Introduction: How can a man of unbelief come to believe in Jesus and then be led to the kind of faith that is acceptable to God? The simplest and easiest recommendation is to say ‘just believe’; often such a statement encounters fierce criticism from Postmodern people, most of whom call themselves agnostics or atheists. At the same time, they say that, if we or Jesus showed them substantial evidence as to why they should believe, then they are willing to do so. What if Jesus showed them such miracles? Would they believe in him as the Son of God?
In today’s passage, we will learn three kinds of responses to Jesus’ miraculous healings. All of these healings demonstrated God’s mighty power, and each of them provoked different responses from those who witnessed them; one who came to believe in Jesus also called all of his family to belief in him, one did not concern himself much about Jesus, and the last one, a group of Jewish religious leaders, began to persecute him.
As we look into the depths of each of these three, I pray that God may reveal to us how we can accept Jesus and learn how we can believe in him as our Lord.
Before we look at the details of these three responses to Jesus’ miracles, it is good for us to find out the background of each of these events. Jesus attended the Passover in Judea and returned to Galilee. On his way, he stayed two days in Samaria, where a large number of Samaritans came to believe in him. As he left Samaria and was approaching Galilee, John noted what Jesus had previously said to his disciples:
“(Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.)” (John 4:44).
Jesus expected to receive full honor from his people, just as he had received from the Samaritans, but his own countrymen refused to give him the honor of which he was worthy. Whom was he talking about? This could mean the Galileans, the Judeans, or even the entire Israelite people. The next stories will tell us exactly who would not give him full honor and how they failed to honor him as he deserved.
In the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus’ statement was directed towards the town of Nazareth, his home town. However, in John, this passage reads as Jesus was coming out of Samaria to enter Galilee. More likely, ‘his own country’ meant the nation of Israel as a whole. The key idea is that, even though Jesus taught and performed miracles, they did not give him the proper honor. According to such an understanding, we need to look at the two events in today’s passage.
A. Go! Your son will live!
Once again, Jesus visited Cana in Galilee, where he had previously turned the water into wine. A certain royal official lived in the nearby city of Capernaum. His son was so sick that he was about to die. So when this official heard that Jesus had come back to Galilee, he rushed to meet him. When he saw Jesus, he begged him to come and heal his son. It was likely that he had been waiting for Jesus’ visit for the Passover festival in Jerusalem, which means he would have been waiting for more than a few days possibly; furthermore, while he was waiting for Jesus, his son was getting sicker, and getting closer to death. To him, he could not think of anything else, except his son’s healing. He desperately and urgently needed Jesus’ help. This is why he rushed down to Cana, about twenty-two miles away from his hometown of Capernaum, and begged Jesus, urging him to come to his house immediately. However, to this man and the people around him, who were most likely Galileans, Jesus said this:
"Unless you people see signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe." (John 4:48).
First, this man came to Jesus, because he believed that he could heal his son. So, he waited for him, and, as soon as he heard that Jesus was in Cana, he rushed down to see him. However, what Jesus was saying here was that this royal official, as well as the other Galileans, did not believe in him. What did Jesus mean by this? This statement reinforced what he had said previously in v44, and also implied that, even if this man believed in him, his belief was not sufficient enough to give Jesus the full honor of which he was worthy.
I encountered an interesting passage regarding Leviticus 27:1-3, concerning the value of a man’s or woman’s vow. When a man made a vow in dedication to God, then his vow was equal to fifty shekels of silver. However, if a woman made the same vow, her vow was valued at thirty shekels of sliver. These shekels were to be given to the Lord. What if a man made a vow to dedicate himself to the Lord and yet offered the Lord only thirty shekels of silver? How much was Jesus worthy to the royal official? This official and the people around him believed Jesus, but their belief was not up to par with Jesus’ worth. Their faith fell short!
Second, Jesus was keenly aware of the fact that, without seeing a miracle, these people would NEVER believe in him fully. This tells us of the limitations of man’s ability or will to believe and how, no matter how much or how hard one tries to give Jesus the full honor he deserves, it is impossible to do out of one’s own efforts, intellect, or willful ascent to that purpose.
