The Life of Jesus Christ - Chapter 3 - People who met Jesus during his early work for God - Part 5
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An online Bible Study course by Barrie Wetherill about the life of Jesus. This book is in EasyEnglish Level B. Use the links below for other online Bible Study books and commentaries that will help you. Or go to the Word List, which explains words with a *star.
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Jesus returned to Galilee. The people there had heard about his
*miracles in Jerusalem. They gave him a great welcome. Jesus went to Cana, where
he had done another *miracle. He had turned water into wine (John 2:1-11). A
royal official was there. Probably this man worked for Herod Antipas. He heard
that Jesus had returned. This official lived in Capernaum, which was 25 miles or
38 kilometres from Cana. He had a child who was sick. It seemed that the boy
would soon die. His father went to Cana to ask Jesus to come to Capernaum. He
wanted Jesus to cure his child. He thought that Jesus had to come to the
child’s house.
This man was desperate. He would do anything for his child.
People might laugh at him because he was asking a *preacher and *miracle worker
for help. Jesus knew the man’s thoughts. He knew how the man felt. The people
in Galilee wanted to see *miracles. Perhaps the royal official thought about
this as well.
Jesus’ reply seemed to be for the people and not for the
official. He blamed them because they wanted to see a *miracle. He spoke these
words to all the people, and not only to the official himself. He said, ‘You
all will never believe, unless you see *miracles’.
Jesus did not want to do many *miracles. The leaders of the
Temple at Jerusalem asked to see a *miracle. But Jesus refused (John 2:18-19).
Later, Jesus was in court before Herod Antipas. Herod wanted very much to see a
*miracle (Luke 23:8). But Jesus would not even speak to him.
Sometimes, *miracles did not help people to believe. Sometimes
they made people oppose Jesus more (see John 11:45-50).
In John 4, the royal official was also trying to tell Jesus what
to do. Jesus hesitated. He did not agree at once. Instead, he tested and
encouraged the man. This is what Jesus said:
John 4:50: Jesus replied, ‘You may go. Your child will
live’.
The man had to show that he believed Jesus. When Jesus said
this, the man did not argue. He believed what Jesus had said. He started to go
home. Before he arrived there, servants came to meet him. He heard that the
child was well. He had become well at the same moment when Jesus spoke these
words. Then the man and his whole family believed completely.
Notice this:
·
The official first believed what Jesus told him about the child
(verse 50).
·
Verse 53 says for a second time that he believed. Probably this
means that he now trusted Jesus completely.
The royal official learned a very important lesson. The *Lord
does not always answer requests in the way that we expect. Sometimes we even
demand an answer. We might try to tell God what he should do. We might even try
to give instructions to God!
The royal official also learned that distance is not a problem
for God. The royal official simply needed to obey Jesus. This would show that he
trusted Jesus. This is a lesson for us today. Jesus is not with us in a physical
way. But distance is still not a problem for God. We cannot tell him what to do.
We have to trust and obey. This is what this man did. When he obeyed, he trusted
more.
Many people at the court of Herod Antipas seem to have heard
about Jesus. The Bible mentions Joanna, who was the wife of Herod’s chief
servant. And the Bible also mentions Susanna, who gave money to help Jesus and
his *disciples (Luke 8:3). Later, we read about Manaen (Acts 13:1).
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