Jesus performed miracles and signs to prove to the nation of Israel that He was the promised Messiah, the Son of God — to validate who He was.
Les Feldick teaches that while compassion was genuinely present, the main thrust of every sign and wonder was to demonstrate Jesus' identity to Israel. The signs were evidence that He was the Christ, the answer to Israel's every need, and they called the nation to acknowledge Him as the promised Messiah.
1 Corinthians 1:22 — Paul explains that the Jews required a sign, which is why Jesus' miracles served as proof for Israel.
Matthew 11:4-5 — Jesus answered John the Baptist's question by pointing to the miracles — the blind seeing, the dead raised — as proof that He was the Christ.
Scripture shows that the Jewish people were looking for signs. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:22, "For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom." When John the Baptist sent disciples to ask whether Jesus was the One to come, Jesus' reply pointed directly to the miracles: "The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them" (Matthew 11:4-5). Jesus used these supernatural acts as visible evidence that the promised Messiah had arrived.
Les Feldick is emphatic: the reason for all of Jesus' signs and miracles was to prove to the nation of Israel who He was. He says this was the whole vortex of Jesus' ministry. People often think the miracles were only from compassion, and Les agrees compassion was certainly there, but the main thrust was to prove that Jesus was the promised Messiah and the Son of God. Les points out that the nation of Israel was, by nature, sign-seeking — the Jews require a sign. Jesus answered John the Baptist's question by pointing to the blind receiving sight and the dead being raised, which Les says was proof that He was indeed the Christ. One of Les's class members summed it up as Jesus performing miracles to validate who He was, and Les says that phrase hits the nail on the head. He also connects the signs to Christ's role as Israel's King and Redeemer. The miracles showed that Jesus was the promised Messiah, ready to give the kingdom and to be Israel's Redeemer. In John's Gospel, the seven recorded signs each carried a whole trainload of truth for Israel.
Les Feldick acknowledges that Jesus certainly had compassion for the sick, the blind, and the suffering. But he insists that was not the main reason for the miracles. The main thrust of His signs and wonders was to prove to the nation of Israel who He was — the Messiah, the Son of God.
Les explains that the Jews required a sign — 1 Corinthians 1:22 describes this very disposition. They had wanted signs throughout the Old Testament, and in Jesus' ministry they even came to Him and asked, 'Show us a sign.' Jesus' miracles met that sign-seeking expectation as proof of His identity.
When John the Baptist, from prison, sent disciples to ask whether Jesus was 'the One,' Jesus answered with the evidence of miracles: the blind received sight, the dead were raised, the deaf recovered hearing. Les uses this as a clear demonstration that the miracles were intended to prove that Jesus was the Christ.
Les points to the signs recorded in John's Gospel. According to his teaching, all those signs were given to show Israel that Jesus was not only the Son of God and the Messiah, but the answer to their every need. Each sign carried a whole trainload of truth for the nation of Israel.
Les says the problem with Israel's rejection of Jesus was that they could not understand that He was the promised Messiah. A carpenter's son out of Nazareth was a stumbling block — Nathanael even asked whether any good thing could come out of Nazareth. The miracles validated who He was, yet many still did not recognize Him.
Why Did the Disciples Not Know Jesus Would Die?
His first coming, including His death, burial, resurrection, His ascension, His coming again. It was all back there. But it was in such veiled language, they didn't know what it was talking about. The prophets themselves couldn't understand. And so here it's so plainly put that these very men that were the closest to Him, such as Peter and John, had no idea that He was going to die.
Proof He Was the Son of God
Les says the signs in John's Gospel were given to show Israel that Jesus was the Son of God, the Messiah, and the answer to their every need.
The Whole Vortex of Ministry
The main purpose of all Jesus' signs and miracles was to prove to Israel that He was the Messiah — compassion was secondary to this identity-revealing purpose.
A Sign-Seeking Nation
Israel's nature was to require signs, and Jesus' miracles functioned as the signs that proved His identity to them.
Proof for John the Baptist
When John asked if Jesus was the One, Jesus pointed to the blind receiving sight and the dead being raised as proof that He was the Christ.
Validating Who He Was
Les approves the phrase that Jesus performed miracles to validate who He was, and he connects Israel's rejection to their inability to see past His humble Nazareth origins.
Messiah, King, and Redeemer
The signs and wonders proved Jesus was the promised Messiah, the King ready to give Israel the kingdom, and their Redeemer.
Seven Signs for Israel
Miracle after miracle was performed to prove to the Jew that Jesus was who He said He was, and the seven signs in John carried deep truth for Israel.
Matthew 11:4-5: Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
Jesus answered John's question about His identity by pointing to the healing miracles as proof.
1 Corinthians 1:22: For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
Explains why signs were so significant to Israel and why Jesus performed them as proof.
Compassion was certainly part of it, but Les Feldick teaches that the main purpose was to prove to Israel who Jesus was. The signs and wonders were evidence that He was the promised Messiah and the Son of God.
Because, as 1 Corinthians 1:22 says, the Jews require a sign. Les explains that sign-seeking was part of Israel's nature all the way through the Old Testament, and Jesus' miracles met that need as proof of His identity.
Jesus told them to report what they saw and heard: the blind receiving sight, the deaf hearing, the dead raised up. Les uses this as proof that the miracles were designed to show that Jesus was the Christ.
Les says Israel could not understand how a carpenter's son from Nazareth could be the promised Messiah. The miracles validated who He was, but many still stumbled over His humble origins.
Watch the Teaching: Why Did the Disciples Not Know Jesus Would Die?