John 4:45

Joh_4:45-46. Ἐδέξαντο αὐτόν] The reception which He found among them was one of faith, for He now brought with Him from Jerusalem the honour which the prophet had not in his own country; therefore πάντα ἑωρακότες, κ.τ.λ., because they had seen, etc., and in this we have the key to the right understanding of Joh_4:44.

Joh_4:46. οὖν] in consequence of this reception, which encouraged Him to go farther into the country. He goes again straight to Cana, because here He had relatives, and might hope in consequence of His first miracle to find the soil prepared for further labour on His part.

κ. ἦν τις βασιλικὸς, κ.τ.λ.] ἐν Καφαρναούμ should be joined to ἦν. Βασιλικός, a royal person, is, according to the frequent use of the word in Josephus (see Krebs, p. 144) and other writers (Plutarch, Polyb., etc.; see Wetstein), not a relation of the king (so Baronius, Bos, and many, also allowed by Chrysostom), but one in the service of the king (Herod Antipas); whether a military man (thus very often in Josephus; Nonnus: ἰθύνων στρατιήν), or civilian, or court retainer, is uncertain.

ὁ υἱίς] according to Joh_4:49, still young. The article indicates, perhaps, that he was the only one.

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 4:45 . Neither is οὖν of Joh 4:45 inconsistent with this interpretation. It merely continues the narration: “when, then, He came into Galilee”. The immediate result of His coming was not what He anticipated, and therefore ἐδέξαντο is thrust into the emphatic place, “a welcome was accorded to Him by the Galileans”. And this unexpected result is accounted for by the fact stated, πάντα ἑωρακότες … εἰς τὴν ἑορτήν ; they had been at the Passover at Jerusalem, and had seen all He had done there. “They received Him … on account of His fame in Jerusalem, the metropolis, which set them the fashion in their estimate of men and things” (Alford). According to John’s usual method of distinguishing various kinds of faith, this note is inserted to warn the reader that the reception was after all not deeply grounded, and to prepare for the statement of Joh 4:48 . [ ἦλθον , and even ἐποίησεν , may be rendered by pluperfects.]

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

received--welcomed Him.

having seen . . . at the feast--proud, perhaps, of their Countryman's wonderful works at Jerusalem, and possibly won by this circumstance to regard His claims as at least worthy of respectful investigation. Even this our Lord did not despise, for saving conversion often begins in less than this (so Zaccheus, Luk 19:3-10).

for they also went--that is, it was their practice to go up to the feast.

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

Verse 45. The Galileans received him] They received him as the promised Messiah, because of the miracles which they had seen him perform at Jerusalem, at the Passover. See Joh 2:23.

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

45. The Galileans received him. Whether or not this honor was of long duration we have not the means of determining; for there is nothing to which men are more prone than forgetfulness of the gifts of God. Nor does John relate this with any other design than to inform us that Christ performed miracles in presence of many witnesses, so that the report of them was spread far and wide. Again, this points out one advantage of miracles, that they prepare the way for doctrine; for they cause reverence to be paid to Christ.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(45) All the things that he did.—See the reference in Joh_2:23 to the unrecorded work at Jerusalem.

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

45. all the things that he did] Of these we have a passing notice Joh_2:23. ‘The Feast’ means the Passover, but there is no need to name it, because it has already been named, Joh_2:23.

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.

Then when he was come into Galilee,.... That part of it in which Cana lay, as appears by what follows:

the Galilaeans received him; willingly, readily, and cheerfully, with much delight and pleasure, and with marks of great esteem and respect: they received him into their houses, and entertained him, and provided for him and his disciples:

having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem, at the feast of the passover; the miracles he wrought there, see Joh 2:23;

for they also went unto the feast; as well as Jesus and his disciples: they kept the feast of the passover, and went yearly to Jerusalem on that account: so Josephus speaks of the Galilaeans going to the Jewish festivals at Jerusalem, when he says (c);

"it was the custom, or usual with the Galilaeans, when they went to the holy city at the festivals, to go through the country of the Samaritans;''

which was the way that Christ now came from thence to them.

