Jesus performed many miracles as signs to prove that He “is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31). These signs provided evidence for sincere people to have faith in Jesus. However, there were times in His ministry when Jesus was challenged to perform miracles to prove that He was the Son of God. These challenges were not given by sincere truth-seekers. They were given by adversaries mocking His claim and attempting to spoil the purpose for His appearing in this world.

The first to so challenge Jesus was the devil. Our Lord had fasted forty days in the wilderness. “Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, ‘If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread’” (Matt. 4:3). Having taken on flesh, Jesus was subject to the pains and weakness common to mankind. It would have been easy for Jesus to meet this challenge and satisfy His hunger, but He refused.

Satan continued his attack by taking Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple and saying, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone’” (v. 6). Jesus refused to tempt the Father’s care to satisfy the devil’s challenge.

At the very end of His ministry, as Jesus hung on the cross, “those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, ‘You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross’” (Matt. 27:39-40).

Consider the temptation this set before Jesus. He was being crucified because the Jewish leaders refused to believe He was the Christ and the Son of God (Matt. 26:63-65). He is now being challenged to vindicate Himself by coming down from the cross. The chief priests, scribes, and elders joined in mocking Him by saying, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God’” (Matt. 27:42-43). Jesus possessed the power to accept this challenge and deliver Himself from the cross. But, had He done so, what would have happened to our salvation? Refusing a challenge that many of us would have accepted to vindicate ourselves and end our suffering, Jesus remained on the cross and paid the price for our sins.

Enemies (both spiritual and physical) wanted proof that Jesus was the Son of God. Jesus refused their demands, but the Father provided this proof in the Lord’s resurrection. Jesus was “declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead” (Rom. 1:4). This triumph over death and the grave was a greater sign than turning stones to bread, landing in the arms of angels, or coming down from the cross. It was an act that secured our future resurrection and eternal salvation. Today we know with certainty that Jesus is the Son of God because of the empty tomb.