Third, this is a very distressing predicament for mankind that Jesus must handle, because he had come in order to save the sinners, no matter what it took. Yet, without giving or showing them any miracles, he could not expect the faith that he wanted to see in men. In other words, Jesus was compelled to do miracles, because he had to plant the faith that God expects from all sinners in their hearts and minds. As we know, the ultimate miracle that Jesus performed was his death and resurrection.
Did the royal official understand what Jesus said or did he take his rebuke to heart?
“The royal official said, "Sir, come down before my child dies."” (John 4:49).
This man repeated the same request again, even after Jesus’ lament regarding man’s unfaithfulness. He did not know or perceive what Jesus was talking about; truly, he was not concerned with anything else, except his son’s wellbeing. This man’s inability to change his heart affirmed what Jesus said (“unless you see the signs and wonders…”). He reiterated the same request to Jesus, for him to come and heal his son. Jesus said this to him:
"Go," Jesus replied, "your son will live." (John 4:50a).
Jesus did not honor his request to come, but instead, he showed him his power and mercy by giving his promise that his son would be healed. It is quite possible that this man was somewhat disappointed or puzzled, since Jesus refused to come to see his son. He was uncertain and anxious to see whether or not his son would truly be healed, for he never thought or believed that Jesus could do so. Nevertheless, he had no choice but to take Jesus at his word.
“The man took Jesus at his word and departed.” (John 4:50b).
In this way, Jesus forced him to accept his word, nothing else. Could his word alone do the job of healing a boy who was near death? On his way home, this father’s heart was filled with uncertainty, anxiety, and fear for his son. Halfway home, he was met by one of his servants, who gave him the message that his son was healed. Since he was still in doubt and skeptical about what Jesus had told him to do, he asked his servants when his son was healed. He was told that it had happened about noon, just the time when Jesus said to him, “Go, your son will live”. Jesus had done nothing, no touching, no praying to God, no other measures, except to give his word, “Go, your son will live.” This was a death and new life experience. New life was restored by Jesus’ word, which was spoken several miles away. What happened in this man’s heart is described in this way:
"Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." (John 4:53).
What came into his mind through this miracle that Jesus accomplished by his word?
He had thought that Jesus was a powerful man of God, like Elijah. When a woman’s son in Zarephath died, Elijah did this:
"Give me your son," Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. Then he cried out to the LORD, "LORD my God, have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?" (1 Kings 17:19-20).
Likewise, according to this official’s thinking, Jesus should do the same thing as Elijah, if he really was a man of God; that is, that he would come and pray hard for his son so that God might have favor on him. However, Jesus totally ignored his request and only gave him his word, to “Go, and your son will live”. What Jesus said was just a word; it didn’t reach more than a hundred yards. It had no substance and was empty, disappearing into the air without a trace. This man’s son, who was likely more than twenty miles away, could not have heard what he said. Could Jesus exert such power that overcame such a distance? Just at the moment when he confirmed that his son was healed at the exact time of Jesus’ statement, he also came to realize that Jesus was totally different from Elijah! He was far greater than Elijah, who was himself a powerful man of God! By his word, Jesus had revived his boy. This was amazing; who was this man? Who could do such a thing?
God had created the world by His word. Likewise, by his word alone, Jesus had healed and saved his son’s life from death. He was not one of the prophets, but rather he was the Messiah, the Son of God. This man came to sense what Jesus’ rebuke meant:
"Unless you people see signs and wonders," "you will never believe." (John 4:48).
He did not believe Jesus, even though he thought he believed that Jesus could come and heal his son. The difference was in who Jesus was for him, before and after. Before, Jesus was a great man of God, like Elijah, according to what he had heard about him, doing miracles. NOW, he was the Son of God, the Messiah. He did not give Jesus the full honor of which he was worthy, as the Lord, the Messiah, the Savior, the Son of God. In this way, Jesus was fully credited by this royal officer. Out of this genuine faith, he called all his family to also believe in Jesus as the Son of God (53b).
