Acts 14:3

Long time therefore they tarried there speaking boldly in the Lord, who bare witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

It was the extensive Gentile character of Iconium which resulted in the "signs and wonders" God performed there by the hands of the apostles, thus "confirming the word" as had been promised (Mark 16:20). In situations more completely Jewish, such "signs of an apostle" (2 Corinthians 12:12; Romans 15:18) were not necessary. The Jews already professed to receive the Scriptures as the word of God; but the Gentiles knew nothing of the Scriptures, or at least but little; hence the appearance of signs.

The opposition mentioned above in Acts 14:2 was perhaps frustrated by the mighty miracles performed by Paul (Galatians 3:5). At any rate the preaching continued without abatement for some time.

It is of interest to note that each time miracles are mentioned they are associated with apostles, or persons on whom the apostles had laid hands. Never do we hear of the Christians in these towns working miracles through their great faith.[9]

Some have vainly supposed that if modern Christians only had faith like the apostles they could perform miracles of healing; but such a view does not take account of the purpose for which miracles were given in the apostolic age. The miracles in view here were God's way of "bearing witness to the word of his grace," and were in no sense merely for the benefit of the suffering.