Posts Tagged With: sign

Day 6 of 49

2^nd Sign, The Healing of the Official’s Son.

So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. 

47 When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 

48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” 

49 The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 

50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. 

51 As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. 

52 So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” 

53 The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household. 

54 This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee. 

Jn 4:46–54.

After reading the passage, contemplating the passage, cross-referencing, and looking in commentaries, I came to this conclusion; I do not understand why John chose this miracle as an indicator of Jesus as the Messiah. 

He returned from Passover in Jerusalem, and had done many miracles there.

In Jerusalem, he upset the tables of the moneylenders and livestock sellers. Researchers have come up with several reasons why this was a problem.

1. They set up in the Court of the Gentiles, therefore hindering those outside the Jewish faith from having an effective time of worship with the Lord.
2. They made the people transfer their money to the temple shekel, at a higher rate.
3. They told the people with animals they brought for sacrifice, those animals were not good enough, and offered to sell them another, at a higher rate. 

Jesus had an encounter with Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman. It is interesting that the Samaritans believed because of his words, not the signs (Jn 4:41).

Perhaps Jesus rebuke dealt more with the word wonder than sign. The people were to look for signs of the Messiah. The prophets provided many proofs…some more spectacular than others. A wonder brings on an astonished reaction.

Did Jesus sigh as he commented that they would not believe without signs and wonders. It must have been refreshing in Samaria to see them so willing to believe him at his word.

The people in Capernaum welcomed him as an honored guest. (Jn 4:45). The news of the wedding wine in Cana and his works in Jerusalem had spread throughout the territory.

The official approached Jesus as a last resort. He believed Jesus could heal because of what had been said about him. Interesting that the man did not contradict Jesus when it came to the belief, he just persevered on getting his son healed. Perhaps he had moved from Jesus could heal to Jesus will heal in his belief.

So Jesus told him to go home and didn’t go with him. He said the son was healed. The official didn’t question anymore, he left confident that Jesus had healed his son.

We find two similar stories narratives. 

• Jairus’ daughter, Jesus went with him to his daughter’s side (Luke 8:40-56).
• The centurion’s servant, “You don’t have to come, just say the word” (Luke 7:1-10).

He met his servants along the way, who confirmed the time, his healing occurred at the words of Jesus. He and his household believed in Jesus Christ.

I’m back to the original question, why did John call this a sign?

When Jesus turned the water into wine, only the servants, Mary and the disciples knew what happened.

When Jesus healed the boy, only the servants and official knew what had happened.

Perhaps the sign is in its simplicity. Jesus cared for and healed the son. He didn’t have to be physically present to make it happen. Will one believe without the elaborate miracle?  We see later that many did not believe despite the elaborate miracles.

Thomas wanted to put his hand in Jesus’ side before he believed. Jesus said, Blessed are those who have not seen, yet believe.

Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 

25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” 

26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 

27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 

28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 

29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” 

Jn 20:24–29.

This official’s belief was revealed through his actions. He went home, believing what Jesus had said. Only after he was on his way did he get confirmation of the healing.

What do you really believe about Jesus? How do your actions reveal that belief?

Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.