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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comVincent Word Studies - John 4:44 - 4:44
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For - in His own country (γὰρ - ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ πατρίδι)
For assigns the reason why Jesus went into Galilee. By His own country, Judaea seems to be meant, though almost the same phrase, His country, is used by the three Synoptists of Nazareth in Galilee. John's Gospel, however, deals with the Judaean rather than with the Galilean ministry of Jesus, and the phrase, His own country, is appropriate to Judaea as “the true home and fatherland of the prophets, the land which contained the city of Messiah's birth, the city associated with Him alike in ancient prophecy and in popular expectation.” Hence, at Jerusalem, the people said, “Hath not the Scriptures said that Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was” (Joh 7:42)? In Joh 4:1-3 it is stated that Jesus left Judaea because of a controversy excited by the Pharisees, whom John always marks as the leaders of the opposition to Jesus. Further, we are told that at Jerusalem, though many believed on His name, yet Jesus did not trust them (Joh 2:23, Joh 2:24). According to this explanation, γὰρ, for is used in its natural and most obvious sense as assigning the reason for Christ's departure into Galilee. The proverb is naturally suggested by the reference to Galilee, where Jesus had used it at Nazareth (see Mat 13:57). The ὅτε οὖν when then (then indicating logical sequence and not time) of Joh 4:45 follows naturally upon the citation of the proverb, signifying a correspondence between the character of His reception in Galilee and the motive of His going thither. Finally, if we understand by His own country, Nazareth, we are compelled to explain γὰρ, for, from Joh 4:46; Jesus went to Cana (north of Nazareth) without passing through His native place, for the reason mentioned. This seems forced and arbitrary.