Welcome and thank you for taking a bible break to test your knowledge of God's word.
This week's question:

Jesus grew up in Nazareth of Galilee, the son of Mary whose husband was a carpenter who passed this trade on to Jesus. Mary and Joseph had other sons and daughters who were, naturally, brothers and sisters of Jesus (Mark 6:3). At the age of about 30 years this "carpenter" began a journey of a different order after the calling of one in the wilderness, John the Baptist, who said that one would be coming who is mightier than he and that he must decrease, but Jesus must increase (John 3:30). Jesus told the multitudes that began to follow Him on His mission that His purpose on this earth was to preach the kingdom of God(Luke 4:43). Later, in Jerusalem, Jesus tells them:

John 5:39-44 "You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life;

it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.

I do not receive glory from men; but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves.

I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive me; if another comes in his own name,

you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do

not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?"

Those that saw Jesus grow in His youth and in His early years had difficulty in believing Him as the Messiah. His brothers did not believe in Him as we see in John 7:5 and even in His home town of Nazareth they tried to kill Him by throwing Him off a cliff (Mark 6:-30). Jesus had recognized this difficulty by telling them:

Mark 6:4 Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and

among his own relatives and in his own household."

Although Jesus spoke gracious words with wisdom and many were astonished by this, they still rejected Him and Jesus wondered at their unbelief (Mark 6:1-6). I believe Jesus felt He had gained some respect by the example He had set to those around Him and although He knew He would be rejected by His own hometown as He stated, it may have been to the degree of their rejection, even to the point of trying to kill Him.

When Jesus' brothers along with their mother come to see Him and they tell Jesus that they are their to see Him, He looks at His disciples and recognizing them as believers says:

Matthew 12:49-50 And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, "Behold My mother and

my brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and

mother."

Jesus recognized that His presence among the people would cause many divisions (Luke 13:49-53). And indeed, there was much grumbling among the multitudes on account of Him, trying to determine who He really was (John 7:12-13). And of course the Jewish leaders were wanting to seize Him and put Him to death (John 7:19-32).

So, for our answer to today's question. Just why did Jesus perform those amazing miracles upon this earth? To Matthew chapter nine we go to see Jesus approached by men bringing a paralytic on a bed, and Jesus seeing their faith told the paralytic in verse two, "Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven." But the scribes in overhearing Him say this felt He had "blasphemed" or that is to say He put Himself on an equality with God. Jesus tells them:

Matthew 9:4-8 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, "why are you thinking evil in your hearts? Which

is easier to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, and walk'? But so you may Know that the Son

of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"-- then He said to the paralytic, "Get up, pick up your bed

and go home." And he got up and went home. But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and

glorified God, who has given such authority to men.

So there we see the reason for the miracles. Not only would be more apt to believe in Him by
recognizing that with these signs He truly is the Son of God walking among men but that He also has the power to forgive them of their sins! And so are these written for us today that we too may glorify God by doing His will:

John 20:30-31 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which

are not written in this book; but these are written so that you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of

God; and that believing you may have life in His name.