Q. Are there things Jesus did in his public ministry that are not recorded in Scripture?
A. Yes, Scripture testifies to this very matter. This very topic is something I like to ponder on and pray about.
The Gospel of John gives us the answer in John 21:25: “There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written.”
So not everything Jesus did in His life is recorded in Scripture.
There are innumerable things Jesus did in His life that are not recorded in Scripture – situations in which he interacted with people, deep intimate encounters with his Father in prayer, dramatic encounters of casting out demons, etc. that are not captured in the Bible. These are fascinating things to wonder about, to think and pray about.
For example: did Jesus raise more than three people from the dead as recorded in Scripture? The son of the widow of Nain in Luke 7:11-7; Jarius’s daughter in Matthew 9:18-26; Mark 5:21-43; Luke 8:40-56 and Lazarus in John 11:1-44. Most likely, Jesus raised more people from the dead than just these three.
Also, were there many more personal encounters with people who came to Jesus for healing? Undoubtedly. I am sure that these unrecorded encounters were rich and deep in love and healing and in relationship.
In addition, when Jesus prayed, how did He pray? Where did He pray? For what or for whom did He pray? We don’t know all of the details, as the Scriptures do not record everything Jesus said or did.
Some of the things that Jesus did most often in His ministry were: pray, preach, teach, heal and cast out demons.
The Scriptures remain very relevant in our day and time and they are a primary source of meeting Jesus. I encourage you to read at least the New Testament for now. This could be a Lenten initiative for you. It will be very enlightening and supportive of your relationship with Jesus. Thanks for the question.
This question was answered by a priest of the Diocese of Lincoln. Write to Ask the Register using our online form, or write to 3700 Sheridan Blvd., Suite 10, Lincoln NE 68506-6100. All questions are subject to editing. Editors decide which questions to publish. Personal questions cannot be answered. People with such questions are urged to take them to their nearest Catholic priest.
