In The Acts of the Apostles, why could Peter and Paul and others heal and cure? A few people (then and now) acquire that much faith. Peter and Paul developed a spiritual maturity that allowed them to perform marvelous acts and nurture a religion that spread to multiple countries in their lifetimes, at a time when traveling long distances was very risky. The apostles and Paul and other leaders performed miracles and signs in Acts (the Gospels use only the word "signs"), and it occurs to me that any adult's faith needs signs once the lessons of Sunday School become insufficient. This need for signs is not a weakness; it is canonical. The shepherds and magi did not accidentally stumble on the manger; they were led by the proclamations of angels and a guiding star.
The signs are critical to the founding of Christianity. In John 20:29, "Jesus said to [Thomas], 'Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.'" It is easy to feel sorry for Thomas, to have been scolded by Jesus in that way. But, what of "those who had not seen [the risen Jesus]". Those others saw something, at some earlier time: the lame man walked, Lazarus rose from the dead, and Jesus' tomb was empty. Those who had not seen the risen Jesus saw those prior signs and came to believe. On a number of occasions in the Gospels, Jesus wondered how many more signs the apostles and Pharisees needed, before they would finally understand. Thomas was just one more doubter in a long line of doubters.
Yes, my faith is sometimes strengthened by a sunrise or a kind word, and that's nice. But, Jesus would be wondering why I needed to see the sun rise and why Thomas insisted he needed to touch the nail wounds. The empty tomb should have been enough for me and Tom. Even though I only see the signs through reading the Bible, it should be enough. Peter and Paul performed miracles and people believed.
