John 4:46-54
46 So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” 49 The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. 51 As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. 52 So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” 53 The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household. 54 This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.
This is the text I will preach on this Sunday. I've already done some initial research, but I'm wondering if you might help me think through this passage.
What do you see as the main point? What does it tell us about Jesus? What does it tell us about ourselves? What good things about people does it affirm? How does it confront our sinfulness? What does it exalt about our God? How does it encourage us to persevere?
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3 comments:
In verse 50, the man believes, and goes on his way.
Is it his believing that allows the miracle to happen?
What if he hadn't believed? Would his son have still been healed?
What's the key here? Faith? or God's sovereignty? or a mix of both? If so, what is the mix?
I was trying to post this under your note but it says it is too long. Imagine that, I am a women of many words:-)
Here goes;
What a fun passage to read, thanks for sharing!
First thing when reading it that jumped out at me was verse 44. "A prophet has no honor in his own country!" My first thought is why does Jesus point this out? What significance does it have to this passage? I then looked at Matthew 13:43-58 to answer the question "Why is a prophet with no honor in his homeland?"
Jesus answers the question in this passage:
Jesus walked into the Synagogue doing all these miracles and the people begin to question him was he not the son of Joseph and Mary? Where did this man get all these things? And the passage says they took offense. And Jesus said again "only in a his hometown and is his own house is a prophet without honor." and then it says he did not do many miracles there because of the people's lack of faith.
My question now is why is a prophet not honored in his own country?
I did some research and it appears that a prophet while alive was killed by the sword, and wrapped in sheep's skin and burned at stakes but when they died they would adorn and honored in their tombs.
So obviously Jesus is alive and is a walking around in his own land preforming miracles. He turned water into wine in Cannon. Now here again, we see the he was rejected in the synagogue. Now here he comes again into his home land.
vs45 It says they welcomed him because they had seen all he had done at the passover feast. My next question that came to mind is what did he do at the passover feast?
It said he performed many great signs John 2:23-25.
and now in verse45 it talks about how Jesus went to a wedding with his mother and turned the water into wine.
It says
"He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him."
I would say so far we see that Jesus has proven that he something great!" that is what the prophets had said "he is the king of kings and lord of lords." The prophets before had spoken of a king that was coming.
Vs 46 My question is "What does it mean by a certain royal officer?"
Greek word basilikos which means a courtier or a king's nobleman, royal.
We can only assume that this man worked for King Herrod. Canon and Caperinum were about twenty miles a part. So this man, who worked for king Herrod, walked these miles to see Jesus.
vs 47 it says this mans son was close to death
vs 48 as we saw at the wedding feast unless the people see Miracles they don't believe in him.
The rest of the story
Jesus tells this man to go that his son was heeled. He went to the house and his servants greeted him and said his son was well. It said" That he and his household believed!"
The main point:
Jesus, this man who took on the imagine of man, who people in his own town did not believe to be the prophet that was to come, turned the world upside down. This nobleman who worked for the King heard, of the things,came to him in his desperation to save his son. Notice the passage did not say the man believe right away. He ran back home and his servants confirmed that his son was healed at the time Jesus said he would be and then he believed.
What does it tell us about ourselves?
That often it is out of desperation, it is the times our life is empty and we have no where else to turn that we find Jesus.
How does it confront our sinfulness?
I am not sure. I see this passage being all about Jesus and who He is and how he turned his home town upside down just as it was prophesied that he would. A man who did not believe in Jesus, out of desperation, the only thing he could hope in was Jesus. He came to Jesus, I assume because He had heard of Him.
What does it exalt about our God?
That is He is a God of hope. That in our desperation we can turn to Him and He will be there no matter who we are. To me it is interesting that this man worked for King Herrod. Jesus could have turned him way because He worked for the king but instead Jesus healed his son. This man came to Jesus hoping that he would help him. The passage clearly states that the man did not believe in Jesus until after he saw what Jesus did. I find that interesting.
How does it encourage us to persevere?
I will have to think about this one. I would say it encourages me to know that God is a God of restitution and hope. No matter who you are, you can find peace, refuge in Jesus.
Pasta Keith,
I think the focus of this passage is on vs 48. I'm not sure if this statement that Jesus says is particular to just this man or to others as well.
The passage also point out two times where the man believed. Vs 50 and Vs 53. I think it is implied that in vs 50 the man believed in Jesus statement that his son would be healed. He had faith it would happen. But until he found out that is was in fact the miracle of Jesus that his son was healed that he believed as in vs 53. I think this believe is in Jesus as his savior.
Hope this helps.
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