John 4: 46-54, Two Royal Sons

Jesus has stayed in a village in Galilee for several days, speaking to the people (Samaritans) in that small town.  He had been headed north from Jerusalem.

John 4: 46-50a, Two royal sons
Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. 
47 When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.

48 “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”

49 The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”

50 “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”

Jesus will eventually settle in Capernaum.  Here a person, identified as prestigious, a "certain royal official", begs for Jesus to heal his son. It is not clear if this person in a local Jew or a Roman official. But the man has heard of Jesus and believes Jesus can heal.

How do we fit this into the timeline of the other gospels?  The gospel writer, John, puts this early in the ministry of Jesus, but late enough for the official to know of Jesus and seek help.

Jesus reacts to the request with a comment that seems to be a scolding about seeking (just) signs and wonders. This also implies (to me) that other miracles have been observed and sought by the populace.  Jesus makes similar statements in the other gospels, see Mark 8: 11-12.

The desperate official responds by simply repeating his plea and Jesus answers.

John 4: 50b-54, Healing and belief

The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 

51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 
52 When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”

53 Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.

54 This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.

The Royal Son heals a royal son.  Although Jesus has mentioned the "prophet without honor" concept, he is well received by this royal official.

The official is met by servants with good news. Surely this has been a difficult journey for the father, as he returns home afraid he may be told of his son's death.  But the news is quite difference.

The official has traveled far enough that it takes another day for him to get home.  The servants give him the hour of the healing and it coincides with the moment of Jesus' statement that the son will live.  John records that the man and his entire household believe.

The author identifies this as the second miracle in Galilee.  This implies that the events up to this point in John's Gospel occur before the opening of the Galillean ministry as recorded in the other gospels; presumably these events occur before Mark 1: 14-15, for example.  I have problems with this timeline, as do others.  It is possible that some events recorded by John are out of chronological order.

In the next chapter, Jesus will return to Jerusalem.