What Was The Purpose Of Miracles In The First Century?

In Mark 16:20, the inspired record states of the apostles: “And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following, Amen.” Today, we still hear claims being made of “miracles” on every hand. It’s a wonder anyone is sick in the world and any hospital exists! There are those that believe supernatural miracles still occur in the world of the twenty-first century. Two obvious questions that one might ask concerning supernatural miracles being performed today are these:

(1) Why aren’t all people who have diseases healed by today’s “faith healers” and all diseases eradicated? Matthew 9:35 states that “Jesus went about all the cities and villages ….. healing every sickness and every disease among the people” and (2) Why can’t so-called “miracle workers” of today raise folks from the dead? Jesus did (Luke 8:54-55; John 12:1); Peter did (Acts 9:40-42); and Paul did (Acts 20:9-12).

Since God is not the "author of confusion" (1 Corinthians 14:33), the Bible is “clear” in revealing not only the reality of miraculous events in the first century but also their purpose (Matthew 11:2-6; Mark 16:17,20; John 6:14; John 20:30-31; Hebrews 2:3-4). The purpose of miracles was one of “equipping” and “confirming.” The “equipping” role they served is declared in that with which the apostles and others would be supplied in their teaching of the gospel (Mark 16:17-18; Acts 5:12; 1 Corinthians 2:4-5; Hebrews 2:4). The validity of the apostles’ teaching was attested to as “the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs (miracles) following” (Mark 16:20).

First century miracles were not for the direct benefit of those performing the miracles nor were they intended to serve merely material purposes. The “miracle workers” of the New Testament always gave God the glory and never used them to generate income (they didn’t sell prayer cloths or ask people to give money for their so-called healing “ministry”!). Paul and Barnabas vehemently disavowed any personal honor for the miracles they performed, even in the face of an audience willing to make them gods (Acts 14:11-18). This kind of conduct is a “country mile” from the ego trips of modern “miracle workers.”

It is also interesting to note that although Jesus ordained the apostles to have power to heal sicknesses (Mark 3:14-15), that power was not used in the case of Paul (2 Corinthians 12:7-9); Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25-27); Timothy (1 Timothy 5:23); or Trophimus (2 Timothy 4:20). This indicates to us that supernatural miracles must have been for a specific spiritual purpose and not merely for the purpose of “entertainment,” “material gain,” or any other “self-seeking” purposes.

When God ended His revelation to man (Romans 16:25-26; 1 Corinthians 13:10; Ephesians 3:1-11; James 1:25; Jude 3), there was no further need for any “equipping” or “confirming” and thus no longer a need for supernatural miracles or “signs.” Today, the “completed” and “confirmed” Word of God (Jude 3; Hebrews 2:3-4) gives us the “power” (Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 1:18) to be “equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:17).

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets