John 4:44 Exegesis

In John chapter four, verses 43 to 45, there is a seemingly strange sequence of statements…

“[43] After the two days he departed for Galilee. [44] (For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.) [45] So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast” (John 4:43–45, ESV).

What are the issues?

Issue 1: How does verse 44 connect to verse 43? Was Jesus leaving Samaria because he had no honor there? 

Issue 2: How does verse 44 connect to verse 45? If a prophet receives no honor in his hometown, why do the Galileans welcome him?

How should we interpret these issues?

Issue 1

Jesus received great honor in Samaria. Many believed in him. So verse 44 cannot be referring to departing from Samaria. It must refer to departing to Galilee. He is going to Galilee because a prophet has no honor in his hometown.

Jesus must be going to minister there that they might believe and receive him as the Messiah and be saved.

Issue 2

The details of the story in John 4:46-53 suggest the Galileans welcomed him only as a miracle worker. They did not truly honor him as the Messiah. In John 4:48, Jesus says, “Unless [y’all] see signs and wonders you will not believe.” They do not believe he is the Messiah. They believe he can work some miracles, and they are willing to give him a hearing if he keeps working wonders. Jesus thus laments that their faith is miracle-based only, and not completely anchored in him yet. 

So how could Jesus be welcomed and yet not honored? Because they had “seen all that he had done in Jerusalem” (John 4:45; cf John 2:23) and welcomed the miracle worker. But they did not honor him as the Messiah. 

Thankfully, however, the desperate father in the story had a genuine, burgeoning faith that would take root fully (John 4:53). Jesus’s mission to Galilee was finding success.