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. 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. (Jn 4, 44-45. 49-51)
John the evangelist is saying that the prophets are not honoured in their own native place. This statement is followed by another statement which says that the Galileans welcomed him. Galileans are his own countrymen. So they did honour him after all.
For, Jesus himself gives an answer to this situation: "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe." (v. 48) Galileans believe because they see signs and wonders. This is only an introduction to what Jesus is going to do for the official who comes with a request.
The official comes with a request for a sign (for a healing miracle). He is like any other Galilean. But he is different from the other Galileans because he believed in the words of Jesus.
That is why the words of Jesus become a reality. The word became flesh – the theme of John’s gospel. The distinction between believing because one has seen something and believing on the words of Jesus remains important in the Gospel.
When Jesus addressed Thomas in 20, 29: "Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."
This is the challenge that the Gospel presents today. We are called to believe in the word; not in the abstract word but in the word become flesh that is the word hidden in the flesh.
