John 4:43

In these verses we have,

I. Christ's coming into Galilee, Joh 4:43. Though he was as welcome among the Samaritans as he could be any where, and had better success, yet after two days he left them, not so much because they were Samaritans, and he would not confirm those in their prejudices against him who said, He is a Samaritan (Joh 8:48), but because he must preach to other cities, Luk 4:43. He went into Galilee, for there he spent much of his time. Now see here,

1. Whither Christ went; into Galilee, into the country of Galilee, but not to Nazareth, which was strictly his own country. He went among the villages, but declined going to Nazareth, the head city, for a reason here given, which Jesus himself testified, who knew the temper of his countrymen, the hearts of all men, and the experiences of all prophets, and it is this, That a prophet has no honour in his own country. Note, (1.) Prophets ought to have honour, because God has put honour upon them and we do or may receive benefit by them. (2.) The honour due to the Lord's prophets has very often been denied them, and contempt put upon them. (3.) This due honour is more frequently denied them in their own country; see Luk 4:24; Mat 13:57. Not that it is universally true (no rule but has some exceptions), but it holds for the most part. Joseph, when he began to be a prophet, was most hated by his brethren; David was disdained by his brother (Sa1 17:28); Jeremiah was maligned by the men of Anathoth (Jer 11:21), Paul by his countrymen the Jews; and Christ's near kinsmen spoke most slightly of him, Joh 7:5. Men's pride and envy make them scorn to be instructed by those who once were their school-fellows and play-fellows. Desire of novelty, and of that which is far-fetched and dear-bought, and seems to drop out of the sky to them, makes them despise those persons and things which they have been long used to and know the rise of. (4.) It is a great discouragement to a minister to go among a people who have no value for him or his labours. Christ would not go to Nazareth, because he knew how little respect he should have there. (5.) It is just with God to deny his gospel to those that despise the ministers of it. They that mock the messengers forfeit the benefit of the message. Mat 21:35, Mat 21:41.

2. What entertainment he met with among the Galileans in the country (Joh 4:45): They received him, bade him welcome, and cheerfully attended on his doctrine. Christ and his gospel are not sent in vain; if they have not honour with some, they shall have with others. Now the reason given why these Galileans were so ready to receive Christ is because they had seen the miracles he did at Jerusalem, Joh 4:45. Observe, (1.) They went up to Jerusalem at the feast, the feast of the passover. The Galileans lay very remote from Jerusalem, and their way thither lay through the country of the Samaritans, which was troublesome for a Jew to pass through, worse than Baca's valley of old; yet, in obedience to God's command, they went up to the feast, and there they became acquainted with Christ. Note, They that are diligent and constant in attending on public ordinances some time or other meet with more spiritual benefit than they expect. (2.) At Jerusalem they saw Christ's miracles, which recommended him and his doctrine very much to their faith and affections. The miracles were wrought for the benefit of those at Jerusalem; yet the Galileans who were accidentally there got more advantage by them than they did for whom they were chiefly designed. Thus the word preached to a mixed multitude may perhaps edify occasional hearers more than the constant auditory.

3. What city he went to. When he would go to a city, he chose to go to Cana of Galilee, where he had made the water wine (Joh 4:46); thither he went, to see if there were any good fruits of that miracle remaining; and, if there were, to confirm their faith, and water what he had planted. The evangelist mentions this miracle here to teach us to keep in remembrance what we have seen of the works of Christ.

II. His curing the nobleman's son that was sick of a fever. This story is not recorded by any other of the evangelists; it comes in Mat 4:23.

Observe, 1. Who the petitioner was, and who the patient: the petitioner was a nobleman; the patient was his son: There was a certain nobleman. Regulus (so the Latin), a little king; so called, either for the largeness of his estate, or the extent of his power, or the royalties that belonged to his manor. Some understand it as denoting his preferment - he was a courtier in some office about the king; others as denoting his party - he was an Herodian, a royalist, a prerogative-man, one that espoused the interests of the Herods, father and son; perhaps it was Chuza, Herod's steward (Luk 8:3), or Manaen, Herod's foster-brother, Act 13:1. There were saints in Caesar's household. The father a nobleman, and yet the son sick; for dignities and titles of honour will be no security to persons and families from the assaults of sickness and death. It was fifteen miles from Capernaum where this nobleman lived to Cana, where Christ now was; yet this affliction in his family sent him so far to Christ.

2. How the petitioner made his application to the physician. Having heard that Jesus was come out of Judea to Galilee, and finding that he did not come towards Capernaum, but turned off towards the other side of the country, he went to him himself, and besought him to come and heal his son, Joh 4:47. See here, (1.) His tender affection to his son, that when he was sick he would spare no pains to get help for him. (2.) His great respect to our Lord Jesus, that he would come himself to wait upon him, when he might have sent a servant; and that he besought him, when, as a man in authority, some would think he might have ordered his attendance. The greatest men, when they come to God, must become beggars, and sue sub forma pauperis - as paupers. As to the errand he came upon, we may observe a mixture in his faith. [1.] There was sincerity in it; he did believe that Christ could heal his son, though his disease was dangerous. It is probable he had physicians to him, who had given him over; but he believed that Christ could cure him when the case seemed deplorable. [2.] Yet there was infirmity in his faith; he believed that Christ could heal his son, but, as it should seem, he thought he could not heal him at a distance, and therefore he besought him that he would come down and heal him, expecting, as Naaman did, that he would come and strike his hand over the patient, as if he could not cure him but by a physical contact. Thus we are apt to limit the Holy One of Israel, and to stint him to our forms. The centurion, a Gentile, a soldier, was so strong in faith as to say, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof, Mat 8:8. This nobleman, a Jew, must have Christ to come down, though it was a good day's journey, and despairs of a cure unless he come down, as if he must teach Christ how to work. We are encouraged to pray, but we are not allowed to prescribe: Lord, heal me; but, whether with a word or a touch, thy will be done.

3. The gentle rebuke he met with in this address (Joh 4:48): Jesus said to him, "I see how it is; except you see signs and wonders, you will not believe, as the Samaritans did, though they saw no signs and wonders, and therefore I must work miracles among you." Though he was a nobleman, and now in grief about his son, and had shown great respect to Christ in coming so far to him, yet Christ gives him a reproof. Men's dignity in the world shall not exempt them from the rebukes of the word or providence; for Christ reproves not after the hearing of his ears, but with equity, Isa 11:3, Isa 11:4. Observe, Christ first shows him his sin and weakness, to prepare him for mercy, and then grants his request. Those whom Christ intends to honour with his favours he first humbles with his frowns. The Comforter shall first convince. Herod longed to see some miracle (Luk 23:8), and this courtier was of the same mind, and the generality of the people too. Now that which is blamed is, (1.) That, whereas they had heard by credible and incontestable report of the miracles he had wrought in other places, they would not believe except they saw them with their own eyes, Luk 4:23. They must be honoured, and they must be humoured, or they will not be convinced. Their country must be graced, and their curiosity gratified, with signs and wonders, or else, though the doctrine of Christ be sufficiently proved by miracles wrought elsewhere, they will not believe. Like Thomas, they will yield to no method of conviction but what they shall prescribe. (2.) That, whereas they had seen divers miracles, the evidence of which they could not gainsay, but which sufficiently proved Christ to be a teacher come from God, and should now have applied themselves to him for instruction in his doctrine, which by its native excellency would have gently led them on, in believing, to a spiritual perfection, instead of this they would go no further in believing than they were driven by signs and wonders. The spiritual power of the word did not affect them, did not attract them, but only the sensible power of miracles, which were for those who believe not, while prophesying was for those that believe, Co1 14:22. Those that admire miracles only, and despise prophesying, rank themselves with unbelievers.

4. His continued importunity in his address (Joh 4:49): Sir, come down ere my child die. Kurie - Lord; so it should be rendered. In this reply of his we have, (1.) Something that was commendable: he took the reproof patiently; he spoke to Christ respectfully. Though he was one of those that wore soft clothing, yet he could bear reproof. It is none of the privileges of peerage to be above the reproofs of the word of Christ; but it is a sign of a good temper and disposition in men, especially in great men, when they can be told of their faults and not be angry. And, as he did not take the reproof for an affront, so he did not take it for a denial, but still prosecuted his request, and continued to wrestle till he prevailed. Nay, he might argue thus: "If Christ heal my soul, surely he will heal my son; if he cure my unbelief, he will cure his fever." This is the method Christ takes, first to work upon us, and then to work for us; and there is hope if we find him entering upon this method. (2.) Something that was blameworthy, that was his infirmity; for, [1.] He seems to take no notice of the reproof Christ gave him, says nothing to it, by way either of confession or of excuse, for he is so wholly taken up with concern about his child that he can mind nothing else. Note, The sorrow of the world is a great prejudice to our profiting by the word of Christ. Inordinate care and grief are thorns that choke the good seed; see Exo 6:9. [2.] He still discovered the weakness of his faith in the power of Christ. First, He must have Christ to come down, thinking that else he could do the child no kindness. It is hard to persuade ourselves that distance of time and place are no obstructions to the knowledge and power of our Lord Jesus; yet so it is: he sees afar off, for his word, the word of his power, runs very swiftly. Secondly, He believes that Christ could heal a sick child, but not that he could raise a dead child, and therefore, "O come down, ere my child die," as if then it would be too late; whereas Christ has the same power over death that he has over bodily diseases. He forgot that Elijah and Elisha had raised dead children; and is Christ's power inferior to theirs? Observe what haste he is in: Come down, ere my child die; as if there were danger of Christ's slipping his time. He that believeth does not make haste, but refers himself to Christ. "Lord, what and when and how thou pleasest."

5. The answer of peace which Christ gave to his request at last (Joh 4:50): Go thy way, thy son liveth. Christ here gives us an instance, (1.) Of his power, that he not only could heal, but could heal with so much ease, without the trouble of a visit. Here is nothing said, nothing done, nothing ordered to be done, and yet the cure wrought: Thy son liveth. The healing beams of the Sun of righteousness dispense benign influences from one end of heaven to another, and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. Though Christ is now in heaven, and his church on earth, he can send from above. This nobleman would have Christ come down and heal his son; Christ will heal his son, and not come down. And thus the cure is the sooner wrought, the nobleman's mistake rectified, and his faith confirmed; so that the thing was better done in Christ's way. When he denies what we ask, he gives what is much more to our advantage; we ask for ease, he gives patience. Observe, His power was exerted by his word. In saying, Thy son lives, he showed that he has life in himself, and power to quicken whom he will. Christ's saying, Thy soul lives, makes it alive. (2.) Of his pity; he observed the nobleman to be in pain about his son, and his natural affection discovered itself in that word, Ere my child, my dear child, die; and therefore Christ dropped the reproof, and gave him assurance of the recovery of his child; for he knows how a father pities his children.

6. The nobleman's belief of the word of Christ: He believed, and went away. Though Christ did not gratify him so far as to go down with him, he is satisfied with the method Christ took, and reckons he has gained his point. How quickly, how easily, is that which is lacking in our faith perfected by the word and power of Christ. Now he sees no sign or wonder, and yet believes the wonder done. (1.) Christ said, Thy son liveth, and the man believed him; not only believed the omniscience of Christ, that he knew the child had recovered, but the omnipotence of Christ, that the cure was effected by his word. He left him dying; yet, when Christ said, He lives, like the father of the faithful, against hope he believed in hope, and staggered not through unbelief. (2.) Christ said, Go thy way; and, as an evidence of the sincerity of his faith, he went his way, and gave neither Christ nor himself any further disturbance. He did not press Christ to come down, did not say, "If he do recover, yet a visit will be acceptable;" no, he seems no further solicitous, but, like Hannah, he goes his way, and his countenance is no more sad. As one entirely satisfied, he made no great haste home; did not hurry home that night, but returned leisurely, as one that was perfectly easy in his own mind.

7. The further confirmation of his faith, by comparing notes with his servants at his return. (1.) His servants met him with the agreeable news of the child's recovery, Joh 4:51. Probably they met him not far from his own house, and, knowing what their master's cares were, they were willing as soon as they could to make him easy. David's servants were loth to tell him when the child was dead. Christ said, Thy son liveth; and now the servants say the same. Good news will meet those that hope in God's word. (2.) He enquired what hour the child began to recover (Joh 4:52); not as if he doubted the influence of Christ's word upon the child's recovery, but he was desirous to have his faith confirmed, that he might be able to satisfy any to whom he should mention the miracle; for it was a material circumstance. Note, [1.] It is good to furnish ourselves with all the corroborating proofs and evidences that may be, to strengthen our faith in the word of Christ, that it may grow up to a full assurance. Show me a token for good. [2.] The diligent comparison of the works of Christ with his word will be of great use to us for the confirming of our faith. This was the course the nobleman took: He enquired of the servants the hour when he began to amend; and they told him, Yesterday at the seventh hour (at one o'clock in the afternoon, or, as some think this evangelist reckons, at seven o'clock at night) the fever left him; not only he began to amend, but he was perfectly well on a sudden; so the father knew that it was at the same hour when Jesus said to him, Thy son liveth. As the word of God, well-studied, will help us to understand his providences, so the providence of God, well observed, will help us to understand his word; for God is every day fulfilling the scripture. Two things would help to confirm his faith: - First, That the child's recovery was sudden and not gradual. They name the precise time to an hour: Yesterday, not about, but at the seventh hour, the fever left him; not it abated, or began to decrease, but it left him in an instant. The word of Christ did not work like physic, which must have time to operate, and produce the effect, and perhaps cures by expectation only; no, with Christ it was dictum factum - he spoke and it was done; not, He spoke and it was set a doing. Secondly, That it was just at the same time that Christ spoke to him: at that very hour. The synchronisms and coincidents of events add very much to the beauty and harmony of Providence. Observe the time, and the thing itself will be more illustrious, for every thing is beautiful in its time; at the very time when it is promised, as Israel's deliverance (Exo 12:41); at the very time when it is prayed for, as Peter's deliverance, Act 12:12. In men's works, distance of place is the delay of time and the retarding of business; but it is not so in the works of Christ. The pardon, and peace, and comfort, and spiritual healing, which he speaks in heaven, are, if he pleases, at the same time effected and wrought in the souls of believers; and, when these two come to be compared in the great day, Christ will be glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that believe.

