Commentary on the Gospel of
Faith Up One’s Sleeve
At the plea of the official to heal his son, Jesus expresses some exasperation, surprisingly so. Did he doubt the genuineness of the faith of the official? It appears so. But the man was too concerned with his son’s illness to debate anything else. Jesus does not disappoint him, anyway. The evangelist seems to believe that the man had faith. But did he, really? For, if he had authentic faith, why did he have to ask his servants for the exact hour of his son’s recovery? He had to match the time of recovery with the time of his encounter with Jesus, to finally believe. Until now he just carried his faith up his sleeves, and now he lets it into his heart. So, at the end of it all, Jesus was right in his sixth sense: the man would believe only after the signs matched! Far more blessed are those who believe without matching evidence!
