The father realized that just at that time Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live,” and he and his whole household came to believe. John 4:53 NABRE
John tells of a healing by Jesus, but not as a healing story but as a sign. John knows that Jesus doesn’t heal to simply make people well but to show a sign of spiritual truth. It is a royal official who comes to Jesus in faith, likely he was a gentile, and certainly he was an official of the client-King Herod Antipas. The official is looking for Jesus to help his son who has fallen sick to the point of death. Jesus responds to his genuine faith, even though the person asking in this case is likely outside the covenant community. Tested, the man demonstrates his faith and Jesus tells him go your son will live. Heading home the official meets one of his slaves who tells him his son will live and after some discussion the official realizes his son’s improvement occurred the moment Jesus said his son would live. Again, it is not a story of healing that is important to be told through the years but that the man came to have such faith and belief in Jesus and His message, that not only he but his entire household came to believe. This is the purpose of Jesus doing signs, so that the word may go out and all who hear will come to believe.
For those in Jesus’ time signs help spread the message. Today we don’t see signs as specifically as we read in this scriptural passage, but the hope is that hearing about these signs and being called to faith we to come to believe. Once we believe we are open to God’s work in our lives. God working in our lives usually means we work for God in other’s lives. Actively seeking others in need is how we show faith.
Do you accept the signs in your life, either through message or deed? How do you demonstrate your belief?
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