Context No. 3022 of 4322 · John

John 4:39-48: in context

39From that city many of the Samaritans believed in him because of the word of the woman, who testified, “He told me everything that I have done.” 40So when the Samaritans came to him, they begged him to stay with them. He stayed there two days. 41Many more believed because of his word. 42They said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of your speaking; for we have heard for ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.” 43After the two days he went out from there and went into Galilee. 44For Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. 45So when he came into Galilee, the Galileans received him, having seen all the things that he did in Jerusalem at the feast, for they also went to the feast. 46Jesus came therefore again to Cana of Galilee, where he made the water into wine. There was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to him and begged him that he would come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48Jesus therefore said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will in no way believe.”

Many Samaritans believe in Jesus because of the woman's testimony, and when they come to him, they beg him to stay, and he remains two days. Then more believe, and they tell her: now we believe, not because of your words, but because we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world. Later, in Galilee, an official begs Jesus to heal his dying son.

Two kinds of faith appear here. The Samaritans move from a secondhand faith, because of the woman's word, to a firsthand one, we have heard for ourselves, and they confess Jesus as Savior of the world, a stunning title from a despised people. Faith that begins on someone else's testimony is meant to grow into personal encounter. And Jesus' gentle word to the official probes a faith that leans on seeing signs. He will heal the boy, but he calls people toward a faith that trusts his word without first demanding a spectacle.

Has my faith grown from secondhand belief into a personal encounter with Christ, and do I trust his word without needing to see a sign first?

Sources

John 4:42: "Now we believe, not because of your speaking; for we have heard for ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world."
John 4:48: "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will in no way believe."
1 Peter 1:8: "Whom, not having known, you love. In him... believing, you rejoice greatly."