Law
because of Paul's teachings on the life and work of Jesus and his "New
Testament," grounded in Jesus' death and resurrec on.
His own texts give us some idea of what he thought of his rela onship
with Judaism. If on the one hand he was cri cal, both theologically and
empirically, of claims of Jewish moral superiority or lineage, on the other
hand he strongly defended the no on of a special place reserved for the
children of Israel.
He further claimed that he received the "good news" not from just
anyone, but by a personal revela on from Jesus Christ. Therefore, he
understood himself to be independent of the Jerusalem community
(possibly in the Upper Room), although he claimed his agreement with it
as far as the content of the Gospel was concerned. What is most
impressive about this conversion is the change in thinking that occurred.
He had to change his concept of who the Messiah was, and par cularly
to accept the then absurd idea of a crucified Messiah. Or perhaps more
difficult was the change in his concept of the superiority of the Jews.
 Moses
Moses was a great statesman. He laid the legal, civil and religious
founda ons. He was also responsible for transforming a people
accustomed to slavery to behave and act like a great na on.

The story of Moses begins in the midst of a complicated historical and

poli cal context. The people of Israel had gone to live in Egypt at the me
that Joseph was governor. With the death of Joseph and the end of the
Dynasty of Pharaohs who were sympathe c to the Hebrews, the situa on
changes dras cally. They go from the status of accepted immigrants to
slaves.
 Moses
The new Pharaoh, fearing that the Hebrews would grow too large and
strong, orders that every male Hebrew baby be killed. Moses is born at
this me. His parents, afraid that their son would be killed, hide him in a
basket and place him in the bed of the Nile River. He is found by
Pharaoh's daughter and raised as a prince in Egypt.

Moses as an adult a acks an Egyp an soldier who was mistrea ng a

Hebrew. He kills the soldier and, afraid of being caught and
condemned, flees. He spends 40 years in the desert, where he is taken
in by Jethro and his daughters. Moses lives a simple life during this
period. He marries one of Jethro's daughters and helps his father-in-law
with the work.

A er 40 years Moses has his first encounter with God. He finds on

Mount Horeb a bush that burned but was not consumed. From this
bush he hears God's voice and returns to Egypt where he begins the
process of freeing God's people from slavery and servitude.

The Ten Plagues of Egypt

Pharaoh does not take well to the idea of freeing the Hebrew people.
With that God uses Moses to infligate Egypt with 10 plagues:

Water turned to blood,

Frog infesta on,
Mosquitoes,
Flies,
Plagues on animals,
Ulcers,
Rain of stones,
Locusts,
Darkness,
Pharaoh finally releases the Hebrew people. But soon a er allowing the
people to leave, Pharaoh relents and gathers an army in an a empt to
bring the Hebrews back to Egypt. The people are trapped between the
mountains and a great river known as the Red Sea. Moses prays to God.
God commands Moses to touch the waters with his staff and they open
up for the people to pass.
Pharaoh's army drowns, for as they pass through the Red Sea the waters
return to their natural state. With this begins a new stage in the life of the
people of Israel and in Moses' story. Moses now goes from being the
liberator to the leader of the people. During this period, they walk
through the desert for a period.
Moses goes up Mount Sinai where he receives from God the Ten
Commandments on tablets of stone. But when Moses came down from
the mountain, the people had turned to idolatry and built a Golden Calf.
Moses breaks the first 10 tablets and goes up the mountain again. On
Mount Sinai God again gives the tablets of the 10 Commandments.
Moses had many ups and downs with the people in the desert. The
people acted with a lot of ingra tude before everything that God did to
them. Due to these moments, Moses became angry and lost the right to
enter the Promised Land.
He was the son of Amram was the grandson of Levi (Jacob's son). So
Moses was Levi's great-grandson. A legi mate Levite. Amram is also a
revered patriarch in Islam. There is a quote in the Quran that says that
God chose Amram's family so that many priests and Prophets would
come out of it.
 Lucas
Luke was a physician who wrote the gospel of Luke and Acts of the
Apostles. He accompanied Paul on his missionary journeys and
carefully researched the accounts of Jesus' life to write his gospel. The
Bible says li le about him.

Luke was probably a Gen le converted by Jesus' first disciples. He was

the only known author of a book of the Bible who was not Jewish. He
was a very learned man, with knowledge not only of medicine but also
of historical research and wri ng (Colossians 4:14).

Luke accompanied Paul on some parts of his missionary journeys.

When Paul was arrested, Luke accompanied him on the journey to
Rome for trial. He was with Paul when the ship sank on the way and
stayed by his side while he was imprisoned in Rome (Acts of the
Apostles 28:16).
In his travels with Paul, Luke probably had access to many people who
accompanied Jesus in his ministry. Collec ng tes monies from people
close to Jesus, he organized all the relevant informa on to create a
complete and faithful biography of Jesus' life (Luke 1:1- 4). This
biography became known as the Gospel of Luke.

Luke followed the same method in wri ng Acts of the Apostles. This
book was wri en as a con nua on of Luke's gospel, which was wri en
earlier. He documented the origins of the church, focusing mainly on the
ministry of Paul, with whom he had the most contact (2 Timothy 4:11).
Acts does not tell of the outcome of Paul's trial in Rome nor of his
martyrdom, so the two books were probably wri en before these
events.

Luke wrote his books with a non-Jewish audience in mind, who did not
know the Old Testament so well. He sought to explain how Jesus came
to everyone in the world, even to those who were not well regarded in
society. Luke wanted to help us understand Jesus' message of love.
The women of the
Bible
 Sarah
Sarah was the wife of Abraham and the mother of Isaac. Together with
Abraham, she became the matriarch of the Jewish people. Sarah was
known for her faith in God and her support of Abraham. The name Sarah
means "princess" (Heb. sarah). Before having her name changed, Sarah
was called "Sarai" (Heb. saray), which also means princess.

