How can we make sense of Jesus as a miracle worker in light of modern science?
For many people today—especially those who value reason and empirical evidence—stories of supernatural events can be hard to accept. Miracles often seem like relics of a pre-scientific worldview. And yet, there remains a deep human longing for meaning, healing, and justice. The Gospel of Luke, with its thoughtful and grounded approach to healing and restoration—like the healing of a leper (Luke 5:12–16), the liberation of a bent-over woman (Luke 13:10–17), and the raising of the widow’s son (Luke 7:11–17)—invites us to ask deeper questions about what it means to be whole, to belong, and to be seen.
Luke doesn’t portray miracles as magic tricks or violations of nature. Instead, they function as signs—dramatic, symbolic acts of Grace that point to a deeper reality: the arrival of God’s kingdom. They’re tied to healing and restoration, liberation from oppression, and reversal of social status. In other words, they’re about real people in real suffering being met with compassion, dignity, and hope. Grace here isn’t about belief in the impossible—it’s about being restored when the world has written you off.
Science, of course, deals in the observable and repeatable. It gives us powerful tools to understand the physical world—but it doesn’t try to answer questions of purpose, meaning, or value. Miracles, by contrast, challenge us to consider experiences that don’t fit neatly into data sets. They may not be scientifically provable, but they can be deeply human. Science can still help us appreciate the psychological, emotional, and social impact of healing and belonging.
Take the example of someone who finds community and peace after years of isolation. Is that a miracle? Science can track the health benefits of touch, social support, and hope—but it won’t measure Grace. Luke’s stories invite us to see that healing is not just a change in diagnosis—it’s a restoration of the self. That’s the kind of Hope Luke offers: not wishful thinking, but a tangible possibility for renewal in the most unlikely places.
Luke, traditionally associated with the profession of medicine, shows a remarkable sensitivity to the physical and social conditions of the people Jesus encounters. His Gospel reminds us that healing is more than biology—it’s also about dignity, agency, and inclusion. This is where the idea of Mission enters: not as a religious sales pitch, but as a commitment to lifting burdens and breaking barriers. Luke’s Jesus brings wholeness where people are fragmented.
Even if you’re skeptical about supernatural claims, it’s hard to ignore the power of these stories when they’re read through the lens of compassion and justice. They challenge us to think about how we respond to suffering—not just whether we can fix it, but whether we show up. That’s where Choice comes in. Whether or not you believe in miracles, we all make choices every day that either contribute to healing or add to harm. Luke’s miracles call us to choose empathy, welcome, and solidarity.
The Gospel of Luke doesn’t ask you to reject science. It simply invites you to pay attention to deeper dimensions of human experience—things like belonging, love, and liberation. If miracles speak to these things, then maybe they’re not about suspending the laws of nature, but about revealing the deeper laws of compassion and justice that hold us together.
You don’t have to be religious to find something powerful in that vision. And if you’re curious, Luke might still have something to say.