“God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?” (Hebrews 2:4).
It is one thing to offer a spiritual message that claims to offer salvation for those who choose to accept it. However, it is something very different to authenticate that message with a miraculous work. This form of corroborating evidence undergirds this passage from Hebrews 2:3: God validated the gospel message of salvation in Christ through the miraculous works of His Apostles.
In view of the fact that “signs, wonders, and miracles” represent a prominent feature of some religious ministries today, it is helpful to identify and define these important terms. A good working knowledge of these definitions can help us separate those who are involved in a genuine work of God from others who may only be seeking to defraud the spiritually uninformed (or misinformed).
We can begin by examining the word “sign” here in Hebrews 2:4. The word “sign” refers to “…an unusual occurrence, transcending the common course of nature.” (1) In a general sense, a Biblical sign serves to designate (or validate) an authentic move of God. Much like a signpost that points the way to a particular destination, a genuine spiritual sign should always direct others to the Christ of the Bible. Therefore, we should be skeptical of any “sign” that points to someone or something else.
The following author provides us with some important information in this regard…
“A sign (semeion in Greek) communicates information. None of the miracles Jesus or the apostles did was merely to impress the crowd or even to improve the quality of life for someone. Each miracle communicated information. Each wonderful work fit into the larger revelation of God’s truth. When Jesus healed people, it signified the removal of the curse. When he turned water into wine, it signified the blessing of his kingdom. When he walked on water, it signified that he had power over the elements of nature.” (2)
Another source illustrates the legitimate function of a spiritual sign with an example from Jesus’ life: “…the feeding of the five thousand (Joh 6:1-14) formed the basis of the discourse on the Bread of Life which followed (Joh 6:25-59).” (3)
Finally, a sign will do little good to those who are unwilling to follow it. We should be careful in seeking to oblige God to validate His message through such things, lest we ignore the signs that He has already provided (John 2:18-22).
(1) G4592 semeion https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?t=kjv&strongs=g4592
(2) Sproul, R. C. Before the Face of God Book 4 A Daily Guide for Living from Ephesians, Hebrews, and James [Page 44] © 1994 by R. C. Sproul, Published by Baker Books a division of Baker Book House
(3) William Macdonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary Edited by Arthur Farstad Thomas Nelson Publishers p.2161