8. The happy effect and issue of this. The bringing of the cure to the family brought salvation to it. (1.) The nobleman himself believed. He had before believed the word of Christ, with reference to this particular occasion; but now he believed in Christ as the Messiah promised, and became one of his disciples. Thus the particular experience of the power and efficacy of one word of Christ may be a happy means to introduce and settle the whole authority of Christ's dominion in the soul. Christ has many ways of gaining the heart, and by the grant of a temporal mercy may make way for better things. (2.) His whole house believed likewise. [1.] Because of the interest they all had in the miracle, which preserved the blossom and hopes of the family; this affected them all, and endeared Christ to them, and recommended him to their best thoughts. [2.] Because of the influence the master of the family had upon them all. A master of a family cannot give faith to those under his charge, nor force them to believe, but he may be instrumental to remove external prejudices, which obstruct the operation of the evidence, and then the work is more than half done. Abraham was famous for this (Gen 18:19), and Joshua, Jos 24:15. This was a nobleman, and probably he had a great household; but, when he comes into Christ's school, he brings them all along with him. What a blessed change was here in this house, occasioned by the sickness of the child! This should reconcile us to afflictions; we know not what good may follow from them. Probably, the conversion of this nobleman and his family at Capernaum might induce Christ to come afterwards, and settle at Capernaum, as his head-quarters in Galilee. When great men receive the gospel, they may be instrumental to bring it to the places where they live.

9. Here is the evangelist's remark upon this cure (Joh 4:54); This is the second miracle, referring to Joh 2:11, where the turning of water into wine is said to be the first; that was soon after his first return out of Judea, this soon after his second. In Judea he had wrought many miracles, Joh 3:2; Joh 4:45. They had the first offer; but, being driven thence, he wrought miracles in Galilee. Somewhere or other Christ will find a welcome. People may, if they please, shut the sun out of their own houses, but they cannot shut it out of the world. This is noted to be the second miracle, 1. To remind us of the first, wrought in the same place some months before. Fresh mercies should revive the remembrance of former mercies, as former mercies should encourage our hopes of further mercies. Christ keeps account of his favours, whether we do or no. 2. To let us know that this cure was before those many cures which the other evangelists mention to be wrought in Galilee, Mat 4:23; Mar 1:34; Luk 4:40. Probably, the patient being a person of quality, the cure was the more talked of and sent him crowds of patients; when this nobleman applied himself to Christ, multitudes followed. What abundance of good may great men do, if they be good men!

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

SECOND GALILEAN MIRACLE--HEALING OF THE COURTIER'S SON. (Joh 4:43-54)

after two days--literally, the two days of His stay at Sychar.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Joh_4:43-45

And after two days He departed thence, and went into Galilee

Moral usefulness

I.

MAN MAY DO MUCH GOOD WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD. TWO days Jesus spent in Samaria, and what did He accomplish?

1. He broke up religious monotony.

2. Set minds thinking.

3. Won many to His cause.

4. Sowed truth that has yielded glorious harvests in all subsequent ages. Every man can and ought to accomplish great spiritual good in two days--not only by preaching and writing for the press, but by indoctrinating hisfamily with Christly sentiments, and distributing through the neighbourhood the Bread of Life. No man will be able to plead the brevity of life for moral uselessness.

II. MANS EFFORTS TO DO GOOD ARE OFTEN OBSTRUCTED BY A STUPID PREJUDICE.

1. Christ here states a fact. Of course there are exceptions. Home teachers are not so valued as foreign.

2. There is no good reason for it. The doctrines of a teacher should be independent of his country.

3. There are bad reasons for it. The prejudice springs from jealousy, envy, pride.

4. The prejudice Christ felt was against His usefulness. Prejudices are fetters that enslave the intellect, clouds that obscure the vision, bolts that shut out the truth.

III. MANS DESIRE FOR DOING GOOD SHOULD BE THE INSPIRATION OF HIS LIFE. Christ leaves Samaria, confronts a powerful prejudice, and enters Galilee. What for? To do good. Such should be the great aim of all men, for two reasons

1. It is the greatest work, enlightening the intellect, liberating the will, purifying the heart, transforming the man into the image of Gods son.

2. It is a most soul recompensing work. It covers a multitude of sins, wins the sympathies of immortal spirits, and secures the approbation of conscience and God. The fruits of all other fields we leave behind at death, but from this field we shall gather sheaves to all eternity.

IV. MANS POWER TO DO GOOD INCREASES AS HIS PAST USEFULNESS GETS RECOGNIZED (Joh_4:45, see chap. 2:23). The Galileans had witnessed His wonders in Jerusalem. What they knew of Him disposed them to accept Him. Mans power of usefulness is cumulative; the more good he does the more his capacity for usefulness increases. (D. Thomas, D. D.)

A prophet hath no honour in his own country

A twice verified proverb

I. NEGATIVELY (Joh_4:44).

1. Regarded. Christ had an eye to this maxim when He avoided settling in Nazareth; which showed

(1) Christs intimate acquaintance with human nature.

(2) His ability to read the signs of the times.

(3) His wisdom in selecting the most advantageous fields of labour--all of which qualities are essential to the preacher or teacher (1Ch Mat_16:3; 1Co_16:9).

2. Exemplified (Luk_4:29; Mat_13:58). So Christs servants find the circles most difficult to impress are those of ones household and Luk_6:40; Mat_10:25).

3. Explained.

(1) Envy. His fellow-townsmen were amazed at His superior wisdom and manifest supernatural gifts (Mat_13:54).

(2) Pride.

(3) Familiarity. A prophet must be something of a mystery man if he would make his way in the world (Joh_7:27). Familiarity breeds contempt.

II. POSITIVELY (Mat_13:57).

1. Illustrated, as in Judaea (Joh_2:23; Joh_4:1) and Samaria (verses 39-41), so now in Galilee, the inhabitants accorded Him a joyous welcome. The judgments of strangers are more to be relied on than those of friends. So with the apostles (Act_13:46; Act_15:3; Act_15:7; Act_15:12; Act_18:6).

2. Justified. The behaviour of the Galileans was not an unreasoning enthusiasm. They had witnessed Christs miracles at Jerusalem nine months before (Joh_2:23), and had apparently then arrived at Nicodemuss conclusion (Joh_3:2). It was, therefore, becoming and right that they should meet Him with acclamation. So already has the Gospel effected such marvels that it has a right to a cordial reception.

Lessons:

1. The power of prejudice.

2. The advantage derived by the Gospel from publicity.

3. The ultimate triumph of Christs kingdom. (T. Whitelaw, D. D.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh 4:43-45. After two days, he went into Galilee — That is, into the country of Galilee: but not to Nazareth, where he had spent his childhood and youth. It was at that town only that he had no honour. And therefore he passed by it, and went to other towns. Luke, speaking of this journey, says, Luk 4:14, Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit unto Galilee. See also Mat 4:12; Mar 1:14-15. The Galileans received him — Treated him courteously, and attended his ministry with a disposition to believe, having conceived a favourable opinion of him by reason of the miracles they had seen him perform in Jerusalem during the passover.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

§ 24.—PUBLIC MINISTRY IN GALILEE, vv. AND HEALING OF NOBLEMAN’S SON, Joh_4:43-54.

The following narrative has some external resemblance to the healing of the centurion’s servant, (Luk_7:10,) but their essence is very different. That relates an instance in which great faith and humility were honoured; this a case of weak faith reproved but confirmed.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

EXPLANATORY AND CRITICAL NOTES

Joh_4:43-54. Our Lord’s Galilean ministry.—Detailed accounts of His work in Galilee are found in the Synoptics (Mat_4:12; Luk_4:14; Mar_1:14 to Mar_2:14).

Joh_4:44. For Jesus Himself testified, etc.—The crux in this passage is the meaning of the words His own country. There are three significations:

(1) Judæa, as the country of His nativity, and that in which prophecy declared Messiah would arise (Mic_5:2).

(2) Lower Galilee, including Nazareth, as distinct from Upper Galilee, including Capernaum, etc.

(3) Galilee as a whole. There is much to be said for each of these interpretations; but, as Luthardt points out in regard to

(1), it does not suit the connection; for Jesus was not leaving Judæa, but Samaria. Then, as regards

(2), He went to Cana, which was near Nazareth. It seems, on the whole, best to hold

(3) as the correct interpretation (Mar_6:4; Luk_4:24). What, then, is the connection of the adage, a prophet, etc., with His going into Galilee? The explanation of Luthardt, that He went to seek rest, and in Galilee would have more probability of obtaining it than elsewhere, because He would be more unobserved, does not commend itself as satisfactory. Godet’s view seems on the whole the most consistent with all the facts, viz. that our Lord did not begin an extended work in Galilee at first, quite aware of the fact that a prophet has no honour, etc.; but after nearly a year’s ministry in Jerusalem and Judæa, where many Galileans had heard and seen Him, He returned with more hope of securing recognition. And this hope was justified, as Joh_4:45 testifies. It might be pointed out also that there was special force in the application of this adage to Galilee, when we remember the words of Nathanael (Joh_1:46), and what was said to Nicodemus by the Pharisees (Joh_7:52).

Joh_4:46. The miracle here recorded is distinct from that of the healing of the centurion’s servant (Mat_8:5; Luk_7:2).

Joh_4:52. He began to amend (κομψότερον ἔσχε).—The phrase “appears to have been used in familiar conversation, as we might say, ‘He begins to do nicely,’ or ‘bravely’ ” (Westcott). Seventh hour.—If the reckoning be in Jewish time, then this hour will mean about 1 p.m. And as it would be late at night before the father reached Capernaum, the servants could easily say that it was yesterday when the amendment in his son began, as the Jewish day closed at sunset. The Jewish sabbath, e.g., begins when the first star appears.

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.—Joh_4:46-54

The healing of the nobleman’s son.—This miracle is quite distinct from that recorded in Mat_8:5-13 and Luk_7:1-10. The meaning of the term “nobleman” in this narrative is not clearly understood. The general idea is that this man was a public functionary under the government of the district, and in all probability an official of the court. It has been conjectured that he may have been either Herod’s (Antipas) Steward “Chuza” (Luk_8:3) or Manaen, that tetrarch’s foster-brother (Act_13:1). He had no doubt heard of Jesus; the fame of the miracle at Cana had invaded Capernaum; and the Galileans who had been at Jerusalem during our Lord’s sojourn there would bring back reports of His teaching and work. But this man hitherto seems to have given himself little concern regarding this new Teacher and His doings. But a crisis in his life drove him to seek Jesus. His paternal love, well-nigh desperate at the sight of his dying boy, led him as a last resort to see if there might be hope through this Worker of miracles. The incident is not only another proof of the power of Jesus, but a history of the nobleman’s growth in faith.

I. Notice the weakness of his faith.—

1. He had some small glimmering of faith, that hope might arise in that quarter. And we may well conceive how in that sorrowful journey to Cana hope and fear alternated in his heart.

2. Although, therefore, his faith, such as it was—a kind of faith founded on report (like that of the Samaritans, Joh_4:41-42)—led him to Christ, it was very imperfect. He regarded Christ apparently as simply a wonder-worker, a physician with almost more than human skill, who would come and see the sick boy, touch him, perhaps administer some medicament of unknown virtue, in order to a cure. That this was his state of mind seems clear from our Lord’s reply to his first request (Joh_4:48).

3. This weakness of his faith is further shown in his trembling eagerness to prevail on our Lord to go to Capernaum with him (Joh_4:49). It is very pathetic to notice this eagerness: only parental love can fully understand it.

II. The manner in which his faith was strengthened.—

1. Through Christ’s word of promise. His eager importunity after our Lord’s rebuff (Joh_4:48) showed that the smoking flax was not quenched; so our Lord nursed it into flame. The presence and dignity of our Lord doubtless made an impression on him, but it was the word of promise (Joh_4:50) which increased his faith and hope. He remembered that Christ’s word had made the water wine. So, too, His word still has power to quicken and strengthen the weak in faith. Searching the Scripture is a means to this end, and the preached word especially has been to many the power of God, etc. (1Co_1:18).

2. His faith was still further confirmed, when on the way home his servants met him with the joyful news of his son’s recovery; and it was finally and irrevocably assured when on careful inquiry he learned that his boy completely, and in no ordinary way, recovered at the moment when Christ’s word of power was spoken (Joh_4:51-52). Thus “the more carefully the divine works and benefits are considered, the more nourishment faith acquires” (Bengel).

III. The proof that his faith was now assured.—

1. In his outward confession. He would joyfully recount all that had occurred at Cana, and his firm conviction that Jesus was what He Himself claimed and His disciples declared Him to be.

