Jesus builds his ministry

Two ideas stand out in this passage.

John wrote several words to describe people speaking. We saw an earlier theme of conversations within Jesus’ ministry. Related, John also included a couple different terms to convey the thought of understanding, perception beyond what people see and know on the surface.

This passage also has more than one word that refers to Jesus’ miracles.

Read John 4:43-48.

• After Jesus stayed in the Samaritan village two days, he traveled to Galilee, even though he’d said his fellow countrymen would not honor or recognize him.
• He spoke with God’s full authority¹ to declare man’s need for salvation.
• He knew people would not respect what he had to say.
• However, some in Galilee welcomed him kindly as a teacher², based on what he had done in Jerusalem.
• At the Passover in Jerusalem, Jesus cleansed the temple (John 2).
• He also did “miraculous signs” and baptized people in the Jordan River (John 2, 3).
• Perhaps these Galileans perceived and understood³ in some way the significance of what Jesus had done at the Passover Festival.
• Instead of Nazareth, where he knew he would receive no respect, Jesus went to Cana, where he had performed his first miracle.
• An official, affiliated in some way with the court,⁴ traveled to Cana to ask Jesus to heal his son and restore him to full physical health.
• The man feared his son would die, and he begged Jesus to come.
• Jesus’ chided the people for their lack of faith.
• They wanted signs and wonders, to prove Jesus’ divine mission⁵ was from God.
• Later, Jesus also encouraged Thomas and future believers in faith.

“Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed’” (John 20:29).

*Why did Jesus return to Galilee if he knew people would not accept his word?

*What was the significance of Jesus’ actions at the Passover Feast in Jerusalem?

*Why do you think Jesus included an admonition to the people about seeking signs and wonders?

Read John 4:49-54.

• The official, a desperate father, asked Jesus again.
• Jesus healed the boy—without traveling the 20-25 miles to Capernaum.
• He reassured the official the boy’s health was restored and he was well.
• At Jesus’ word, the official had faith, firmly persuaded Jesus spoke the truth and was able to heal his son.
• John recorded the account in detail.
• The official’s servants arrived with a message, including exact times events happened.
• The father asked for details; with awareness he believed Jesus had performed a miracle.⁶
• Jesus gave no warning to keep quiet, as he did later when opposition began to rise against him.

*Why did Jesus choose to heal the boy as his second miracle?

*How would you describe the official’s faith?

*Why do you think Jesus’ ministry began in Galilee?

I started a list of individuals who believed in Jesus during his early ministry. Learning more about what brought them to faith might be an interesting study. I’ve always considered John a thoughtful gospel, with the others being more action- and people-oriented, so I’m amazed how John highlighted individuals and their stories so far.

“As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:4-5).

1. Bible Hub. https://biblehub.com/greek/4396.htm
2. Spiros Zodhiates Th.D., The Complete Word Study New Testament, King James Version (AMG Publishers, 1991), 410.
3. Zodhiates, 1055.
4. Zodhiates, 328.
5. Zodhiates, 1286.
6. Bible Hub. https://biblehub.com/greek/4100.htm