B. Do you want to get well? (5:1-9)
The next story moves from Galilee to Jerusalem. Jesus went to Jerusalem for a Jewish festival. In Jerusalem, there was a pool near the Sheep Gate of the Temple. This was the Gate where people brought sacrificial animals to the temple. So, there was a large amount of traffic around the Gate. Nearby was a pool called Bethesda, where many invalid people laid around, waiting to be healed. Jesus went to this pool and saw one man who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. Before, he was normal like other men. However, thirty-eight years ago, he had done something wrong and became crippled. Since then, he had been coming to this pool to beg. Anyone who came to the temple on regular basis would surely recognize this man. The Jewish leaders who went in and out of the temple so many times surely knew him, for they had seen him over the past several years. Many came and went, but this man was still there. At a glance, Jesus knew his situation - ‘he had been in this condition for a long time’. So, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?"(v6). Since there were so many people coming and going, especially during the time of the festivals, this man did not know who Jesus was. He did not bother to know who Jesus was. He was deeply depressed by the fact that he had been there so long, and could not do anything about it. Actually, many came by him and left. No one paid such personal attention to this man as Jesus was doing. It was pathetic that he had no choice but to be remain crippled, begging in order to live. As soon as he heard Jesus’ question, he did not answer directly; instead, out of his mouth came only complaints:
"Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me." (John 5:7).
He had tried to help himself, but he could not. There was also no one else who would help him out. Jesus wanted to see if he had any hope or positive perspective for his life. Or he might have wanted to see if this royal official had hope in or particular respect for him; however, this man’s mind was saturated with nothing but hopelessness and complaints. Even though he did not know Jesus and did not have any faith in him, Jesus commanded him in a loud voice:
“Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk."” (John 5:8).
He got up, took his mat, and walked away. He was immediately cured by Jesus’ word. This man experienced his power and grace. Had this man’s attitude toward Jesus changed? Did he come to believe in him? This happened on the Sabbath. When this man walked around carrying his mat, the Jewish leaders saw him and told him that the Law forbid him from carrying his mat on the Sabbath. This was a serious charge against him, for it was a violation of the Law. He was guilty and needed redemption of his sin. So, in order to deflect his guilt, he said that it was not him, but the one who made him well who had told him to do this. However, he did not know who had healed him. He needed to find Jesus, in order to prove to the leaders that Jesus had instructed him. While this man was looking for a way to unload the charge against him, Jesus did the following:
“Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you." (John 5:14).
Jesus did not come across this man by chance; he actively sought after him with the clear purpose of communicating a two-fold message to him. First, he was well again. Jesus did not just mean that he was cured of his physical lameness alone, but also that he forgave his past sin and accepted him as good in God’s eyes. The one who was able to make him well was the one who forgave his sinful past. He was then free, and that freedom in God’s grace was what Jesus told him to live out (Get up, pick up your mat, and walk). So what Jesus said to him released him from all of his burdens, including those which the Jewish leaders were putting on him.
Second, Jesus warned him against continuing to sin. If he did so again, something worse might happen to him. Jesus was confirming that what the man did in obedience to what he told him to do was not sin. At the same time, he gave this man a warning against the sin of disbelieving God’s work in his life through Jesus.
But did this man keep Jesus’ words in his heart? When he came to find out that it was Jesus who had made him well, he reported this to the Jewish leaders.
“The man went away and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well.” (John 5:15).
His heart was not freed from the Law that the Jewish leaders were imposing on him. He failed to fully appreciate God’s power and grace in his life. He did not receive the freedom and joy that Jesus offered him through the healing.
What can we say about this man’s miraculous healing? In this immediate context, we do not see any positive effects that this miraculous healing had on this crippled man. Jesus’ healing did not create faith in this man. This is heartbreaking. If the wonders of healing an invalid could not bring about faith in this man, what else could be done to save him?
C. Who is this fellow? (16)
We have looked at the two men for whom Jesus performed miracles. I would now like to look at the third group of people who responded to these miracles, the Jewish leaders.
“So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him.” (John 4:16).
