Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
For Jesus himself testified (autov gar Ihsouv emarturhsen). John's explanation of the conduct of Jesus by quoting a proverb often used by Jesus (Mark 6:4; Matthew 13:57; Luke 4:24 in reference to Nazareth), but not necessarily used by Jesus on this occasion. A similar proverb has been found in Plutarch, Pliny, Seneca.
A prophet hath no honour in his own country (profhthv en th idiai patridi timhn ouk exei). What is meant by patridi? In the Synoptics (Luke 4:24; Mark 6:4; Matthew 13:57) the reference is to Nazareth where he was twice rejected. But what has John in mind in quoting it here? He probably knew the quotations in the Synoptics. Does John refer to Judea by "his own country"? If so, the application hardly fits for he had already explained that Jesus was leaving Judea because he was too popular there (John 4:1-3). If he means Galilee, he immediately mentions the cordial welcome accorded Jesus there (verse John 4:45). But even so this is probably John's meaning for he is speaking of the motive of Jesus in going into Galilee where he had not yet laboured and where he apparently had no such fame as in Judea and now in Samaria.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing John 4:44:
Mark 6:3
Luke 4:24
John 1:11
John 13:21
Hebrews 11:14
1 John 5:9
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