=46, 47. Into Cana.= For site see chap. 2:1, note. The fact that he went at once to Cana, gives color to the supposition that the marriage there may have been that of John, according to an ancient tradition; at all events it probably was one of some intimate friend of Christ.--=A certain nobleman.= Probably an officer of Herod Antipas who had a palace at Tiberias. It has been conjectured that he may have been the Chuza, whose wife became attached to Jesus with other women of Galilee (Luke 8:3). That he was a Jew is probable, since the manifestation of faith in a heathen is generally especially noted by the historian or by Christ.--=Was sick at Capernaum.= About twenty miles distant.--=Was at the point of death.= Literally _Was about to die_. 48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs[155] and wonders, ye will not believe. [155] 1 Cor. 1:22. 49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. =48, 49. Except ye see signs and wonders.= Rather a soliloquy applied to the entire people, than a personal rebuke of the nobleman. For there is certainly no evidence that his faith was notably small; rather the reverse. He had traveled twenty miles to apply to Christ for assistance; his request that Christ should come personally was certainly not unnatural, for he could not be expected to assume that Christ would or could heal by a word; when the word was spoken he went away undoubtingly; and he evidently made no great haste (see note on verse 51), an indication of his restful assurance on Christ’s mere word. Analogous to Christ’s utterance here is that of Mark 9:19; see note there. It is certainly a rebuke to the skepticism which to-day demands signs and wonders as a basis for faith, and to the church which continually endeavors to satisfy this desire by demonstrating the miracles as though they were the evidences of Christianity. Christ himself never, in public discourse with skeptics, based his claims on his miracles; never performed a miracle for the purpose of proving his claims to an unbeliever (Matt. 11:4, 5 is not an exception; see note there); and rebuked the demand made on him for miracles as a basis of faith in his mission.--=Come down.= One of those geographical and incidental evidences of accuracy in the historian which demonstrate his familiarity with the country. Capernaum was on the shore of the sea of Galilee; Cana was in the hill country. 50 Jesus saith unto him, Go[156] thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. [156] Matt. 8:13; Mark 7:29, 30; Luke 17:14. 51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told _him_, saying, Thy son liveth. 52 Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.