There is not much told about this boy, only that he was so sick, he was “at the point of death”, then suddenly he was made well. His home was in a town near the Sea of Galilee. It must have been a good home, because his father was a nobleman, one in a high position with the ruler. But the best home cannot keep illness or death away.
It is not told if this man had seen Jesus, but he had heard of the great things he had done in Jerusalem, and that He was on the way back to Galilee. The ruler thought Jesus could save his son, and started out himself to ask Him.
Signs and Wonders
It was at the town of Cana that the father met Jesus, and begged Him to come to heal his son. The location of the towns is not certain now, so we do not know just the distance, but it was not very near, as the man could not get back that same night.
All the people were anxious for Jesus to do miracles for them, without thinking much of who He must be, or of how careless they had been of God’s words. Jesus said to the man, “Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.”
Still the man thought only of his sick son and said, “Sir, come down ere my child die.”
The Lord Jesus cured the boy, though He did not go with the father; He simply said to him,
“Go thy way; thy son liveth.”
The man believed the words of Jesus, and did not keep on asking Him to come with him, but started back to his home. The next day as he was returning, servants from his home met him and said, “Thy son liveth!” The father at once asked them at what hour his boy became better, and they told him the hour the fever had left him, and the man knew that was the time when Jesus said to him in Cana, “Thy son liveth.”
The Cure for Care
When the man told his family and the servants what Jesus had said, they all believed on Him; and later, when Jesus was in that town and near there so much, they must have gone to see Him, and to hear His words. If they learned of Him as the One to save their souls from God’s punishment of sins, that would be more wonderful to know.
It is hard to have fevers and pain or to see those we love ill, as the boy was, yet the time has not come for all to be free of illness. This teaches us that even then, God wanted the people who knew His words to think more of who had come to earth, His Son, than of cures for themselves. Even so His Word tells us to ask His help in all trouble and to trust His will.
Further Meditation:
1. In what town did the boy live?
2. This was the second miracle Jesus did in Galilee. What was the first miracle?
3. If you have your own set of cares you might find the messages in Angels in White by R. Elliott very uplifting.