Bible Commentaries
John 4

Verse 1

John 4:1

So, Jesus stayed in Judea and baptized there with His disciples until the Pharisees (see notes on John 8:3) learned about His success there (John 4:3).

Notice that Jesus knew.

Verse 2

John 4:2

This verse was added by the interpreters to support the notion that Jesus would delegate to His disciples and not stoop to imitate the Baptist’s ministry. This is said as though the Lord thought Himself too good to do what was beneath Him.

However, Jesus washed feet (John 13:4-12). He came to this Earth to live among His creation as one of them. He did get hungry. He would sweat. He became dirty from travels. His whole mortal episode was “stooping.” He stooped to write in the dirt He created while the Pharisees and scribes waited on His response before a woman caught in adultery (John 8:6-8). He submitted Himself to the whip, the torture, the spitting, the slapping, the ridicule, and the nails.

How is it that we find it so hard to suppose that Jesus, who lived by example for us all and who showed His disciples how to continue on, would not also show, by His own example, that He wanted John’s ministry to go on?

Verse 3

John 4:3

There were three providences in Palestine during the days of Christ on Earth, Galilee, Samaria and Judea (from north to south). A significant portion of Jesus’ private life and public ministry were conducted in the province of Galilee. Over half of the parables were communicated in Galilee. Famous messages were spoken there, including the Sermon on the Mount. His first miracle was performed in Cana of Galilee (John 2:1), and the incredible transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-9, Mark 9:2-9) occurred there.

Verse 4

John 4:4

The land in between Judea and Galilee was Samaria. Aenon and Salim were close to the Judean and Samarian border. So, to get to Galilee from Judea, Jesus had to go through Samaria or go around it. Besides the geographical rational, Jesus had a meeting with a woman destined to happen there.

Typically though, He’d avoid Samaria, and He instructed The Twelve (see notes on John 20:24) to do the same (Matthew 10:5-6). After His resurrection, the Apostles would preach in Samaria. However, it was not yet time to minister there in any significant amount, and the major portion of His time would be spent with the Jewish people. Jesus came to the Jews first (Matthew 15:24, Luke 24:47).

Verse 5

John 4:5

Jacob’s well (Genesis 26:19) was on a plot of land (Genesis 33:19, Genesis 48:22, Joshua 24:32) in the providence of Samaria (John 4:6) just outside the city (John 4:8) of Sychar. This verse contains the only reference to Sychar in the Bible.

The name Sychar ^G4965 has roots in the Hebrew word shekar. Shekar means, “an intoxicant, that is, intensely alcoholic liquor: - strong drink, + drunkard, strong wine.” Interestingly, the descendants of Joseph had a history of alcohol abuse (Isaiah 28:1).

Alcohol weakens self control and releases inhibitions. Drunken people can end up “letting go” and do inappropriate things that have negative consequences in their lives that far outlive the momentary pleasures they sought while under the influence of the liquor. Some things that get damaged as a result of drunkenness are important relationships, and the woman (John 4:7) that Jesus met at Jacob’s well had experienced several ruined relationships (John 4:17-18).

Her way of life had not given her any lasting joy and comfort in the assuring safety of a consistent marriage. She had gone from one failed relationship to another. Throughout her soiled past, perhaps she had poured plenty of men a drink of alcohol. On this day, however, Jesus would ask her for a drink of water (John 4:7).

Her encounter with Jesus would change her life (see notes on John 4:29-30). All of her past drinking had left her only thirsty still and surrounded by dead relationships, but Jesus would give her living water (John 4:10, John 4:14, John 6:35, John 7:37). Living for the devil had only stolen her peace, killed her joy and destroyed her relationships, but Jesus wanted to give her a new life (John 10:10).

Verse 6

John 4:6

For more on Jacob’s well, see the notes on John 4:5.

Look and see how Jesus would grow tired as any other man. In John 4:7, we perceive more of His humanity in that He would be thirsty (John 19:28) as well. Jesus also got hungry too (Matthew 21:18-19, Luke 4:2, see notes on John 4:31). Our Almighty God, which is a Spirit (John 4:24), had willingly became a physical man (John 1:14, Galatians 4:4, Philippians 2:6-8, Hebrews 2:14-17, Hebrews 10:5) and was subject to our weaknesses and physical needs.

