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mankind, so that "the knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the
sea". Charles H. Welch's comment is helpful:
"John the Baptist not only said `Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand'
(Matthew 3: 2), but `Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world
(John 1: 29). The former utterance was made known by Matthew, who did not include the
latter, whereas John ignores the former and include the latter. It is therefore suggestive of
the non-Jewish trend of the Gospel of John that he is inspired to record the ministry of the
Lord in Samaria. Moreover, it is in entire accord with the confessed purpose of John in
writing this record, which was: `That ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of
God; and that believing ye might have life through His name' (John 20: 31)" (Life
through His Name, p.127).
After two days, the Lord left Samaria for Galilee, which was his main object.
The Healing of the Nobleman's son.
The evangelist tells us that Christ Himself bore testimony that a prophet has no honour
in His own home (44). This proverb is quoted by all three Synoptists (Matthew 13: 57;
Mark 6: 4; Luke 4: 24) with reference to His home town of Nazareth (Mark 6: 6).
Here His home district was not Nazareth but Judaea and more particularly Jerusalem
where He received the same treatment of indifference and rejection (John 12: 37). But
with Galilee it was different. They welcomed Him (4: 45), and as chapter 2: informs us,
news of His wonderful "signs" had been spread throughout Galilee by those returning
from the recent Passover.
Having reached Cana where the water was made wine, He was met by a nobleman
whose son was desperately ill. The father was evidently one of the staff of Herod the
tetrarch of Galilee.
"When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judaea, he went to Him
and begged Him to come and heal his son, who was close to death" (4: 47).
The Lord seemed to be unsympathetic by saying "unless you people see miraculous
signs and wonders, you will never believe". Yet, speaking generally, this was true. He
may have said this to stimulate the faith of the nobleman and the Lord could see that this
had happened, for He said to him, "you may go; your son will live" (50). The verse goes
on to say "the man took Jesus at His word and departed". So this was real faith. If only
all of us could always take the Lord Jesus at His word, what difficulties we should avoid!
Before he reached home, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living.
Having asked the time when his son got better, they told him it was at the seventh hour,
and then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Christ had said to him
"your son will live". The joyous result was that both he and his household believed and
put their trust in the Lord. "This", said the Evangelist, "was the second miraculous sign
which Christ performed" (49-54).