Anchor My Faith

The Official’s Request

Scripture: John 4:46-49

From the location given in the previous lesson, Jesus would have traveled west from Capernaum to Cana, but as we read our text we find that he is coming from Judea: “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. 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.” (John 4:46-47)

If we look back to John 4:3, we find that Jesus left Judea and departed for Galilee, going through the region of Samaria to meet the woman from Sychar at Jacob’s well. From there Jesus continued on to his hometown of Nazareth where he read from Isaiah and claimed that what he read was fulfilled that day in him. His hometown people were unwilling to accept what he claimed and they rose up and drove him out of the synagogue to a cliff to throw him over, but walking through their midst he leaves them and goes to Capernaum. From there he came again to Cana in Galilee, where, at the request of Mary, he turned water into wine to replenish the supply that had run out at a wedding he attended there. The timing of the return of Jesus coincided with the sickness of the son of an official at Capernaum.

This official was probably a Gentile centurion, possibly in the service of Herod Antipas. Looking back to John 3:1 – 21, we read about Jesus bringing the gospel to Nicodemus, a respected Jewish leader. Then in John 4:1 – 42, is the episode with the outcast Samaritan woman at the well and now Jesus is bringing the gospel to an official working for the Roman government. If we extend on from these examples, the implication is that the gospel is for everyone in the world.

This Roman official knew where Jesus was and he knew the power Jesus had and so he goes to meet Jesus and request that he return with him to Capernaum to heal his son who was at the point of death. The response Jesus makes to him seems rather strange: “So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe” (John 4:48 ESV).

The point Jesus is making is, did the official come because he believed in Jesus or was he entranced by the signs and wonders being performed by Jesus. This was not a challenge being made only to this official, but to everyone. The danger here is to focus on the signs and wonders and fail to develop a saving faith in Jesus. These signs and wonders were important then as they are today in bringing people to faith. Their primary use is to demonstrate the power of Jesus over other gods and thus show that he is the one to believe in.

“The official [stays focused] and says to [Jesus], “Sir, come down before my child dies.”’ (john 4:49 ESV).

Prayer

Father, as we walk along the gospel path, we watched Jesus share the gospel with Nicodemus, then with an outcast Samaritan woman, and now with this Roman official. Again and again, we will watch Jesus share the gospel. Should we not be doing the same thing?