THE KING’S BUSINESS
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belonging to a class that would not natur ally approach this humble teacher or prophet, as the Lord Jesus was then regarded. It was the extremity of need that brought him to Jesus to seek help (cf. Matt. 9:18; 15:22 (17:14, 15; Luke 7:2, 37, 38). Blessed indeed are the afflictions that bring us to our Lord. Sickness has no more regard for the courtier’s mansion than it has for the poor man’s cottage, but it Was well for this man in high position that sickness did enter his home, otherwise he would never have sought Jesus and would never have entered into eternal life, and we would never have heard of him in spite of his position that at the time very likely seemed to him so exalted. v. 47. “When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judea into Galilee, he went unto Him, and besought Him ihai. He would c'ome down, and heal his son for he was at the point of death.” This father had watched beside his sick son; he had seen the disease advancing step by step and the case becoming more and more hopeless, until the little boy (see v. 49) was at the very point of dying. Just then he hears that Jesus ,of whose miracle at the wedding feast in Cana he may already have heard, and of whose works in'Judea he surely had heard, had come again into Galilee. Cana was some thirty miles from Capernaum, a long and tedious jeurney with the methods of travel then in use, but that was nothing to the father’s love, he will, not merely send a servant to implore the possible help of Jesus, he goes all the way himself. The word translated "went” in both the A.V. and R.V. means literally “went away” and emphasizes the fact that the father went away from, or left, his son for a time that he might secure help for him. His faith may have been very imperfect and feeble, but his earnestness was thoroughgoing. The need was extreme, Jesus alone could help. The king’s officer was not at all sure that He could, but certainly it was worth the attempt. No human skill could have reached the boy, but there was nothing too hard for the
with any enthusiasm, did now, because He had manifested His power and gained -a reputation in Jerusalem. On His former visit a little company of His disciples, and apparently only His disciples, believed on Him (ch. 2:11), but now the Galileans as a whole were disposed to receive Him because of what they had seen at Jerusa lem. From this time on He had a heartier welcome in Galilee than anywhere else, though even the Galileans di
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