“Yes, very much so. They show us his power, but also his benevolence and compassion.” In the end, there is no question that reports of supernatural feats by Jesus are inextricably woven into the narrative of his life, even going back to the very earliest sources. Jesus scholars Gerd Theissen and Annette Merz write, “Just as the kingdom of God stands at the center of Jesus’ preaching, so healings and exorcisms form the center of his activity.”8 But were these actual miracles, or simply apparent miracles?