Of his missionary experiences, Paul said: “For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek alter wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:22-24).
“There never was a people in the universe more difficult to be persuaded of the truth than the Jews: and had not their religion been incontestably proved by the most striking and indubitable miracles, they never would have received it. This slowness of heart to believe, added to their fear of being deceived, induced them to require miracles to attest to every thing that professed to come from God. They were a wicked and adulterous generation, continually seeking signs, and never saying, It is enough.” The particular sign they sought above all others was a Messiah in the form of a conquering king or military hero, and thus they rejected the lowly Jesus of Nazareth.