After the two days, he left there for Galilee. For Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his native place. When he came into Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, since they had seen all he had done in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves had gone to the feast. Then he returned to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. Now there was a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, who was near death. Jesus said to him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe." The royal official said to him, "Sir, come down before my child dies." Jesus said to him, "You may go; your son will live." The man believed what Jesus said to him and left. While he was on his way back, his slaves met him and told him that his boy would live. He asked them when he began to recover. They told him, "The fever left him yesterday, about one in the afternoon." 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. (Now) this was the second sign Jesus did when he came to Galilee from Judea. (Jn 4:43-54)
Jesus was well aware that a prophet was without honour in his own place. What was the honour that a prophet should have? Or what honour did a prophet get in other places? The bible stories spoke about prophets without honour among their own people. But the bible also narrated that the prophets were able do God’s works among pagans. They were accepted by the pagans. The honours that the prophets received were acceptance among people and the freedom to do God’s works.
The royal official believed that Jesus was a Godly person. God had worked in Jesus and through Jesus. The official himself wanted believed in Jesus and his activities (healing). The official honoured Jesus as a prophet and accepted him. His belief was such that he went away without having any proof for Jesus statement about the cure of his son.
His belief was confirmed by his slaves and it was further confirmed by the hour in which Jesus had said that he would be well. Jesus’ healing power could not be controlled by space and time. It was instantaneous. Space, time, clan, position etc could not contain the work of Jesus. Belief in Jesus was the only requisite for the miracle.
