The multitudes followed Jesus because His miracles and healings drew them, but they were not necessarily true believers.
Les Feldick shows that Jesus' signs and wonders were performed to prove to Israel that He was the Messiah, and the crowds responded with wonder and amazement. Yet after three years of ministry, only about 120 believers were gathered in Jerusalem (Acts 1:15), so following the crowd was not the same as believing.
Acts 1:15 — Shows how few true believers there were in Jerusalem after Jesus' ministry, in contrast to the multitudes that followed Him.
Acts 3:9-10 — Reveals the crowd's reaction of wonder and amazement to a miracle, the same kind of attraction that drew multitudes to Jesus.
The record in Acts shows the effect of a miracle on the people. When the lame man at the temple was healed through Peter and John, 'all the people saw him walking and praising God: And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him' (Acts 3:9-10). The people ran together to Solomon's porch, 'greatly wondering' (Acts 3:11). By contrast, after the Lord's earthly ministry the number of disciples gathered in Jerusalem was small: 'the number of the names together were about an hundred and twenty' (Acts 1:15). Scripture therefore presents the amazed multitudes and the small group of believers as different groups.
Les Feldick teaches that God has never operated with the majority. From the flood, where only eight souls were righteous, to Elijah's day, when God reserved 7,000 out of millions, the pattern is always a small remnant. Even during Christ's own earthly ministry, the true believers in the Jerusalem area numbered only about 120 (Acts 1). Les stresses that the reason for Christ's signs, miracles, and wonders was to prove to the nation of Israel that He was their Messiah; compassion was real, but it was not the main thrust. He also notes that the people who saw the miracles should have recognized that Peter and John were simply doing what their Master had done, but their memories were short. The crowds were amazed, yet amazement is not saving faith. The majority of Israel still said Jesus was an impostor.
The evidence says no. Les Feldick points out that by the end of Christ's three-year ministry, the believers in the area of Jerusalem numbered only about 120, according to Acts 1. He also observes that the people who saw the lame man healed were 'filled with wonder and amazement,' yet they did not automatically recognize that Peter and John were continuing Jesus' work. Amazement and curiosity were not the same as faith.
Les emphasizes that the main thrust of Christ's signs and miracles was to prove to the nation of Israel that He was the Messiah. While compassion for the sick and blind was genuine, it was not the primary reason. The miracles were evidence, and that evidence is what attracted the crowds.
Les teaches that God has never worked through the majority. In the flood only eight were preserved; in Elijah's day God had 7,000 out of millions. The same pattern continued during Christ's ministry: after three years, only about 120 believers were gathered in the upper room in Jerusalem. This confirms that being part of the crowd did not make one a believer.
Les describes the called-out group of Jewish believers who had believed who Jesus really was. They remained within the confines of Judaism, still practicing the law and worshiping at the temple, but they were a set-aside group who had recognized their Messiah and put their faith in Him. When persecution scattered believers throughout Judea and Samaria, the apostles stayed in Jerusalem because they understood their commission.
The people recognized the man who had sat for alms at the Beautiful gate, and they were filled with wonder and amazement. They ran together to Solomon's porch, greatly wondering. Les remarks that they should have been able to connect Peter and John with Jesus' earlier miracles, but their memories were short. Again, the crowd's reaction was wonder, not faith.
The Remnant Pattern Throughout Scripture
Les shows that God has always preserved a small remnant, from eight in the flood to 7,000 in Elijah's day, establishing the pattern that true believers are always the few.
Only 120 Believers in Jerusalem
Les points to Acts 1:15 and says that after Christ's three years of ministry, only about 120 believers were gathered in the Jerusalem area, and most of Israel still called Jesus an impostor.
Few Jewish Believers Even in Christ's Ministry
Les repeats that even during the Lord's earthly ministry, very few Jews were believers, and the upper room in Acts 1 held only 120.
The Crowd's Wonder at the Lame Man's Healing
Les shows that the people were filled with wonder and amazement at the healed lame man, yet they should have recognized that Peter and John were doing what Jesus had done, so wonder was not the same as faith.
The Small Group of Jewish Believers
Les describes the set-aside group of Jewish believers who had recognized their Messiah and put their faith in Him, showing that only a small group truly believed.
The Miracle That Could Not Be Denied
Les notes that even the council could not deny the notable miracle, and the people recognized that Peter and John had been with Jesus, yet this did not bring them to faith.
The Main Purpose of Signs and Miracles
Les teaches that the main thrust of Jesus' signs, miracles, and wonders was to prove to Israel that He was the Messiah, not just to show compassion.
Why Paul's Gospel to Gentiles Is Different From Peter's
Well, anyway. Come back into chapter 9 of Acts. Now verse 31. And so then had the assemblies, or the churches, these Jewish believers, rest throughout all Judea, because the chief persecutor now is a saved believer. And they had rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and they were edified, and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit were multiplied.
Acts 1:15: And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of the names together were about an hundred and twenty:)
Shows how few true believers gathered in Jerusalem after the Lord's ministry, in contrast to the multitudes that followed Him.
Acts 3:9: And all the people saw him walking and praising God:
Records that all the people saw the healed man walking and praising God, the miracle that drew the crowd.
Acts 3:10: And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.
Reveals the crowd's response of wonder and amazement, not faith.
Acts 3:11: And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering.
Depicts the multitudes running together, greatly wondering at the miracle.
Not necessarily. Les Feldick notes that after three years of ministry, the believers in the Jerusalem area numbered only about 120. Many in the crowds were attracted by miracles and wonders, but amazement is not the same as faith.
Les Feldick teaches that the main purpose was to prove to Israel that Jesus was the Messiah. Compassion for the sick was genuine, but the signs and wonders were primarily evidence of who He was.
According to Acts 1:15, about 120 gathered in the upper room in Jerusalem. Les says there may have been a few believers in Galilee, but the number on record for the Jerusalem area is 120.
Watch the Teaching: Why Did Israel Miss the Messiah? Romans 9:25-33 Explained