John 4:46

46 So he came to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And there was a certain man of high position whose son was ill at Capernaum.

John 4:46 Meaning and Commentary

John 4:46

So Jesus came again unto Cana of Galilee
Where he had been once before; see ( John 2:1 John 2:2 ) . The Syriac version here, as there, calls it "Kotne" of Galilee; and the Persic version, "Catneh" of Galilee:

where he made the water wine;
see ( John 2:9 John 2:11 ) ;

there was a certain nobleman;
the Vulgate Latin renders it, "a petty king"; the Arabic version, and Nonnus, call him, "a royal man"; and the Syriac version renders it, "a king's servant"; with which agrees the Ethiopic, calling him "a minister, a steward, the king's domestic". The Persic version makes it to be his name, reading it, "there was a great man, whose name was Abdolmelic", which signifies a king's servant: from the whole he seems to be one that belonged to the palace of Herod Antipas, and was one of his courtiers; who, though he was but tetrarch of Galilee, yet is sometimes called a king, ( Mark 6:14 ) ;

whose son was sick at Capernaum;
some versions, as the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic, read the phrase, "in Capernaum", with the former clause, "there was a nobleman in Capernaum": and others, as we do with this; and both may be true; for he might be an inhabitant of Capernaum, and his house be there where his son lay sick. Some think this nobleman was either Chuza, Herod's steward, ( Luke 8:3 ) , or Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod, ( Acts 13:1 ) .

John 4:46 In-Context

44 For Jesus himself said that a prophet has no honour in the country of his birth.

45 So when he came into Galilee, the Galilaeans took him to their hearts because of the things which they had seen him do in Jerusalem at the feast--they themselves having been there at the feast.

46 So he came to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And there was a certain man of high position whose son was ill at Capernaum.

47 When it came to his ears that Jesus had come from Judaea into Galilee, he went to him and made a request that he would come down to his son, who was near to death, and make him well.

48 Then Jesus said to him, You will not have faith if you do not see signs and wonders.