THE FIRST MIRACLES
Matthew says, in a general way, that Jesus healed "all manner of sickness" before the delivery of the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. IV:23, 24). But the first specific miracles which he describes occurred after that event (Matt. VIII:1-15). The first was the leper, the second the centurion's servant, afflicted with palsy, and the third was the mother of Simon Peter's wife, who was "sick of a fever." Jesus saw and touched the leper and Peter's wife's mother, but the centurion's servant was one of the few cases where the cure was effected in the absence of the patient and without Jesus' seeing him.
The curing of the leper is described by Mark (I:40) and by Luke (V:12). Luke describes the healing of the centurion's servant (VII:1-10), differing only in that the friends of the centurion came to Jesus instead of the centurion in person, as in Matthew.
Mark and Luke both relate the curing of Peter's wife's mother (Mark I:30; Luke IV:38).
John mentions none of these miracles, but, alone of all four evangelists, narrates the miracle at Cana of changing water into wine (John II:1-10), and says that this was Jesus' first miracle (John II:11). He then describes the curing of the sick "son of a nobleman of Capernaum" (John IV:46-53), and says that this was the second miracle "which Jesus did when He was come out of Judæa into Galilee," viz: after His baptism by John (John IV:54). The circumstances of this miracle are quite similar to those of the centurion's servant described by Matthew and Luke, the cure being effected in the absence of the patient.
Matthew next gives the miracle of the stilling of the tempest (Matt. VIII:23-27), which is also found in Mark (IV:35-41), and in Luke (VIII:22-25). This miracle is not found in John.
Then follows the miracle of driving the devils out of the two men of the "country of the Gergesenes," and sending them into a herd of swine which "ran violently down a steep place into the sea and perished in the waters" (Matt. VIII:28-34).
Mark narrates the same miracle as occurring in the country of the Gadarenes, except there is one man instead of two (Mark V:1-20). The sufferings of this man, who is possessed of "an unclean spirit," are described in some detail. The spirit, being asked for his "name," says, "My name is Legion; for we are many." Thereupon he or they beseech Jesus not to send them away out of the country, but: "Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them." Jesus "gave them leave," and they entered into the swine ("they were about two thousand") and the swine ran violently down a steep place, and "were choked in the sea."
Luke's account (Luke VIII:26-40) follows substantially that of Mark. There was one man in the country of the Gadarenes "which had devils a long time." The devil or devils besought Jesus "that He would not command them to go out into the deep," but would send them into the swine. This Jesus does, and the swine run down a steep place and are choked in the sea.
All three accounts agree that, after the miracle, "the whole city," or "the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about," besought Jesus to depart from them. The only reason given for this action is the statement of Luke "for they were taken with great fear" (Luke VIII:37).
John does not mention this miracle.[23]