Why Did Jesus Perform Miracles?
Why Did Jesus Perform Miracles?
It doesn’t take very long for us to encounter a miracle when we read the Bible. A miracle is a supernatural sign that God does in His creation. The four Gospel accounts are full of miracles performed by Jesus. Have you ever wondered why Jesus performed miracles?
Why did Jesus perform miracles? The miracles performed by Jesus Christ are more than just legends and stories. They are proof that Jesus is the Son of God. The Lord’s Chosen Servant, the Savior who was to come. The nation of Israel was looking for the promised King from the line of David (2 Samuel 7:12-14a; Isaiah 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5-6). The miracles of the blind receiving sight, the lame walking, the lepers being cleansed, the deaf hearing, the dead rising, and the poor receiving good news were all proof that Jesus is the promised Messiah sent from God (Matthew 11:2-6).
With such an important claim, it is important that we dig a little deeper.
The Promised Savior
From the very beginning God promised to send forth the Savior of the world. Immediately after the fall of man in Genesis 3:15, there is what scholars call the protoevangelium. This is simply the first proclamation of the gospel.
“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”
God promised that His Savior who would come forth from the seed of woman. This Seed would crush the enemy beneath His feet.
Later we read in the call of Abram to be the father of the Jewish nation,
“And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:2-3, bold added)
Through the nation of Israel would come the Savior of the world. The One spoken of in Genesis 3:15. Through the line of Abraham One was to come who would be both the Lord and Savior of the world (Acts 2:36). For more on why this was necessary see our article: Why Did Jesus Die For Sins?
Throughout the Scriptures, God has revealed more information regarding the lineage of the Savior.
When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish His kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of His kingdom forever. I will be to Him a father and He shall be to Me a Son. (2 Samuel 7:12-14a)
There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. (Isaiah 11:1)
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He shall reign as King and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which He will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’ (Jeremiah 23:5-6)
The Scriptures make it clear that the One through whom the nations would be blessed would come through the lineage of David. Through David’s offspring, God would bring forth the righteous Savior. It is this One whose kingdom would be established forever.
For more, check out our free video series on Christ in the Old Testament. You may also be edified by our article revealing how Christ is proclaimed in the books of Moses.
His Works
The Bible does not just speak of the lineage of the Savior. But it also speaks on the works of the Savior. In Isaiah 42, there is recorded the first Servant psalm. This speaks of the character and the works of the Chosen Savior,
“I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.” (Isaiah 42:6-7)
When the Savior sent by God through the people of Israel and the lineage of David comes, He will do marvelous works. Opening the eyes of the blind and setting the prisoners free. Later in Isaiah 61 more is recorded of the Anointed One’s works,
The Spirt of the Lord God is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the eyes to those who are blind; and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn. (Isaiah 61:1-2)
The Savior would also:
bring good news to the poor,
bind up the brokenhearted,
open the eyes of the blind, and
proclaim the day of vengeance of the Lord.
Thus, the One who would do these things was the promised Savior whom Israel was looking for. The One through whom all the nations would be blessed.
Jesus the Savior
In Matthew chapter 11 there is a very important narrative,
Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the One who is to come, or shall we look for another?” And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by Me.” (Matthew 11:2-6)
Several things are affirmed by this passage.
The Jews were looking for the Savior.
The Jews would have recognized the works mentioned in Isaiah 42:6-7 and 61:1-2 to be works of the Savior.
Jesus was performing these works.
Thus, the works were proof that Jesus was the Savior King sent by God.
John the Baptist was the cousin of Jesus. John had leapt in his mother’s womb because of the sheer presence of Jesus in the womb of Mary (Luke 1:41). While in prison, John the Baptizer asked a very pointed question to Jesus. “Are You the One who is to come?”
Jesus responds very simply. Look to My works. They will tell you!
The miracles Jesus performed pointed to the truth that He was the Son of God. The One sent into the world to save it, to bless the nations. The One from the lineage of David, whose kingdom would be established forever.
The apostle John affirms this truth in his Gospel account,
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name. (John 20:30-31, bold added)
For more on how Jesus is the Savior, see our articles: Why Did Jesus Die For Our Sins? and Forsaken By God.
Related Questions
What is the purpose of miracles in the Bible? The overarching purpose of miracles in the Scriptures is to bring glory to God. Most often the miracles were signs that pointed to the truth that the LORD is God and there is none other but Him. Always, man’s response to the miracles should be belief in God, through His Son, Jesus the Christ.
What miracles will Jesus perform in the future? Jesus has given us the ultimate proof that He is the Son of God, the Savior, through His resurrection from the dead. All who believe in the name of Jesus will be saved. However, for the unbelieving world there is perhaps one more important sign and it is the rapture. The gathering of His people in the clouds as He comes back to judge the world in righteousness.