Jesus had performed miraculous signs in Jerusalem very early on in his ministry (John 2:23). At that time, many believed in his name. However, Jesus would not entrust himself to them. The Jewish leaders were not unaware of his works. Many of his works demonstrated God’s power, for no man could do such miraculous works. Also, at this time, they confirmed God’s mighty work in this man’s life, who was there by the pool for over thirty-eight years. They began to persecute Jesus, because he was doing ‘these things’ on the Sabbath. Therefore, this man’s healing served as a clear turning point for the Jewish leaders’ attitude. This meant one thing; they denied that God was behind the miracles which Jesus had performed.
Jesus healed the royal officer’s son, and the man who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years; there were three different responses to Jesus’ miraculous works. The royal officer became convinced that Jesus was the Messiah and called his whole family to faith. The invalid man was healed, but he could not fully appreciate Jesus’ grace and power, still hanging under the sin that he had committed; the Jewish leaders decided to persecute Jesus, because they rejected his work as being God’s work. So we see three different responses to Jesus’ miracles. What do these teach us?
In these two examples, we can see that the root of mankind’s sinfulness is far deeper than a simple sign or wonder could untangle and undo. Also, this leads us to think about what it would take to root out this unbelief, which is deeply entrenched in the depths of every human being. This reminds us of what Jesus said:
“The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again." (Luke 24:7 NIV).
D. Take Jesus at his word and go!
What are we to do? Before we answer this question, I would like to look at the royal official again; he faced a crisis in his life, because his son was about to die. His life was in danger and on the edge. Under such conditions, he clung to Jesus’ power, of which he had heard. For this reason, he came to Jesus and asked him urgently to come to his house to heal his son; he actively sought Jesus’ help. To respond correctly to the true crises of life is so important, as shown in the royal official’s situation. What about the Samaritan woman? Even though she did not face an urgent or imminent crisis in her life, she was keenly cognizant of her predicament in God’s sight. She knew that she had no hope for her future and did not know how to worship God. In such a bankrupt condition, she was able to see and believe in Jesus as the Son of God, as he was revealed through God’s power. The fact that we as sinful men crucified the Son of God is a crisis for those who come to the cross. This realization is the beginning of our search for God’s grace.
However, the invalid man and the Jewish leaders were not cognizant of their predicament in opposition to God’s righteousness. The signs and wonders Jesus performed did not do much to convince them. The invalid did not see God’s grace and power; neither did the Jewish leaders who had seen this man for so long. They had no genuine care for this man and no will to see or rely on God’s power through Christ.
When one fails to recognize God’s power and grace, as seen in the signs and wonders that Jesus performed, they have no other choice but to live by the law; out of this, comes a keen eye to see all things in terms of who did right or who did wrong. This is a pity.
What are we to do? We must take Jesus at his word and go! When our lives are clinging to the edge of life, it is unnerving to go by Jesus’ word alone. We are caught by fear, anxiety, and uncertainty because his word seems so intangible and empty to our minds. However, we must honor his word for he is the Son of God, the Messiah. He has proven himself through his resurrection from the dead. We can hang everything on his word, and then proceed by faith through life’s most difficult paths. The first time we attempt such a journey is the most difficult, but, once you go and see God’s power, you can realize that Jesus’ word is the same word that created the world and can also accomplish great things in us and for us. Then you will realize that God’s power and grace is living in you. Your eyes will be opened to see His grace and power, and the law that has been governing your heart will dissipate and disappear from your life. I remember the day when I made the first step as I faced a crisis in my life. I had nothing to rely on, except Jesus’ word. It was so fearful, unnerving, and scary, but when I took that first step in faith, I felt that God was with me. Eventually, God carried me, until I came to see His power and grace. I pray that you too will make that first step by taking Jesus’ word and going forward in faith! The next time and so on, it won’t be as difficult as the first time. When you are young, accept this first challenge; if there is a difficulty in school, in finding a job, or in your relationships, then those are the challenging moments during which Jesus is asking you to trust and rely on His word. This will be a great asset throughout your life.
If that trust comes later or is delayed, the longer you waver, the more you will be living in limbo, like an invalid, and your heart will be living a life framed only by what is right or wrong. I hope and pray that you may not follow this path.
So today, take that challenge; take Jesus at his word and go!
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