Jesus had been traveling on foot from Judea on His way to Galilee (John 4:3), and He arrived at Sychar, Samaria around noon. The sun and the journey had warmed Jesus, and he was tired and thirsty.

Verse 7

John 4:7

I suppose that the chore of carrying heavy containers of water would best be reserved for cooler parts of the day. The Samaritan woman came to the well at noon though (John 4:6), when there would be less opportunity to encounter other folks from the city. Perhaps she had developed an undesirable reputation as a result of her lifestyle (see notes on John 4:5), and disapproving whispers and glances from other people was something she’d rather avoid.

There may have been no other people that she knew from Sychar there at the sixth hour, but the well was occupied by a Jewish stranger. Jews thought of the gentiles as dogs (Matthew 15:22-28, Mark 7:25-29), and they wouldn’t typically ask for anything from them (John 4:9). However, Jesus asked her for a drink. There may have been traditionally no formal “dealings” between the Jews and the Samaritan, but Jesus was willing to walk right through the wall dividing them (Matthew 27:51, Mark 15:38, Luke 23:45, Ephesians 2:14) and invite a transaction between them.

Jesus still goes through the walls dividing Him from the lost, and He invites the most meaningful of transactions. He willingly offers the exchange of our sins for His righteousness (see notes on John 3:18, John 20:23).

Verse 8

John 4:8

This is another verse in parentheses (see notes on John 4:2). The purpose of its addition may have been to clarify sooner the reason Jesus was alone with the woman rather than wait until we learned in John 4:27 that the disciples had left Him. In John 4:31 we eventually see that they had brought Jesus food from the city.

Actually, the way it is written, it seems to imply that Jesus only asked her to give Him a drink because His disciples had left Him. However, the entire episode was destined to happen, and it was not coincidental. Jesus went there on purpose in order to have this encounter with the woman at the well, and he stayed behind to be alone with her. Although Jesus was thirsty, He also asked her for a drink simply to begin the conversation.

Verse 9

John 4:9

She had a chip on her shoulder. In her heart were feelings of inadequacy and inferiority. Her inability to maintain long-term, meaningful relationships probably added to her poor self esteem. Couple her failures with the town folk’s disapproval, and you have a recipe for bitterness. So here’s an example of someone emotionally sick. Fortunately, she met the great physician.

Additionally though, she was a Samaritan, and the Jews looked down on the lot of them. The Samaritans were a “mixed” people of different cultures, that is, not entirely Jewish (2 Kings 17:24-28). Plus, the Samaritans wanted to join the Jewish effort in building the temple and had been rejected by the Jews (Ezra 4:2-3). Consequently, prior to the days of Jesus’ ministry, Samaritans had a history of causing the Jews problems (Ezra 4:4-11, Nehemiah 6:1-14).

Verse 10

John 4:10

We know that one may have not received what they wanted, because they never asked for it (Luke 11:9-13, James 4:2). Sometimes though the request for the desired thing isn’t made, because of a lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). She didn’t know about the gospel, about salvation, or about the Lamb of God. Everything she needed for a fulfilled life while on Earth and eternal life with God in Heaven was literally sitting there in front of her (John 4:6), but she didn’t know it. If she had had known, Jesus said she would have repented.

When we repent and accept God’s forgiveness and Jesus’ lordship over our lives (see notes on John 3:15), we are given a drink (1 Corinthians 10:4) of the Holy Spirit (John 7:37-39, see notes on John 20:22) and baptized into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). To drink of the Holy Spirit is indeed to have a drink of living water (John 4:14, John 6:35, 1 Corinthians 10:4, Revelation 21:6).

Verse 11

John 4:11

The Samaritan woman’s thinking was focused in the physical things she could understand. However, Jesus spoke to her of spiritual things. Her response makes human logical sense, and it is similar to Nicodemus’ reply to one of Jesus’ spiritual statements (see notes on John 3:4, John 3:9).

