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Translation
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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
Cyril of Alexandria
The nobleman cometh as to One able to heal, but he understandeth not yet that He is by Nature God: he calleth Him Lord, but giveth not at all the true dignity of Lordship. For he would have straightway fallen down and besought Him, not that he should by all means come to his house, and go down with him to the sick lad; but should rather with authority and God-befitting command drive away the sickness that fell on him. For what need for Him to be present to the sick, whom He could easily heal, even absent? …
Theophylact of Ohrid
The courtier asks the Lord to come and heal his son, but the Lord rebukes him for believing not fully, but only in part. For the words "come down before my child dies" (John 4:49) reveal that his faith is weak. He does not believe that even in the event of his son's death, the Lord is powerful enough to raise him.
Western Saints
Bede
So, we see, faith, like the other virtues, is formed gradually, and has its beginning, growth, and maturity. His faith had its beginning, when he asked for his son's recovery; its growth, when he believed our Lord's words, Thy son liveth; its maturity, after the announcement of the fact by his servants.
Thomas Aquinas
Now we see the person making his request (v 47). First, we have the incentive for making his request. Secondly, the request itself. Thirdly, the need for the request. The incentive for making the request was the arrival of Christ. So he says, When he, the official, heard that Jesus had come to Galilee from Judea, he went to him. …
Bonaventure
"When this man had heard that Jesus came from Judea into Galilee," because the fame of his coming had spread abroad: Mark 1: "His fame went forth immediately into all the region of Galilee"; "he went to him," out of devotion: Matthew 8: "A centurion came to him, beseeching him." "And he besought him to come down," through bodily presence: above, chapter 2: "He went down to Capharnaum, he and his Mother," etc. …
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