John 4:46-54, Jesus Heals an Official's Son

46 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. 

John stresses that the official believed what Jesus said about his son being healed – before he had even seen or heard any evidence to prove it! After the healing, the man’s belief and witness is so strong that his whole family believed along with him. 

Yet Jesus does not pronounce healing immediately upon request. Instead, he challenges the official, “unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” Jesus is not speaking about belief in a healing miracle, but about belief in who he is. The man, in deep anguish at the approaching death of his son, puts the situation on the line for Jesus to act: “Unless you do something now, he will die!” From twenty miles away in Cana, Jesus declares the son in Capernaum will live, and he does. 

Why does Jesus challenge the man? Is it to elicit more faith or a genuine faith? The story really does not give us a direct answer. Jesus’ hesitation and challenging statement, however, is consistent with what he did in other healing situations recorded in other gospels. While he does heal people miraculously, he seems to be making the point that the healing is not as important as who the healer is and what people understand him to be. 

John calls this the “second sign” with the first being the changing of water into wine in the same town of Cana. These signs point to the mastery of Jesus over life-threatening situations and the invisible forces of nature. John’s presentation leads us to see that how we see and understand Jesus is paramount. Ultimately, there will be a more powerful sign and wonder that points to who Jesus really is. The rest of this gospel is preparing us for that moment. 

Put yourself in the situation of the official. What would you have done? What would you have believed about Jesus? Speak to Jesus now about how you understand him.