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JOHN 4:48 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
John 4:47John 4:49
“Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.”
Jesus said to him, 'Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.' — Jesus' reproach addresses the Galileans' (and the official's) faith based on miracles rather than on his word. The plural you (humeis) extends the critique beyond the individual to the crowd. Signs and wonders (semeia kai terata) are theologically necessary but spiritually insufficient; they can lead to spectacular but shallow belief.

Church Fathers on John 4:48

On a former occasion our Lord attended a marriage in Cana of Galilee, now He goes there to convert the people, and confirm by His presence the faith which His miracle had produced. He goes there in preference to His own country.

Chrysostom · 4th century

There, we are told, His disciples believed on Him. Though the house was crowded with guests, the only persons who believed in consequence of this great miracle, were His disciples. He therefore visits the city again, in order to try a second time to convert them.

Augustine · 4th century

The Evangelist reminds us of the miracle in order to express the praise due to the Samaritans. For the Galileans in receiving Him were influenced as well by the miracle He had wrought with them, as by those they had seen at Jerusalem. The nobleman certainly believed in consequence of the miracle performed at Cana, though he did not yet understand Christ’s full greatness; And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum.

Theophylact · 11th century
Read all 22 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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John 4:48 — Community Reflections | HolyStudy