4 of 23 in Section XIII THE MIRACLES402 of 448 in work
Miracles Over Scripture
Blaise Pascal
Pensees

A discussion on how Jesus Christ validated his divinity and authority through miracles, which serve as proof of his power to remit sins and fulfill prophecy.

...ural power of the means which are employed for it. Thus, those who heal by invocation of the devil do not work a miracle; for that does not exceed the natural power of the devil. But ... 804 The two fundamentals; one inward, the other outward; grace and miracles; both supernatural. 805 Miracles and truth are necessary, because it is necessary to convince the entire man, in body and soul. 806 In all times, either men have spoken of the true God, or the true God has spoken to men. 807
Jesus Christ has verified that He was the Messiah, never in verifying His doctrine by Scripture and the prophecies, but always by His miracles. He proves by a miracle that He remits sins. Rejoice not in your miracles, said Jesus Christ, but because your names are written in heaven. If they believe not Moses, neither will they believe one risen from the dead.
Nicodemus recognises by His miracles that His teaching is of God. Scimus quia venisti a Deo magister; nemo enim potest hæc signa facere quæ tu facis nisi Deus fuerit cum eo.[320] He does not judge of the miracles by the teaching, but of the teaching by the miracles. The Jews had a doctrine of God as we have one of Jesus Christ, and confirmed by miracles. They were forbidden to believe every worker of miracles; and they were further commanded to have recourse to the chief priests, and to rel...
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5 of 23 in Section XIII THE MIRACLES403 of 448 in work
Truth Enables Falsehood
Blaise Pascal
Pensees

The author posits that the existence of many false remedies and impostors actually proves the existence of true remedies, as men would not have the capacity to believe in a possibility that had no basis in reality.

...s without proofs if they are right. 813 Montaigne against miracles. Montaigne for miracles. 814 It is not possible to have a reasonable belief against miracles. 815 Unbelievers the most credulous. They believe the miracles of Vespasian, in order not to believe those of Moses. 816 Title: How it happens that men believe so many liars, who say that they have seen miracles, and do not believe any of those who say that they have secrets to make men immortal, or restore youth to them.--
Having considered how it happens that so great credence is given to so many impostors, who say they have remedies, often to the length of men putting their lives into their hands, it has appeared to me that the true cause is that there are true remedies. For it would not be possible that there should be so many false remedies, and that so much faith should be placed in them, if there were none true. If there had never been any remedy for any ill, and all ills had been incurable, it is impossible that men should have imagined that they could give remedies, and still more impossible that so many others should have believed those who boasted of…
For people commonly reason thus: "A thing is possible, therefore it is"; because the thing cannot be denied generally, since there are particular effects which are true, the people, who cannot distinguish which among these particular effects are true, believe them all. In the same way, the reason why so many false effects are credited to the moon, is that there are some true, as the tide. It is the same with prophecies, miracles, divination by dreams, sorceries, etc. For if there had been noth...
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6 of 23 in Section XIII THE MIRACLES404 of 448 in work
Truth's Shadow
Blaise Pascal
Pensees

The author posits that the existence of many false miracles and religions actually proves the existence of a true one, as falsehood is typically a parasitic imitation of truth. He argues that people would not be capable of believing in the false if there were no underlying reality of the true.

...he contrary, say that there certainly are true miracles, since there are false, and that there are false miracles only because some are true. We must reason in the same way about religion; for it would not be possible that men should have imagined so many false religions, if there had not been a true one. The objection to this is that savages have a religion; but the answer is that they have heard the true spoken of, as appears by the deluge, circumcision, the cross of Saint Andrew, etc. 817
Having considered how it comes that there are so many false miracles, false revelations, sorceries, etc., it has seemed to me that the true cause is that there are some true; for it would not be possible that there should be so many false miracles, if there were none true, nor so many false revelations, if there were none true, nor so many false religions, if there were not one true. For if there had never been all this, it is almost impossible that men should have imagined it, and still more impossible that so many others should have believed it. But as there have been very great things true, and as they have been believed by great men, this…
And thus, instead of concluding that there are no true miracles, since there are so many false, it must be said, on the contrary, that there are true miracles, since there are so many false; and that there are false ones only because there are true; and that in the same way there are false religions because there is one true.--Objection to this: savages have a religion. But this is because they have heard the true spoken of, as appears by the cross of Saint Andrew, the deluge, circumcision, etc...
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7 of 23 in Section XIII THE MIRACLES405 of 448 in work
Temptation vs Error
Blaise Pascal
Pensees

The author distinguishes between divine temptation and leading into error, arguing that God provides opportunities for choice without forcing a false conclusion, whereas error implies a necessary following of untruth.

...l be in miracles. 819 If the devil favoured the doctrine which destroys him, he would be divided against himself, as Jesus Christ said. If God favoured the doctrine which destroys the Church, He would be divided against Himself. Omne regnum divisum.[325] For Jesus Christ wrought against the devil, and destroyed his power over the heart, of which exorcism is the symbolisation, in order to establish the kingdom of God. And thus He adds, Si in digito Dei ... regnum Dei ad vos.[326] 820
There is a great difference between tempting and leading into error. God tempts, but He does not lead into error. To tempt is to afford opportunities, which impose no necessity; if men do not love God, they will do a certain thing. To lead into error is to place a man under the necessity of inferring and following out what is untrue.
821 Abraham and Gideon are above revelation. The Jews blinded themselves in judging of miracles by the Scripture. God has never abandoned His true worshippers. I prefer to follow Jesus Christ than any other, because He has miracle, prophecy, doctrine, perpetuity, etc. The Donatists. No miracle which obliges them to say it is the devil. The more we particularise God, Jesus Christ, the Church ... 822 If there were no false miracles, there would be certainty. If there were no rule to judg...
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8 of 23 in Section XIII THE MIRACLES406 of 448 in work
Miracles as Condemnation
Blaise Pascal
Pensees

The author suggests that the primary function of miracles is not to facilitate the conversion of the unbelieving, but to serve as a basis for their moral condemnation.

...re we particularise God, Jesus Christ, the Church ... 822 If there were no false miracles, there would be certainty. If there were no rule to judge of them, miracles would be useless, and there would be no reason for believing. Now there is, humanly speaking, no human certainty, but we have reason. 823 Either God has confounded the false miracles, or He has foretold them; and in both ways He has raised Himself above what is supernatural with respect to us, and has raised us to it. 824
Miracles serve not to convert, but to condemn.
(Q. 113, A. 10, Ad. 2.)[327] 825 Reasons why we do not believe. John xii, 37. Cum autem tanta signa fecisset, non credebant in eum, ut sermo Isayæ impleretur. Excæcavit, etc. Hæc dixit Isaias, quando vidit gloriam ejus et locutus est de eo. Judæi signa petunt et Græci sapientiam quærunt, nos autem Jesum crucifixum. Sed plenum signis, sed plenum sapientia; vos autem Christum non crucifixum et religionem sine miraculis et sine sapientia.[328] What makes us not believe in the true...
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