Why Did Jesus Perform Miracles?

One of the earliest miracles was the Flood (Genesis 6-9). God caused rain to fall for 40 days and nights and waters to come up from the deep, covering the earth and judging humanity’s wickedness. At the same time, he saved both Noah’s family and many animals, two or so of every kind, in the ark. The epic miracle showed God’s justice working with his mercy and desire to renew creation through a righteous man and his family.

God performed several amazing miracles while delivering Israel from Egyptian slavery. Through Moses, God sent ten plagues upon Egypt (Exodus 7-12), including turning the Nile to blood and killing the firstborn. These acts symbolically and spiritually judged Egypt’s false gods and caused Pharaoh to release the Israelites. Just like with the Flood, God also saved many from the death of the firstborn through the Passover. The parting of the Red Sea is another dramatic miracle, when God parted the waters so his people could escape on dry ground, but Pharaoh's army was drowned.

In the wilderness, God provided miracle bread from heaven, manna (Exodus 16) and water from a rock (Exodus 17). These miracles were meant to teach Israel to trust God for daily provision. Later, while conquering the land of Canaan, God performed more signs of his power. He stopped the Jordan River, like the Red Sea, so his people could cross into the Promised Land (Joshua 3). At Jericho, he caused the city walls to collapse after the Israelites obediently marched around them several times (Joshua 6). Numbers and Joshua mention the “giants” that needed to be removed from the land, and how defeating such mighty men would take God’s help and strength.

These miracles revealed God’s presence with his people and his commitment to help them fulfill his covenant. In addition, they were meant to encourage Israel’s absolute trust in him alone instead of their own ability.

During the ministries of Elijah and Elisha, God performed miracles through the prophets to call Israel back to himself and away from idolatry. Elijah called down fire from heaven on Mount Carmel to prove the Lord’s supremacy over the false god, Baal (1 Kings 18). Both prophets raised the dead, multiplied food, and healed the sick. These miracles reminded the nation of God’s power, the blessings of following him alone, and the consequences of idolatry.

Jesus reflects much of these principles in his own ministry of miracles.

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First, Jesus used miracles to reveal his identity. “Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father” (John 10:37-38). Jesus’ miracles showed he wasn’t just a man or a teacher or another prophet but the actual Son of God, one with the Father. These supernatural works affirmed his divine nature, that he was the Messiah. 

Second, Jesus glorified God through miracles. After healing a blind man, Jesus said, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:3). Healings and miracles lifted people’s vision to the person of God, leading them to worship him. Before raising Lazarus, Christ prayed, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me” (John 11:41-42). The miracles testified to God’s glory and power. 

Third, Jesus performed miracles to support his teaching that the Kingdom of God was at hand (Matthew 4:17). Jesus said, “But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Matthew 12:28). His miracles were signs that the Kingdom had broken into the world. In this sense, Jesus actions were reminiscent of Joshua, driving out evil forces by casting out demons and healing sickness. These miracles revealed he had authority over all creation, both seen and unseen – even life itself. The Kingdom brought redemption and freedom through the King of Kings. 

Fourth, Christ saw needs and acted with compassion and love. When he encountered hunger, sickness, oppression, and grief, he responded with care to heal and bring relief. The Gospels regularly give an account for how he saw the crowds and had compassion on them, like they were sheep without a shepherd (Mark 6:34). His miracles revealed God’s love in action. 

Finally, these miracles didn’t save anyone; they revealed the true Savior. In John 20:30-31, John wrote, “Jesus preformed many other signs in the presence of his disciples … but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” God performs miracles to ultimately draw people to real, saving faith in him.

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In his first miracle, Jesu turned water into wine at a wedding in Cana (John 2:1-10). The hosts had run out of wine, and Jesus transformed six large jugs of water into wine. However, this wine was of greater quality, far better than what had been served before. John says, “What Jesus did here … was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him” (John 2:11). Jesus revealed his authority over creation, gave the disciples more faith, and even symbolized the new, inner creation available in Christ. 

Another famous miracle was when Jesus fed the five thousand (John 6:1-15). With thousands of hungry people before them and no money or food for them, the disciples worried about the crowd. They had five loaves and two fish, so Jesus took these, multiplied them, and fed a massive crowd until everyone was full. They even had twelve baskets of food leftover. Jesus taught trust in God’s provision and pointed to an ever deeper truth. “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry” (John 6:35). The ultimate point wasn’t physical food but the need for Jesus as our real sustenance.

Maybe one of the greatest miracles was raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11). Jesus’ friend, Lazarus, had been dead for three days. Jesus arrived, wept in compassion and grief, and called his friend forth out of the tomb. Lazarus walked out, still in his grave clothes. Before the miracle, Christ told Martha how he was the resurrection and the life, and this miracle points to how our future resurrection is within the Person who is the resurrection, the Son of God. Jesus would defeat death and offer hope for eternal life.

For every miracle, Jesus had a purpose beyond the act itself, often many layers deep. The miracles aren’t ends in themselves but signs pointing to Jesus as Savior, transcendent God, and source of eternal life.

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Miracles didn’t only happen a few thousand years ago. Being in Christ now, we can learn many things from Jesus’ miracles recorded in the Gospels. 

First, these supernatural events really happened and validated him as the promised Messiah. We can still use them as evidence Christ spoke and acted with authority and love. These miraculous events can strengthen our faith, while also empowering us to draw others to the God of the impossible. Further, the miracles support his teaching, validating each word as authoritative and true. 

Second, Jesus’ miracles announced the coming of God’s Kingdom, which we live in today by the Spirit. In the Kingdom of God, nothing unclean or sinful exists, not sickness, demons, or death. The miracles reveal the activity of the Kingdom now and its future fulfillment. God will one day restore all things to righteousness and justice, ending Satan and his works. Everyone longs for a world without corruption and division, despite their religious beliefs. God promises us and others this future world through miracles. 

Third, we must remember miracles don’t save. Like teaching and charity, they point us towards faith in Jesus alone. Only Christ’s finished work on the cross brings salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). Miracles, however, open hearts and minds to receive the truth of the Gospel. They reveal God as active, living, powerful, and loving. Acts 14:3 tells us, “Paul and Barnabas … spoke boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of this grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.” Miracles validated the message of Jesus. 

Fourth, we should expect miracles to happen. Often, we say or think, “God can do miracles,” but we don’t really believe he will. This is unbelief, knowing God can but won’t, like the Israelites refusing to fight giants, despite having seen him do several miracles before. This doesn’t mean we’ll see every sickness healed, but God still performs miracles. In modern missions and ministry, many have testified to how God uses miracles to soften hearts, especially in unreached areas. Healings, deliverances, and answers to prayer continue to strengthen our faith and draw people to Jesus. This isn’t the only way God works, and miracles aren’t the goal, only tools for a heart transformation in Jesus. 

The God of Scripture still does amazing things to glorify himself, reveal his compassion, teach of an eternal reality, and draw the lost to salvation in Christ. As one of his many methods, God uses miracles today to invite individuals to believe and enter his Kingdom. 

Peace.

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