2. In the power of his faith to convince others (Joh_4:53).

Joh_4:47-54. The nobleman led by Jesus from faith to faith.—The faith of the Samaritans had refreshed the Redeemer as cool water refreshes a weary wayfarer; in Galilee, where He had laboured more extensively, none had believed on Him for His word’s sake. He needed to “educate” men unto faith. We also fail in this faith in Christ for His word’s sake, although we have often experienced the Saviour’s love. Let us, like the nobleman of Capernaum, allow ourselves to be instructed by Jesus and brought to true faith. We consider:—

I. The nobleman’s coming to Jesus.—

1. He had heard of Jesus, and trusted in His power to work miracles and in His goodness.

2. He went to Jesus and humbly prayed Him to give help.

II. His tarrying with Jesus.—

1. Jesus’ rebuke of his reliance on miraculous signs.

2. The patient reception of the rebuke of Jesus by the nobleman, and the repetition of his request.

3. Jesus’ words of promise; the reliance of the nobleman thereon, and his attraction to our Lord’s person.

III. His return homeward from our Lord’s presence.—

1. The nobleman’s joyful obedience to the command of Jesus.

2. The confirmation of his faith even on the way homeward, and his meeting with his son now healed.

3. His testimony to Christ among the members of his household, and the result in their belief in the Saviour.—J. L. Sommer.

Joh_4:47-54. The blessing of the cross.—There is a blessing in the cross laid upon us which we have to bear. We call Christ’s cross His dear cross, because He bore it. And we reckon ours to be so also when He lays it upon us to draw us to Himself. This thought seems to lie at the base of this gospel narrative. It teaches us the blessing of the cross of affliction; because:—

I. It awakens from sinful security.—

1. This nobleman was an official of Herod Antipas, whom John the Baptist warned, and whose criminal and slavish attachment to his brother’s wife led to his becoming John’s murderer. And as was the king, so for the most part would be his friends and the officials of his court. We hear of no penitence on his part. Memory alone would not let the past die. Her accusing voice even the king could not silence (Mat_14:2).

2. But even amid such surroundings may be found traces of a better life. And the Sun of divine grace, looking down even on this moral swamp, quickened into life plants of righteousness on spots not wholly submerged.

3. How far God had already dealt with this man does not appear. But now He touches him with affliction, and his loved little boy (παιδίον) lay nigh to death. Then he would be led to ask: Whence comes this sorrow? where can help be found?

II. It drives the troubled one to the Saviour.—

1. This official resided in Capernaum, which Jesus had already visited (Joh_2:12). But the nobleman had not known Him, or had not been drawn to Him during that visit, even though he may have heard of the miracle at Cana.

2. But this trouble had awakened him from his sleep of indifference. In this condition he was like one newly awakened, not quite clearly conscious of his surroundings. So this man did not know which way to turn. Some in this condition frequently consider that it is too late to do anything. But God gave the nobleman an indication. He heard that Jesus, who had wrought the miracle at Cana, had returned. Here was hope! Where was He? At Cana, six to eight hours away. So he went away, leaving his son for the time, to seek Jesus.

3. It was the cross led him to Jesus—led him at first with erroneous notions as to the Saviour’s work, etc. He came to Jesus as to a mere healer of the sick; and the consequent rebuke of Jesus might have led to opposition and doubt in his heart had not the thought of his dear boy led him to persevere. “Lord, come down” (Joh_4:49) shows that he was learning true faith and supplication. Affliction was teaching him. And in these words we discern faith “as a grain of mustard seed.” If Jesus would come down all would be well. The dignity of our Lord’s person, His word of promise, all contributed to the growth of faith. But it was the cross that opened his eyes and led him to Jesus.

III. The incident teaches us like precious faith.—

1. That when affliction presses it may drive us to hear of Christ and to go to Him, and come praying. Then you will learn to call Him Lord, and not to despair if the answer is not at once accorded.

2. If your own cross is not sufficient to impel you, look at His which He bore for you.

3. Thus you will be given faith and assurance that He has heard, for heaven is certainly no farther from you than Capernaum from Cana.

4. So does affliction lead to Christ. It is the under-shepherd—the shepherd’s dog—to bring the wanderers back; the morning bell calling to the Church of the New Jerusalem, sounding often harshly and discordantly to the ear, but when men are in the Church leading to hallelujahs.

5. Then when faith is born Christ sustains it; it would be weak without its seal. Therefore the glad father learned, Thy child liveth: at the same hour as Jesus spoke his child was healed. Thus his faith received its seal, “and he believed, and his whole house.”—Adapted from Dr. Fried. Ahlfeld.

HOMILETIC NOTES

Joh_4:47-50. How does the Lord deal with those weak in faith?

Introduction.—Eze_34:16; Gen_33:13.

I. He does not turn them away from Him, but rebukes them as they require (Joh_4:47-48).

II. He calls them to believe in His word, on which all depends (Joh_4:49-50).

III. He gives them to experience the blessed result of this faith in order to strengthen them (Joh_4:51-53).

IV. He converts them into instruments fitted to lead others to faith (Joh_4:53).—Dr. v. Biarowsky.

Joh_4:47-54. The ladder of faith.—The ladder of faith, on which we see the man in our Gospel ascending with firm, unfaltering steps, has three divisions, and each division its rounds.

I. On the first division we see the man driven by his needs standing before the Lord.

II. On the second division we see faith and temptation striving with each other.

III. On the third division we see how the soul becomes through grace certain and joyful.

And we further notice:

1. The word of promise there laid hold of.

2. The experience there realised.

3. The confirmation of the promise given.—Appuhn in J. L. Sommer’s “Evang. Per.”

Joh_4:53. The importance of faith.—Faith, like a divine light, enkindles others also. It is with faith as it is with a ship which struggles on in a storm. As soon as the rudder is left such a ship will make no progress, but will drift before the gale. He believed. What did he now believe? Not that his son had been restored to health. Belief in this fact was left behind; he saw with his own eyes that his son lived. What, then? He believed that Jesus was Christ and was able to help him in every time of need. The end of the miracles of Christ is to bring about belief that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Ye fathers and mothers, implant faith and the fear of God in the hearts of your children and the members of your household. This will come to pass when you have a “Church in your house,” and the word of Christ dwells richly among you; when you show a good example, maintain proper discipline, and reprove such as are evil.—J. J. Weigel.

Joh_4:54. “This is the second miracle,” etc.—The bell had now been sounded a second time, in order that the Galileans might come in greater crowds to the preaching of the word.—Idem.

ILLUSTRATIONS

Joh_4:46. God wounding in order to heal.—There is an old German parable somewhat as follows: “A boy lay down on the shore of a lake and fell asleep. His father, however, was on the heights engaged in his work. But the wind rose and began to drive great waves along the shore. They mounted higher and higher, and each new wave advanced farther, till speedily they had reached the slumbering child. The father saw this from the height where he was; he raised his voice and shouted. But the boy slept on. Thereupon he came down from the hill, laid hold of and shook the sleeper. But the latter still slept peacefully on. Therefore, as the waves swelled around, the father struck him smartly on the ear, so that he might awake.” The meaning lies beneath the surface. The child who sleeps on the shore is thyself, O man, in thy sinful security. The lake is that of destruction, that every hour threatens to overwhelm thee. Thy father is thy God, who sees thy hardbeartedness with sorrow. He calls upon thee, by His holy word, which should penetrate thine ear and thy heart. He startles thee in that He punishes sinners on the right hand and the left, and passes judgment on them. He smites thee finally with affliction, so that thou mayest awake, and the flood and curse of sin may not engulf thee. Beloved brother, sister, do not shrink from thy cross. Hear, go, pray, only believe. If the Lord has begun by visiting you with the rod Woe, believe it, He will lay it aside anon and take the staff Gentleness, when He has awakened you and drawn you to Himself. Only on those who harden themselves come stroke on stroke, each harder than the other.—Dr. Fried. Ahlfeld.

Joh_4:53. The power of a living faith testifying to God’s goodness.—That this nobleman believed with all his heart is a beautiful example of the power of a living faith. He could not conceal within himself what he had experienced—he must needs bear witness of it and make it known to those whom God had laid on his heart and bound to him, so that they also might attain to a faith and blessedness like that he himself tasted. Faith is not self-seeking—it is indeed a divine work of grace in us, and therefore it streams out in works of love, and brings also others to like precious faith in Christ. Each genuine conversion is the seed-corn for the future conversion of others; and more especially is the conversion of the member of a family, according to God’s will, a circumstance which ought to have the very highest and most blessed result for that family (Act_16:31). From the effect on the other members of the family the word then passes through the zeal of the converted still further to the whole people and to all mankind. Hence experience teaches us that always in the Church of the Lord, when genuine faith in the Redeemer is awakened afresh, a new and warmer zeal for missions is awakened; and thus from one centre new light and life are spread abroad to many. That which the family history of the nobleman of Capernaum and the jailer at Philippi shows in a narrow circle we see expanded in the history of missions. And so we ought to desire that everywhere genuine conversions of individuals may take place, for then from them the knowledge of Christ would speedily and powerfully be extended.—Translated from F. G. Lisco.

The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.

VIII

Residence Of Jesus In Galilee, And Believing Gailean In Particular. The Nobleman. The Miracle Of Distant Healing, As A Second Sign

Joh_4:43-54

(Joh_4:47-54. Gospel for 21st Sunday after Trinity.)

43Now after [the, τάς]95 two days he departed thence, and went [omit and went]96into Galilee.97 44For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honor in his own 45country. Then when [When therefore, ἅτε οὖν] he was come [he came, ἦλθε] into Galilee, the Galileans received him, having seen all the things [omit the things] that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto [to] the feast.

46So Jesus [he]98 came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine.

And there was a certain nobleman [a royal person or officer, τις βασιλιχός,] whose son was sick [,] at Capernaum. 47When he heard [The same, having heard, ὸὖτος ὰχούσας] that Jesus was [had] come out of Judea 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. 48Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders,ye will not believe. 49The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. 50Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken [spake, εἶπεν] unto him, and he [omit he] went his way. 51And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him [brought 52word],99 saying, Thy son [his child, παῖς αὐτοῦ]100 liveth. Then [he] 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. 53So the father knew that it was at [in] the same hour, in the [omit the] which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and 54[. And he] himself believed, and his whole house. This is again the second miracle that Jesus did [This again, a second sign, wrought Jesus, τοῦτο πάλιν δεύτερον σημεῖον ἐποίησεν ὁ ’Ιησ.], when he was [had] come out of Judea into Galilee.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

[The miraculous healing of the nobleman’s son resembles the healing of the centurion’s servant, Mat_8:5; Luk_7:1, but must not be confounded with it (see the points of difference in the note on Joh_4:46). It was the second miracle which Christ wrought in Galilee (Joh_4:54); the first being the change of water into wine (John 2). John relates a third miracle in Galilee, the feeding of the multitude, which is followed by a long discourse (John 6), and three miracles in Judea, viz.: the healing of the cripple at the pool of Bethesda (5), the healing of the blind (9), and the raising of Lazarus (11). He also relates three appearances of the risen Saviour (Joh_21:14). Bengel (on Joh_4:54) notes this threefold trinity with the remark: “Hæc nimirum Johannis methodus est, ut per ternarium incedat.”—P. S.]

Joh_4:43. And went.—The repetition: Ἐξῆλθεν ἐκεῖθεν, and καὶ ἀπῆλθεν, should be noted with reference to the next verse. See the Textual Notes (No. 2).

Joh_4:44. For Jesus himself testified.— Himself. Meyer: “Not only other people in reference to Him. For the matter itself, comp. Mat_13:57; Mar_6:4; Luk_4:24.” Tholuck better: “He had himself acknowledged the correctness of the popular proverb.” [The proverb itself is based upon common experience and needs no explanation. “Familiarity breeds contempt,” while “distance lends enchantment to the view.” The Germans have a similar proverb: “This is not far off” (Das ist nicht weit her), i. e., nothing uncommon. Many of the greatest men were despised or ignored in their native land or city, and made their renown or fortune in foreign lands. The only difficulty is in the logical connection as indicated by γάρ—P. S.] The question is, how is the for (γάρ) to be explained? or how can He go to Galilee because a prophet hath no honor in his own country? for we should expect either the reverse, or although (καίπερ) instead of for (γάρ).101 Answer:

1. Πατρίς [patria] is not the native country (Vaterland), but the native city (Vaterstadt), even in antithesis to the country of Galilee (Chrysostom, who understands it of Capernaum, Cyril, Erasmus, Calvin, etc.). Against this: The antithesis is not demonstrated.

[Nearly all who understand πατρίς of the native town, refer it, not to Capernaum (with Chrysostom and Euthymius Zig.), which is altogether out of the question, but to Nazareth, where Christ was not born, indeed, but raised, and where He lived to the time of His public ministry. (So Cyril Alex., Calvin, Grotius, Bengel, Olshausen, Hengstenberg, Bäumlein, Trench, on Miracles, p. 99, Wordsworth) Nazareth in Galilee then is contrasted here with Galilee in general, as the city of Jerusalem is contrasted with the land of Judea, Joh_3:22. This view has a strong support in Luk_4:24 (comp. Mat_13:57; Mar_6:4), where Christ says in the synagogue of Nazareth: “No prophet is accepted in his own country ” (ἐν τῇ πατρίδι αὐτοῦ). This was soon shown by the action of the Nazaræans who “thrust Him out of the city and led Him to the brow of the hill, that they might cast Him down headlong” (Joh_4:29); while in Capernaum the people “were astonished at His doctrine” (Joh_4:32), and, as John relates, received Him well (Joh_4:45). John may have supposed this event to be already known from the other Gospels. The only objection to this view is, that Galilee, Joh_4:43, would naturally include Nazareth. It would be necessary to explain the γάρ from Joh_4:46 : Christ went to Cana in Galilee (which lies north of Nazareth), without passing through His native place, for the reason mentioned. The choice lies between this interpretation and that of Dr. Lange (see below, No. 7), which comes nearest to it. All others are too far-fetched.—P. S.]

