(REFLECTIONS ON John 4:43-54)

From His interaction with the Samaritan woman that showed Jesus crossing ethnic distance, we are then led to Jesus’ second sign, the healing of a royal official’s son, which shows Jesus crossing physical distance.

This sign shows us not just a physical healing, but more importantly that Jesus has authority over life and death, and has divine sovereignty where physical distance does not dictate His power and ability. While the royal official initially believed that Jesus needed to be physically present in order for his child to be healed,

50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son lives.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started off.

The man believed Jesus’ word, which reminds us that Jesus is the Word, was with God and was God in the beginning (John 1:1). Creation was accomplished through the Word, and that Word became flesh and dwelt in the world, and it is this Word that the royal official believed in.

This belief, despite initially thinking that physical distance would prevent his son to be healed, showed the royal official’s faith in Jesus. His faith in Jesus meant that he needed to believe in Jesus’ word, more than his own understanding of the world. He needed to learn that in Jesus’ word, distance knows no bounds.

51 As he was now going down, his slaves met him, saying that his son was living. 52 So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. Then they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” 53 So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives”; and he himself believed and his whole household.

Brothers and sisters, what are the things that prevent us from believing in Jesus’ word? What are the impossible things in our mind that we have a hard time believing and trusting that Jesus can overcome? What limitations do we place on Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit?

In this second sign where Jesus shows that distance knows no bounds, and that there is power in His word, we are once again forced to face our unbelief. Are we to go on telling Jesus what is impossible and only believing what we think is possible? Or, do we trust in Jesus’ word, believe that distance knows no bounds, and not let the impossible diminish God’s power?

The royal official believed in Jesus’ word, which reminds us of Abraham’s faith in the Old Testament. He also believed God’s Word, and because of this it was credited it to him as righteousness. When all we have left is God’s Word, is that enough for us to trust in? That is the challenge the Lord gives us today, because God’s Word knows no bounds, just as distance knows no bounds.

Pastor Michael Lu
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: John 4