John 4:49

49 The officer said to him, "Sir, come down before my child dies."

John 4:49 Meaning and Commentary

John 4:49

The nobleman saith unto him, Sir
Notwithstanding this reproof, and seeming denial, he presses him again, and addressing him in a handsome and courteous manner, importunately entreats him, saying:

come down ere my son die;
here was faith with a mixture of unbelief; he believed that Christ was able to heal his son, but he still thought that his going down with him was necessary; that he must be corporeally present, and must lay his hands on him, or touch him, or speak, and command the distemper off, or something of this kind, and which must be done before he died; for otherwise, should he die first, all hope was then gone; he had no notion of Christ being able to raise him from the dead.

John 4:49 In-Context

47 This man, on hearing that Yeshua had come from Y'hudah to the Galil, went and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.

48 Yeshua answered, "Unless you people see signs and miracles, you simply will not trust!"

49 The officer said to him, "Sir, come down before my child dies."

50 Yeshua replied, "You may go, your son is alive." The man believed what Yeshua said and left.

51 As he was going down, his servants met him with the news that his son was alive