He Took Jesus At His Word.....

I was reading in John today...Chapter 4 The story about the healing of the "certain royal official's son" piqued my interest.

46 Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death. 48 "Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe." 49 The royal official said, "Sir, come down before my child dies." 50 Jesus replied, "You may go. Your son will live." The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 52 When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, "The fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour." 53 Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." So he and all his household believed.

The official's son was "close to death." When the official found out that Jesus was in Galilee, he went to Jesus for help. It seems that Jesus might have been his last ditch effort to save his son. Depending on what version you read, there are several different words that are used to describe the urgency of his request. Some of the versions simply say he asked. Ahhhhh....if my child was at the point of death and Jesus was my only hope, I'm pretty sure I would do more than ask politely. I would be on my knees....I would be pleading. The NKV says he implored, the ASV states that he besought. Many of the versions simply say that he begged Jesus to come and heal his son. Then, as is often the case in Scripture, Jesus says something I don't expect. Is it just me or does it seem almost like Jesus scolds him? "You people"...."unless you see miraculous signs and wonders, you will never believe." Sort of along the lines of "ye of little faith." But the official is not seeking signs and wonders for the heck of it.....for the thrill of a magic trick. He is trying to save the life of his son. He repeats his request...."come down before my child dies." And then it seems, almost matter of factly, Jesus tells him to be on his way....your son will live.

The next sentence amazes me.

The man took Jesus at his word and departed.

Wow. Just like that? No further reassurances needed? He simply took Jesus at his word. At this point in the story, the official is not a believer. It is later...after he confirms that the time of the healing was the exact time Jesus declared the son healed. It was then that the official and all his household believed. Which, as a side note, confirms what Jesus said about signs and wonders. It was after all the miracle that nudged them into belief. But let's give credit where credit is due. This guy, in this life and death situation, simply decided to take Jesus at his word. Oh that I had the faith to do the same, I find myself questioning when I consider all the promises and reassurances in the Gospels. As I read the "words in red" in scripture, why can't I simply do as the royal official did....and take Jesus at his word?