(c) Antiqu. Jud. l. 20. c. 5.

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

45 Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.

Ver. 45. The Galileans received him] Though those of Nazareth would not, others did. He that is sent and gifted by God shall have one where or other to exercise his gifts, as the English exiles at Geneva, Zurich, &c.; as Zanchius, when he could not rest at Argentina, was received at Clavenna.

Having seen all the things he did, &c.] Christ’s miracles were as the sermon bell, that called them together. These the men of Nazareth also had seen, but with prejudice, and therefore to no profit.

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.

Received him - Received him kindly, or as a messenger of God. They had seen his miracles, and believed on him.

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

When he came not to Nazareth, but to some parts of Galilee, the Galilaeans entertained him hospitably; and this they did because of those miracles they had seen wrought by him at the passover feast, where Christ was, Joh 2:1-25. For these Galilaeans, though they lived at a great distance from Jerusalem, yet were observant of the law which commanded all the males of the Jews to be present at that solemnity. The Samaritans saw no miracle, but believed Christ upon his word. The Galilaeans also received Christ, but their seeing of his miracles at the feast is given as the cause of their receiving him; their faith was not so noble as that of the Samaritans. Blessed (saith our Saviour) are they who have not seen, and yet have believed.

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

45. Galileans received him—So that there seemed to be an opening for his attainment of the object of his mission, the gaining the people’s honour to their own prophet.

Having seen… things… at the feast—Our Lord’s visit to his first Passover is detailed in Joh_2:13 to Joh_3:22. The class of half-believers, admirers of his miracles, to which these Galileans belonged, is described in Joh_2:23-25, on which see notes. From the capital these Galileans had carried their impressions of Jesus home, where he now finds them.

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

45. ἐν τῇ ἑορτῇ. The Passover; but there is no need to name it, because it has already been mentioned in connexion with these miracles, Joh 2:23. Perhaps these Galilaeans who then witnessed the miracles were the chief of the πολλοί who then believed.

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.

45.] They received Him, but in accordance with the proverbial saying just recorded;—not for any honour in which they themselves held Him, or value which they had for His teaching; but on account of His fame in Jerusalem, the metropolis,—which set them the fashion in their estimate of men and things.

καὶ αὐτοὶ γάρ, inserted for those readers who might not be aware of the practice of the Galilæans to frequent the feasts at Jerusalem.

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

45. ὅτε is the true reading, but א*D have ὡς.

For ὅσα (אcABCLNWΘ, ἅ is read by the rec. with א*DTbΓΔ. See, for a similar variant, vv. 29, 39.

ὅτε οὖν ἦλθεν κτλ., “When, then, He had come into Galilee,” οὖν not connoting causation but sequence only (see on 1:22).

The Galilæans, among whom He came, had seen His “signs” at Jerusalem at the feast (2:23, 3:2), καὶ αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἦλθον εἰς τὴν ἑορτὴν, sc. “for (note the introduction of the explanation by γάρ) they also had come for the feast” (the aor. ἦλθον, as well as the preceding ἐποίησεν, being used with a pluperfect sense). The Samaritans did not go up to Jerusalem for the feasts, and so Jesus and His activities there were not known to them; but the Galilæans were orthodox and went up regularly. The words of Jesus alone, without “signs,” were sufficient to convince the villagers of Sychar of His claims.

αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἦλθον εἰς τὴν ἑορτήν. ἔρχσθαι is naturally used of coming up to the feast, when the standpoint of the writer is Jerusalem (e.g. 11:56, 12:12); but when the scene is in Galilee, as here, and mention is made of worshippers “going up” to the feast, we should expect ἀναβαίνειν (as at 7:8). In this sentence of explanation the writer seems to be recalling what he had noticed at Jerusalem, viz. that the Galilaeans came up for the Passover mentioned in c. 2.

Healing of the Nobleman’s Son (Vv. 46-54)

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