MIRACLES.

IN MARK'S GOSPEL, JESUS DOES NOT DECLARE IN WORDS THAT HE IS GOD OR MESSIAH.  HOWEVER, HE DOES A SERIES OF ACTIONS THAT STATE THOSE TRUTHS ABOUT HIM., AND CHALLENGES  HIS DISCIPLES AND THE PEOPLE TO MAKE UP THEIR MINDS ABOUT HIS IDENTITY AND THE NATURE OF HIS MISSION.
IN THE FIRST EIGHT CHAPTERS OF MARK JESUS DEVOTES HIS LIFE TO MOSTLY DOING MIRACLES. THESE CAN BE DIVIDED UP INTO FOUR GROUPS.
1. MIRACLES OVER SICKNESS. JESUS DID THE "SIGNS"  ISAIAH SAID WOULD BE PRESENT WHEN THE MESSIANIC AGE BROKE IN AMONG MEN,  (ISAIAH 35:5,6; MARK 7:31-37; 8:22-26).  WHEN WE SEE A SERPENT ENTWINED AROUND THE STAFF IS A SYMBOL OF HEALING. (LOGO FOUND ON HOSPITAL SETTING WORN BY DOCTORS OR NURSES GOWNS.
2. MIRACLES OVER NATURE. JESUS DID THE VERY THINGS GOD DID IN THE OLD TESTAMENT; ( COMPARE MARK 4: 35-41 WITH PSALM 107:23-32). THE CONCLUSION MUST BE THAT THE GOD OF ISRAEL HAD COME AMONG HIS PEOPLE IN JESUS. COMPARE O.T. PASSAGES (EXODUS 16, NUMBERS 11 WITH MARK 6:30-44 AND 8:1-1O.)
3. MIRACLES OVER DEMONS HE WHO UNTIL JESUS TIME HAD AUTHORITY OVER HUMANKIND IS NOW OVER COME 3:27.MANY OF JESUS MIRACLES INVOLVED CASTING OUT DEMONS, (MARK (1:23, 32, 34, 39, 3:11; 5:2; 7;25; 8:17).
4. MIRACLES OVER DEATH IN MARK, (5:21-24, 35-43), JESUS DEMONSTRATED HIS POWER OVER MAN'S GREATEST FOE,  AND SHOWED WHAT HE WOULD FINALLY DO FOR ALL MEN. THE PHARISEES BELIEVED THAT WHEN THE MESSIANIC AGE BROKE IN, THE DEAD WOULD BE RAISED , DANIEL 12:2. JESUS ACTION IN RAISING JAIRUS'  DAUGHTER WAS MORE THAN A MERE WONDER. IT WAS A POWERFUL STATEMENT THAT THE MESSIANIC AGE HAD BROKEN IN WITH JESUS; JESUS WAS THEREFORE THE MESSIAH.
THERE ARE OTHER OVERTONES IN JESUS MIRACLES. IN JESUS DAY, JEWISH TEACHERS TAUGHT THAT A PERSON SUFFERING FROM LEPROSY OR A DISCHARGE WAS EXCLUDED FROM ISRAEL. ANYONE TOUCHING SUCH A PERSON OR A DEAD BODY WAS EXCLUDED FROM ISRAEL, AND HAD TO GO THROUGH PURIFICATION RITUALS TO BE RESTORED TO THE COMMUNITY. JESUS TOUCHED SUCH PEOPLE; SEE MARK (1;40-45; 5:21-24, 35-43; 5: 25-34; ; ISAIAH 56:8.)
SOME TEACHERS IN JESUS DAY BELIEVED THAT THE MESSIAH HAD ALREADY COME, BUT CHOSE TO REMAIN IN HIDING BECAUSE "PEOPLE WERE TO WICKED."
IF ONLY ALL ISRAEL WOULD OBSERVE THE LAW  PROPERLY FOR ONE DAY, OR KEEP TWO SABBATHS IN A ROW AS THEY SHOULD BE KEPT, THE MESSIAH WOULD REVEAL HIMSELF. JESUS BY THE WAY OF CONTRAST, BROKE TWO SUCCESSIVE SABBATHS: HIS ACTION MOVED HIS OPPONENTS TO SEEK DEATH  (MARK 2:23-3:6.)
 IT IS SIGNIFICANT THAT THE "DEMONS"  CONSISTENTLY RECOGNIZED JESUS, ( 1:24, 34; 5:7) EVEN A BLIND MAN, RECOGNIZED HIM (10: 46-42.)  HIS OWN PEOPLE, HOWEVER, COULD NOT "SEE" WHO HE WAS, THOUGH THEY COULD SEE, THEY WERE BLIND, BEING LED BY THE BLIND WHO COULD "SEE".
  JESUS REPEATEDLY COMMANDED THOSE WHOM HE HELPED, AND THE DEMONS WHO RECOGNIZED HIM, TO SAY NOTHING TO ANYONE ABOUT WHO HE WAS, (1:34, 44, 3:12: 9:9). WHY ?  HE WANTED PEOPLE TO HAVE TIME TO NOTE CLEARLY WHAT KIND OF MESSIAH HE WAS. AND WHAT KIND OF A KINGDOM HE HAD COME TO ESTABLISH. THE JEWS WERE, AFTER ALL, EXPECTING A POLITICAL MESSIAH, THE ROMANS WOULD HAVE LOST LITTLE TIME IN CUTTING THE MOVEMENT DOWN. JESUS HAD COME TO BE A MESSIANIC "SERVANT-KING,"  AND TO SUMMON PEOPLE TO FOLLOW HIM
 IN SERVANT HOOD.