Jesus had just fed the 5000. The Jews who demanded a sign were probably looking for the Deuteronomy test of a prophet type sign, a fulfilled predictive prophecy. Jesus gave them the sign of the prophet Jonah, which was actually a predictive prophecy of His resurrection.
God does not give into people who seek after a sign before they will believe, exercise faith. He is not a circus seal in that way.....Do a trick before a person can believe.
Signs are for those who believe not . Prophecy for those who walk by faith. Its a law not subject to change by sign seekers .
1Co 14:22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.
The apostles asked Jesus for the sign of His coming. He told them many things, and even called one thing he predicted a 'sign.'
He is coming as a thief in the night he did not give them a specific sign but rather a general warning he is coming just as he did in the days of Noah, it will be business as usual, men marrying and giving into marriage. Sign are for those who rebel. Prophecy for those who believe as to the anchor of their souls.
And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?And Jesus answered and said unto them,
Take heed that no man deceive you.For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. Mat 24:3
The apostles prayed for God to stretch forth His hand to heal and to do signs and wonders in Acts 4. You can read Acts to see how their prayers were answered.
God is not a circus seal and needs to provide a sign before men can believe.
I don’t think if in one place Christ condemns those who seek after a sign (an evil generation, natural man) before they will believe God, and that he would promote it in another case, it only adds confusion and makes the faith of Christ without effect.
There are no commandments that we seek after a sign before a person can exercise faith.
The sign to the unbelieving Jew in Acts 4 is where they were assembled together as a multitude ; and the ones that heard prophecy were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they
spoke the word of God with boldness.
It’s an evil generation that sees after a sign before those kind of sign seekers can have the confidence they have the Holy Spirit. The last sign and wonder (Jonas) was given and fulfilled. Do we need more than He has revealed before we can believe?