John 2:23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. 24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men.
This passage of scripture plainly tells us that many of the people who thronged Jesus as He walked this earth, followed Him because of the miracles which He did, and not primarily because of the sacred truths which He spoke, and that's one of the reasons why verse 24 says that Christ did not commit Himself to them. Even though God invites us to follow Jesus, yet our faith should not be based on the working of miracles, but rather on what the word of God says, for those who constantly clamor for miraculous manifestations run the risk of rejecting the truth if there are no supernatural occurrences associated with it.
This common mistake of requiring miracles in order to believe, or to determine what is truth, is one of the main catalysts which caused most of the Jewish nation to reject the Messiah. Jesus came along and spoke sacred and precious truths to them, but instead of receiving the living oracles thus spoken, they locked themselves into a stoical unbelief, if miracles were not performed to confirm God's gracious words to them. Let's read:
John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. 30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? 31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
In other words, what they were saying is that Moses worked miracles in supplying manna for forty years, and so, if Jesus expected them to believe, He would have to perform greater miracles than did Moses. This mindset constitutes a state of unbelief, for to begin with, it was not Moses who performed the miracle of supplying manna, it was Jesus Christ Himself who worked through Moses as his agent. Furthermore, no human being is capable of doing any miracles whatsoever, for people are only used as agents of God or of satan.
That's why it's necessary for us to accept the truth for what it is instead of depending on miracles to certify or conversely deny the truths of God's word. Let's take for example the simple proven math that says 2+2=4. This is a proven fact that cannot be denied. However, if someone comes along and performs several major, undeniable miracles and then says that 2+2=5, the fact that miracles were wrought do not change or alter in any way the fact that 2+2=4. That's why miracles cannot, and should never be used to verify the truths of God's word.
In our day there is a growing tendency to hang our beliefs on miracles or on supernatural occurrences, instead of diligently searching the word of God for ourselves to know what is truth. More and more people are being attracted to televangelists and faith healers as being men sent by God, instead of evaluating what is being said and taught , in an objective and sober manner. The Bible tells us that as Christians we should live by every word of God, not by every miracle we see, hear, or experience. Even though we can expect miracles from God, yet our faith should be based on what the Bible teaches, and our convictions should be drawn from what is written rather than what is seen or felt.
We therefore end this brief presentation with a passage of scripture that should encourage us to search the word of God for ourselves, and if we do so with the attitude of an obedient, humble learner, God will make plain to our minds all the truths we need to know. Let's read:
Acts 17:10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. 12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.
May God enable us to follow the example of the Bereans. God Bless!