2. Πατρίς is Judea, since He was born in Bethlehem (Origen, Maldonatus, Schweizer, Ebrard [formerly], Baur). Against this: a. His acknowledged home was Nazareth, notwithstanding He was born in Bethlehem;102 b. In Judea He had been well received by the people; c. The construction, that Judea was His country, as being the country of the prophets (Origen, Baur, Baumgarten-Crusius), would be unintelligible.

3. Judea is indeed meant to be understood as His πατρίς, but this just proves the unhistorical character of John’s Gospel (Schwegler, Bruno Bauer; Schweizer: The unhistorical character of the ensuing narrative, which is to be considered an interpolation).

4. For means namely, that is to say, and relates not to what precedes, but to what follows. The sentence is a preliminary explanation of the fact that the Galileans did indeed this time receive Jesus well, but only on account of the miracles they had seen at their visit to the last passover in Jerusalem [which set them the fashion in their estimate of men and things, while the Samaritans believed in Him for His word without signs]. (So Lücke [3 ed.], De Wette, Tholuck.103 Contrary to the spirit of the maxim, to the context (for a nobleman from Capernaum meets Him at the outset at Cana seeking help), and to the fact in general.

5. Christ went to Galilee just because He expected not to find acceptance there. (a) Brückner: To accept the conflict—which, however, was more threatening in Judea; (b) Hofmann, Luthardt [now also Ebrard]: Because He hoped [to avoid publicity and] to find rest and quiet in Galilee—in which, however, He would be disappointed. [Against both these views may be urged also that the text reports neither a conflict, nor a quiet retirement in Galilee, but a miracle of healing.—P. S.]

6. Meyer: “Πατρίς is not the native town, but the native country, viz., Galilee, as is proved by Joh_4:43; Joh_4:45, and as usual with the Greeks since Homer. The words contain the reason why Jesus did not hesitate to return to Galilee, but the reason lies in the antithetic relation implied in ἐν τῇ πατρίδι. For if, as Jesus Himself testified, a prophet is without honor in his own country, he must earn it in another. And this Jesus had done in Jerusalem. He now brought with Him the honor of a prophet from a distance. Hence too He found acceptance with the Galileans, because they had seen His miracles in Jerusalem (Joh_2:23).”104 Against this: a. Then the word must have stood at Joh_4:1. But there another motive stands for His having now left Judea. b. The remark must have been, that He came already full of honor, because He had none to expect in Galilee, c. It must not have been known that He was ill-received in His own πατρίς, in the narrower sense, on this very return.

7. Πατρίς is Lower Galilee, to which Nazareth belonged. We believe we have found the full solution in the fact that now took place, the removal of Jesus from Nazareth, where He had been thrust out, to Capernaum, on the presumption that Capernaum belonged to Galilee in the narrower sense, i.e., to Upper Galilee, to which Nazareth, in Lower Galilee, did not belong. This is supported (a) by the fact that the name Galilee in the narrower sense referred to Upper Galilee (see Forbiger, Handbuch der alten Geographie II., p. 689); (b) by the statement of Josephus, that Upper Galilee was separated from Lower Galilee by a line drawn from Tiberias to Zebulon [De bello Jud. ΙΙΙ. 3, 1), which throws Nazareth into Lower Galilee. If now we consider that John writes with the living, popular view of Palestine thoroughly in his mind; that he knew of an unknown Bethany, a ferry-village on the other side of the Jordan, of an otherwise unknown Salim, near Ænon, of an elsewhere unknown Syohar, probably a suburb of Sichem, of the pool of Bethesda with its porches, of Solomon’s Porch in the temple,—we may also conceive that John knows of a Galilee in the provincial sense, and that he can say without geographical reflection, Jesus went to Galilee, as the Swiss in Geneva says without reflection: I am going to Switzerland; the Pomeranian: I am going to Prussia. This is further favored by the expression in Luk_4:31 : He “came down from Nazareth to Capernaum, a city of Galilee;” against which it signifies nothing that Galilee sometimes occurs in John, especially in the mouth of another, in the wider sense. (See Leben Jesu, II. 2, p. 542.)

Joh_4:45. The Galileans received him.—Received Him favorably. A general observation concerning His acceptance in Upper Galilee, particularly in Cana, Bethsaida, Capernaum, etc. They received Him; antithetic to an implied rejection. Having seen all the things that he did.—No ignoring of His earlier miracles in Cana and Capernaum. It was to the Galileans a new and higher attestation, that Jesus had made a great impression even in Jerusalem with His signs. It was their countryman who had purified the temple, and filled the holy city with wonder.

Joh_4:46. So Jesus came again.—What means this οὖν, so? The first time Jesus had gone on from Nazareth to Cana. And now He again went first to Nazareth. And if He wished to go thence to Galilee, we might expect He would proceed first to His friends in Cana. In Cana He seems to have tarried several days; at all events the βασιλικός comes hither for Him.

And there was a certain nobleman [royal officer, βασιλικός].—An officer of Herod Antipas, the tetrarch (whom the common people considered and called a king, Mat_14:1; Mat_14:9),105 The title βασιλικός combines civil and military dignity; hence some have taken this βασιλικός to be identical with the centurion of Capernaum (Irenæus, Semler, Strauss, Baumgarten-Crusius).

The office, the sick boy, the distant healing, are similar features.

On the other side are these differences:

1.The time; here before the removal of Jesus to Capernaum, there long after it.

2. The place of Christ at the time; here Cana, there the vicinity of Capernaum.

3.The characters; here excited, weak, feebly believing, there calm, confident, strong of faith.

Other differences, by themselves considered, might be more easily wiped away: The υἱός here, the δοῦλος there (a distinction, however, which is not resolved by the common παῖς: here the boy is a small boy, a child (Joh_4:49), there a stout youth); there a Gentile, here a miracle-believer, probably a Jew. Yet these with the foregoing strengthen the difference. But the most decisive diversity is in the judgment of the Lord. The faith of the centurion He commends with admiration; the faith of the nobleman He must first subject to a trial. [Chrysostom, Trench, Alford: The weak faith of the nobleman is strengthened, while the humility of the centurion is honored.]

Accordingly this miracle has been in fact by most expositors (from Origen down) made distinct from the other.106

Joh_4:48. Except ye see signs and wonders.—Shall have seen. Ye must first have seen these, before ye come to faith. The stress does not lie decidedly on ἴδητε (Storr), thus censuring the request to go with him. The man’s answer does not agree with this; and ἴδητε must then have stood first. Still the ἴδητε is not without significance; as is indicated by the fact that we here have for the first time in John σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα, whereas hitherto he has spoken only of σημεῖα. And wonders (τέρατα) must be emphasized. But the less therefore can we suppose a general reproof of the Galileans, with reference to Joh_4:45 (Meyer); for it was the way of Jesus Himself to lead through faith in miracles to faith in the word, Joh_10:38; Joh_14:11; Joh_15:24. Christ, therefore, reproves not the faith in miracles in itself (Eckermann), but the craving for miracles or miracle-mania. He intimates besides, that there is a higher grade of faith than that which rests on the seeing of miracles; as appears more distinctly afterwards, in Joh_14:11; Joh_20:29. He designates the petitioner and those like him as a class of people who are not

set beforehand towards the kingdom of God, but have yet to be brought to faith by signs and wonders (τέρατα); of course presupposing a sensuous spirit with a weak readiness to believe, passion for miracles, personal interest in the miracle (signs and wonders for yourselves), and an inordinate desire for seeing, 1Co_1:22. We must, however, consider that the reproof is not intended for a rejection, but for discipline, to hush the excitement of the man, and recall him to his inward spirit. Yet the palliation of Maldonatus [Rom. Cath.] is too strong: That the words contain no censure, but only a declaration of the spiritual infirmity of the people now proved by a fact.

Joh_4:49. Sir, come down ere, etc.—The man proves not strong enough, indeed, to take the reproof of Christ, but it is enough that he does not feel wounded and repulsed, and that he persists and grows more urgent in his prayer. The utterance of a father’s love in trouble and anguish: My child is dying; as in Jairus, the Canaanitish mother, and the father of the demoniac under the mount of transfiguration. This distress of love makes him a believer.

Joh_4:50. Go thy way; thy son liveth.—Not only the word of miraculous help, but at the same time also the second and decisive test. He must believe and go at the word. And the man believed the word; he stood the test.

Explanation of the miracle:

1. Paulus makes of it a medical prognostication after the account of the sickness given by the father: comp. also Ammon.

2. Others have supposed the operation of a magnetic healing power (Olshausen, Krabbe, etc.).

3. Meyer, on the other hand: By his will. This is of course the main thing, as in the doctrine of creation. God created the world by His will. But if we conceive the will of God abstractly, and exclude all co-operation of His vital force, we are ultra-supernaturalistic (and perhaps ultra-Reformed). The will of Christ is unquestionably the main thing, but it does not work abstractly; without a vital force proceeding from Him. (comp. Mar_5:30) the thing is not apprehended, though the magnetic healing virtue affords only the natural analogy or form for it. Even the miracle of immediate knowledge comes into the account, inasmuch as Christ wrought only where He saw the Father work, Joh_5:19. And the same instant, in which this saving life-ray flies into the heart of the father, it flies also into the heart of his distant son. For how near this father now was to his son in his inward communication, Jesus alone knew.

Joh_4:52. Then he inquired of them.—The fact alone did not satisfy him; he wished to trace it to its cause. That is, he leaned towards faith. “Not self-interest merely, but a religious interest also in the case, is guiding him.” Tholuck. And then it appeared, (1) that the son suddenly recovered, and (2) at the hour when Jesus spoke the word. Yesterday at the seventh hour.—According to the Jewish division of the day this could perhaps have been said in the evening of the same day, after six o’clock. The healing took place soon after noon, and probably the father set out immediately for home. According to our reckoning of the day, a night must have intervened; which would give a strange length of time for a distance of some eight or ten hours, and Lampe adjusts by supposing that the man, in his firm faith, did not travel festinans, while De Wette thinks it strange that he stopped over night on the way. But the meeting of the servants might very well have occurred the next morning, without the journey having been slow.

Joh_4:53. And he himself believed, and his whole house.—It is palpably the rule, that, with the father, the family also become believers (Act_10:44; Act_16:15; Act_16:32); but here the Evangelist calls particular attention to it by his expression. The members of the family had seen the sudden recovery, but had not heard the word of the Saviour.

Joh_4:54. This sign Jesus wrought as the second, etc., Πάλιν is not to be connected with δεύτερον, nor to be referred to ἐποίησεν by itself, but to the statement that Jesus had returned from Judea to Galilee. Jesus had meantime done many other miracles, even in Capernaum; this miracle marks His second return to Galilee, as the miracle at Cana had marked the first. He brought healing with Him at once, and it went out from Him even in distant results.

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

1. In regard to the spirit in which Jesus just now comes to Upper Galilee and performs this miracle, it must be observed that according to Luk_4:14 sqq.; Mat_13:53 sqq., He had just been thrust out from His city Nazareth. See Leben Jesu, II. 2, p. 541. Experiences of this kind could in Him produce only an increase of His manifestations of love to those who were susceptible.

2. As the first miracle of distant operation this incident bears a close relation to the healing of the servant of the centurion at Capernaum and of the daughter of the Canaanitish woman. In the mysterious manifestation of the divine power of Christ, we must still not neglect the human media, which here lay in the inward connection of an anxious father’s heart with the dying child. As in fact the help of God owns the human intercession. The spiritual roads, streets and paths which human love, distress, and prayer have to make for the divine help in the invisible world, can only glorify the freedom, truth, and miraculous power of this help, as a power which is at the same time the power of a personal Spirit and love, i. e., not abstractly working in a void, but as divine life applied to the human.

