By Pamela Rose Williams
“Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” — John 6:29
There was a time when Jesus walked on earth (John 1:14). During His earthly ministry He often worked miracles as a sign to those that did not believe. Miracles were meant to point the unbelievers to the truth of the gospel so that they may believe.
In the context of today’s verse in John 6, Jesus had just performed the miracle of multiplying the fish and the bread to feed the multitude. People actually followed Jesus because they had seen Him perform miracles on them that were dead (John 6:2). After they finished and gathered the leftover food Jesus went off by Himself as not to be taken by the crowd as a king (because His time had not yet come, John 7:6). The disciples (the 12 apostles) also left, taking a ship toward Capernaum. Later Jesus walked on the water and joined them in the ship.
The people continually sought after Jesus because they wanted more miracles but Jesus told them that they sought after Him for the wrong reasons. He taught in the synagogue at Capernaum and He knew there were still many unbelievers among them (John 6:59). They asked for more miracles like those that God had given to Moses in the desert when He provided them with daily bread (manna). They simply did not believe that He was the Christ even as He told them:
47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. 48 I am that bread of life. 49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. (John 6:47-51)
After this many of His disciples walked away and followed Him no more (John 6:66).
More to Study About Miracles:
Jesus often used miracles as a sign the the unbelievers. Look of the following Scriptures and study them out to learn more about the purpose of miracles (sign gifts):
Mark 16:17 , John 4:48, John 14:12, Acts 3:16, Acts 4:40, Acts 19:11, 2 Thessalonians 2:9
What other Bible verses or passages were you able to find in your study? What have you learned about the purpose of the gift of miracles?
Related reading: Faith Healing
