John 4:44

For Jesus himself gave testimony, &c. The connexion and reason given here by the word for, is obscure, when it is said, Jesus went into Galilee and gave testimony that a prophet hath no honour in his own country. One would think this should not be a reason for his going into Galilee, but rather why he should not go thither. St. Cyril,[1] and also St. John Chrysostom distinguish different parts of Galilee; and say that when Jesus went into Galilee, the meaning is, that he would not at that time go to Nazareth, where he was bred, nor to Capharnaum, where he had lived for a time, but went to Cana, and those other parts of Galilee; and that the word for only gives the reason of this, that he would not go to Nazareth or Capharnaum, because no prophet is honoured in his own country. And for the same reason he again said to the ruler: (ver. 48) Unless you see sign and wonders you believe not: whereas the Samaritans, from whom he was now coming readily believed without such miracles. (Witham)

[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

St. Cyril, in Joan. p. 202. Interjacentem Nazareth præterit, Greek: paratrechei ten Nazareth dia tou mesou keimenen. St. John Chrysostom, hom. xxxiv. in Joan. tom. 8, p. 203. quare addidit, quia, Greek: gar, quod non in Capharnaum, sed in Galileam, et in Cana abiit.