3. As the Lord in the case of the Samaritan woman rebuked superstitious trust in a place of pilgrimage, so here He reproves superstitious trust in visible miracles.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

After the two days. The great days of grace, in which the Lord visits us, are numbered, and swiftly pass away.—Jesus departed thence. The itinerancy of Jesus a clear expression of His inner life: (1) of His Israelite fidelity to duty; (2) of His heavenly calling; (3) of His love; (4) of His holy Spirit.—The rapid change of time and place in the life of Jesus a token of His unworldly pilgrim nature.—How the Lord learned and sealed in its highest sense the universal human experience that a prophet has no honor in his own country, in order to make of it a holy maxim of life.—Want of esteem at home, the prophet’s signal to travel.—The closed door a way-mark for the Lord and His disciples to go on to the open door.—A good word finds its place.—It is no question, Whether there be in the world persons susceptible to thy mission; the only question is, Where they are (whether here or far away; whether in the present or in the future); and herein is much to be unlearned and to be learned by the heart of youthful Christian enthusiasm.—How the divine fire of Christ was always only inflamed by the coldness of men.—The two works of Jesus in Cana, the transformation of water and the distant healing, as conspicuous tokens of His heavenly nature: 1. The first, so to speak, leads up into heaven. 2. The second as it were comes down from heaven.—How the nobleman of Capernaum learns to believe. This nobleman compared with the centurion of Capernaum (resemblances, differences, see above).—The deliberation of Jesus with the nobleman, a mark of the elevation of His spirit; (1) Of His freedom from obsequiousness and respect of persons; (2) of His wise reserve and loving compliance.—Except ye see signs and wonders. Or, the distinction between true and false resting of faith on miracles.—Also a distinction between the true and the false miracle.—The marks of each (faith and miracle).—Except ye. Or, the connection between worldly-minded unbelief and worldly-minded superstition in the polite world (at that time the court of Herod).—Yet a nobler germ may lie in the miracle-craving form of faith. (The question is, which is the germ, and which the shell.)—The testing of faith, which the nobleman stands: 1. How he is tested (a) in his humility by a stern word which might wound the pride of a nobleman; (b) in his faith, by being required to trust a word. 2. How he stands the test: (a) in his persistent prayer he passes the test of the humility of his faith; (b) in his confident departure at the word of Jesus he proves the power of his faith.—Only the faith, which is itself a miracle of God can receive the miraculous help of God.—Faith in the divine help must be directed above all to the divine in the help.—How the Lord in granting refuses and in refusing grants.—His refusing, a higher granting.—Necessity and love as handmaids of faith.—Comparison of the nobleman with the Canaanitish woman.—The father and his sick child.—How the upright man in approaching Jesus becomes at once smaller and greater: 1. The nobleman is smaller in his going than in his coming, in that he is humbly satisfied with the healing word of Jesus, and no longer desires that he should go down with him. 2. He is greater in his going than in his coming, in that he returns full of confidence in the word of Jesus. The majesty in trusting the promise of Christ, the power, out of which the greatness in the confidence of the believer grows. Out of the Amen of Christ the Amen of the believer. The divine education of the sensuous believing of miracles into believing of the word: (1) In this incident, (2) in the church, (3) in the life of the individual Christian.—The health-message of Christ and the health-messenger of the servants; or, how the health-messages of heaven by far precede the health-messages of earth.—The echo of the divine word of Christ: Thy son liveth! in the mouth of the servants: Thy son liveth!—The dull echo of earth, and the clear echo of heaven.—The hard ascent and the glad descent in the journey of the nobleman.—Yesterday at the seventh hour; or, in the proper hour the help comes home with power.—Mark the great hours (of extremity, of prayer, of miraculous help).—Remember those hours, and believe!—The distress of the whole house must become also the faith of the whole (this maybe said of the family, of the church, of mankind).—The faith wrought by the miracle at the moment must make itself good in the moral expansion of faith. 1. Through the whole life, 2. Through the whole house.—How the sickness of a child may become the salvation of a whole house; may, under His management, serve to glorify the Lord.—The connection between the faith of the father and the germ of faith in the heart of the child.—He prayed for the healing of his child, and obtained healing for himself and his whole house.—The Lord comes announced by the forerunning miraculous help.—The healing work of Christ in His presence and at a distance: (1) At a distance even when it is in His presence; (2) in His presence even when it is at a distance (susceptible hearts are near to Him, and He is near to them).—Jesus always peculiarly rich when He comes from Judea to Galilee: 1. From enemies to friends; 2. From the great to the small; 3. From the proud to the poor.

Starke: The bad manners of men in esteeming nothing which is common and always before their eyes, but highly esteeming what is strange and rare.—Every one is bound, indeed, to serve his own country; but if his own country despise him, any place which receives him is his country.—Hedinger: Jesus comes again (when He has once retired apparently in vexation).—God has a holy seed even among the great. All men, whatever their station, are subject to need and sickness.—The same: Trouble gives feet, humbles pride, teaches prayer.—Lange: To seek Jesus under special distress is indeed good and needful, but it is better that one should not wait so long, but knowing his sin and misery should in spirit be near to Jesus.—Osiander: Parents should interest themselves both bodily and spiritually for their children.—The bodily sickness of children troubles Christian “parents; what an affliction, when-they lie sick in soul! Christ comes always at the right time with His help.—Bibl. Wirt.: Christ rejects not those who are weak in faith, but takes pains, that their faith may grow.—Nova Bibl. Tub.: Faith is [seems] shameless and cannot be rebuffed.—Osiander: It is well to persevere in prayer, but not prescribe the manner or time of help.—Faith has not only grand, but also swift results: almost every hour some form of divine help meets the believer.—As the master, so the servant; good governing makes good domestics.—Canstein: When we duly reflect, not an hour passes in which God does not show us good.—Osiander: Christ’s followers must not be weary of wandering far on earth and doing good in all places.—The more a country has seen and heard of Christ, the heavier judgment will it receive, if it believe not.—Rieger: Much of the teaching and wholesome direction of God comes to us through our children, and what concerns their life and death, their success and hindrances, goes to our heart.—All depends on whether a man will.

Besser: It is a wonderfully beautiful example of growing faith, that we have in this nobleman. Methinks John expresses his own joyful surprise, when he pictures to us the suddenly stilled and satisfied man: The man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.

Heubner: By the sickness of children God disciplines the parents themselves.—Though he was at the court of Herod (at least as a servant), yet he went to Jesus.—Domestic troubles should drive us to Jesus.—The true sense is: Except ye see signs and wonders. The emphasis lies on see [yet τέρατα also is not unmeaning].—There is a secret inclination [a universal passion of the world] for miracles: 1. Desire for special extraordinary fortune to befall us, while we do not exert ourselves to obtain that which satisfies. 2. Waiting for extraordinary help in exigency, when we will not earnestly use the right means. 3. Desire for extraordinary fruits of our labor, when we will not sow, hoping in faith. 4. Desire of extraordinary violent assistance when we wish to get rid of faults, while we ourselves do not lift a hand. 5. Desire or expectation of honor, etc., while yet we have done or sacrificed nothing at all for the glory of God.—The word of Jesus holds good for us in every conflict and every strait; Go thy way, and believe!—Hours of deliverance in human life.—The more thou searchest, the more plain will the moments of the divine deliverance be to thee.—And he believed. This faith was more than the preceding; it attained to faith in Jesus the Saviour.—This faith was the fruit of trial. For this God sends distress.—The Christian father, as priest in his own house.—(Whitefield): The head of a family has three offices (prophet, priest, king: “the last he does not so easily forget”).—The nobleman as an example of gradual progress in faith.

Draeseke: The new house: 1. It has a now attitude outwardly. 2. It has a new manner of spirit. (These two are reversible).—Greiling: To our sufferings we owe the most precious experiences of our life.—Goldhorn: Consolatory reflections on the moral influence of sickness.—Grueneisen: Concerning the growth of faith: 1. Need is its rise; bodily need, less than spiritual. 2. Trust is its second stage; and it must be directed less to the bodily than to the spiritual. 3. Experience is the third stage; experience more of spiritual than of bodily help.—Kniewel: The three stages of faith: 1. Its childhood, the stage of seeking miracle. 2. Its youth, the stage of receiving miracle. 3. Its manhood, the stage of the power of miracle.—Reinhard: How weighty should be to us the thought, that distress is often our guide to truth.—Schulz: How trial and trouble lead men to the fellowship of Jesus Christ.—Bachmann: The Christian calls the Saviour to his sick: 1. He calls Him. 2. In due time. 3. In the right spirit. 4. With the most blessed result.—Lisco: The house of the Christian, when God visits it with trouble: The trouble (1) unites the members in tenderer love, (2) directs their hearts more trustfully to the Lord, (3) awakens them to importunate prayer and intercession, (4) produces at last a joyful and thankful faith.—Kaempfe: The humility and the persistence of the nobleman.—Ahlfeld: The blessing of trial.—Beck: The exigence, the test, the victory, of faith.—Rautenberg: The hard condition of the Christian at the sick-bed of his darlings.

[Alford: This miracle is a notable instance of our Lord “not quenching the smoking flax,” just as His reproof of the Samaritan woman was of His “not breaking the bruised reed.” The little spark of faith in the breast of this nobleman is by Him lit up into a clear and enduring flame for the light and comfort of himself and his house.—Wordsworth: Our Lord would not go down at the desire of the nobleman to heal his son, but He offered to go down to heal the servant of the centurion (Mat_8:7). He thus teaches us, that what is lofty in man’s sight, is low in His eyes, and the reverse.—There are degrees in faith (Joh_4:53) as in other virtues.—Ryle: The lessons of this miracle: 1. The rich have afflictions as well as the poor. 2. Sickness and death come to the young as well as the old. 3. What benefits affliction can confer on the soul. 4. Christ’s word is as good as Christ’s presence.—P. S.]

Footnotes:

[95]Joh_4:43.—[The article refers, of course, to the δύο ἡμέρας in Joh_4:40.—P. S.]

[96]Joh_4:43.—Codd. B. C. D. omit: καὶ ἀπῆλθεν; but A. supports the Recepta. Tischendorf omits the words. Meyer also rejects them. But it is evident that they have been omitted through failure to perceive their import. The Evangelist would distinguish between the departure for Galilee in the wider sense, and the removal to Upper Galilee, called by him simply Galilee, in the provincial sense. [The received text is in favor of Dr. Lange’s interpretation of πατρίς, see Exeg. Notes, but the latest editions reject καὶ ἀπῆλθεν on the authority of the oldest MSS. א. B. C. D. Orig. Cyr.—P. S.]

[97]Joh_4:43.—[Dr. Lange here inserts in small type the gloss: from Lower Galilee to Upper, thus anticipating his explanation of πατρίς, Joh_4:41. See the Exeg. Notes.—P. S.]

[98]Joh_4:46.—This ὁ ̓Ιησοῦς, wanting in most authorities, is added by the textus receptus.

[99]Joh_4:51.—[Alford brackets καὶ ἀπήγγειλαν. Tischend. ed. VIII. reads καὶ ήγγειλαν with א. D. Westcott and Hort omit it.—P. S.]

[100]Joh_4:51.—Lachmann: ὁ παῖς αὐτοῦ, after A. B. C. etc. [Tischend., Alf., Mey. likewise adopt ὁ παῖς αὐτοῦ for the easier lect. rec. ὁ παῖς σου, which may have been conformed to ὁ παῖς σου, Joh_4:50.—P. S.]

[101][Augustine, Tittmann, Kninoel and Bloomfield take γάρ here in the sense of καίπερ, which is against all grammar.—P.S.]

[102][Comp. Joh_1:46; Joh_2:1; Joh_7:3; Joh_7:41; Joh_7:52.—P. S.]

[103][Dr. Lange mentions Olshausen after Tholuck. But in the third ed. of his Com., Olshausen refers πατρίς to Nazareth. Dean Alford adopts De Wette’s view, but in his sixth edition he combines with it Luthardt’s (see below, sub 5).—P. S.]

[104][Godet pretty nearly agrees with Meyer.—P. S]

[105][Some identify this nobleman with Chuza, Herod’s steward, whose wife Joanna was among the followers and supporters of Jesus, Luk_8:3. A mere conjecture.—P. S.]

[106]Among those who have identified the two, Strauss and others would give the preference for accurate narration to Matthew, Gfrörer and Ewald to John. With Weisse again it is “a misapprehension of a parable.” According to Baur the doctrinal import of the story of Nicodemus and of that of the woman of Samaria is here combined in a third story, teaching: How faith in miracles comes by means of faith in word, and consequently is in reality only such. In other words two critical legends are supposed to be combined in a third, and the Jewish councillor and the Samaritan woman become in this phantasy the Galilean nobleman!

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

CHAPTER 11

JESUS PREACHING IN GALILEE

Joh 4:43-45; Mat 4:17; Mar 1:14-15; & Luk 4:14-15. “And after two days He went out from thence, and departed into Galilee. For Jesus Himself witnessed that a prophet has no honor in his own country.” Now what is the force of this affirmation of Jesus? You must remember that Nazareth, where He was brought up and spent the first thirty years of His life, is in Galilee. So He was denominated a “Galilean.” Having entered upon His ministry in Jerusalem by purifying the temple, and spent the eight days of the Passover preaching to the thronging multitudes, and perhaps a month following in the populous regions of Judea, His fame spreading abroad, and attracting vast multitudes to His ministry; John the Baptist, who had been the sensation about eight months, somewhat waning, while the trend of the multitude is to Jesus. The tendency of His rapidly increasing popularity is to arouse the Jews to crown Him King, which would have interfered with His ministry; whereas it was transcendently important that He should be permitted to finish His work. Consequently He leaves the populous regions of Judea, and goes away into the comparatively thinly populated country of Galilee, where they will not make so much ado over His ministry, nor be so likely to interrupt His work by precipitating His royal coronation. In addition to this fact, His nativity and residence in Galilee had conduced somewhat to render Him common, and would militate against the probability of that great popular excitement which would be likely to result in crowning Him King.

Mark: “He was preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, That the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God draweth nigh; repent and believe in the gospel.” Luke: “The fame went throughout all the surrounding country concerning Him, and He was teaching in their synagogues, being glorified by all.” The seventy weeks of Daniel — i.e., the four hundred and ninety years, according to the year-day system peculiar to prophetical interpretation — had already expired. The scepter had already departed from Judah; besides, there was a general fulfillment of the prophecies pointing to the coming Messiah about that time, John the Baptist, the greatest of the prophets, having not only preached Him, but pointed Him out, introducing Him to the people by baptism; while the Holy Ghost from heaven had descended on Him, and the Divine voice, from God the Father, had rung in the ears of the multitude, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Of course, the kingdom of heaven (Matthew all the time says, “Kingdom of heaven,” and Mark, “Kingdom of God,” they being precisely synonymous) is at hand in very truth, because the King is here, and of course having the kingdom with Him; as a kingdom means a government. Hence, all the true disciples of Jesus come under His government, and become citizens of the kingdom.