When God called Abraham, Sarah accompanied him, leaving with him
from Ur of the Chaldees, passing through Haran and finally reaching the
land of Canaan. The name change from Sarai to Sarah occurred when
she was 90 years old.

Besides the book of Genesis, Sarah is men oned in the book of the
Prophet Isaiah (ch 51:2) as an example of trust in God, and the one who
gave birth to the Israelite na on.
 Mary
Mary was a young virgin who lived in Nazareth of Galilee. She was
engaged to a carpenter named Joseph (Luke 1:26ff). Like Joseph, it is
widely accepted that Mary was of the lineage of David.

She was a virgin when she became pregnant by the ac on of the Holy
Spirit. Along with her husband Joseph, Mary probably played an
important role in raising Jesus during his childhood and later became his
follower. Mary needed Jesus as much as anyone else. She was very
blessed, but she herself recognized that she needed a savior. Mary was a
normal woman and a sinner, but with faith in God. She followed God
wholeheartedly and was probably a good example of devo on to Jesus
as he was growing up.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, should be highly respected. She was a

blessed woman and worthy to be imitated, for her example of humility,
faithfulness and self-denial before God's plans.
 Rebekah
Rebekah was the daughter of Bethuel, Abraham's nephew (Gen. 22:23),
sister of Laban, wife of Isaac, and mother of Esau and Jacob. She was
chosen by God to con nue Abraham's descendants. Rebecca was very
beau ful, generous and hospitable. The fact that Rebekah had the
opportunity to choose for marriage was a common prac ce only in
upper class patriarchal families. Finally, Rebecca agreed to leave her
home and became Isaac's wife (Gen. 24:66,67).

Rebecca was barren. She gives a lesson about prayer: the couple prayed
for 20 years to have children (Gen. 25:21,26). She was modest,
hardworking and hospitable. These quali es made her a good wife,
mother and worshiper of God, who listened to Isaac's request and
Rebekah begot two twin sons, Esau and Jacob. Rebekah saved Jacob's
life but she never saw him again. Because of her decep on, Rebekah
was le without her favorite son in her old age. But in the end, God used
this whole situa on to bless Jacob, who became the father of the 12
tribes of Israel.
 Esther
Esther was a young Jewish woman who married the king of Persia and
saved the Jewish people from extermina on. Esther was raised by her
cousin Mordecai. The name Esther most likely comes from the Persian
stara and means "star," but some interpreters suggest that perhaps her
name has a connec on to the name of a Babylonian goddess, Ishtar.
Esther was a queen who, in the midst of a simple life, managed to
protect Israel from her enemies because she knew how to act when she
needed to. She sought and humbled herself with fas ng before God,
the King of kings, in order to bless her cause.

The story of Esther certainly leads us to reflect on the sovereignty of God

to fulfill his purposes, as well as the importance of trus ng God, even if it
puts our own life at risk.
Joseph
The story of Joseph is one of the best known in the Bible, and it certainly
teaches us fundamental lessons about the importance of faith in the
midst of injus ce. Joseph, one of Jacob's sons, was betrayed by his
brothers and taken as a slave to a strange land.

Joseph had ten older brothers and was his father Jacob's favorite. He
also had prophe c dreams and told that he had received dreams that
showed that he would be the leader of the family. Because of these
things, his brothers hated him and were jealous of him with their father
(Genesis 37:9-11).

When they were away from their father, Joseph's brothers sold him into
slavery and made it appear that he had died. Joseph was taken to Egypt,
where he was sold to Po phar, the Pharaoh's official. God blessed
Joseph and he became the chief administrator of Po phar's estate
(Genesis 39:3-5). In addi on to selling him, Joseph's brothers con nued
with their plan to make Jacob believe that his son was dead, elimina ng
any chance of the patriarch searching for him (Gen 37:21-34).

He was bought by Po phar, one of Pharaoh's officials. In Egypt, the Lord

was with Joseph, making him prosper (Gen. 39:3). Soon Po phar
no ced that everything Joseph did prospered, and he put him over his
house, that is, Po phar gave Joseph everything he had. The result was
that the Lord greatly blessed the Egyp an's house, for Joseph's sake
(Gen 39:5).

Joseph advised Pharaoh to store food to prepare for the years of famine.
And in me Pharaoh, impressed with Joseph's wisdom, appointed him
governor of all Egypt! Only Pharaoh was above Joseph (Genesis 41:38-
40).
Joseph was humiliated and wronged many mes during his life. The
young man who had been treated unfairly by his brothers, was wronged
with false accusa on at work, and wronged in prison when he was
forgo en for a long me a er helping Pharaoh's cupbearer.

But everything with God has a purpose, this is why, when the crisis
came, Joseph brought his father and all his family to Egypt, where they
prospered and stayed for 400 years.

Joseph as always very wise, recognized God's ac on in his life and in the
life of his family and never took revenge (Genesis 50:19-21).

God uses each and every situation to fulfill his purpose in

your life, just as he did in Joseph's life to save his family!
God's Word is a precious treasure that we can find in our lives. When we
base our existence on the Bible, we are truly happy.

God reveals Himself to us through His Word. With the help of the Bible,
we can differen ate right from wrong, and learn to live in a way that
pleases God.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking,
correc ng, and training in righteousness, that the man of God may be
equipped and thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17

Your word is a lamp to lighten my steps and a light to make my path

clear.
Psalm 119:105

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-
edged sword; it penetrates to the point of dividing soul and spirit, joints,
and marrow, and judges the thoughts and inten ons of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12

I have kept your word in my heart not to sin against you.

Psalm 119:11