The Pharisees and Sadducees asked Jesus to “show them a sign from heaven.” In response to the Pharisees, Jesus said, “an evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign”, therefore “no sign will be given.” (Matthew 16:1,4; Mark 8:12)
Question 1: Why is there a need for the Pharisees to ask Jesus for a sign when Jesus already performed many signs and wonders?
Question 2: Why is it that after saying, “an evil generation seeks for a sign”, Jesus continues to perform many signs and wonders?
The answer is simple. The Pharisees were not asking Jesus to do signs and wonders in general, they were asking Jesus to produce a specific kind of sign (“a sign from heaven”), and at a specific time (“on their demand”). They were not satisfied with the signs Jesus already performed.
Many modern day anti-Charismatic love to use these passages to teach only perverse people seek after signs and wonders.
No. This passage is not teaching us not to seek for signs and wonders.
On the contrary, throughout the Bible we are encourage to pursue the supernatural.
- Pursue spiritual gifts. (1 Cor. 14:1)
- After already performing many signs and wonders, the apostles prayed for more signs and wonders. (Ac. 4:30)
Everyone who pursue healing (e.g. Blind Bartameus, the woman with an issue of blood) were rewarded with healing.
What this passage is teaching us, is that we must not have the mindset of the Pharisees.
We must not be stubbornly locked in unbelief that we can never be satisfied with testimonies of miracles we already hear.
We must not be willing to be persuded onlyif the “miracle-worker” can produce the specific type of sign and at the specific time we demanded.
It is not those who seek signs that are perverse.
If anyone is perverse at all, those who likely the Pharisees, refuses the believe.