Why does Jesus sometimes refuse to do miracles?

Introduction

Jesus used two instruments for his ministry; teaching and miracles. During his time on earth Jesus displayed the royal power of God through his sovereign charge of the elements, and the purpose of his miracles was to lead people to exclaim ‘God has visited his people’. However, if Jesus’ miracles failed to authenticate his deity and the authority of his Word they would soon cease. This article explores the purpose of miracles through Jesus’ reluctance to call upon his supernatural power.

Jesus’ reluctance to use his supernatural powers

Matthew 4:1-11

Jesus twice refuses to use supernatural power during his temptation. In the first instance the devil tempts Jesus to use his supernatural power for his own comfort and in the second he challenges Jesus to prove himself by testing God. This ordeal teaches us two things about the use of miracles; they are not to be used for one’s own physical comfort, and they are not to be used to make a point to someone who has resolutely denied God. Interestingly, this event early on in Jesus’ ministry shows us that the centrality of the Word in Jesus’ ministry. His ministry would be characterised by truth rather than triumphalism or arrogance.

John 2:1-12

Jesus’ miracle at Cana helps us to see the significance of miracles. After the miracle has occurred John tells us that this was ‘the first of his signs’ which ‘manifested his glory’ leading his disciples to trust in him. The purpose of this sign was to reveal his glory that the disciples might believe in him. The purpose of this miracle was not pragmatic. Jesus was initially reluctant to get involved in such a trivial matter, and his reluctance reveals to us that miracles are not to be done for temporal assistance alone.

Mark 6:1-6

Jesus returns to Nazareth to a synagogue of unbelieving friends who take offense at him. Even after he had preached a sermon full of wisdom and performed mighty works, they still would not believe in him. Therefore he ‘could do no mighty work there’ because of their unbelief. George Eldon Ladd suggests that ‘spiritual response is necessary to receive … physical blessing’ as faith on the part of human participants is not a necessary condition for a miracle to occur. But this is too strong. We need simply to remember the widow’s son in Luke 7. Jesus could not perform any more mighty works at Nazareth because this would have only increased the guilt of his hearers and further hardened them against God.

Mark 7:24-30

Jesus’ interaction with the Syrophoenician woman shows us the redemptive time period that Jesus was operating in. In time he grants her request and this hints at a greater universal redemptive plan. Jesus was operating under the Old Covenant, but when he performs the miracle this suggests that his mission was going to have future eternal benefits for those who came to him in faith, regardless of their heritage. All who come to him will enjoy his fully consummated reign, and Jesus’ initial reluctance to perform this miracle leads us to the conclusion that miracles are primarily for the benefit of people that belong to him both now and into eternity.

Matthew 12:38-42, 16:1-4

After Jesus heals a demon possessed man, his opponents claim that Jesus himself is demon possessed. Jesus informs them that his power is from the Spirit of God and therefore they should see that the kingdom of God has come upon them. The Pharisees utter a foolish request, when they should have been ‘amazed’ along with the other people. This foolishness reflects their spiritual blindness in being unable to recognise the signs that God is obviously giving them. In this passage we see that Jesus will perform miracles to lead people to the conclusion that he is the Son of David, but he will not perform them for an evil generation that has no spiritual life.

Luke 23:6-17

Herod was an impatient man as shown in his petty hopes when meeting Jesus. Herod had hoped to see some sign done by Jesus for his own entertainment, but Jesus refused to even answer his questions, let alone perform a sign for his amusement. Miracles are never to be done for an individual’s entertainment even if the individual is a king.

Matthew 27:32-44

Earlier in Matthew, Jesus said he could summon twelve legions of angels for his deliverance, and in Luke 4, Jesus simply walked through an angry mob that sought his life. In light of this, Matthew 27 leaves us with another example of Jesus refusing to use his supernatural power when the crowd challenges him to prove his status as the Son of God by coming down from the cross. Here Jesus refuses to use his supernatural power for his own benefit, and indeed he actually refused for the benefit of others. In rich irony it is true that Jesus couldn’t save others if he saved himself. On the cross Jesus could not use his supernatural powers, as this would have disrupted his saving mission. Miracles must only be done when they fall in line with his Father’s plan for the salvation of many through his suffering on the cross.

How the refusal of miracles helps us to understand the role of miracles

In the New Testament the purpose of miracles is to point to truth (Acts 2:22), reveal truth (Luke 11:20), lead to truth (John 10:38), remind of truth (Matt 11:2-6), give reason for belief in truth (John 20:30-31), and they can also be used as a platform for the promulgation of truth (John 6). Conversely, miracles are never done for entertainment (Mark 6:20, Luke 23:8), for purely pragmatic reasons (John 2:4), to disprove a critic/pass a test (Matt 12:38-42, Matt 16:1-4), when there is rampant unbelief (Mark 6:1-6), to alleviate personal suffering (Matt 4:1-11), for one’s own comfort (Mark 11:12), for those who will not share in the future kingdom (Mark 7:24-30), when they disrupt Jesus’ saving mission (Matt 27:40), and never for revenge (Luke 9:54).

Jesus’ refusal to perform the miraculous is important for our understanding of the role of miracles, as he is not simply a miracle worker effusing compassion. Jesus came into the world with a clear purpose and a clear plan to complete. Whenever use of his supernatural powers detracts from this he refuses to perform any miracles.

Jesus’ desire is for men and women to come closer to God and to be encouraged in their faith through his miracles, but when this stops happening and people’s hearts begin to harden rather than melt, he swiftly withdraws from them. Jesus does not wish to make people guiltier before the white throne, he wants all men and women to come to a knowledge of the truth, whereby they can repent and believe.   

Miracles cause many to be filled with awe, but it is only by God’s grace that people will actually come to trust in the Son. Miracles are enough evidence for people to believe (John 5:36), though it is only by God’s sovereign action that they will actually believe, so darkened are our minds. If miracles push people further into rebellion and unbelief they stop being productive and work against Jesus’ salvation objective. He came into the world to save it, not condemn it.  

Conclusion

Whenever Jesus employs his supernatural powers there must be a greater purpose than simply temporal need. Jesus certainly has compassion on people (Mark 6:34), however this was not the sole reason that he came. He came not simply to heal the sick for a time, but to heal them from their sins eternally by taking our illnesses upon himself and bearing our ultimate disease upon the cross. He came to be the great sin bearer and not just a great miracle worker. The miracles that he performed should lead us to wonder ‘who is this man?’ and then conclude that he is the eternal Son of God who came to seek and save the lost.

Therefore, when Jesus refuses to use his supernatural powers we can see that he consistently had this goal in mind, with his face set towards the cross (Luke 9:51). Jesus came not to alleviate suffering for a time, but to bring in the kingdom of God and grant people the right to live with him as their king. His reign over the elements showed that he is God’s anointed king who alone is able to save to the uttermost all who come to him in faith. It is this message that must be inseparably linked to Jesus’ miracles, for the purpose of Jesus’ miracles is to lead people into deeper faith as his miracles bear witness about the nature of his person and work.

His miracles also herald a coming age where sin, disease and death will be no more. Jesus regularly performs his miracles on the Sabbath, which should always point us to the eternal Sabbath that is to come. In that existence Jesus’ rule will be complete, and there will be no need for Jesus to perform miracles for all things will be made new. Under his perfect rule all things will be good. His miracles point us to the coming age of perfection and freedom.