While repentance was the constant, burning appeal of John the Baptist, we see that when Jesus comes, preaching the gospel, He not only preaches repentance, thus fully endorsing and corroborating John, but He preaches faith, commanding all to repent and believe the gospel. Repentance breaks the yoke of Satan, an indispensable prerequisite to their reception of Christ, as they could not serve two masters. As Luke says, “Glorified by all.” Hence we see that, as His fame went abroad into all lands, a wonderful tide of popular excitement immediately sprang up in all directions, concentrating on this wonderful Prophet of Galilee.

Joh 4:45. “Then, when He came into Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all things which He did in Jerusalem during the feast; for they also came to the feast.” The Jews, from all parts of the world, were accustomed to gather at Jerusalem at the time of the great national festivals; e.g., the Passover in April, Pentecost fifty days afterward, and the Feast of Tabernacles in September. These Galileans, who had witnessed His miracles during the Passover (of which there is no record, this being the only allusion to them), and heard His preaching, now rally to Him from all parts of the country, stirring all the people, telling them that a wonderful Prophet, like unto Elijah and Elisha, had risen in Israel.

William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

J. W. McGarvey's The Fourfold Gospel [XXVI. C. Arrival in Galilee].

XXVI. JESUS SETS OUT FROM JUDÆA FOR GALILEE. Subdivision C. ARRIVAL IN GALILEE. cLUKE IV. 14; dJOHN IV. 43-45.

d43 And after the two days [the two days spent among the Samaritans at Sychar] he went forth from thence [from Samaria] into Galilee. c14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee [Power of the Spirit here means its manifest use to perform miracles, rather than its presence, influence or direction. Jesus was always under the influence and direction of the Spirit, but did not previously perform miracles]: d44 For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honor in his own country. [Galilee was Jesus' "own country" ( Joh_1:46, Joh_2:1, Joh_7:3, Joh_7:41, Joh_7:52, Luk_23:5-7). In Judæa he had begun to receive so much honor as to bring him into danger at the hands of the Pharisees: he would receive less in Galilee. Joh_4:43 resumes the itinerary of Joh_4:1, Joh_4:2, after the interlude which tells of the woman at Sychar.] 45 So when he came into Galilee, the Galilæans received him, having seen all the things that he did in Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast. [The works which Jesus had done in Jerusalem were for the most part fruitless as to its inhabitants, but they bore the fruit of faith in far-off Galilee. Of "the many who believed on him" in Jerusalem ( Joh_2:23), it is highly probable that a large number were Galilæan pilgrims who were then there attending the passover.] [154]

[FFG 154]

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Section 4. (Joh 4:43-54)

Israel’s need bared and met with mercy.

But John, while he shows us characteristically a Christ outside of Judaism, and the precious truths which are now enjoyed in Christianity, always reminds us that God has not given up His purposes as to Israel, which are delayed but not forfeited by their unbelief. We have seen this in the first division of the book, in the miracle at Cana, where the delay of blessing in their case is accounted for, but as soon as the empty forms of purification are made real (the water fills the water-pots), then the wine, the good wine, is found in them. Now the Lord is found at Cana again, having left the white fields of Samaria for Galilee, and another miracle is wrought, though the subject of it is at Capernaum, not Cana. Judea has rejected Him, but Galilee seems ready to receive Him, and now in the courtier who comes to Him at Cana we find a plain picture of Israel, courtier of the world as she has long been. His condition, as the Lord characterizes it, is just what hers has been: "Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe." But he is in need: his son at the point of death in Capernaum, the city of lost opportunities, to be brought down to hades for its rejection of Christ; death facing him, he turns to Christ as his only hope, and finds the gracious answer of peace and deliverance: "Go, thy son liveth." He believes, departs, and finds it as the Lord has said to him. His son is raised up, and his whole house is brought to faith with him.

It is a simple story; and thus will Israel in her extremity be brought to God. Capernaum will come to Cana, the "village of consolation" be restored to its name upon the ground of "purchase," Christ manifesting forth His glory. And the time is not far distant now.

This rounds off to a complete end, as is evident, the first subdivision of this central portion of the book.

F. W. Grant, The Numerical Bible (4th ed., 1903) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh 4:43. Ἐξῆλθεν, He departed) The departure of Jesus was useful to the Samaritans, considering what were their customs, inasmuch as in many respects they were alien to those of the Jews.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh_4:43-44.[198] Τὰς δύο ἡμέρας] The article is to be explained by Joh_4:40.

αὐτός] ipse, not merely others with reference to Him, but He Himself did not hesitate to testify, etc. As to the fact itself, see Mat_13:57; Mar_6:4; Luk_4:24. When Schenkel concludes from προφήτης that Jesus did not yet regard Himself as the Messiah, this is a misuse of the general term within the category of which the conception of Messiah is embraced.

ἐμαρτύρ.] not in the sense of the Pluperfect (Tholuck, Godet; see on Joh_18:24), but then, when He returned to Galilee.

γάρ is the ordinary for; and πατρίδι is not the native town, but, as is clear from Γαλιλαίαν, Joh_4:43; Joh_4:45, the native country. So also usually in Greek writers, from Homer downwards. The words give the reason why He did not hesitate to return to Galilee. The gist of the reason lies in the antithetical reference of ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ πατρίδι. If, as Jesus Himself testified, a prophet had no honour in his own country, he must seek it abroad. And this Jesus had done. Abroad, in Jerusalem, He had by His mighty works inspired the Galilaeans who were there with that respect which they were accustomed to deny to a prophet at home. Thus He brought the prophets honour with Him from abroad.[199] Accordingly (Joh_4:45) He found a reception among the Galilaeans also, because they had seen His miracles in Jerusalem (Joh_2:23). It is therefore obviously incorrect to understand Γαλιλαίαν specially of Upper Galilee, as distinct from Lower Galilee, where Nazareth was situated. So Lange, in spite of the fact that Γαλιλ. here must be the universal and popular name for the whole province, as distinct from Samaria (ἐκεῖθεν), whether we retain καὶ ἀπῆλθεν as in the Elzevir or not. It is further incorrect, and an utterly arbitrary gloss, to interpret πατρίς as meaning Nazareth, and γάρ as referring to the fact that He had gone, indeed, to Galilee, but not to Nazareth (Chrysostom and even Euthymius Zigabenus: to Capernaum). So Cyril, Nonnus, Erasmus, Beza, Calvin, Aretius, Grotius, Jansen, Bengel, and many; also Kypke, Rosenmüller, Olshausen, Klee, Gemberg in Stud. u. Krit. 1845, I.; Hengstenberg, Bäumlein. It is also incorrect, because not in keeping with the context, nor with the general view, which is also that of John, which regards Galilee as Christs home (Joh_1:46, Joh_2:1, Joh_7:3; Joh_7:41; Joh_7:52), to take πατρίς as denoting Judea, and γάρ as stating the reason (in the face of the quite different reason already given, Joh_4:1-3) why Jesus had left Judea (Origen, Maldonatus, B. Bauer, Schwegler, Wieseler, B. Crusius, Schweizer, Köstlin, Baur, Hilgenfeld, and formerly also Ebrard); whence some, e.g. Origen and Baur, take πατρίς in a higher sense, as signifying the native land of the prophets,[200] and therefore of the Messiah also, and most, like Hilgenfeld, as having reference to the birth at Bethlehem. Lücke has rightly, in his 3d ed., abandoned this interpretation; but, on the other hand, he takes γὰρ as equivalent to namely, and explains it as referring not to what precedes, but to what follows (so substantially also Tholuck, Olshausen, Maier, de Wette), so that Joh_4:44 gives an explanation in passing on the point: that the Galilaeans on this occasion received Jesus well, but only on account of the miracles which they had seen in Jerusalem (de Wette). It is against this, however, that though in the classics γὰρ explicative often precedes the sentence to be explained (see Hartung, Partikell. I. p. 467; Bäumlein, Partik. p. 75 ff.), especially in parenthesis (see Bremi, ad Lys. p. 66; Ellendt, Lex. Soph. I. 338), yet this form of expression is quite without precedent in the N. T. (Rom_14:10, Heb_2:8, are not instances in point), and especially would be quite foreign to Johns simple progressive style of narration; moreover, the indeed,but only, put into Joh_4:45, is quite obtruded on the words, inasmuch as John wrote neither μέν after ἐδέξ., nor thereafter a μόνον δέ, nor any such expression.[201] According to Brückner, Jesus came to Galilee because, (but see Joh_4:1-3) He had supposed that He would find no honour there, and consequently with the intention of undertaking the conflict for the recognition of His person and dignity. According to Luthardt, whom Ebrard now follows (comp. Hofmann, Weissag. u. Erf. II. 88, also Schriftbew II. 1, p. 171), the words imply the hope entertained by Jesus of being able to remain in rest and silence in Galilee more easily than anywhere else. But both explanations are incompatible with the following ὅτε οὖν, κ.τ.λ., which certainly means that the Galileans received Him with honour, as He was called immediately thereafter to perform a miracle. We should certainly expect ΔΈ or ἈΛΛΆ (comp. Nonnus) to introduce the statement, and not ΟὖΝ. In what follows, moreover, regarding the residence in Galilee, we are told neither about conflict nor about the repose of Jesus, but simply of the healing at a distance of the noblemans son. Lastly, it is contrary to the words (because ὍΤΕ ΟὖΝ ἮΛΘΕΝ in Joh_4:45 directly resumes the ΕἸς Τ. ΓΑΛ. of Joh_4:43, and admits of no interval), when Hauff, in the Stud. u. Krit. 1849, p. 117 ff., makes the train of thought to terminate with Joh_4:44, and takes Joh_4:44 itself as a general description of the result of Christs Galilean ministry. Thus ἐδέξαντο is said to indicate that He did and taught much there; which is clearly a gloss foisted into the text.

[198] See Ewald, Jahrb. X. 1860, p. 108 ff. He agrees for the most part with my rendering; comp. also his Johann. Schr. I. p. 194; in like manner Godet, who, however, without the slightest hint of it in the text, supposes a purpose on the writers part, in connection with Joh_3:24, to correct the synoptical tradition. John wishes constater lintervalle considérable qui sépara du baptême de Jésus son retour définitif et son établissement permanent en Galilée. In Joh_3:24 he states the fact, and here he gives the motive. Scholten puts the emphasis which prompts the following γὰρ upon ἐκεῖθεν, a word which is quite unessential, and might just as well have been omitted.

[199] Baeumlein urges, against my explanation: We cannot believe that, after the words He betook Himself to Galilee, there should follow the reason why He had before left Galilee. This, however, is not the logical connection at all.

[200] So also B. Crusius, who compares Joh_7:52. Quite erroneously, when the general and proverbial character of the statement is considered. After Joh_4:3, however, the reader can expect no further explanation of the reason why Jesus did not remain in Judea. Schwegler and B. Bauer suppose that here Judea is meant as the native land of Jesus, and make use of this as an argument against the genuineness and historical truth of the Gospel. Comp. also Köstlin in the Theol. Jahrb. 1851, p. 186. Hilgenfeld, Evang. p. 266: a remarkable inversion of the synoptical statement, wherein the Gospel appears as a free compilation by a post-apostolic author (Zeitschr. 1862, p. 17). Schweizer also finds it such a stumbling-block, that he regards it as proving the following narrative to be a Galilean interpolation. Gfrörer, heil. Sage, II. 289, rightly indeed understands the words as referring to Galilee, but considers that we should supply the following: save very slowly and reluctantly, for, etc.

[201] Weizsäcker also, in the Jahrb. F. Deutsche Theol. 1859, p. 695, regards γάρ not as introducing a reason, but as demonstrative. John intimates that he will not narrate much of Christs ministry in Galilee; he refers to that saying as if shrinking from unpleasant recollections. But this is not in the text, nor is it compatible with the connection in ver. 45, and the history that follows. Weizsäcker, indeed, thinks (comp. his Unters. üb. d. ev. Gesch. p. 276) that in this synoptic saying John refers to the synoptic account of that Galilean ministry, which he would not himself describe. Who ever could imagine that? especially when John at once goes on to narrate the good reception given to Jesus in Galilee, and His miracle of blessing there. Did the Lord betake Himself to a voluntary obscurity, concerning which John wishes to be silent?

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh 4:43-54 . Jesus passes into Galilee and there heals the son of a nobleman .

Joh 4:43 . Μετὰ δὲ τὰς δύο ἡμέρας . “And after the two days,” see Joh 4:40 . ἐξῆλθεν ἐκεῖθεν , “He departed thence,” i.e. , from Sychar. εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν , “into Galilee,” carrying out the intention which had brought Him to Sychar, Joh 4:3 .

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Third Section: 4:43-54. Jesus in Galilee.

In Judea, unbelief had prevailed. In Samaria, faith had just appeared. Galilee takes an intermediate position. Jesus is received there, but by reason of His miracles accomplished at Jerusalem, and on condition of responding immediately to this reception by new prodigies. The following narrative (comp. Joh 4:48) furnishes the proof of this disposition of mind. Such is the import of this narrative in the whole course of the Gospel.

