Editorial November 13, 1937 Issue

Miracles and Rationalism

George Shaw Cook

Helpful light is occasionally thrown on certain passages of Scripture by modern translations and commentaries. Sometimes, however, the spiritual meaning is obscured by the effort of commentators to interpret Scriptural passages, especially those relating to so-called miracles, in what may be termed a rationalistic manner. It is probable that those who do so may be without sufficient vision of the Christ, Truth, to enable them fully to understand that "with God all things are possible." They may fail to grasp the fact that the miracles recorded in the Bible are miraculous only to human sense, but that actually they were divinely natural manifestations of the power of God, operating through spiritual law.

A dictionary definiton of rationalism is, "The system of religious philosophy which places reason above spiritual revelation as the guide in matters of belief or conduct." It is evident from her writings that Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, does not make the mistake of placing "reason above spiritual revelation." She says, in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 117): "Human theories are inadequate to interpret the divine Principle involved in the miracles (marvels) wrought by Jesus and especially in his mighty, crowning, unparalleled, and triumphant exit from the flesh. Evidence drawn from the five physical senses relates solely to human reason; and because of opacity to the true light, human reason dimly reflects and feebly transmits Jesus' works and words. Truth is a revelation."

Quite apart from rationalistic interpretations, the curious mistake has been made by some—through strained metaphysical interpretation—of saying that when Jesus fed the multitudes who followed him into the wilderness on two different occasions, he merely healed them of the belief that they were hungry, and they went away satisfied. Mark's Gospel records that Jesus said on one of these occasions: "I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: and if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way." The record continues: "And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets." This indicates that what the multitude ate on the occasion mentioned was that which is humanly considered food, and that the seven baskets of fragments consisted of such food.

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