The Lord will never ask something of us without giving us the ability to do it. Too often though, we worry about the natural. We focus on the depth of the problem, and the materials we don’t have, rather than the God of plenty and power and exalted heights right before us.

How dare any of us question God on how He plans to get the job done? How dare we scoff at His prophecies?

Verse 12

John 4:12

Her question is of the same sort brought by the Jews in John 8:52-53. Of course, we know that Jesus was greater than any man that ever lived (Matthew 3:11, Matthew 12:42, Mark 1:7, Luke 3:16, Luke 11:32, John 5:36, 1 Timothy 6:15, Hebrews 3:3, 1 John 4:4, Revelation 17:14, Revelation 19:16, Revelation 22:13), and He was certainly greater than Jacob.

The water one could drink from Jacob’s Well was only good to relieve physical thirst, but the water of the Holy Spirit that Jesus gives us to drink (see notes on John 1:4, John 4:10, John 7:39, John 20:22) relieves our spiritual thirst and brings everlasting life.

Verse 13

John 4:13

See notes on John 4:12.

Verse 14

John 4:14

See notes on John 4:12.

Verse 15

John 4:15

Although she was likely still thinking in terms of physical water, her request is one that every born again believer made in one way or another. Every true Christian asked the Lord for the gift of His salvation to be poured into them.

Verse 16

John 4:16

Once her heart was plowed and prepared for the revelation of the truth, Jesus established His credibility to deliver the message by exposing her to His Holy Spirit given and enabled word of knowledge (1 Corinthians 12:8).

He began by asking her to fetch her husband, but she was no longer married (John 4:17). Jesus knew that she not only was living with a man outside of marriage, but he knew that she had been married five times before (John 4:18). After He displayed discernment of facts a stranger wouldn’t normally be privy to, the woman acknowledged that Jesus was gifted (John 4:19), and she was ready to hear more from Him (John 4:20).

Verse 17

John 4:17

Her answer, “I have no husband,” wasn’t a full confession (1 John 1:9). She used guile (see notes on John 1:47) to avoid the embarrassment of bringing out the whole truth. Haven’t we all done that? Before God though, who sees and knows all things (Psalms 44:21, Psalms 139:1-18, Jeremiah 17:10, Jeremiah 23:24, John 2:24-25, John 21:17, Hebrews 4:13, 1 John 3:19-20, Revelation 2:23), what is the point of being anything less than completely honest?

Verse 18

John 4:18

Her answer contained only part of the truth (see notes on John 4:17), and Jesus let her know that He knew the rest of it (see notes on John 4:16).

Verse 19

John 4:19

See notes on John 4:16.

Her logic concluded Jesus was a prophet following a simple line of reasoning. Since Jesus had received revelations and knew things normally not perceived, she thought that He must hear from God. Prophets hear from God. This man must be a prophet.

Verse 20

John 4:20

Being already in a conversation with someone that had such a close relationship with God (see notes on John 4:19), the woman took advantage of the opportunity to resolve a lingering religious dilemma in her mind. Who is right, the Jews (Deuteronomy 12:5-11, 1 Kings 8:15-22, 1 Kings 9:3, 1 Chronicles 21:26, 2 Chronicles 3:1, 2 Chronicles 6:6, 2 Chronicles 7:12, 2 Chronicles 7:16, Psalms 78:67-68, Psalms 132:13) or the Samaritans (Genesis 12:6-7, Genesis 33:18-20, Deuteronomy 11:29, Deuteronomy 27:4, 2 Kings 17:26-33)?

Verse 21

John 4:21

Jesus’ answer implied that both sides had good reasons for their views (see notes on John 4:20). However, He made it clear that soon neither of their religious practices were going to be relevant (1 Corinthians 13:10-13, Galatians 3:19-25, Galatians 4:3-5, Hebrews 7:11-19, Hebrews 8:6-13, Hebrews 9:9-15, Hebrews 10:1-25, Hebrews 12:2). In the future, there would be no reason for going to a special place to worship (Malachi 1:11, Matthew 18:20, Acts 6:14, 1 Corinthians 5:4, 1 Timothy 2:8).

