The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

John 4:46-53, Therefore He came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a royal official whose son was sick at Capernaum.

47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and was imploring Him to come down and heal his son; for he was at the point of death.

48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.”

49 The royal official said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”

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

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.

This is a longer passage than we usually consider, but we need in all in order

to grasp the full meaning. It is possible that the “royal official” had been at Cana

when Jesus turned the water into wine. That would account for his belief that if

Jesus could turn water to wine, he could heal his sick son. The son was 16 miles

away in Capernaum, and he was dying. Jesus seems to have ignored the plea of

the official, possibly because they were irritated that the official would interrupt

what Jesus was saying. In any event, they were expressing doubt, prompting

Jesus’ words, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not

believe.” But the official was eager and in a hurry because his son was dying.

Jesus simply said, “Go! Your son is living.” The official believed Jesus’ word, and

it was later determined that at the very time Jesus spoke those words, the fever

departed from the young boy. ~ Why do we often doubt God’s words? Our

education has focused more heavily on science than upon God. Yet, how were

we saved? By believing science or by believing God? Read Proverbs 3:5-6 again.

We love you and trust the LORD’s leading of your lives,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas