What were people expected to believe during Jesus' earthly ministry?
During Jesus' earthly ministry, people were expected to believe that He was the Christ, coming in fulfillment of the Old Testament covenant promises. They did not yet understand that He would die. Every Jew Jesus dealt with remained a law-keeping Jew, and the Temple was still fully operating.
Les explains that during Christ's earthly ministry, everything was directed primarily—though not exclusively—to the Jew under the covenant promises of the Old Testament. Because the Jew required a sign, the eight signs in John's Gospel were directed to Israel. At that time Christ had not yet died, and the people had no idea He was going to die. Instead, they were to believe that He was the Christ coming in fulfillment of those Old Testament covenants. Every Jew Jesus dealt with was still a law-keeping Jew, and the Temple was still going full blast.