John 4:43 Commentary and Bible Study

Things were getting dangerous in Judea where the Lord had been, as John has already stated in verses 1-3 of this chapter, and so he departed from there to Galilee. He withdrew from Judea because already there were siren voices: ‘Get rid of him!’ But it was too early; his time was not yet come. He also had to protect his disciples. They had the training course to go through. He was working according to the divine plan, and so for reasons of safety for his disciples and things not brewing up to fierce proportions too soon, he withdraws. The reason is given – ‘For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.’ He knew he would not be honoured in the same way in Galilee and would therefore not have the popularity that had so antagonised the Jewish leaders. The people simply would not listen to him, so the whole situation would calm down. So he proceeds into Galilee.