Seven Miracles - Pt 6

The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. 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.” 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. (John 4:49-53 ESV).

Jesus does not address the man only. He addresses the whole group he has been talking about, the whole region of his own hometown. And now he says explicitly what we’ve seen earlier. He says they are sign-seekers, “wonder-worshipers.” We can call it belief, but it’s not the kind that unites us as one who sees and treasures Jesus the Son of God full of grace and truth. In fact, it dishonors Him. The official is different though. It seems to me that Jesus is testing him. The official is asking for a miracle for his dying son in a time when people love to see miracles. And he seems to be asking for the same reason any unbelieving person would love to see a miracle. He has a health need; he wants Jesus to fix it. This is the typical attitude of the unbeliever. Unbelievers don’t love God; they use God. So Jesus bluntly says to the man, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe” (v. 48). He doesn’t even comment on it. He simply repeats his request. Jesus discerns the man’s heart and Jesus simply gives him a gift. Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” John says, “The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.” What is remarkable about this is that the man had asked Jesus to come with him. But when Jesus simply spoke, “Go; your son will live,” the man obeyed without a question. He believed and went. He did not insist on seeing the miracle. He did not complain that Jesus would not come with him. And amazingly, he simply left, John says, believing. I’m inclined to think that in that moment of seeing Jesus speak so sovereignly in spite of his accusations, something awakened in the man. He saw something more than a miracle-worker. Then the next day we get the confirmation of the healing at the very hour when Jesus spoke the day before. And the confirmation reestablishes the man’s faith, and his household believes also. As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they told him when it happened. 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 (verses 51–53). His faith was affirmed! Yours can be too. Believe, regardless of your circumstance!