We often think of Jesus’ miracles as expressions of His compassion. The Gospels do, in fact, record several instances when Jesus’s healings were motivated by His compassion for the suffering (cf, Matt. 14:14; 20:34; Mark 1:31). And it was Compassion that moved Him to miraculously feed the multitude (Matt. 15:32-38).

However, Jesus’ mighty works were not designed merely to relieve the suffering of people who would suffer again and eventually die. His miracles had another, greater purpose: they revealed who He was.

Through the working of miracles, Jesus was fulfilling messianic prophecy. Thus, the miracles confirmed that He was Israel’s Messiah (11:2-6). As such, the miracles also validated Jesus’ teaching (cf, John3:2).

While the nation of Israel ultimately rejected Christ – even in the face of His Miraculous works—certain individuals, especially His disciples, grasped what the miracles truly revealed about the Lord. When they did so, they responded in humble worship.