Verse 22

John 4:22

Although both the Jews and the Samaritans worshipped in their own way (John 4:20), and each side had historical reasons for their methods (see notes on John 4:20-21), the Samaritans were just going through the motions. They knew they should worship this higher power called God, but their ideas about God had been heavily influenced by other belief systems (see notes on John 4:9). Consequently, the Samaritans didn’t know what they were worshipping.

The Jews’ religious practices, on the other hand, were largely unaffected by outside influences, and they worshipped the God revealed in their scriptures through Moses and the prophets (Luke 10:25-29, John 5:39, Romans 3:1-2). The Jews understood what they worshipped, and they awaited their savior and Messiah (Deuteronomy 18:15-18, Daniel 9:24-26, Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah 55:1-4, Micah 5:2).

Verse 23

John 4:23

The Samaritan woman Jesus met at the well (John 4:6-7), having perceived Jesus was a prophet (John 4:19), inquired of Him who was right; the Jews or the Samaritans (see notes on John 4:20-22). Jesus responded by telling her that the “where” of worship isn’t as important as the “from where” of worship, and the “how” of worship isn’t as significant as the “why” of worship. What the Father wants is true worship that comes from one’s spirit (John 4:24, Romans 1:9, Romans 7:6, 1 Corinthians 14:2, Philippians 3:3), in unity with the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26-27, 1 Corinthians 14:15, Ephesians 6:18, Judges 1:20), for the benefit and glory of God (Psalms 28:7, Psalms 86:12, Psalms 150:2, Romans 15:6, 1 Corinthians 6:20, 1 Peter 2:9, Revelation 14:7, Revelation 15:4). God doesn’t want worship that comes from one’s mind and is performed out of religious obligation for the benefit and glory of the religious practitioner (Matthew 6:5-8, Matthew 15:7-9, Luke 18:10-14, Luke 20:45-47).

Verse 24

John 4:24

God is a spirit, that is, God is not contained in a form like our bodies (2 Corinthians 3:17). He isn’t limited to one place (1 Kings 8:27, Psalms 139:7-12, Proverbs 15:3, Jeremiah 23:23-24, Amos 9:2-3, Matthew 18:20, Hebrews 4:13) and one time (Isaiah 46:10, Isaiah 57:15, John 8:58, Hebrews 13:8, 2 Peter 3:8, Revelation 1:8). He is free to be in every believer (Matthew 10:20, John 14:17, Romans 8:10, 2 Corinthians 13:5, Galatians 4:6, Ephesians 3:20, Colossians 1:27, 2 Timothy 1:14, 1 John 3:24, 1 John 4:4, 1 John 4:13) and yet sit enthroned in Heaven at the same time(1 Kings 22:19, 2 Chronicles 18:18, Psalms 11:4, Matthew 23:22).

Our spiritual God wants true spiritual worship (see notes on John 4:23).

Verse 25

John 4:25

She granted Jesus that she may not know a lot about the scriptures or what they tell us, but she had heard about the Messiah which was prophesied to come. She believed the Messianic prophesies she had heard too. She also believed that even though she and other Samaritans didn’t know much Jewish theology; when the Christ would come, He would teach them.

Verse 26

John 4:26

There are those that suggest Jesus never said He was the Messiah. What he did say, speaking of the Messiah (John 4:25), is, “I... am he.” Without argument, Jesus plainly claimed that He was the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies (Matthew 5:17, Luke 24:44) and the son of God (John 5:18, see notes on John 8:54, John 9:37).

Verse 27

John 4:27

Why would John talk about what they didn’t say? It must have been evident by their nonverbal cues that they were perplexed as to what motivated Jesus to talk with a woman alone. However, they obviously thought it best not to mention it. Even today, some people are still confused over the question of Jesus’ relationships.

