and charges the Servants to obey his Orders. with thee? Mine Hour is

not yet come.

5 His Mother faith unto the Servants, Whatsoever he faith unto you, do it.

6 And there were fet

there fix Water-pots of Stone, after the Manner of the purifying of the Jews, con

145
racles are to be wrought? Let me now fay SECT. 23.
it once for all, this is a Thing that does not
lie within thy proper Sphere; and in par- John II. 4.
ticular, for what is now propofed, my Time
of doing it is not yet come (f), but it is best
to wait a little longer; and leave it to my
Conduct to determine, when it will be the
fitteft and the most convenient Seafon for me
to interpofe.

In this his Mother readily acquiefced, as 5
conscious to herself that the had been over-
hafty in the Propofal: But yet, as she inferred
from his Anfwer, that he intended them fome
extraordinary Supply, the fays unto the Ser-
vants, with fome Degree of Authority, as
being in part concerned in managing the Feast,
Whatever he hall order you, fee that you
carefully do it; for he may have Reasons for
it, beyond what you imagine.

Now there were fet there, near the Room 6
in which the Feaft was kept, fix Water-pots
or Jars of Stone; from whence the Water
might be taken, that was made ufe of by
the Guests to wash their Hands and Feet,
and that was necessary for the washing of the
Cups and other Veffels that were used at
Table, according to the Jewish Custom of pu-
rifying; which in fome Inftances was grown
to fuch a fuperftitious Nicety (g), as to re-

quire

(f) My Time is not yet come.] Some are for adding a Note of Interrogation here, (as Gregory Nyffen does,) and fo would render it, Is not my Time yet come? As if he had faid, "Am I not old enough to know, when to work Miracles? and now that I have "entered on my publick Miniftry, is it not Time that I fhould be exempt from thine Authority, and fhould be left to govern my own Actions without thy Direction? But I conceive the Senfe, in which it is generally taken, to be more natural and eafy: And I would rather chufe to understand it of the Time, when he intended to perform this Miracle, for which the proper Moment, tho' very near, was not yet quite come; than to refer it in a more general Way to the Time of his doing Miracles in publick, or more particularly to reftrain it to the Time of his Sufferings, which Chrift indeed has elsewhere called his Hour, and which Mr. L'Enfant fuppofes him here to intimate, that he would not anticipate, by provoking the Jews too foon; for thus, it would have implied a Denial of his Mother's Request, which it is plain from ver. 5. fhe did not apprehend, and which the Event fhews, that Christ did not defign.

(8) Was grown to fuch a fuperftitious Nicety.] Befides the Purifications that were appointed by the Law of GOD, there was a Multitude of others that were then pracVOL. I.

T

tifed

146

John II. 6.

CHRIST turns the Water into Wine,

Fil

7 Jefus faith unto them, Fill the Water-pots with them up to the Brim. Water. And they filled

SECT. 23.quire a confiderable Quantity of Water to containing two or three Fir-
be ready upon fuch Occafions: Thefe Jars
kins apiece.
were therefore of a confiderable Bignefs,
containing each of them two or three Mea-
7 fures (b). And Jefus chufing for wife Rea-
fons to make use of these (i), rather than the
Veffels in which the Wine had before been
contained, after fome convenient Paufe, that
the failing of the Wine might be the more
obferved, goes to the Servants that were
waiting, and fays to them, Fill up thofe Jars
with Water. And they filled them up to the very
8 Brim. And having prefently transformed
the Water by his Divine Power into excellent
Wine, he fays unto them, Now draw fome of
it out, and carry it to the Prefident of the Feaft.
And in Obedience to the Orders Jefus gave
them, they carried [it] to him.

9

Now wheu the Prefident of the Feast had
tafted the Water that was made Wine, and
knew not whence it came, (tho' the Servants
that drew the Water very well knew,)
obferving

tifed in Compliance with the Tradition of the Elders.
fee Godwyn's Mofes and Aaron, lib. iii. cap. II. §. 4.

