Church Fathers Commentary John 4:43-45

"And after the two days he went forth from thence into Galilee. For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honor in his own country. So when he came into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did in Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast." — John 4:43-45 (ASV)

St. Augustine of Hippo: After staying two days in Samaria, He departed into Galilee, where He resided. The Gospel says, Now after two days He departed from there and went into Galilee.

Why then does the Evangelist immediately say, For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country? It would seem He would have testified more truthfully if He had remained in Samaria and not gone into Galilee.

But this is not so. He stayed two days in Samaria, and the Samaritans believed in Him. He stayed for a similar time in Galilee, and the Galileans did not believe in Him. Therefore, He said that a prophet has no honor in his own country.

St. John Chrysostom: Or, consider this the reason that He went not to Capernaum, but to Galilee and Cana, as appears later. His own country, I think, was Capernaum. Since He did not receive honor there, hear what He says: And you, Capernaum, which are exalted to heaven, shall be brought down to hell. He calls it His own country because He had resided there the most.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Alternatively, our Lord, on leaving Samaria for Galilee, explains why He was not always in Galilee: namely, because of the little honor He received there. A prophet has no honor in his own country.

Origen of Alexandria: The country of the prophets was Judea, and everyone knows how little honor they received from the Jews, as we read: Whom of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? One cannot help but wonder at the truth of this saying, exemplified not only in the contempt shown toward the holy prophets and our Lord Himself, but also in the case of other teachers of wisdom who have been despised by their fellow citizens and put to death.

St. John Chrysostom: But do we not see many who are held in admiration by their own people? We do, but we cannot argue from a few instances. If some are honored in their own country, many more are honored outside of it, and familiarity generally subjects people to contempt.

The Galileans, however, received our Lord: Then when He was come into Galilee, the Galileans received Him. Observe how those who are spoken ill of are always the first to come to Christ. Of the Galileans we find it said later, Search and look, for out of Galilee arises no prophet. And He is reproached with being a Samaritan: You are a Samaritan, and have a devil. And yet the Samaritans and Galileans believe, to the condemnation of the Jews.

The Galileans, however, are superior to the Samaritans, for the latter believed from hearing the woman’s words, while the former believed from seeing the signs He performed: Having seen all the things that He did at Jerusalem at the feast.

Origen of Alexandria: By driving out those who sold sheep and oxen from the temple, our Lord had impressed the Galileans with a powerful sense of His majesty, and so they received Him. His power was shown no less in this act than in making the blind see and the deaf hear. But He had probably performed other miracles as well.

The Venerable Bede: They had seen Him at Jerusalem, for they also went to the feast. Our Lord’s return has a mystical meaning: namely, that when the Gentiles have been confirmed in the faith by the two precepts of love (that is, at the end of the world), He will return to His own country, that is, Judea.

Origen of Alexandria: The Galileans kept the feast at Jerusalem, where they had seen Jesus. Thus, they were prepared to receive Him when He came. Otherwise, they would either have rejected Him, or He, knowing their unprepared state, would not have gone to them.