NOTES for Joh 4:43-54
What does a person need in order to come to faith? Faith is one of the central concepts of the Gospel of John, for it “has been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name” (Jn 20:31). That is why practically all the episodes we read about these days connect the words and deeds of the Lord Jesus with our faith. Miracles and signs are invariably accompanied by remarks such as, “And His disciples believed in Him.” But how does the Lord Himself regard this connection? What lies behind His words, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe”—an acknowledgment that a miracle is necessary in order to believe, or a reproach for the lack of faith that cannot do without a miracle? If it is the former, what is the faith of those who have not seen miracles worth? And if it is the latter, what is faith based on miracles worth? It is impossible to believe without any grounds at all, but it is equally impossible to prove anything or interpret it unambiguously. Apparently, faith is a state of spirit that enables us to walk in the half-light, to remain faithful when signs are lacking, and to discern the signs that point out the way.