ADDITIONAL NOTES BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR.

XXIV.

With reference to Joh 4:46-54 it may be remarked:

1. The writer seems purposely to introduce the allusion to the former miracle at Cana. He is about to close that portion of his narrative which is, in any sense, united with the story of the first visit of Jesus to Jerusalem. The closing section of this part is a miracle wrought by Jesus, and in the same region where the story began. We may believe that this miracle set its seal upon the faith that had grown up in the minds of the disciples in connection with all the testimony which had now been received by them, as the former one had established the beginning of their belief, founded upon the first sight of Jesus. The careful arrangement of the author’s plan, as related to the bringing out of the two ideas of testimony and belief, is seen again here, as it is both before this and afterwards.

2. That this story of the healing of the son of the royal officer is not to be identified with that in Mat 8:5 ff., Luk 7:2 ff., is maintained by most of the recent commentators on this Gospel. The main points of difference, which are certainly very striking, and which bear upon all the elements of the story, are pointed out by Godet. In the case of two stories of common life, where the sick person was in one a son, in another a servant; where the disease was in one a paralysis, in the other a fever; where the person performing the cure was, in one, at one place, and in the other, at another; where all the words used on all sides were different; where, in one, the petitioner for the cure urges the physician to hasten to his house that he may cure the sick person before it is too late, and, in the other, tells him that it is unnecessary for him to go to the house at all; where in the one the petitioner finds the sick person healed on the same day on which he makes his request, and in the other only learns the fact on the next day; and where, to say the least, there is no evidence that the petitioner was the same person in the two cases, but, on the other hand, he is described by different words, and all his thoughts as related to the matter are different, it would be supposed that the two stories referred to different facts. But we are not expected by the exacting critics to deal with the New Testament narratives in this way. Weiss thinks that the oldest form of the Synoptic narrative is here found in Matthew and that he means by παῖς son, (not servant), that is to say, the υἱός of John, and that Luke misapprehended the meaning, and called the παῖς, δοῦλος . May not Weiss himself possibly have misapprehended the meaning? Luke’s advantages for determining this question would seem, on the whole, to be equally great with those of a scholar of this generation. But while Luke did not know that the sick person was a son, and not a servant, he is, according to Weiss, nearer the original source than Matthew, in saying simply that he was sick and near to death, instead of saying that he had paralysis. John, however, we may observe, moves off in another line, and thinks he had a fever. The reconstruction of the Gospel narratives must be admitted to be a pretty delicate task, when it has to make its winding way through the work of bringing two such stories into one.

3. The part of this passage which is most difficult to be explained is the 48th verse. The father who comes to Jesus seems to give no indication of any want of faith. On the contrary, his coming is, in itself, apparently an evidence of faith. Joh 4:50 shows that he was ready to believe, even on the foundation of Jesus’ assurance that his son lives, and without any movement on Jesus’ part towards Capernaum. Immediately on his return home, and on seeing the fulfillment of the word of Jesus, he becomes His disciple. It is possible, indeed, that this word of Jesus in Joh 4:48 was the turning-point for the nobleman from a weak towards a stronger faith; but nothing in the narrative clearly indicates this.

It is possible, on the other hand, that this call for miraculous aid turns the thought of Jesus to the general state of mind of the people, and that He has reference to this only in His words. But the words πρὸς αὐτόν, and the difficulty of supposing that He would address a man under such circumstances in this way, when the man’s faith was not at all of the character described, are serious objections to this view. Probably we must explain the verse by combining both views, and at least find in the bearing of the words upon the man himself some designed educational influence as to the true nature of faith. 4. The miracle here wrought differs from the one recorded in Joh 2:1-11, in that it was wrought at a distance. It is in this respect that it gives a new testimony, and for this reason, as we may believe, it is introduced into the narrative. The other points in which its character varied from that of the one in Cana were less important for the writer’s purpose.

Vv. 43-45 describe the general situation. Then, on this foundation there rises the following incident (Joh 4:46-54). We may compare here the relation of the conversation with Nicodemus to the general representation in Joh 2:23-25, or that of the last discourse of the forerunner to the representation in Joh 3:22-24.

Vv. 43-45. “After these two days, he departed thence and went away into Galilee. 44. For Jesus Himself had declared that a prophet has no honor in his own country. 45. When therefore he came into Galilee, the Galileans received him, because they had seen all the things that he did in Jerusalem, at the feast; for they also went to the feast.” This passage has from the beginning been a crux interpretum. How can John give as the cause (for, Joh 4:44) of the return of Jesus to Galilee this declaration of the Lord “that no prophet is honored in his own country!” And how can he connect with this adage as a consequence (therefore, Joh 4:45) the fact that the Galileans gave Him an eager welcome?

1. Bruckner and Luthardt think that Jesus sought either conflict (Bruckner) or solitude (Luthardt). This would well explain the for of Joh 4:44. But it would be necessary to admit that the foresight of Jesus was greatly deceived (Joh 4:45), which is absolutely opposed to the particle οὖν (therefore), which connects Joh 4:45 with the preceding. Instead of therefore, but would have been necessary. Moreover, Jesus did not seek conflict, since He abandoned Judea in order to avoid it; still less solitude, for He wished to work.

2. Weiss, nearly like Bruckner : Jesus leaves to His disciples the care of reaping joyously in Samaria afterwards; He Himself goes to seek the hard labor of the sower in Galilee. But the thought of the future evangelization of Samaria is altogether foreign to this passage (see above); and Joh 4:45 is opposed to this sense; for it makes prominent precisely the fact that Jesus found in Galilee the most eager welcome. Weiss escapes this difficulty only by making the therefore of Joh 4:45 relate to Joh 4:43 and not to Joh 4:44, and by making it a particle designed to indicate the resumption of the narrative. But after the for of Joh 4:44, therefore has necessarily the argumentative sense.

3. According to Lucke, de Wette and Tholuck, the for of Joh 4:44 is designed to explain, not what precedes, but the fact which is about to be announced, Joh 4:45. The sense would, thus, be: “Jesus had indeed declared...;” this indeed relating to the fact mentioned in Joh 4:45, that the Galileans no doubt received Him, but only because of the miracles of which they had been witnesses. But this very rare use of γάρ is foreign to the New Testament. This interpretation is hardly less forced than that ofKuinoel, who gives to for the sense of although, as also Ostervald translates.

4. Origen, Wieseler, Ebrard, Baurand Keil understand by ἰδία πατρίς (his own country), Judea, as the place of Jesus’ birth. By this means, the two difficulties of the for and the therefore pass away at once. But common sense tells us that, in the maxim quoted by Jesus, the word country must denote the place where the prophet has lived and where he has been known from infancy, and not that where he was merely born. It is, therefore, very evident that, in the thought of John, His own country is Galilee.

5. Calvin, Hengstenberg and Baumlein understand by his own country especially Nazareth, in contrast with the rest of Galilee, and with Capernaum in particular where He went to make His abode. He came, not to Nazareth, as might have been expected, but to Capernaum. (Comp. Mar 6:1; Mat 13:54-57; Luk 4:16; Luk 4:24.) Lange applies the term country to the whole of lower Galilee, in which Nazareth was included, in opposition to upper Galilee where Jesus went to fix His abode from this time. But how could Nazareth, or the district of Nazareth, be thus, without further explanation, placed outside of Galilee, or even in contrast with that province? It might still be comprehensible, if, in the following narrative, John showed us Jesus fixing His abode at Capernaum; but it is to Cana that He betakes Himself, and this town was very near to Nazareth.

6. Meyer seems to us quite near the truth, when he explains: Jesus, knowing well that a prophet is not honored in his own country, began by making Himself honored outside of it, at Jerusalem (Joh 4:45); and thus it was that He returned now to Galilee with a reputation as a prophet, which opened for Him access to hearts in His own country. Reuss is disposed to hold the same relation of thought: “In order to be received in Galilee, He had been obliged first to make Himself acknowledged outside of it.”

The complete explanation of this obscure passage follows, as in so many cases, from the relation of the fourth Gospel to the Synoptics. The latter make the Galilean ministry begin immediately after the baptism. But John reminds us here, at the time of Jesus’ settlement in Galilee, that Jesus had followed a course quite different from that which the earlier narratives seemed to attribute to Him. The Lord knew that the place where a prophet has lived is the one where, as a rule, he has most difficulty in finding recognition. He began, therefore, by working at Jerusalem and in Judea for quite a long time (almost a whole year: Joh 4:35), and it was only after this that He came in the strict sense to begin His ministry in Galilee, that ministry with which the narrative of the other Gospels opens. The meaning, therefore, is: It was then, and only then, (not immediately after the baptism), that He commenced the Galilean work with which every one is acquainted. We find in this passage, as thus understood, a new confirmation of our remarks on Joh 3:24. If the for, Joh 4:44, indicates the cause of Jesus’ mode of acting, the therefore, Joh 4:45, brings out in relief the joyful result and serves thus to justify the wisdom of the course pursued. The Galileans who had seen Him at work on the grand theatre of the capital, made no difficulty now in welcoming Him. The words καὶ ἀπῆλθεν, and went away, are rejected by the Alexandrian authorities; perhaps they were added from Joh 4:13.

ADDITIONAL NOTES BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR.

XXIII.

1. The explanation of Joh 4:44 which is given by Godet and Meyer, is in all probability the correct one: namely, that Jesus made His entrance upon His ministry in Galilee only after He had been at Jerusalem and had, as it were, assumed His office there—and after He had there gained the attention of the people in some degree—because of His knowledge of the general truth stated in this verse. Of the very recent writers on this Gospel, Keil, Westcott, Milligan and Moulton hold that the reference of the words his own country, so far as Jesus is concerned, is to Judea, and not to Galilee. He went away from Judea to Galilee, therefore, because He did not find honor in the former region. Westcott even thinks that it is impossible that John should speak of Galilee in this connection as Christ’s own country. But let us observe: (a) that John does not anywhere state that Jesus had His home or birthplace in Judea; (b) that in Joh 7:41-42, to which Westcott refers, the people question as to whether He can be the Christ because He comes from Galilee as they suppose; (c) that Philip speaks of Him to Nathanael in Joh 1:45 as of Nazareth, and Nathanael, in Joh 1:46, hesitates to believe because of this fact; (d) that He is called Jesus of Nazareth in all the Gospels; (e) that according to Matthew and Luke, who give the story of his birth at Bethlehem, His childhood’s home was Nazareth; (f) that the proverb here used is referred by the earlier Gospels to Nazareth; (g) that the words: He came to his own, Joh 1:11, which are sometimes referred to as favoring the idea that Judea is meant here, have no real force as bearing upon the question, first, because all the Jews were “His own” and not merely the Judean Jews, and secondly, because, if this be not so, there is evidently in those words no exclusive reference to His first visit to Jerusalem, but, on the other hand, a pointing to the whole attitude of the Jews, especially the leading Jews, towards Him. The relation of Jesus to Nazareth is presented in such a way in all the Gospels—this one as well as the earlier three—as to show that it was evidently looked upon as His home and that Galilee was His country, notwithstanding the fact that His birth had taken place at Bethlehem.

2. Joh 4:43 takes up the narrative from Joh 4:1-2 of this chapter and carries on the story of the return to Galilee, which had been interrupted by the account of the meeting with the woman of Samaria, etc. Those first verses intimate that Jesus had had very considerable success in Jerusalem and Judea—He was making and baptizing, it was said, more disciples than John. Joh 4:45 indicates the same thing. The connection of the verses is, therefore, unfavorable to the view that the proverb is introduced here as referring to Judea. Weiss, on the other hand, holds that the connection here is with the matter of leaving Samaria, and he explains the 44th verse by saying that Jesus leaves Samaria, where He had already gained honor (Joh 4:42), to labor to the end of gaining it in Galilee—the disciples were to be left to reap the harvest in Samaria, while He was to go as a sower to a region where, according to the proverb, the foundation work was still to be done. But, in addition to what Godet says against this view, there is every reason to believe that the disciples accompanied Jesus into Galilee. The connection of this statement with the idea of sowing and reaping (Joh 4:35-38), is quite improbable. Those verses contain an incidental saying suggested by the circumstances of the visit to Sychar. But now the story moves on to an entirely new matter, and it is not to be believed that the writer would expect his readers to think of such a connection, without bringing it out more clearly in what he was writing.

Frédéric Louis Godet — Commentaries on Luke, John, Romans, and 1 Corinthians — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1870s–1890s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The despisers of Christ deprive themselves of his benefit: yet Christ prepareth a place for himself.

Into the towns and villages of Galilee: for he would not make abode in his country of Nazareth, because they despised him, and where (as the other Evangelists write) the efficacy of his benefits was hindered through their marvelous stiffneckedness.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 43. Went into Galilee.] Bishop Pearce thinks that some words have been lost from the end of this verse, which may be supplied thus: Went into Galilee, but not to Nazareth; for Jesus himself had declared, c. In Mt 13:57 Mr 6:4, and Lu 4:24, which are the only texts where Jesus is said to have declared this, he always spake of Nazareth only, and not of Galilee in general, a country where he lived for the most part, and wrought the greatest number of his miracles, and made the most converts.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(43) Two days.—Literally, the two days. It is the time mentioned in Joh_4:40, not a second period of two days.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

43–54. The Work among Galileans

43. after two days] Literally, after the two days mentioned in Joh_4:40.

and went] These words are wanting in the best MSS.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Now after two days he departed thence,.... When he had stayed two days at Sychar conversing with, and discoursing to the Samaritans, which were the means of the conversion of many of them; he departed out of that country, and passed on his way:

and went into Galilee; as he first intended; see Joh 4:3.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

43 Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.

