NOTES for Joh 4:43-54
43 Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee. |
44 For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country. |
45 Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast. |
46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. |
47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. |
48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. |
49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. |
50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. |
51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. |
52 Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. |
53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. |
54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee. |
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This Gospel story takes place in the very place where Jesus began His public ministry, in Cana of Galilee, where He turned water into wine at a wedding. It was a place that was His own, where He could feel that He was "in His own country." But here He is now received differently, in view of the miracles He performed in Jerusalem. He is no longer just an ordinary Galilean. He is a prophet or healer from whom something special is expected.
After making the twenty-hour journey from Capernaum, a royal official comes to Him and asks Him to heal his son. He is not interested in Jesus' words when Jesus speaks to him about faith and visible miracles; at that moment he is concerned only with his son's deadly illness. He hurries the Lord: "Come down before my son dies." He understands that he must bring the healer home at all costs so that He can touch the boy. And in answer he hears, "Go; your son is well." These words, absurd from the point of view of magic, proved so convincing to him that he immediately went home, confident that his son was healed. The father received the news that his son was well after he had gone far from the city, and none of those who were present during Jesus' conversation with the royal official learned about it then.
This second miracle performed by Jesus in Galilee is the birth of faith. It is an event less obvious than signs and wonders, but no less significant than turning water into wine.
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