The Word Heals

July 10, 2022 Background Scripture: John 4:46 - 54 Lesson Passage: John 4:46 - 54 As stated in last week's notes, John began his account of the gospel by declaring Jesus' divinity. The remainder of the writing provides irrefutable proof of John's declaration as revealed to him by God. The proof John provides guides the reader towards a single purpose that is stated near the end of his account: "that people might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing they might have life." Today's lesson provides one such example of this occurring. There are two key persons in today's text: Jesus and a nobleman. Royal officers of the Roman Empire were known as noblemen. This was a position held by a Gentile. Some noblemen had close relationships with the Jews in the region where they served. It is likely that some were practicing Judaism as proselytes, i.e., ones who were not Jews. John did not provide the nobleman's name, nor did John inform the reader as to his relationship with the local Jews. John does inform us that the nobleman had more than one servant which would suggest that he was a person of some economic means. Jesus began his earthly ministry in Galilee and then traveled south to Judea. It was in Cana of Galilee where Jesus performed his first recorded miracle. After Jesus returned to Galilee, a nobleman went to him with a request. It is obvious from the text that the nobleman had heard about Jesus and the miracles he had performed. The nobleman had a son on the brink of death, so he asked Jesus to come down to where his son was before his child dies. Apparently, his child was at his house. He believed that Jesus had the ability to heal his son. Jesus told him to go about his way because his son was going to live. The man believed Jesus' statement, so he left. It is striking to me that the man requested Jesus to come to his son, but Jesus told him his son would live and sent him away. Jesus did not go with the man, nor give him a prescription for his son, nor give him an anointed prayer cloth to take with him. Nevertheless, the man left Jesus, having only the word Jesus had spoken to him, to return to his house. The next day, while he was on the way home, his servants met him and told him his son was alive. The man asked his servants when did his son's condition change. They informed him of the exact hour of the previous day. That hour was the same hour Jesus told him that his son would live. When Jesus told him that his son lives, the nobleman believed Jesus' statement. Was he expecting his son to gradually get better after Jesus' assurance? Now that he had the testimony of his servants, he believed "in Jesus" —not just in Jesus' ability to perform miracles. Subsequently, he led his entire household to believe "in Jesus" also. Jesus spoke a word that brought immediate healing. Jesus was no ordinary man, or even prophet. This word of healing revealed something more profound about the person of Jesus. Jesus demonstrated the power of life and death by simply speaking a word from a distance. Jesus was more than a mere man, The nobleman understood this point when he discovered that Jesus' word had immediate effect—even from a distance! Jesus did not call upon the gods of healing or even declare a statement from God. Jesus spoke as one with authority within himself to speak healing to the sick. Jesus sent his word, and his word healed the nobleman's son. Robert C. Hudson June 27, 2022