Yes—Jesus performed miracles among the Israelites to prove He was the promised Messiah and to present the kingdom to Israel.
Les Feldick teaches that while compassion was genuinely present, the main thrust of Christ's signs and wonders was to validate to the nation of Israel who He was—the Christ, the promised Messiah. The miracles were evidence given in the midst of Israel, tied to the nation's calling and the offer of the King and His kingdom.
Matthew 16:16 — Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, is exactly the truth Les says the miracles were meant to prove to Israel.
1 Corinthians 1:22 — Paul states that the Jews require a sign, which explains why Jesus used miraculous signs as His credentials before Israel.
Exodus 19:6 — God declared that Israel would be a kingdom of priests, setting the context for why these signs were directed to the nation of Israel.
Scripture shows that Israel was set apart as a nation of priests: "And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation" (Exodus 19:6). The apostle Paul states, "For the Jews require a sign" (1 Corinthians 1:22), revealing that miraculous signs were fitting for Israel. In Matthew 16, when Jesus asked who He was, Peter answered, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16). The Old Testament promised a child whose government would have no end (Isaiah 9:6–7), and Psalm 110:1 shows the Messiah at God's right hand until His enemies are made His footstool. Acts 3:19 also calls Israel to repent so their sins may be blotted out, showing that the nation remained the focus of the apostolic ministry.
Les Feldick is emphatic: the whole reason Jesus performed miracles, signs, and wonders was to prove to the nation of Israel that He was the Christ, the promised Messiah. He acknowledges compassion played a part, but the main thrust was identification. Because the Jews require a sign (1 Corinthians 1:22), Jesus answered that demand with miracle after miracle. Les notes that John records seven signs, each carrying "a whole trainload of truth" for Israel. One elderly retired pastor in Les's class summed it up: "He validated who he was." Les connects this to Israel's calling as a kingdom of priests (Exodus 19:6) and to the offer of the King and His kingdom. When Israel rejected and killed Him, God said, "Sit thou at my right hand" (Psalm 110:1). Even after Pentecost, the Holy Spirit empowered Jewish believers to continue signs and wonders so Israel could be converted to faith in their rejected Messiah; their chief concern remained the nation of Israel.
Les Feldick says the idea that Jesus performed miracles only because He felt sorry for the sick and blind "was certainly true," but he insists the main thrust of His signs, miracles, and wonders was to prove to the nation of Israel who He was. People often miss this, he says, but the miracles were designed to identify Jesus as the promised Messiah.
Les points to 1 Corinthians 1:22—"For the Jews require a sign"—and says this was their nature all the way through the Old Testament. Israel repeatedly asked Jesus to "show us a sign." Because of that, Christ performed miracle after miracle to prove to the Jew that He was who He said He was. Les also highlights that John's Gospel records seven miraculous signs, and each one carried a "whole trainload of truth" for the nation of Israel.
God told Israel at Sinai that they would be "a kingdom of priests" (Exodus 19:6), meaning a go-between between the Gentiles and God. Les explains that God was preparing the nation for this national priesthood, and this was the format through the Old Testament. When Jesus came, His signs and miracles showed that He was the King and that He was offering the kingdom. Israel rejected Him and killed Him, so God said through Psalm 110:1, "Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool." Even then, Peter in Acts 3 called the nation to repent so Israel could be converted to the rejected Messiah, and the Holy Spirit's outpouring enabled Jewish believers to continue performing signs so Israel could be won.
Israel's Priesthood Calling
Les explains that Israel was to become a kingdom of priests, a go-between between Gentiles and God, providing the national context for Christ's ministry.
Christ's Miracles as Proof of Messiahship
Les says the reason for all of Jesus' signs and miracles was to prove to the nation of Israel that He was the Messiah, and that many miss this main thrust.
The Jews' Article of Faith
Les stresses the whole reason for Christ's miracles was to prove to Israel that He was the Christ, the promised Messiah, and that they needed to believe that.
Jews Require a Sign
Les points to 1 Corinthians 1:22 and Jewish history to show Israel's persistent demand for signs, explaining why Jesus performed miracles to prove who He was.
Signs in John's Gospel
Les reminds that the supernatural runs through Israel's history and that John records seven miraculous signs, each carrying truth for the nation of Israel.
Israel's Conversion and Acts Miracles
Les explains that signs and wonders continued after Pentecost so Jewish believers could see Israel converted to faith in their rejected Messiah, with their chief concern still the nation.
Jesus Validated Who He Was
Les repeats an elderly pastor's answer—Jesus performed miracles to validate who He was—and notes Israel should have known but rejected Him.
Fulfillment of Isaiah's Promise
Les ties Jesus' miracles, beginning and ending with the resurrection, to proving to Israel that He fulfilled the promise of the coming King and His everlasting government.
Exodus 19:6: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
This verse shows Israel's unique calling as a priestly nation, which Les says is the framework for why Jesus ministered to Israel.
Psalm 110:1: The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
Les cites this verse to show what happened after Israel rejected Jesus: He sat at God's right hand until His enemies become His footstool.
Isaiah 9:6: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Les connects Jesus' miracles to the fulfillment of this promise of a coming King whose government would have no end.
1 Corinthians 1:22: For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
This verse explains why signs were the appropriate evidence for Israel and why Jesus performed miracles before them.
Matthew 16:16: And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Peter's confession is the exact truth that Les says Jesus' miracles were meant to prove to the nation of Israel.
Acts 3:19: Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Les points to this verse to show that after Pentecost, the apostles still called Israel to repent and be converted to the rejected Messiah.
Les Feldick says compassion was certainly true, but it was not the main thrust. The primary purpose of His signs and miracles was to prove to the nation of Israel that He was the promised Messiah.
Les points to 1 Corinthians 1:22, "For the Jews require a sign." He notes that Israel was always looking for signs, even asking Jesus to show them a sign, and that Jesus performed miracle after miracle to prove who He was.
Les explains that Israel rejected and killed Jesus, and God said, "Sit thou at my right hand" (Psalm 110:1). Yet even then, Peter in Acts 3 called Israel to repent, and the Holy Spirit enabled Jewish believers to continue performing signs so Israel could be converted.
Watch the Teaching: Why Peter Preached to "Ye Men of Israel" (Acts 2 & 3 Explained)