8 And he faith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the Governour of the Feast. And they bare it.

(b) Two or three Meafures. The Measures of the Antients are fo very uncertain that it is hardly poffible to determine the exact Content of these Veffels. Some have computed them to contain about two or three Hogfheads; and it is rendered fo, in our Tranflation, as to make them contain above a hundred Gallons. But it is hardly probable, the Veffels were fo large; and as the Word perplas fignifies no more than MeaJures, it is much better we should leave it as we find it, unless the Quantity could be determined with more Certainty. It seems moft probable, that as the Jewish Bath was the most common Measure that was used in Liquids, this is the Quantity defigned, where Measures are expreffed without any Limitation. And as the Jewish Bath is reckoned to contain four Gallons and a half, the Content of these Veffels, if they are computed only, at two Measures each, will amount to no less than fifty-four Gallons, which may be reckoned a fufficient Quantity. See Dr. Lightfoot's Harmony, in loc. and Godwyn's Mofes and Aaron, lib. vi. cap. 9. ad fin.

(7) Chufing to make use of these.] Jefus might rather chufe to make ufe of thefe large Veffels, thus to add to the Dignity of the Miracle, by the liberal Quantity of Wine produced; which we have no Reafon to believe, was all drank that Day. If the Feat, as was ufual, lafted feveral Days, (Gen. xxix. 27, 28. and Judg. xiv. 12,17.) a confiderable Expence might by this Means be faved, and an Equivalent given for the additional Charge of entertaining fo many of his Difciples. Not to fay, that this would prevent any Sufpicion, that the Tincture, or Tafte, of the Water might be derived from any Remainder of Wine in the Veffels; for indeed the Goodness of the Wine thus made, would be fufficient to obviate fuch a Thought.

(k) When

and the Miracle is prefently observed.

drew the Water knew,) the

Governour of the Feaft called the Bridegroom;

10 And faith unto him, Every Man at the Beginning doth fet forth good Wine, and when Men have well drunk, then that which is worse; but thou haft kept the good Wine until now.

II This Beginning of Miracles did Jefus in Cana forth his Glory; and his Disciples believed on him.

of Galilee, and manifested

147
obferving that it had a finer Flavour than SECT. 23.
any they had drank before, the Prefident of
the Feaft calls for the Bridegroom, at whofe John II. 9.
Expence he reckoned, that this Wine had
been provided; And fays unto him, Thou 10
haft acted to-day in a very uncommon Man-
ner, for every Man that makes a Feast, first
fets out the good Wine; and when they have
drank plentifully (k), fo that their Tafte is not
fo delicate as before, then brings out that which
is worfe; [but] thou haft kept the good Wine
until now, and towards the Conclufion of the
Feaft furprizeft us with what is much better
than we have yet tafted. This naturally
gave the Bridegroom an Opportunity of de-
claring, that he knew nothing of this new
Supply; which occafioned an Examination
of the Servants, and so a Discovery of what
Chrift had done in it.

This was the Beginning of his publick 11
Miracles (1); which Jefus wrought (as we
have now related) in Cana of Galilee, and
thereby manifefted his Glory; and that in fuch
an illuftrious Manner, that his Difciples be-
lieved on him more stedfastly than before, as
the Fact was fo certain and fo remarkable.

(k) When they have drank plentifully.] Tho' every often fignifies to drink to Excefs, yet it would be very unjust and abfurd to fuppofe, that it implies here, that these Guefts had already tranfgreffed the Rules of Temperance. None can seriously imagine the Evangelift fo deftitute of common Senfe, as to reprefent Chrift, as difplaying his Glory, by miraculously furnishing the Company with Wine to prolong a drunken Revel, It is much more reasonable to conclude, that it fignifies here, (as it does in Gen. xliii. 34. Cant. v. 1. and Hag. i. 6. Septuag.) only to drink fo freely, as innocently to exhilarate the Spirits. And even this perhaps might only be the Cafe of fome of them, and particularly not of thofe, who drawn by a Defire to converse with Jefus, might be but lately come in.

(1) This Beginning of his publick Miracles.] This Interpretation feems much preferable to that of Grotius, who only fuppofes that this was the firft Miracle wrought at Cana, another being afterwards mentioned: (John iv. 46. Sect. 31.) For it is plain, there must have been a long Series of Miracles wrought here, to juftify fuch a Manner of speaking, which doth not at all appear to have been the Cafe. It rather feems to be here reprefented, only as the first of his publick Miracles; for it seems probable, that the Neceffities of the Family might fometimes have engaged him, to have done fomething miraculous for its Relief in private. See Note (c), pag. 144.

148 Reflections on the Miracle of turning Water into Wine.

W

IMPROVEMENT.

