John 4:43-54, Eternal Life is a Miracle

What a powerful story.  This is the second of seven miracles recorded in John 1-12.  According to John 20:30-31, there are three purposes for these events:

·       To teach the nature of faith: “that you may believe.”

·       To teach the person of Christ: “that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.”

·       To teach the path of life: “that you may have life in His name.”

Let’s consider this story.  Jesus had spent two days in Samaria (v43) but then moved on to Galilee, the original destination (v3).  He went to Galilee because “a prophet has no honor in his own country.”  Luke’s Gospel tells us what this is about (Lk. 4:14-31).  Jesus had gone to His country, Nazareth, and preached in the synagogue.  His message was rejected and they tried to kill Him by pushing Him over a cliff.  They could not get past the fact that Joseph’s son, having grown up in Nazareth, claimed to be Messiah.  Thus, Jesus moved His ministry to Capernaum.

From there, Jesus went all around the Galilee area.  In this story He is back in Cana, about sixteen miles southwest of Capernaum.  We don’t know a lot about the nobleman.  The fact that he didn’t send one of his servants to Jesus but made the journey himself indicates the seriousness of the situation and his love for his son.

Jesus’ initial response might sound like He was frustrated (v48), but it’s quite possible He was just stating a fact.  Jesus’ words make clear why He was about to do what was asked.  It was not because of His love for the man or his son, even though we know that Jesus did have that love.  The event served a purpose for the people.  Three terms describe this event.  It was a sign, evidence of Jesus’ glory (deity).  It was a wonder because it defied human experience.  And it was a miracle, meaning “a powerful event,” because it demonstrated the power of God. 

The healing of the son from a distance proved the deity of Jesus.  God, by definition, is “immense,” meaning He transcends all spatial limitations.  As Jeremiah put it, He is a God near AND far off; He fills heaven and earth (Jer. 23:23-24; cf. also Psalm 139:7-12). 

We also see what it means to “believe.”  It is to take Him at His word.  The man believed his son was healed, even before the servants told him.  His faith was seen in the fact that he did not stay with Jesus to make sure.  His life was changed.

In addition, we see what it means to be “saved.”  It is healing for souls that are on sin’s death-bed.  But when we take Christ at His word, we are healed.  This is the life Jesus offers to all who believe in Him.  According to v53, the nobleman not only believed that his son was healed; he and his household believed in Jesus as their Messiah and Savior. 

How about you?  Do you believe the testimony of Jesus?