The Passage
John 4:46-54
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.
Word Work
Ask and answer questions. Questions unlock new discoveries and meanings. Ask questions about the passage using these words: who, what, why, when, where, or how. Jot down your answers to these questions
Word Thoughts:
Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe is a challenge not only to the royal official (Jesus said to him), but also to the Galilean people (“you” is plural). Some may become entranced with signs and wonders and fail to see that they point to Jesus and hence fail to believe in him (cf. 6:2, 26, 30). However, this does not mean that John views “signs” in and of themselves negatively. To the contrary, Jesus’ miracles are one of the primary means God uses to bring people to faith in him; they often lead people to follow Jesus or place their faith in him as the Messiah (2:11, 23; 3:2; 4:53–54; 6:2, 14; 7:31; 11:47–48; 12:11, 18; 20:31). (1)
Word Reflection:
- What stood out?
- What makes you believe in Christ?
- Often we want the miracles of Jesus but not Jesus Himself. What do you want more?
48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.”
End in Prayer
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