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Joh 4:48. Ἐὰν μή, unless) Jesus implies, that He can give life to the nobleman’s son, even though the patient be absent: and He requires the nobleman to believe it, and not to require that Jesus should set out with him, as being himself about to see at the bedside of the sufferer the cure wrought on him.-ἴδητε, ye see) ch. Joh 20:29, [Jesus to Thomas] “Because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”-οὐ μὴ πιστεύσητε, ye will not believe) i.e. A disease has fallen upon thy son, that an opportunity might be afforded Me for rendering miraculous aid, which, as ye have not seen, ye do not believe: comp. ch. Joh 11:4, [Jesus as to Lazarus] “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby,” wherein the address, ch. Joh 11:40, is given, somewhat in inverse order, as compared with that to the nobleman, [Jesus to Martha] “Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?” There was something of the Judaic feeling, which was eagerly intent on miracles, in the nobleman, who seems to have been a Jew. This is marked by the use of the second person plural. But at the same time a miracle is promised, and faith is also first required on the nobleman’s part; and whilst it is being required, it is awakened by Jesus: comp. ch. Joh 10:37, “If I do not the works of My Father, believe Me not.” The reply, compounded of a kind of outward appearance of repulse, and a tacit promise of aid, is in consonance with the feeling of the suppliant, compounded as it was of faith and weakness.