John 4:43

And after two days he went forth from thence into Galilee. For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honor in his own country.

JESUS ENTERED GALILEE AGAIN

After two days ... These were the two days just spent in Sychar.

A prophet hath no honor in his own country ... The injection of this proverb in such a manner as to make it a reason for Jesus' going into Galilee (which was his own country) presents a problem that has been solved in various ways. Alford thought that Jesus intended to bring about a decline in his popularity, that being exactly why he had stopped baptizing and headed north. If that indeed was the Master's purpose, in order to avoid a premature crisis with the Pharisees, then the proverb fits. And yet the very next verse states that the Galileans received him, having seen the miracles done in Jerusalem when they went up to the feast. Meyer explained that Jesus' mention of the proverb might have been intended to suggest somewhat indirectly the reason of his going to Galilee. Thus:

If a prophet, as Jesus himself testified, is without honor in his own country, he must earn it in another. And this Jesus had done in Jerusalem. He now brought with him the honor of a prophet from a distance. Hence too, he had found acceptance with the Galileans because they had seen his miracles in Jerusalem (John 2:23).[8]

This interpreter prefers the view of Alford because the degree of acceptance in Galilee was not sufficient to thwart the Lord's purpose of achieving a decrease in his popularity. True, the next verse mentions the Galileans' reception of him, but it left much to be desired. Jesus said (John 4:48), "Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will in no wise believe."