John 11 Healing The Royal Official's Son

John 4:43-54

“43 Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee. 44 For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country. 45 Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilæans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast. 46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judæa 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. 48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. 49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. 50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. 51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.

52 Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. 53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. 54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judæa into Galilee” (John 4:43-54).

Jesus Knew All Men

John 4:46-54 contains an inspirational account of Jesus healing the son of a royal official in Galilee. We've jumped forward a few chapters, so just to catch up, this is the third in a series of exchanges Jesus has with various individuals.

John 2:24-25 sets up these exchanges with an important detail about Jesus: "He knew all men ... He Himself knew what was in man." Immediately following that verse, Jesus proves He knows all men with a series of interactions.

The first is a well-respected man, Nicodemus, a Pharisee and member of the Jewish Sanhedrin Court (John 3:1). Then Jesus meets the polar opposite: a poor, sinful, and disgraced Samaritan woman (John 4:7). An honorable, wealthy, male Jewish leader versus a poor, female Samaritan of ill-repute. You cannot find two more opposite people. Yet Jesus knows both, talks with both, and leads both closer to Him.

The third interaction is with this important royal official in Galilee (John 4:46). Then, immediately afterward, Jesus meets up with an ignominious man who spends his time lying by a pool in Jerusalem with the "sick, blind, lame, and withered" (John 5:3). He had been ill for 38 years and was a social outcast (John 5:5).

Again, he is quite the opposite of a royal official in Galilee. Yet Jesus knows these people, too. No one is beneath Him, and no one is above Him. No matter who He meets, He responds perfectly because "He knew all men...He Himself knew what was in man" (John 2:24-25).

Jesus Enters Cana of Galilee

The reason for skipping ahead to the third of these interactions, the royal official, is because this is the next "sign" in John's collection. John gives a list of carefully selected signs in hopes of bringing people to believe (John 20:30-31).

This event is counted as "a second sign that Jesus performed when He had come out of Judea into Galilee" (John 4:54). After witnessing and receiving the benefits of this sign, the royal official "believed and his whole household" (John 4:53). I think John hopes we will, too.

This story begins with Jesus entering Cana of Galilee (John 4:46). This should immediately remind you of Jesus' first sign in Cana, turning water into wine (John 2:11). To ensure you don't miss it, John says, "He came again to Cana of Galilee (where He had made the water wine)" (John 4:46). This is intentional. You are supposed to read this account with the sign at the wedding feast in mind. Both of these signs are in Cana, both produce belief, and both tell us something about Jesus.

Once in Cana, Jesus meets a royal official. This official has heard of Jesus. In fact, many of "the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the feast" (John 4:45), the Passover Jesus went to right after turning water into wine (John 2:12- 13).

While there, He cleansed the temple, performed many signs (John 2:23), and met Nicodemus (John 3:1). On His way back north to Galilee, He interacted with a woman in Samaria (John 4:7). Now, He is back in Galilee, and reports have spread about His signs.

This royal official is in desperate need of one of them. In fact, he is so desperate that he leaves his dying son behind 15 miles away to go find Jesus.

What Did Jesus Do?

Let's examine the actions that make up this sign and then ask the question, "What does this sign mean?" What Jesus did is quite remarkable. He sent a miracle 15 miles away to the city of Capernaum to a deathbed with precision accuracy. This sign transcends time and space.

The official wanted Jesus to go back with him to Capernaum to heal his son, but Jesus refused. Jesus wouldn't go and sent him back home alone (John 2:49-50). He simply said, "Go; your son lives" (John 4:50). +

That would be extremely hard to do. Your son is dying, you know Jesus can heal, and you travel all the way to Him to bring Him to your son, but He doesn't come. He gives you just a few words, only a few seconds of His time, and sends you back.

Imagine turning around and walking home empty-handed, alone. Why did the official do this? Why didn't he stay and beg Jesus to come with him?

Because "the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him" (John 4:50). He believed the word, even though he hadn't seen the sign yet.

This is the opposite of what Jesus has just told him, "Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe" (John 4:48). The pronoun, you, in Jesus’ statement, is plural. So many others only believe if they see the signs. Jesus was testing this man. Can you believe, unlike so many others, without seeing?

The official heads back to his son. The next day, he is greeted by slaves who tell him the great news that his son is alive and well. He asks them what time His son recovered it was the exact moment Jesus uttered the words, "Your son lives." Thus, the official and his whole household believe. This was the second sign Jesus did in Cana of Galilee.

What Does the Sign Mean?

We know what Jesus did; He healed the son. Yet what does it reveal about Jesus? We can't help but think the true spiritual meaning lies in the fact this sign was believed but not seen. The Galileans were willing to receive Jesus because they had seen His signs in Jerusalem (John 4:45). Either this official heard their testimonies or was in Jerusalem, but he knew about the signs, and he believed Jesus could heal His son.

That belief led him to walk to Jesus and, even more excruciatingly, to walk away from Jesus. Because he trusted, he did not see his son healed. He didn't witness Jesus touch him, hold his hand, or raise him up. Still, he believed the testimonies about Jesus, believed the words of Jesus, and was greatly rewarded for it.

This is an example of how all of John's readers are asked to believe in Jesus. Some were told they would see great things (John 1:50). Some saw the glory of Jesus made manifest, like the first time He was in Cana (John 2:11). Some, like Thomas, had the benefit of seeing the resurrected Lord (John 20:27-28). Some will only believe if they see signs (John 4:48), but Jesus wants us, you and me, to believe based on what we haven't seen. Believe the testimonies about Him. Believe the recorded signs.

Believe what we read. Believe in what we long to see one day. Remember, "Blessed are they who did not see, but yet believed" (John 20:29).