A Study of John's Gospel

John 4:46b-48: A Distressed Father Seeks Jesus

A study of John 4:46b-48

"And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. 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. So Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.""

‭‭John‬ ‭4‬:‭46‬b-‭48‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Definitions of the original language in the context of this passage:

-Capernaum: "Καφαρναούμ", "Kapharnaoum"; proper locative noun - Capernaum = 'village of comfort'; a flourishing city of Galilee situated on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee or Lake of Gennesaret, near the place where the Jordan flows into the lake.

-An Official: "βασιλικός", "basilikos"; adjective - of or belonging to a king, kingly, royal, regal; of a man, the officer or minister of a prince, a courtier.

-Ill: "ἠσθένει"; "ἀσθενέω", "astheneō"; verb - to be feeble, sick.

-Jesus: "Ἰησοῦς", "Iēsous"; proper masculine noun - Jesus = "Jehovah is salvation"; Jesus, the Son of God, the Savior of mankind, God incarnate.

-Had Come: "ἥκει"; "ἥκω", "ēkō"; verb - to have come, have arrived, be present.

-Judea: "Ἰουδαίας"; "Ἰουδαία", "Ioudaia"; proper locative noun - Judea = 'he shall be praised'; in a narrower sense, to the southern portion of Palestine lying on this side of the Jordan and the Dead Sea, to distinguish it from Samaria, Galilee, Peraea, and Idumaea.

-He Went: "ἀπῆλθεν"; "ἀπέρχομαι", "aperchomai"; verb - to go away, depart.

-Asked Him (Implored Him): "ἠρώτα"; "ἐρωτάω", "erōtaō"; verb - to request, entreat, beg, beseech.

-Come Down: "καταβῇ"; "καταβαίνω", "katabainō"; verb - to come down, as from the temple at Jerusalem, from the city of Jerusalem; also of celestial beings coming down to earth.

-Heal: "ἰάσηται"; "ἰάομαι", "iaomai"; verb - to cure, heal.

-He Was at the Point: "ἤμελλεν"; "μέλλω", "mellō"; verb - to be on the point of doing or suffering something.

-Of Death: "ἀποθνῄσκειν"; "ἀποθνῄσκω", "apothnēskō"; verb - of the natural death of humans.

-Signs: "σημεῖα"; "σημεῖον", "sēmeion"; neuter noun - of miracles and wonders by which God authenticates the men sent by him, or by which men prove that the cause they are pleading is God's.

-Wonders: "τέρατα"; "τέρας", "teras"; neuter noun - miracle; performed by anyone.

Observation/Summary (short explanation of what the passage says in your own words):

As Jesus left Sychar, in Samaria, He continued on to Cana in Galilee (v.46a). As it happens, there was a government official from nearby Capernaum whose son was very sick. This man came to Jesus and begged Him to heal his son who was about to die. Jesus responded by telling the man he and the rest of the people would not believe unless they saw Jesus perform miracles.

Implication (what does this mean to us):

After His two day stay with the Samaritans in Sychar, Jesus and His disciples continued on to Cana in Galilee. Galilee is located in present day Palestine, and it is the region where Jesus grew up. Jesus was raised in the small Galilean town of Nazareth, and Cana is where the wedding from John 2 took place when Jesus transformed water into wine. We just read of another kind of transformation of the woman at the well, and the believing Samaritans in Sychar, and now we read of Jesus' return to His homeland where people are beginning to see Him as more than the man they grew up with. They have not yet had the same reaction as the Samaritans and other disciples who believed Jesus is the Messiah. But they heard about the many signs and wonders He performed recently in Jerusalem and they are beginning to at least see Him as someone sent by God and who can therefore perform miracles. However, it is because of His miracles that they are interested in Him, not because they believe He is the Son of God. For the most part, the people of Jesus' homeland want the gifts, not the Giver Himself.