SECT.23. E have here the first of Christ's publick Miracles, which we find was not wrought till about his thirtieth Year. How John II. II.much fooner could he have glorified himself, and amazed the World, by the Display of his Divine Power? But he waited his Father's Call, and the Delay added at length to the Luftre of his Works.

Ver. I.

Ver. 2.

Ver. 3, 4.

Ver. 5:

Ver. 7,8.

It was performed to grace a Nuptial Solemnity: And who doth not fee, that it was in Effect a Testimony borne to the Honour and Purity of that happy State, on which fo much of the Comfort of the prefent Generation, and the Existence of the future, regularly depends.?

How happy were thefe Guests, while Jefus was among them! and how condescending did he appear, in making one on the Occafion! His focial and obliging Temper should sweeten ours, and be a Leffon to his Followers, that they avoid every thing four and morofe, and do not cenfure others for innocent Liberties, at proper Seasons of Festivity and Joy.

If his Mother met with so just a Rebuke, for attempting to direct his Administrations in the Days of his Flesh, how abfurd is it for any to address her, as if she had a Right to command him on the Throne of his Glory? And how indecent for us, to direct his Supreme Wisdom, as to the Time and Manner in which he shall appear for us, in any of the Exigencies of Life?

Her Submiffion and Faith manifefted on this Occafion are truly amiable: And with this we have furely Reafon to admire the Benignity and Generofity of Christ in this Miracle before us; who confulted the Pleasure and Entertainment, as well as the Neceffity of his Followers; and by this abundant Supply amply repaid any extraordinary Expence, which he might have occafioned to the Family.

How eafily could he, who thus turned Water into Wine, have. transformed every Entertainment of a common Table into the greatest Delicacies, and have regaled himself daily with royal Dainties? But far fuperior to fuch animal Gratifications, he chose the Severities of a much plainer Life. Bleffed Jesus! who can say whether thou art greater, in what thou didft, or in what thou didst not do! May none of us thy Followers be too intent on indulging our Tafte, or any of our other Senses; but purfuing thofe intellectual and devotional Pleafures which were thy Meat and thy Ver. 10 Drink on Earth, may we wait for that good. Wine which thou

reservest

JESUS departs from Cana to Capernaum.

1.49

referveft for thy People to the last, and for thofe richer Dainties, SECT. 23. with which thou wilt feast thofe, who shall drink it with thee in thy Father's Kingdom! (Mat. xxvi. 29.)

Our LORD celebrates the first Paffover of his publick Miniftry at Jerufalem; and vindicates the Outer Court of the Temple, from the Prophanation of those that bought and fold there. John II. 12, to the End..

JOHN II. 12.. AFTER this, he went down to Capernaum, he and his Mother, and his Brethren, and his Disciples; and they continued. there. not many Days.

r3 And the Jews Paffover was at hand, and Jefus went up to Jerufalem,

NOW

JOHN II. 12.

II.

OW after Jefus had attended at this SECT. 24.. Marriage, where he miraculously turned the. Water into Wine, he and his John ÍI, 12.. Mother, and his Brethren, (or his near Relations,) and his Difciples, who were now ready to attend him wherefoever he should go, went down from Cana to Capernaum, a City that lay near the North Part of the Sea of Galilee, on the South Border of the Land of Naphtali: And at this Time the Stay they made was but short, for they continued there not many Days. And the 13 Reason of their leaving it fo foon was, that the Passover of the Jews drew near (a), when it was ordered by the Law

of

(a) The Paffover of the Jews drew near.] As the Evangelifts have not expressly determined the Number of Paffovers, which happened between the Baptifm and Death of Christ, or during the Courfe of his publick Miniftry; fo it is well known, that: learned Men have been much divided in their Opinions about them. By far the greater Part have fuppofed, there were Four; reckoning this, the first; the Feast mentioned John v. 1. the fecond; the Paffover spoken of, John vi. 4, as the third; and that at which Chrift fuffered, the fourth. But there are others of a different Opinion.. -The celebrated Sir Ifaac Newton reckons Five; the first, this which is now before us; the fecond, according to him, happened four Months after Christ's Difcourfe with. the Woman of Samaria, John iv. 35; the third, a few days before the Story of the Difciples rubbing the Ears of Corn, Luke vi. I; the fourth, a little after the feeding of the Five thousand; and the laft, at the Time of our Lord's Crucifixion. The Reafons for this the Reader will find at large, in Sir Ifaac Newton's Obfervat, on Propb.

part