Incidentally, this verse throws a wrench into some people’s theoretical spokes that Jesus showed sexual interests in women. When the disciples saw Jesus with the Samaritan woman, they didn’t yet know the reason He and the woman were together. Although it surprised them to see Jesus alone with a woman, they wisely didn’t want to jump to any conclusions. By the disciples’ raised eyebrows and shocked facial expressions though, we understand that they were unaccustomed to perceiving Jesus as a man attracted to women beyond the necessity of ministerial contact. The disciples’ lack of familiarity and comfort with the notion that Jesus would be alone with a woman highlights the unusualness of the incident and shows us that He didn’t typically engage in such activities. Moreover, since John wrote about the occurrence the way that he did in John 4:27 many years after Jesus had already ascended back into Heaven, we can assume that Jesus went through the rest of His ministry keeping Himself above reproach (2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Timothy 3:16, Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 1:9).

Verse 28

John 4:28

The woman, accustomed to the non-approving glances of others (see notes on John 4:9), left the scene upon the arrival of the disciples.

Notice that just moments prior in John 4:11, she made a point about Jesus having no water pot. In her hurry to leave the well area filling up with Jewish men (John 4:27), she left her water pot behind. After we meet Jesus, whatever was important to us before our encounter with Him fades in comparison to Him. Some things that once meant so much to us may be left behind in favor of what He now leads us to do.

She felt compelled to share her new belief, i.e., He was the Messiah (John 4:25-26), or at least a prophet (John 4:19), with men in Sychar (John 4:5) she knew. Her compulsion and excitement took prominence over her normal priorities. As is the case when anyone has a true encounter with Christ, she had been monumentally changed. Her focus had been altered. She would never be the same again.

Verse 29

John 4:29

The statement, “Come, see a man...” illustrated that she had been filled with a zeal to share her discovery with others. The woman at the well (John 4:6-7) had gone from fetching water to fetching the lost. She had embarked upon the first Christian evangelical effort. Notice how dramatically she had changed. She was not ashamed anymore. She had went to the well at noon, when others stayed home and waited for cooler parts of the day, to avoid the feelings of shame imposed on her by the judgmental stares from others (see notes on John 4:9). Now changed, she excitedly was in town and openly insisting that people pay attention to her so that she could proclaim the coming of Christ.

She was a sinner, an outcast, a sleaze, but Jesus had turned her into an evangelist. Her story gives us all hope. No matter what kind of life we’ve lived before we met the Lord, we can become a new creature through His saving power in our lives.

Verse 30

John 4:30

When one is changed by the miraculous presence of Christ, when God is with you, mistakes in life and even poor self-esteem can’t stop one’s zeal to glorify God. Before she met the Lord, the people the woman at the well had contact with probably avoided her, and she avoided them too (see notes on John 4:7). However, in light of her message and enthusiasm, her status and poor relationships in town were completely overlooked. Regardless of her past or her previous lack of integrity, the message of Christ was still received.

The messenger isn’t as vital as the message. It isn’t the messenger’s history that matters, it’s the message itself. Actually, a bad past changed into a bright future adds a physical example to the message and tangible evidence of our faith in action. It wasn’t about the woman at the well. It was about what Jesus had done for the woman. The message of the Gospel comes shining through, when the messenger gets out of the way (John 3:30). Obviously, they didn’t listen to her because of her. They listened to her despite of her. They heard the message, and they responded to it.

Verse 31

John 4:31

While she was in town being an evangelist for Christ (see notes on John 4:30), the future apostles and professional ministers were worried about food. Jesus said in John 4:38 that He had sent the disciples into town to reap a harvest of men. They had succeeded in bringing out lunch. They had gone into town (John 4:8) and brought out food to Jesus, but she was bringing the town out to meet the Bread of Life (John 6:35). She had brought out the town as the harvest.

You don’t have to be a professional preacher to win souls!

Also note that John revealed, and the disciples knew it, that Jesus would grow hungry in addition to tired (John 4:6) and thirsty (John 4:7).

Verse 32

John 4:32

Jesus was saying that He gets sustenance from sources other than food (see notes on John 4:34). Was He speaking only in terms of spiritual food? He did eat (Matthew 11:19), but He said other things help to sustain Him as well. Is it possible that Jesus actually received strength and vigor from communion with the Father? If so, is that something we can tap into too (Matthew 6:25, Luke 12:23, Nehemiah 8:10)?

