People are often taken unawares by God's power, love and wisdom. The actions of God and Jesus Christ are often described as surprising those who witnessed them.
God's actions surprise people
Surprise at the sudden appearance of angels
Luke 1:11–12 See also Daniel 8:16–17; Luke 1:28–29, Luke 2:9; Acts 10:3–4
Just then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear.
Surprise deliverance
Daniel 3:26–27; Acts 5:19–24, Acts 12:14–18, Acts 28:6
Surprise at special births
Luke 1:29–34 See also Genesis 17:17; Luke 1:18
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!” “How can this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
Surprise at the circumstances of Jesus Christ's death
When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified and said, “Truly this was the Son of God.”
Surprise at the coming of the Holy Spirit
Acts 2:6–7 See also Acts 10:45
And when this sound rang out, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking his own language. Astounded and amazed, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?
Surprise at the change in people's lives
Acts 9:21 See also Mark 5:15 parallel Luke 8:35
All who heard him were astounded and asked, “Isn’t this the man who wreaked havoc in Jerusalem on those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”
Surprise at the second coming
Matthew 24:44 parallel Luke 12:40 See also Malachi 3:1; Matthew 24:50 parallel Luke 12:46; Matthew 25:6, Matthew 25:13; Mark 13:36; Luke 21:34; 1 Thessalonians 5:4
For this reason, you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.
Surprise at discernment
Matthew 25:37–39, Matthew 25:44; Luke 5:22; John 4:19; Acts 5:5, Acts 5:11
Jesus Christ surprised people
Surprise at Jesus Christ's moral requirements
Matthew 5:20 See also Matthew 5:48, Matthew 18:21–22
For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Surprise at Jesus Christ's humility
He came to Simon Peter, who asked Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?”
Surprise at Jesus Christ's control of natural elements
Matthew 8:27 parallels Mark 4:41, Luke 8:25 See also Matthew 14:25–26 parallel Mark 6:49–50; Matthew 21:20; Luke 5:9; John 2:8–10, John 6:14
The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey Him!”
Surprise at the company Jesus Christ kept
Mark 2:16 parallels Matthew 9:11, Luke 5:30 See also Luke 7:39
When the scribes who were Pharisees saw Jesus eating with these people, they asked His disciples, “Why does He eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Surprise at Jesus Christ's healings
Mark 7:37 See also Matthew 9:6–8, Matthew 9:33, Matthew 15:31; Mark 5:42 parallel Luke 8:56
The people were utterly astonished and said, “He has done all things well! He makes even the deaf hear and the mute speak!”
Surprise at the requirements for entry into the kingdom of heaven
Matthew 19:13–15 parallels Mark 10:13–16, Luke 18:15–17; Matthew 19:24–25 parallels Mark 10:23–26, Luke 18:25–26
Surprise at Jesus Christ's teaching authority
Mark 1:22 parallel Luke 4:32 See also Matthew 7:28–29, Matthew 22:33; Mark 6:2–4 parallel Matthew 13:53–54; Mark 11:18; John 7:15
The people were astonished at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.
Surprise at the wisdom of Jesus Christ
Matthew 22:22 parallels Mark 12:17, Luke 20:26
And when they heard this, they were amazed. So they left Him and went away.
Surprise at the expectations of Jesus Christ
Matthew 14:16–17 parallels Mark 6:37, Luke 9:13, John 6:7–9 See also Matthew 15:33–36 parallel Mark 8:4–6
“They do not need to go away,” Jesus replied. “You give them something to eat.” “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
Surprise at Jesus Christ's authority in the spiritual realm
Mark 1:27 parallel Luke 4:36 See also Mark 5:15–17 parallels Matthew 8:33–34, Luke 8:35–37
All the people were amazed and began to ask one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him!”
Surprise at Jesus Christ's disregard for Jewish customs
Luke 11:38 See also Mark 7:5 parallel Matthew 15:2; John 4:27
But the Pharisee was surprised to see that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.
Surprise at Jesus Christ's rejection of religious words and actions
Matthew 7:21–23; Luke 13:26–27
Surprise at Jesus Christ bringing back the dead
Luke 7:14–16 See also Mark 5:42 parallel Luke 8:56
Then He went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. “Young man,” He said, “I tell you, get up!” And the dead man sat up and began to speak! Then Jesus gave him back to his mother. A sense of awe swept over all of them, and they glorified God. “A great prophet has appeared among us!” they said. “God has visited His people!”
Surprise at the post-resurrection appearance of Jesus Christ
While they were describing these events, Jesus Himself stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” But they were startled and frightened, thinking they had seen a spirit.
Jesus Christ is surprised by people's reactions
By the great faith of an unlikely person
Matthew 8:10 parallel Luke 7:9
When Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those following Him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.
By lack of faith among God's people
Mark 6:4–6 parallel Matthew 13:57–58
Then Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his own household is a prophet without honor.” So He could not perform any miracles there, except to lay His hands on a few of the sick and heal them. And He was amazed at their unbelief. And He went around from village to village, teaching the people.
By the dullness of his followers
Matthew 15:16 parallel Mark 7:18 See also Matthew 16:9–11 parallel Mark 8:17–18
“Do you still not understand?” Jesus asked.
By lack of spiritual insight
Jesus replied, “Philip, I have been with you all this time, and still you do not know Me? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Surprises for believers
Surprise at suffering
1 Peter 4:12 See also 1 John 3:13
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial that has come upon you, as though something strange were happening to you.
Surprise at divine revelation
Luke 24:32 See also Acts 10:17, Acts 11:15
They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us as He spoke with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
Surprises caused by believers
Surprising courage
Acts 4:13 See also Daniel 3:13
When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they marveled and took note that these men had been with Jesus.
Surprise at miracles
Acts 3:11–12, Acts 8:13, Acts 14:11
Surprise at the teaching about Jesus Christ
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.