sought out Jesus because he had a desperate need. Jesus asked a favor of the woman because He was thirsty. The nobleman, or worried official, asked Jesus to come and heal his son. Both the Samaritan woman and the nobleman were called upon by Jesus to believe Him, to exercise faith in Him.
What was it that brought the nobleman to Jesus? Very likely, He knew that Jesus had turned water into wine at Cana. Also, his son was at the point of death in Capernaum (v. 46). So this minor official of Herod’s court braved whatever might happen to him and he sought out Jesus for help (v. 47).
The nobleman did not flaunt his status in the Roman court. Rather, he implored Jesus to come with him to Capernaum and heal his son. Jesus’ first response to his request was to chide him a bit for being like many others wanting a sign, a miracle before believing in Jesus (v. 48). His remark was not only about the man before Him. He intended His response for any who received Him just because He was a miracle-worker.
This worried official did not try to persuade Jesus that He was sincere in his faith and was an exception. Instead, he said, “Sir, come down before my child dies” (v. 49). With that said, Jesus told him to go back home because his son was not going to die (v. 50). Without any further pleading, the nobleman started off for his home in Capernaum. Capernaum was about 25 miles from Cana which meant it was a long and hard journey.
Enroute, the nobleman was met by some of his servants. They told him that his son is living, he is no longer sick; his fever left him “yesterday at the seventh hour” (v. 52), they said. That did it. No longer was the worried official worried because he knew it was at that very same time Jesus had told him, “Your son lives” (v. 53). Jesus had performed a miracle. He met the worried official’s need without ever seeing or touching the lad. Furthermore, the harvest which Jesus referred to with His disciples extended to the nobleman’s family and very likely included his servants. His “whole house” believed (v. 53).
This was the second of the eight miracles which Jesus performed in John’s record.
Personal Applications
Jesus is still able and willing to meet people’s needs. The woman of Samaria did not come to Jesus for help, but she soon learned that she really did need help. Neither did the disciples realize they needed help, but it did not take long until they understood their role in the harvest Jesus was talking about. On the other hand, the nobleman knew he had a need. His son was dying. With Jesus’ healing of his son the nobleman came to know and believe Jesus was the answer to his spiritual needs also.
All of us have needs many of which we cannot meet or solve ourselves. We all need Jesus. We need Him first for salvation; we need Him as our Savior. He is the only One who can meet this need. We must never be ashamed or afraid to come to Jesus by faith with our needs. The temptation for many is to view the Lord as a sort of sugar-daddy, eager to give us everything we want. No, there is no promise that God will supply all our wants, but He does promise to supply all our needs (Philippians 4:19).
Study Questions
1. Can you think of lessons you can learn from Jesus’ dealing with the woman of Samaria?
2. How does the Jews’ treatment of the Samaritans at that time relate to racial prejudices today?
3. Was it wrong for the disciples to go for food and then to worry because Jesus did not want to eat?
4. What lesson did Jesus teach His disciples on this occasion?
5. What resulted from Jesus’ work with the worried official?
6. Are you planning to change your behavior this week because of this study? How?
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Pursued by Killers
Portrait 6
John 5:1–18
While looking at this portrait of the Lord Jesus, we see Him beside the pool of Bethesda. He is talking to a crippled man who had never walked. Jesus tells him to get up and walk. Can you imagine Jesus saying that to a man who could not walk?
In the background of this picture stands a group of Jews who voiced great opposition to what Jesus did for the cripple. Why? Because at Jesus’ command the man picked up his make-shift “bed” and walked. I wonder why that upset the Jews. Why were they not happy that the man, who they knew could not walk previously, could now walk without any help? Did they have no concern for the less fortunate? Apparently not. As we look closer, we will find out why they acted as they did. More than that, we will also discover why these same Jews set out to kill Jesus. These were some He came to save, but they received Him not.
The Miracle That Caused the Pursuit, vv. 1–9
Jesus and His disciples came back to Jerusalem from Galilee for another one of Israel’s special feasts, most likely the Passover. As soon as they arrived, they were met with increased rejection and outright hostility from the Jews. While there in that environment, Jesus performed His third miracle recorded by John.
This portrait seems to have been painted right after Jesus had ministered to the woman from Samaria and the nobleman from Cana. There was fierce opposition and rejection of Jesus by members of His own nation. They were determined not to receive Him. Instead, they leveled the most serious charges against Him and even tried to use the Law of Moses as their authority.
The pool of Bethesda was near the sheep gate of the temple. There were five porticoes or cloisters close by the gate apparently to provide shelter for the sick who often gathered there. The St. Anne’s church is located close by this gate today. It was here that those with physical infirmities came in search of deliverance.
The pool referred to was longer than it was wide and was used to clean animals that were brought to the temple for sacrifice. The water was not deep and not very clean either. Interestingly, archaeologists have found the remains of such a pool. Bethesda means “house of mercy.”
It seems a view developed that there was some healing power in the water which was caused by an angel who visited the pool and stirred up the water (v. 4). The paralyzed man Jesus spoke to there must have believed this, as did others. But he was not able to get up and go into the water. He must have been brought there by someone else, maybe on a regular basis. Some Greek manuscripts do not contain the last part of verse 3, “waiting for the moving of the waters,” and all of verse 4 which speaks of an angel coming regularly to stir the water. There those who stepped into it first were healed of their malady.
We are not told how old the man was Jesus talked with. Nor do we know his name. We are told though he was “in his sickness thirty-eight years” (v. 5). When Jesus saw him, the man was lying down which probably indicates he was paralyzed. Also, from what Jesus said to the crippled man later, after Jesus had healed him, implies rather strongly that his problem was caused by sin in his life. Jesus did say to him, “Do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse may befall you” (v. 14).
The man there under one of the cloisters had his affliction for thirty-eight years (v. 5). Imagine not to be able to walk for that long. That’s bad enough, but add to that the horrible letdown, the disappointment he faced time after time as he came there to be healed and had to be carried home no better than when He came.
This then was the occasion and setting for this portrait of Jesus pursued by killers. What next? It is the miracle. Jesus healed this dear man on the spot. And He did so simply by the spoken word. And He did it, according to the text, without screaming at him or striking him as so many self-professed
