“Miracles are very often thought of, both by those who believe in them and by those who do not, as events, or purported events, that contradict the laws of nature and that therefore cannot be explained by science or reason.  But this is not at all what the Bible means by a miracle, as any Biblical scholar will tell you.¹⁰  ‘The laws of nature’ is a modern scientific concept.  The Bible knows nothing about nature, let alone the laws of nature.  The world is God’s creation and whatever happens in the world, ordinary or extraordinary, is part of God’s providence.  The Bible does not divide events into natural and supernatural.  God is in one way or another behind all events.

“A miracle in the Bible is an unusual event which has been understood as an unusual act of God, one of his mighty works.  Certain acts of God are called miracles or wonders because of their ability to astonish and surprise us, their ability to make us marvel and wonder.  Thus creation is a miracle, grace is a miracle, the growth of an enormous mustard tree from a tiny seed is a miracle, the liberation of the Israelites from Egypt was a miracle, the kingdom of God will be a miracle.  The world is full of miracles for those who have eyes to see them.  If we are no longer able to wonder and marvel except when the so-called laws of nature are broken, then we must be in a sorry state.”

¹⁰[author’s footnote] Cf. R.H. Fuller, Interpreting the Miracles, London, 1963, pp 8-11.

Albert Nolan, Jesus Before Christianity, Orbis Books, Maryknoll, New York, 1978, p.33.

Reminds me of Jung’s concept of Synchronicity, an extraordinary, highly improbable event that is meaningful.