Ver. 43. After two days he departed] Though never so much made of, we must away when there is something elsewhere to be done for God.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Into Galilee - Into some of the parts of Galilee, though evidently not into Nazareth, but probably direct to Cana, Joh 4:46.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Christ (as we heard before, Joh 4:3) was upon his journey into Galilee, only he stopped two days at Sichem to gratify the desires of the Samaritans of that city; which two days being now spent, he keepeth on in his journey. But here ariseth a question, viz. Whether he first went to Nazareth, or to Cana? For the opinion of those who think he first went to Nazareth, is quoted Mat 4:12. Besides, it is said that Nazareth was in his road to Cana, and, Luk 4:24, he is said to have uttered these words there. Chemnitius thinks he went first to Cana, according to what John relates in the following verses. And, Luk 4:16, he is said to have gone out of Galilee to Nazareth: and besides, the next mentioned miracle is (Joh 4:54) said to have been Christ’s second miracle, which it could not have been had he first gone to Nazareth, for, Luk 4:23, those of Nazareth mention some miracles which he had wrought at Capernaum.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Vers. 43-54. 8. The commencement of the Galilaean ministry. We read the details of the Galilaean ministry in the synoptists, who describe our Lord"s public entrance, in the power of the Spirit, into Galilee. (Mat_4:12 Mar_1:14 Luk_4:14) They are silent with reference to these earliest witnesses to his method and varied specimens of his work. Just as in the Revelation of St. John we have a proem, and a series of visions which rehearse the entire development of the kingdom and glory of the Lamb of God until the day of his triumph, his wrath, and his great glory; so in these earlier chapters of the Fourth Gospel we have an anticipation of the entire ministry of Messiah. Specimens and illustrations are given of his creative might, of his purifying energy, of his forecast of the cross, of his demand for inward and radical renewal of his promise and gift of life. We can read in these events his principles of judgment and his revelation of the Father, his mission to mankind as a whole, and his victory and drawing of souls to himself. We see, moreover, his relation to the theocracy and to the outlying world, to the learned rabbi and to the woman that was a sinner.. We see the Lord in his glory and in his humiliation. A very brief hint is given in the following verses of the character of his Galilaean ministry, Wherein mighty works and words alternate, and the first storm of direct opposition to him begins to make its appearance, upon which, while much light is cast by the narrative of ch. 5., we have no indistinct trace in the synoptic narrative.

Vers. 43-45. Now after the two daysi.e. the two days of our Lord"s sojourn in Sychar (ver. 40)he went forththence into Galilee. Here the author takes up the narrative of ver. 3. The delay in Samaria was parenthetical to the chief end of his journey, which was to leave Judaea and commence his ministry in Galilee. He now enters it a second time from Judaea. For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country, When therefore he came into Galilee, the Galilaeans willingly received him, having seen all things whatsoever he did in Jerusalem, at the feast: for they themselves also went to the feast. These words bristle with difficulties, and hardly two commentators entirely agree in their interpretation of them. Christ"s visit to Galilee is here accounted for by the principle embodied in the proverb, or a part at least of the proverb, which he used (according to the synoptic narrative) with reference to his visit to and reception in Nazareth, about this some period in his career. Apart from that reference, the most simple explanation of the quotation would be that our Lord regarded Jerusalem and Judge, as in one sense, and a very deep one, "his country," not simply his birthplace, and which he felt at twelve years of age was to contain his Father"s house and kingdom and work; and of which he afterwards said, "O Jerusalem, that killest the prophets,... how oft would I... but ye would not!" The Fourth Gospel records our Lord"s various Judaean ministries with such striking incidents and impressive discourse, that his claim upon the loyalty of the metropolis was repeatedly urged and as repeatedly rejected. True that in vers. 1-3 we are told that our Lord left Judaea because the Pharisees, the influential religious party, were in a hostile sense comparing his ministry with that of the Baptist. This may only be another way in which the comparative unfruitfulness of his early ministry in Judaea is stated. "The prophet hath no honour in his own country." If this was the meaning of Christ"s recurrence to the proverb, then we can understand the oun of ver. 45, as well as the gar of ver. 44, The Galilaeans who had been up to Jerusalem, and been favourably impressed perhaps more so than any Judaeans, having formed the bulk of those who received baptism at his hands received him graciously on his entrance into Galilee. The whole passage thus would hang together; a subsequent and similar and more acute experience where he was best known by face, in Nazareth, drew from him an expanded form of the proverb, in sad and melancholy iteration, "A prophet is not without honour save in his own country, and amongst his kindred, and in his own house". (Mar_6:4 Mat_13:57) In Luke"s enlarged account of the visit to Nazareth, (Luk_4:16-30) possibly an event which is perfectly distinct from the visit to his "own country" cited by Matthew and Mark, the proverb appears in its shorter form. This interpretation is that preferred by Origen, Maldonatus, Wieseler, Baur, etc., formerly by Ebrard and Lucke, and now by Westcott, Moulton, and Plummer. In my opinion it is the most satisfactory and least encumbered interpretation. It does not seem satisfactory to Meyer and others, who urge that patriv can only mean what it obviously does in the synoptic narrative, viz. Galilee as represented by Nazareth. Meyer also interprets the gar as introducing a reason, not only for our Lord"s present return to Galilee, but for his earlier departure from Galilee to Judaea; and Meyer supposes that he must have uttered the words then. On this supposition, the Galilaeans in the first instance must have failed to appreciate his prophetic claims. Christ had gone to Jerusalem and Judaea, and there acquired the fame of a prophet, and subsequently these Galilaeans were ready to recognize it second hand, on the occasion of his return. Godet adds to this the joyful emotion that was felt when the plan of Jesus had been successful as far as the Galilaeans were concerned. Moreover, he gives a pluperfect sense to emarturhse , "he had testified." Against this we observe that our Lord must have soon found that, in a narrower and closer sense, his nearest friends and neighbours had learned nothing by their journey to the feast; and that the author of the Fourth Gospel must have been ignorant of the kind of reception so soon accorded to our Lord at Nazareth. Bruckner and Luthardt suppose by the gar that Jesus either sought the struggle with his unbelieving compatriots or the solitude induced by the absence of sympathy. There is not the faintest trace of this in the narrative. Then, again, Cyril, Calvin, Bengel, Olshausen, Hengstenberg, suppose that by patriv is meant his own city, Nazareth, which is here contrasted with Galilee in general, including Capernaum, which became the missionary centre of his early ministry. These commentators suppose that, when we are told "he went to Galilee," it means (as we see from ver. 46) he went to Cana, "for he testified," etc.; and therefore that in this forty-fourth verse comes the tragic scene described in Luk_4:16-30. Lange has supplemented this theory by another that removes part of the difficulty, viz. that by atriv was meant Lower Galilee, including Nazareth, and by the Galilee of ver. 44 was meant Upper Galilee and the neighbourhood of the lake, including Capernaum, to which we find that, after his cruel treatment at Nazareth, he retired. So Geikie. Now, there are difficulties in either of these views, which give great awkwardness to the expression, "So he came to Cana again," in ver. 46. Tholuck, De Wette, Lucke, in various ways, urge that the gar of ver. 44 may mean namely, that is to say, etc., pointing onwards to the kindly reception which the Galilaeans gave him being due to the signs which they beheld, and not to the words of life which he had spoken. Every view seems to us far-fetched and inconsistent, with the exception of the first interpretation. The only objection that is at all urgent, arises from the fact that, in the synoptic narrative, Nazareth is spoken of as his country. But if this were so, we do but see in the reception accorded to him in Nazareth a further illustration of the very same spirit which was shown to him in the metropolis. In both places "he came to his own, and his own received him not." There is nothing improbable, if so, that in both places Jesus should have appealed to the homely proverb. On the second occasion he added to it, "his kindred and his home," as well as "his country.

Vers. 43-45. Our Lord"s return into Galilee.

He was now about to enter on the scene of his longest ministry.

I THE REASON OF HIS RETURN TO GALILEE. "For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.

1. This might appear to be a reason for his avoiding Galilee, which was undoubtedly his own country.

2. He meant that, though he might have no reputation in Galilee, he couldcarry into it the reputation he acquired in Judaea and Jerusalem. These places might be regarded as setting the fashion to Galilee by the high estimate they put upon his achievements.

3. The proverb implies that a prophet, or any one who speaks in the name of the Lord, is entitled to special honour by virtue of his office. He ought to receive

a. reverence,

b. obedience,

c. and maintenance.

II THE WELCOME OF THE GALILAEANS. "The Galileeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast.

1. The Galilaeans were not religious aliens in Palestine. "For they also went unto the feast.

(1) They were less prejudiced than the Jews of Judaea, and more accessible to religious instruction.

(2) They were more patriotic than their southern countrymen. All the worst revolts against the Roman power had their origin in Galilee.

2. The reason of the Galilaean welcome to Christ was the impression made upon them by the miracles at Jerusalem. This fact marks their spiritual inferiority to the Samaritans, who believed on him for his word.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He went into Galilee - That is, into the country of Galilee: but not to Nazareth. It was at that town only that he had no honour. Therefore he went to other towns.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

The Healing of the Nobleman’s Son.

The passing into Galilee:

v. 43. Now after two days He departed thence, and went into Galilee.

v. 44. For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet hath no honor in his own country.

v. 45. Then, when He was come into Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things that He did at Jerusalem at the feast; for they also went unto the feast.

Jesus was constrained by the earnest prayers of the Samaritans to spend two days in their midst. But after that He continued His interrupted journey. He wanted to reach Galilee as soon as possible, an intention which He supported with a proverb: A prophet in his own fatherland has no honor. It was either that He referred to Judea, where His birthplace was situated, and where He had done His first public work, but where the Pharisees were even then showing their hostile attitude more strongly every day; or He had Galilee in mind, for there was situated Nazareth, His home town, and there was little danger of His being too highly honored and of gaining a popularity which would result in a collision with the Pharisees. But His reception in Galilee left little to be desired. Many Galileans had been at the last Passover festival and had witnessed the wonderful things which Jesus had done at that time, and they were very glad to have this prophet in their midst. As one commentator has it, they received Him on account of His fame in Jerusalem, the metropolis, which set them the fashion in their estimate of men and things. But it was not a longing for the Savior of sinners that actuated them at this time, but merely a curiosity to see and hear more of this great countryman of theirs that had dared to purge the Temple in the very presence of the mighty of the nation.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Our blessed Saviour having spent two days with the Samaritans, as an introduction to the calling of the Gentiles, he goes forward towards Galilee, the place which he was pleased to make choice of for exercise of the greatest part of his ministry. Coming into Galilee, he passeth by the city of Nazareth, where he had had his education, knowing ordinarily having little honour in his own country; therefore shunning Nazareth, he goes to Cana, where he had done his first miracle.

Learn hence, 1. That there is a real tribute of honour due unto every prophet and minister of God, which ought to be testified by reverence to their persons, by a due estimation of the dignity of their calling, by obedience to their doctrine, and by an honourable maintenance. A prophet should have honour; and honour includes all these.

Learn, 2. It is very usual and ordinary for the prophets of God to meet with least respect where they are most known; their nearest neighbours, their nearest relations, their nearest acquaintance, are oftimes farthest off from giving them that honour that is due unto them.

Learn, 3. That the true prophets and messengers of God shall be sure to find some that will entertain their persons, and embrace their ministry, though they be disesteemed and rejected by others. Though our Saviour had no honour at Nazareth, yet he found entertainment amongst the rest of the Galileans.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

General Information:

Jesus goes down to Galilee and heals a boy. Verse 44 gives us background information about something Jesus had said previously. (See: Background Information)

from there

from Judea

For Jesus himself declared

The reflexive pronoun "himself" is added to emphasize that Jesus had "declared" or said this.. You can translate this in your language in a way that will give emphasis to a person. (See: Reflexive Pronouns)

a prophet has no honor in his own country

"people do not show respect or honor to a prophet of their own country" or "a prophet is not respected by the people in his own community"

at the festival

Here the festival is the Passover.

translationWords

Galilee

Jesus

prophet

honor

Jerusalem

festival

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

43–54. THE WORK AMONG GALILEANS

43. Omit καὶ ἀπῆλθεν after ἐκεῖθεν, with אBCD.

43. τὰς δ. ἡμ. The two days mentioned in Joh 4:40. These three verses (43–45) form a sort of introduction to this section, as Joh 2:13 and Joh 4:1-4 to the two previous sections.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

43-54.] The second miracle of Jesus in Galilee. The healing of the Ruler’s son.

43.] τάς should have been expressed in E. V.,—after the two days.

We find no mention of the disciples again till ch. 6:3.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

43. τὰς δύο ἡμέρας, sc. the two days mentioned in v. 40.

After ἐκεῖθεν the rec. text, with ANΓΔ, adds καὶ ἀπῆλθεν from v. 3, but the addition is not found in א BCDTbW, and is unnecessary. Θ substitutes καὶ ἀπῆλθεν for ἐκεῖθεν.

Jesus had left Judæa because of the attention with which the Pharisees were suspiciously regarding His work there (v. 1), and was moving into Galilee (v. 3). The teaching at Sychar was only an episode of His journey (vv. 4-42), and the narrative is now resumed.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.