John 4:46–54

 ⁴⁶ So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. ⁴⁷ When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. ⁴⁸ Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.” ⁴⁹ The nobleman said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies!” ⁵⁰ Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. ⁵¹ And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, “Your son lives!” ⁵² Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” ⁵³ So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives.” And he himself believed, and his whole household. ⁵⁴ This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.

Commentary

Vs. 46-47 ⁴⁶ So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. ⁴⁷ When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.

Jesus now returns to Cana of Galilee, the place where He had made the water into wine at the wedding, for this was the place where He had done His first public miracle, and it may be Jesus’ returning there was to see if any genuine faith in His Person had taken root there. Now there was also a certain nobleman from Capernaum who had a son who was sick unto death, and so when He heard that Jesus had come out of Judea, he went down there to Cana to come and plead with Him to heal His son.

Vs. 48 Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.”

Here Jesus was not just addressing the nobleman, but the people of that region who were only looking to Him to do some sign or miracle, (like he did at the wedding feast) or to meet some immediate need in their lives, (not that Jesus is adverse to meeting any need in our lives), rather He is adverse when we only look to Him as a “miracle worker” rather than the Savior of our souls. Thus, the Lord Jesus Christ is not impressed with their wanting to first see signs from Him before they would believe in Him, for His very Person in their midst is the sign from God in heaven, to them and us all to repent and believe in Him!

Vs. 49-50 ⁴⁹ The nobleman said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies!” ⁵⁰ Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.”

The nobleman then believing that Jesus could heal his son then requests that Jesus come down to his house and heal him, Jesus then seeing that he believed He could do this then says to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” Thus, there would be no miraculous healing of his son in the presence of those who were only seeking signs and miracles from Him.

Vs. 51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, “Your son lives!”

The nobleman then believing that Jesus had healed his son (requests nothing more of Him) but now leaves and begins the journey to his home to see his son. And so, as he was traveling home his servants came and met him telling him that his son was alive and well!

Vs. 52-53 ⁵² Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” ⁵³ So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives.” And he himself believed, and his whole household.

When the nobleman heard the news of his sons’ condition, that he was now completely well, he asked his servants at what hour this occurred, and they told him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” (vs. 52). “So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives.” And he himself believed, and his whole household.” ^{Vs. 53}

Not only then did that man believe in Jesus, but his whole household also came to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ! All which began when he being in great desperation and despair over his son’s wellbeing began seeking the Lord Jesus Christ, and then when He found Him, He believed Jesus Christ’s Word! The positive ripple effects then of one’s persons faith exercised in the Lord Jesus Christ than can never be fully measured by us. 

Vs. 54 “This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.”

This then was the second sign Jesus did in establishing both the reality of His Person and His Ministry, as having come to men, by which He was glorifying God by doing the Will of God.

Scripture Quotations 

New King James Version (1982): Thomas Nelson.