The Concern
II. THE CONCERN A. The Jews Required A Sign (1 Corinthians 1:22)
One must remember that the sign miracles are associated primarily with the nation of Israel. The miracles recorded in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were to confirm the message that Jesus was their Messiah. If Israel, as a nation, would have received Jesus Christ as their Messiah, Christ would have established His Kingdom at that time.
"...the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks (Gentiles) seek after wisdom." (1 Corinthians 1:22) The Jews required miracle signs, so Christ gave them signs in abundance. In Matthew 10:5-8 he sent the apostles to Israel with the power to perform miracles as signs to Israel.
"...Go not into the way of the Gentiles, ... But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils (demons): freely ye have received, freely give." In Luke 10:1-20, Christ sent seventy disciples out, two by two, with the power to perform miracles.
"And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you." (Luke 10:9)
"Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." (Luke 10:19) John summarized the miracle signs in John 20:30-31 by saying,
"And many other signs (miracles) truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah), the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name."
Again, we emphasize, these signs were to authenticate the message that Jesus Christ was the Messiah.
B. Signs Were Given To Confirm The Word (Mark 16:20)
The five signs given in Mark 16:17-18 were to confirm the Word they were commissioned to preach until the New Testament was completed.
"And they (the eleven disciples) went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and CONFIRMING THE WORD WITH SIGNS FOLLOWING." (Mark 16:20)
Remember, the New Testament had not yet been written. One could not open to Ephesians, Revelation, or James, and etc., as God's completed revelation to man was not yet in writing. The Book of Acts, the transition book which chronicles the infancy of the Church Age, provides some of the record of these signs prior to the Book of Revelation.
C. The Last Miracles Of The New Testament Took Place About 58 A.D. Many Not Healed From About 60 A.D. On.
Actually, the last miracles recorded in the New Testament took place about 58 A.D. (Acts 28:1-9). There were many who were not healed from about 60 A.D. on to the present. Here are some examples:
Epaphroditus. (Php_2:25-30) This faithful servant of the Lord was a companion of Paul (v.25). His illness may have been caused by working so hard for the Lord that he did not take time to eat properly or get enough rest. (v.30) Whatever the cause, he almost died. The point is—Paul, who had performed many miracles prior to this, was unable to heal his friend. The miracle sign of healing was no longer possessed by the Apostle Paul. God did see fit to heal Epaphroditus (v.27), for Paul credits God with the healing and glory.
Timothy. (1 Timothy 1:2 with 5:23) Paul, in his writing to young Timothy, when he had won to Christ, said, "Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities." (1 Timothy 5:23) This took place about 62 A.D. There was probably no other person whom Paul loved more than Timothy, yet he was unable to heal him as he had others before. Even at this time, about 34 years before the writing of Revelation, the last book of the Bible, the miracle signs had ended.
Trophimus. (2 Timothy 4:20) "Erastus abode at Corinth: but TROPHIMUS have I left at Miletum sick.” At about 66 A.D., Paul could not heal Trophimus; but, just a few years earlier, Paul had done the following:
(Acts 13:11). Made a man blind.
(Acts 14:8-10). Made a cripple who had never walked, WALK!
(Acts 16:18). Cast out a demon.
(Acts 28:8). Healed another man.
(Acts 19:11-12). Performed special miracles.
"And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul; (11) So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them." (12) But, now, in 66 A.D., he could not heal Trophimus and had to leave him at Miletum sick. The miracle signs had ceased!
Paul. (2 Corinthians 12:7-9) Whatever illness Paul had, it affected his body for it was a "thorn in the flesh" (body). Paul could not heal himself, as he had done previously when bitten by the venomous viper. (Acts 28:1-9). He asked the Lord three times to cure him; but, in this case, it was not God’s will to do so. As 2 Corinthians was written about 58-60 A.D., we can see the power of Paul to heal himself was not present. The miracle signs had already ceased!