John 4:50, commentary and pictures

Jesus spoke assurance from Cana and healed a dying boy in Capernaum more than twenty miles away instantly and completely by His word alone. The father took Him at His word before any proof, going home with peace and joy, and when he learned the fever left at that very hour he trusted with his whole house. His first trust was conditional on getting the miracle and wavered at Jesus' humble appearance, but Jesus exposed that sign-seeking to lead him to trust in Himself alone. That affliction became conversion as his confidence in his son's recovery broadened into faith in Christ as Redeemer, and publishing the healing prepared Capernaum for further work.

Setting and Distant Healing

Jesus had come back to Cana after rejection at Nazareth, and reports of His works had raised hope among the Galileans that He was the Messiah, yet they judged Him by His humble birth and clothing and daily work and failed to recognize His sinless character.

The man to whom the promise was spoken was an honored Jewish nobleman from Capernaum whose son lay gravely ill at the point of death after the most learned physicians had pronounced the case incurable and said the child must die. Though Capernaum was quite a distance from Cana and he feared the child might die in his absence, he would not trust the errand to a servant but traveled himself to Cana, hoping the plea and prayers of a fond parent would touch the heart of the great Physician with pity and induce Him to accompany him to the bedside. He had heard of Jesus' power to change water into wine and to cleanse the temple, and believed One who had done these things could raise his son even from the brink of the grave, yet when he saw Jesus as a plainly dressed, travel-worn man his faith faltered even as he pressed his request.

Jesus did not go down to Capernaum but healed by His spoken word alone, sending healing power instantly to the child's bedside more than twenty miles away. The cure was sudden and complete at that same hour, for He speaks and disease flees and life returns. The father trusted the assurance before seeing proof and turned homeward in peace and confidence, with unspeakable gratitude and a peace and joy he had never felt before. He felt holy power in every tone of the command, and at the very moment his faith grasped the promise divine love touched the child.

The recovery began while the father was still on the journey home, at the seventh hour when the fever left the child. When he learned the timing he recognized it as the same hour of the promise and believed with his whole house. This was the second miracle Jesus did after coming out of Judea into Galilee, continuing the testimony of making water wine at Cana, and the Galileans received Him because they had seen what He did at Jerusalem at the feast.

Faith Tested and Confirmed

The father came with a faith that was conditional and bound to temporal help, willing to receive Jesus as Messiah only if his request for his dying son was granted. Though reports of miracles had encouraged him to seek help and to hope Jesus would travel back with him to the bedside, his trust faltered when he faced a plainly dressed, travel-worn man who looked ordinary. He still pressed his plea, but his confidence rose and fell with the prospect of getting what he sought.

Jesus laid bare that shallow, sign-dependent trust in order to awaken the father to his deeper spiritual need and to draw him away from dependence on a desired miracle to trust in Himself. That demand for a sign stood in contrast to the Samaritans, who had been ready to receive Him without requiring one. He may delay granting what is sought so as to impress the heart with its deep need of true piety.

When commanded to go his way with the assurance that his son would live, the man believed the word perfectly before any proof was seen and started home. He went with unspeakable gratitude and with peace, joy, and confidence that the healing was already accomplished. His was an imperative faith that stopped bargaining, clung to Jesus alone as the only hope, seized His merits as Saviour, and felt holy power in every tone of the command, and at the very moment his faith grasped the promise divine love touched the child.

What began as confidence that his son would recover broadened into implicit faith in Christ as Redeemer, ready and willing to save all who come to Him. The affliction was thus sanctified to conversion, bringing the nobleman to discipleship with his whole house. The household joyfully testified to their faith, and the healed son himself stood as a witness to Christ's power.

Witness and Outreach

The word that sent the father home with the assurance that his son lived confirmed the faith of the disciples and stood as testimony that Jesus is the Redeemer of the world, carrying forward the witness begun by His first miracle at Cana. The father believed before any confirmation reached him and set out on the return journey in that trust. His later work continued that same testimony.

Jesus healed without going to Capernaum, speaking the cure by His word alone from more than twenty miles away, and the cure was sudden and complete. The father trusted the assurance and went home with confidence before seeing proof, and the son recovered at that same hour. When the people of Capernaum learned of it they were greatly astonished and rejoiced that One possessing such miraculous power was present in their own city. The report of the miracle was published throughout Capernaum, the affliction was made the means of converting the whole family so that the nobleman and his household became disciples, and their witness opened the way for Christ's further labors there where many of His most wonderful works were done.

In seeking the acquaintance of this wealthy Jewish nobleman Jesus showed His purpose in accepting contact with people of wealth and influence, that He might gain access to their hearts and reveal to them imperishable riches. Those who come to Him to be healed or to ask healing for relatives or friends, including people of other nations, represent the great human family who do not know God or the truth yet feel a soul-longing for something they do not have. All who come listen to His instruction and are deeply impressed as they hear the word of truth. In speaking words of hope to these weary, unsatisfied souls and in healing the infirmities of those who come to Him, He set an example to be practiced from one end of the world to another in speaking and acting for humanity at large.

The response called for is implicit faith in Christ as Redeemer, ready and willing to save all who come to Him, a faith that believes His word and acts upon it. Selfishness, which so often alone moves men to seek Him, is to be laid aside, helplessness and bitter need confessed, and His promises trusted, while all who are weary and heavy-laden are invited to come to Him for rest. He sometimes delays His precious gifts to impress the heart with deep need of the true piety that entitles men to ask what they will. The account of healing from miles away by His word, for He speaks and disease flees and life returns, offers encouragement through Christ's power to heal, and a mother's determined approach to Christ stands as an expression of that faith.