Scriptural text: John 4:46-54
Lesson Context: John’s Gospel places a high emphasis on Jesus’ miraculous works. These works serve as signs of Jesus’ identity as the Son of God (John 20:30-31).
Request of a Father (John 4:46-50a). The father was a nobleman (one belonging to the king’s court), yet his son was sick. Honours and titles are no security from sickness and death. The greatest men must go themselves to God, and must become beggars. The nobleman besought Jesus that he would come down and heal his son. It seems the nobleman thought it necessary that Jesus should be personally present in order to his performing the cure. Therefore to reprove the weakness of his faith, Jesus said to him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. The nobleman saith, Sir, come down ere my child die-Weak as his faith was, he determined, nevertheless, to urge the matter to the utmost; and therefore, without any explanation or apology on the point concerning which Christ had reproved him, he entreats Him to come down immediately, the case being so extreme, that he thought a delay might be attended with most fatal consequences. Jesus saith, Go thy way, thy son liveth – Jesus thus showing that it was not necessary for him to go in person to perform the cure.
Responses of Faith (John 50b-54). And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken – Though he had never seen or heard of a parallel case, he had indeed heard of Christ’s miracles; but, this appears to be the first, at least it is the first recorded. The first time that Christ cured the patient at a distance.
And he went his way – Without any further importunity. And as he was going, his servants met him – Eager to bring him the agreeable news of his son’s recovery, and to prevent him the trouble of bringing Jesus down. Then inquired he when he began to amend – Being desirous to know whether it happened at the very time that Jesus said, Thy son liveth. They said, yesterday at the seventh hour – Or at one in the afternoon; the fever left him – All of a sudden, and he was restored to health immediately.
Resulting Belief (v. 53). So the father knew that it was at the same hour – Or at the very time when Jesus pronounced the healing word, and that his son had therefore been miraculously cured. And himself believed, and his whole house
Namely, that Jesus, by whom so convincing and beneficent that a miracle had been wrought, must be, not only, as he before supposed, some great prophet, but even the Messiah himself.
References: Benson Bible Commentary, Matthew Henry Bible Commentary,
2021-2022 KJV Standard Lesson Commentary