Studies in the Gospel According to John 1 By R. A. TORREY (These studies aré for careful study, not rapid and heedless reading) II. The Public Ministry of Jesus Leading Those Who Were of the Truth to Believe in Him as the Christ, the Son of God. Ch. 1:19—12:50 (continued).
exactly king, but he was popularly known as king (see Matt. 14:1, 9 ), and the one who here came to Jesus was presumably someone attached to his family or court. Josephus, who wrote at about the same timb that John did, uses the word for any person em ployed at court. It has been thought by some that this officer was Chuza, Herod’s steward (Luke 8 :3 ) or pos sibly Manaen, his foster brother (Acts. 13 :1 ); but that is simply conjecture: but he was some one in high position belonging to a class that would not naturally approach this humble teacher or prophet, as the Lord Jesus was then regarded. It was the extremity of his need that brought him to Jesus to seek help. There is nothing like a sense of need to drive men to Jesus (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. Many a man who has had nothing but contempt for Christ and Christianity has been found as a suppliant at His feet when the hour of sore trial has come. The most effective way to induce men to overcome the obstacles that lie between them and Jesus is to bring them to a recognition of those needs in them selves which He alone can supply. 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 sick ness 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
12. A King’s Officer and his whole house brought to belief in the Lord Jesus by His manifestation of His Divine wisdom and power in the healing of his son, 45-54. V. 46. So Jpsus (rather, H e) came again into Cana of Galilee, where He made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman (rather, king’s officer or courtier), whose son was sick at (rather, in) Capernaum.” The Greek participle which is translated “ so” in the Authorized Version is translated “ therefore” in the Revised Version. “Therefore” is rather too strong. The Greek word often does have this signifi cance but it is a word very fre quently used by John in the weaker sense. Oftentimes with him it is little more than a mere continuative and scarcely indicates that what follows proceeds necessarily as a consequence of. what precedes. However, in the present instance it does seem to in dicate that the 44th and 45th verses do explain our Lord’s action de scribed in verse 46: the Galileans, having seen the miracles that He did in Jerusalem at the feast and thus being led to receive Him, He goes on still further in Galilee into Cana. The word translated “ nobleman” in both the Authorized and Revised Versions means literally, one belong ing to the king or attached to the •king. -In this instance, it seems to mean an officer in the service of the king. ' Strictly speaking, Herod An tipas was tetrarch of Galilee and not
Copyright by R. A. Torrey 1914
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