The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 331

over advanced in religious knowledge, can go beyond this testimony. That ,Jesus was a Saviour, and not a mere 'feacher,-thie w1111 a truth which it was creditable to the Samaritans' discernment to attain. But that he was the Saviour of the world - this was a truth which only the truest insight, the fullest sympathy of a spirit~al kind cc,uld reveal. There was in this profession an anticipation of ;ur Lord's own worde, "I will ~mw all men unto myself,". and a jnst_ification for the most admiring reverence of Christ, and for the most extensive and glorious prospect for mankind.-T. Vere. 4G-54.-The growth of faith. In this, as in so many of our Lord's miracles the external circumstances and incidents, interesting though they are, are less so tha~ the spiritual lessons they teach, the spiritual processes they unfold. Wh~t manner of Saviour Christ is; how he deals with the souls of men for their good; what blessin"s he brings to those whom he prepares to receive them ;-these great lessons are brou"bt before us in this narrative, so simple and so natural in itself, yet so deep in °its significance. I. How FAITH m CHRIST ARISES IN THE SOUL. 1. Look at this nobleman's circum- stances: his son was sick and at the point of death. Sickness and death are evils, but not unmixed evils. They may, when they come into men's homes, be the means of saving them from selfishness and the pursuit of pleasure, and from indifference to spiritual and eternal realities. This man felt his need of a Helper, but none appeared, and he was brought to a sense of his helplessness and utter distress. In all this was a preparation for faith in a Divine Physician. 2. Look now at the timely appearance upon the scene of the very Friend whom the nobleman needed. Jesus, at this very crisis, had returned from Judrea to Galilee, and had taken up his abode for a time at Cana, within easy reach of Capernaum, the afflicted nobleman's home. The effect was like the preachin:; of the gospel to a person overwhelmed with the sorrows of life or stricken with a sense of sin. 3. Look at the effect of these tidings io these circumstances. Fatherly affec- tion and anxiety render the nobleman alert and alive to any prospect of help. The rumour of Christ's mighty works suggests to him the possibility that the power of the Prophet may be used for the healing of his son. Thus relative solicitude becomes a means of grace. II. TnE FmBT STEP TO WHICH FAITH PROMPTS. 1. Remark the approach and the appeal. The nobleman goes to the Prophet, and begs him to come down and heal his son. There was faith here; for perhaps to no one else in the land could this entreaty have been addressed. Though the applicant did not fully understand what Jesus could do, he yet had confidence both in his power and willingness, so far as he could understand them. 2. Oherve, too, the repetition and urgency displayed in the renewed entreaty used by the nobleman, even after a somewhat discouraging reception on the part of Jesus. This spirit of persistency and importunity, disagreeable to many, seems always to have been welcomed by Jesus, who saw in it an earnestness allied to faith. III. THE REnUXE OF WEAK FAITII. 1. The feebleness of the nobleman's faith seems to have been detected in his request that the great Physician should go down to Caper- naum to visit the patient. The faith of the centurion was no doubt far stronger than that of the courtier; yet we cannot wonder that it should not have occurred to this applicant that Jesus should" speak the word only." 2. But this feebleness of faith was ma.de still more apparent by the censure implied in Christ's reply, " Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will in no wise believe." Onr Lord, and his Apostle Paul after- wards, were evidently and most painfully affected by the demand of the Jews for signs and wonders. Instead of believing on Christ, and then looking for miracles as the natural exercise of his Divine power, these prodigy-loving Hebrews asked for marvels and portents, as the things of chief concern, withholding faith until these should be granted them. IV. THE REWARD OF SINCERE FAITH. It is clear, from this and other passages, that Jesus distinguished between no faith and little faith. He saw that the applicant't1 faith was growing, for this was evinced by the repetition of the urgent entreaty. The rebuke of Jesus rather stimulated than repressed what measure of confidence the noble.- man possessed. The brevity of the reply was the brevity of authority and comm~ud, "Go thy way; thy son livetb." V, FAITH IS FURTHER STRENGTHE?-.'ED B.Y PERSON,\L CONTA.CT WITH JESUS. Thero  196 'l'HE GOSPEL ACCORDING 'l'O ST. JOHN. [on. 1v. l-6i,