46. *A certain ruler whose son was sick at Capharnaum*, on hearing that Jesus was in Cana, came and asked Him to _come down_ and heal his son, who was on the point of death. Origen thinks this ruler may have belonged to the household of Cæsar, and been on duty in Palestine at this time. But Josephus uses the word (βασιλικός) to designate the courtiers or officers of the Herods (see B. J. vii. 5, 2; Antt. xv. 8, 4); so that this ruler of Capharnaum may have been an officer of Herod Antipas, the Tetrarch of Galilee. Doubtless the ruler had heard of the miracle at the marriage feast in Cana (ii. 7, 11); and perhaps he had witnessed the evidence of Christ’s miraculous power at the feast of the Pasch (ii. 23). 48. Dixit ergo Iesus ad eum: 48. Jesus therefore said to Nisi signa et prodigia him: Unless you see signs and videritis, non creditis. wonders, you believe not. 49. Dicit ad eum regulus: 49. The ruler saith to him: Domine, descende prius quam Lord, come down before that my moriatur filius meus. son die. 48. Christ upbraids the ruler for his imperfect faith. The ruler is blamed either because he was waiting to _see_ a miracle before he would believe, or because he foolishly considered that it was _necessary_ for Christ to go down to Capharnaum in order to heal his son. 50. Dicit ei Iesus: Vade, 50. Jesus saith to him: Go thy filius tuus vivit. Credidit way, thy son liveth. The man homo sermoni quem dixit ei believed the word which Jesus Iesus, et ibat. said to him, and went his way. 51. Iam autem eo descendente, 51. And as he was going down, servi occurrerunt ei, et his servants met him: and they nuntiaverunt dicentes, quia brought word, saying that his filius eius viveret. son lived. 50. Jesus said to him, *Go thy way; thy son liveth*. It is plain, from all the circumstances, that this miracle is quite distinct from that recorded in Matt. viii. 5 and foll.; Luke vii. 2 and foll., though some of the Rationalists have sought to identify the two. There it is the centurion’s servant, here the ruler’s son, who is ill; there the illness is paralysis, here fever; there, though asked not to go, Christ goes to the sick person; here, though asked to go, he goes not. 52. Interrogabat ergo horam ab 52. He asked therefore of them eis in qua melius habuerit. Et the hour, wherein he grew dixerunt ei: Quia heri hora better. And they said to him: septima reliquit eum febris. Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. 52. *The seventh hour;* _i.e._, about an hour after noon, 1 p.m., or 7 p.m. See i. 39.