seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
John 4:43 After the two days he left for Galilee. 44 (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) 45 When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there.
46 Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.
48 “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”
49 The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
50 “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”
The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 52 When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”
53 Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.
54 This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.
Back to Galilee.... this would be the hardest place to shed a little light. The people in Galilee would never expect their neighbor to be raising the King. They definitely didn't think the Son of the One True Living God had His diapers changed in Galilee. They didn't think that little kid, playing with a stick in the dirt all the time, would turn out to be anyone important, let alone the King of the World! [Titanic wasn't built yet... lol]Jesus accepted that. Maybe He went home to Galilee to catch a breath and gather up some more strength. After all, it had to be hard work, walking everywhere and teaching constantly. Maybe He went home to Galilee because they didn't expect anything from Him. No one expected Him to be brilliant in Galilee.
They knew, though. Someone had been in Jerusalem when He took on the Venders in the Temple Courtyard or when He was Baptized by John the Baptist. Maybe someone talked with one of John's disciples. At any rate, the word was getting around about Him and it had leaked back into Galilee. Some people would know His talents. Someone let the cat out of the bag.
Now... there's the Royal Official.
So far, we've seen two miracles in John's Gospel.
His disciples knew Jesus has turned water into wine for His mom, Mary. His disciples saw Him do this, and they Believed He could do miracles. It was some mighty fine wine.
The Samaritans and the disciples knew He read the mind of a half-breed and in doing so, gave her some hope. She Believed Him and went back and shared the happening with the people in town, they Believed.
Now... there's the Royal Official. Commentaries say this "official" probably worked for Herod Antipas. Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the Great. Herod Antipas is the guy who married his sister-in-law and had his stepdaughter do a pole dance for his buddies. The son of Herod the Great, this Herod Antipas is the guy who murdered John the Baptist. The Royal Official probably heard about Jesus from disciples of John the Baptist.
The Royal Official pleaded for his son's healing. Jesus told him to go home, his son would be ok. The man took Jesus at His Word! The rest is perfection.
At that very minute... as soon as the Royal Official "Believed" his plea was answered. At that very minute, everything changed for the Royal Official.
See, the Royal Official took Jesus at His Word [Verse 50]. The Royal Official didn't ask to see proof. He didn't insist that Jesus had to go home with him. He didn't cry and beg. He didn't go away dejected and rejected. He didn't hold Jesus as hostage until He proved the healing was complete. He just accepted Jesus at His Word. HHHMMM....
The Royal Official needed no proof...
