I’ve heard the question a number of times, “If Jesus was performing all sorts of miracles, why didn’t people believe he was God’s Son?” It’s actually something I wondered for a long time that was answered in a way that made sense a few years ago, and in even more detail recently.

The answer, as you might expect, is a little complex. Perhaps he wasn’t the only rabbi who performed miracles. Jewish history of that seemingly forgotten period between Micah and Matthew has a number of rabbis who are reported to have performed miracles. Could these accounts be factual?
Before you brand me a heretic, please bear me out. Ray VanderLaan offers a couple of explanations: 1) Why not? The Jews, despite the faults that developed in the religious system, are God’s people, and their religious leaders – particularly the devout hasidim from whence came the rabbis – loved God, were known to pray and fast, and many were known to be healers. Why wouldn’t God listen to their prayers and provide miraculous relief? 2) Even if God did not provide miracles through them, the people believed they did.

Just as an example, Brad Young translates the story of the rabbi Choni (”The Circle Drawer”) in “The Parables”:

Once they asked Choni the Circle drawer, “Pray that rain may fall.” He answered them “Go out and take inside the Passover ovens so that they may not be softened.” He prayed by the rain did not fall. What did he do? He drew a circle and stood within it. He spoke before him, “O Lord of the universe, your children have turned their faces to me, because I am like a son of the house before you. I swear by your great name that I will not move from here until you show mercy upon your children.” Rain started to sprinkle. He said, “Not for such rain have I prayed, but for rain that will fill the cisterns, pits and caverns.” It began to rain with more violence. He continued, “Not for such rain have I prayed, but for rain of goodwill, blessing and graciousness.” Then it rained in moderation [and continued] until the Irraelites went up to Jerusalem to the Temple Mount because of the rain. They went and asked him, “In the same way you prayed for rain to come, so pray that it may go away!”

There are other examples, as well. However, Marvin Wilson (”Our Father Abraham”) and other sholars note that there were at least three types of miracles that rabbis could not perform – all of which were performed by Jesus.

1) Blindness From Birth

The first type of miracle rabbis could not perform was curing someone who was born blind. As it was noted in John 9:32, “Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind.” So, when Jesus healed the man born blind on the Sabbath, this was likely part of what irked the pharisees so much – not just that it was a Sabbath healing, but that the man had been born blind (which was likely why it was important to include the testimony of the man’s parents).

2) Casting Out of Demons

There are accounts during the second temple period of rabbis casting out demons, but it followed a certain formula – the rabbi had to acertain the name of the demon in question, and then command it to come out in the name of the Lord. Because of this, if the demon caused the one cursed with it to go dumb, there was no way to know its name and cast it out. It is written in Matthew 9:32-33 – “While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, ‘Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.’” Additionally, we read in Mark 9:14-29

When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

“What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.

A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”

“O unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”

“From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

” ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.”

Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”

Later in the chapter (v. 38) Jesus disciples also note that they witnessed someone who was not one of them casting out demons in Jesus’ name!

3) Raising the Dead

While there are records of rabbis and the prophet Elisha raising people from the dead, it was believed that this could only happen within three days of a person’s death (which was one reason tombs were not immediately sealed upon the burial of a person). This is likely why John notes that Lazarus had been dead for four days in the account of Lazarus’ raising in John 11.

Additionally, no one else was recorded as having raised themselves from the dead. Of course, this was Jesus’ greatest miracle.

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So, back to the original question – If Jesus was performing all sorts of miracles, why didn’t people believe he was God’s Son? The answer, I would estimate, is because if they weren’t paying close attention (or believed the stories to be embellished), they mistakenly thought he was just a great rabbi. Or, if they were paying attention, like many of the pharisees, what he represented was so threatening to their world view that they couldn’t allow themselves to believe – no matter what evidence He gave.