Once, after fasting forty days, Jesus had reminded the devil in Luke 4:4 that we should not live by bread alone (Job 23:12). Was He saying that we should supplement our diets with spiritual food, and that, by doing so, we get physical as well as spiritual strength? This could have incredible implications for us.

Additionally in the fourteenth chapter of Matthew, we see the time when Jesus had worked all day, fed everyone else, sent everybody home, and then went off alone to pray (Matthew 14:23). Shortly later, after communion with the Father, the disciples see not a weary, hungry Jesus worn out by the long day, but they see Jesus full of power walking on the water (Matthew 14:25).

Verse 33

John 4:33

They accepted that Jesus wasn’t hungry (see notes on John 4:32). What they didn’t know was where He got the food or what he had eaten that would have satisfied Him.

Verse 34

John 4:34

Jesus revealed that He actually receives strength from doing the work of the ministry and doing the will of the Father.

Verse 35

John 4:35

If the world was ready even then to accept the Gospel, surely the world is ready today (Matthew 9:37-38).

Verse 36

John 4:36

Those who do the work of the ministry will be rewarded with eternal blessings.

Verse 37

John 4:37

Even if your labor of love is rejected, stay captive in the hope (Zechariah 9:12) that your work is not in vain. Sometimes our calling and assignment is only to preach the message. It is enough to know that at least we were able to sow a good seed. Having planted a seed of the Gospel, take faith that it will bud into new life and grow ripe for harvest. Later on, another person may come along and reap the fruit of your labor, and that’s alright. The planter and the reaper of gospel seed will celebrate together one day (John 4:36) and they will know assuredly the results of their faithfulness and receive blessings accordingly (1 Corinthians 3:8, 2 Corinthians 5:10). Praise God!

Verse 38

John 4:38

Jesus sent the disciples into town to reap a harvest of converts that was ripe for the picking, but they didn’t perceive the mission. Worldly and fleshly, carnal concerns of physical food took precedence over the spiritual feast that was spread before them like a banquet fit for The King.

Do you perceive the mission Jesus has sent you on? Do your physical needs take priority over your spiritual life?

Verse 39

John 4:39

They believed and have faith that it is true, because they believed the word preached to them by this woman evangelist (Romans 10:17, Romans 10:14).

See notes on John 4:42

Verse 40

John 4:40

You have not, because you ask not (John 15:16, James 4:2). Jesus would not normally even pass through Samaria (Matthew 10:5-6), but He decided to stay two days, because the Samaritans asked Him to. Look at His compassion and love. Look at His joy over the lost coming to a saving knowledge of the truth. Look at how He is willing to stay with us and abide with us.

Verse 41

John 4:41

Because He had stayed (John 4:40) with the new believers (John 4:39), although He wouldn’t typically have wanted to even be in Samaria (Matthew 10:5-6), many more souls were converted.

These Samaritans believed quickly, but His own people rejected Him (Matthew 13:57, Mark 6:4, John 4:44).

Verse 42

John 4:42

First they believed through the testimony of the woman (John 4:39). They believed, because they heard the Word from an evangelist (Romans 10:14). Now they believe, because they met Jesus for themselves. Look how after experiencing Him in your own life one moves from “believe” to “know.”

Verse 43

John 4:43

Before Jesus had met the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:6-7), He was en route from Judea to Galilee (John 4:3). There was more work to do and people to minister to in Galilee. Jesus stayed at Sychar (John 4:5) the two days, because the Samaritans asked Him to (John 4:40). See how God will stay not only His hand but His whole person simply to enjoy company of His children. No one has the power to stop Him (Daniel 4:35), but He does it willingly for those who love Him and have faith in Him.

Verse 44

John 4:44

Jesus’ “own country” was a reference to Galilee (Luke 23:6-7), and He had previously remarked how the Galileans’’ unwillingness to accept Him should be no surprise to us (Matthew 13:57; Mark 6:3-4; Luke 4:24). Although there can be no doubt Jesus would have been more popular in Samaria, He went back into Galilee where he was needed most (Matthew 9:12, Mark 2:17, Luke 5:31).

Verse 45

John 4:45

The last time Jesus was in Jerusalem, many Galileans were there. Although the Galileans were reluctant to receive Jesus as a prophet (see notes on John 4:44), they were interested in seeing more miracles (John 2:23) from what they viewed as the budding prophet-like celebrity.

Verse 46

John 4:46

“Nobleman” indicates that this fellow was connected in some way with the King (Herod Antipas).

Capernaum was about a day’s journey on foot from Cana.

Verse 47

John 4:47

Having a sick son had evidently caused the nobleman to seek help and advice. In his search for help, he had either heard or remembered about this Jewish Rabbi performing incredible miracles the last time He was in the area (John 2:23). When he heard that Jesus had returned to Galilee and was a day away in Cana, the nobleman went to Cana and sought Jesus out. Upon finding the Lord, he asked Jesus to come down to Capernaum and stop his son from dying.

By making this journey and taking an entire two days (one day to Cana and one day back) away from his dying son, he showed a firm belief in Jesus’ ability to heal.

Cana was northwest of Capernaum, so “come down” made complete sense.

Verse 48

John 4:48

Why would Jesus say, “Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe,” when the man had believed so strongly that he came all the way to Cana (see notes on John 4:47) to seek the Lord out? Jesus spoke towards the nobleman (see the notes on John 4:53), but He was speaking to the miracle seeking Galileans (see notes on John 4:45) at large as well. The Jews (see notes on John 1:19) had asked Jesus for a sign back in Jerusalem (John 2:18), and the Galileans were there. However, the Samaritans had believed without a sign (John 4:41-42).

Jesus will use situations at hand and speak to people nearby to teach wider reaching principles that goes far beyond the here and now.

Verse 49

John 4:49

The nobleman understood that Jesus is a teacher, and he believed Jesus has the power to heal, but he didn’t want to waste any more time while the Lord made a point to the people around him. His son’s life waited in the balance (John 4:47).

Verse 50

John 4:50

The nobleman’s paramount objective had become getting his son healed and saving the boy’s life. His goal was driving his zeal for an immediate response. The nobleman’s passion and faith moved Jesus to resolve the matter quickly, and He responded with a life giving word. Jesus knew the man wanted to get back to his son, and He told the nobleman to go on and go. The boy was healed. The man simply believed the word of the Lord, and he acted upon that belief.

Here we see the compassion of God. He wants to deal with matters that supersede our present calamities, but He’ll stop and take the time to touch our lives so that we can enjoy the here and now too (John 10:10).

Verse 51

John 4:51

The nobleman acted upon his belief in Jesus’ word and went towards Capernaum in assurance that his son has been made well, based in that word alone. We should act upon the Word as though we believe it is true, even when we haven’t yet seen the results of it (Hebrews 11:1).

On the way, walking in obedience and acting upon the word of Jesus, his faith proved fruitful, and his prayers were answered. Can you only imagine how his heart must have begun to beat faster upon seeing his servants approaching? Was his son ok? Were they here to tell him that the boy’s condition was worse?

Verse 52

John 4:52

He believed he knew, but by asking the time of the miracle, he gained confirmation of his faith.

Verse 53

John 4:53

So the words of Jesus (John 4:50) were borne out in their fullness. Now we see that the nobleman indeed believed that Jesus could heal, but his belief was only in Jesus’ abilities. Through this sign, he now believes that Jesus is the Christ. Not only that, but because of this miracle, even more people came to believe.

Verse 54

John 4:54

Jesus had done more miracles, but this was the second one in Galilee. The first was a transformation of water into wine (John 2:1-11). The second was a transformation of outward sign seekers into inward believers of the truth. The water was used to wash up the outside. The wine is used to pour inside. Likewise this miracle too dealt with the focus of God. He is not concerned with your outside cleanliness. Our Lord is concerned with the inward condition of our hearts.