John 2:1
And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: Ver. 1. _There was a marriage_] Whether St John's marriage, I have not to say. Some will have it so.... [ Continue Reading ]
And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: Ver. 1. _There was a marriage_] Whether St John's marriage, I have not to say. Some will have it so.... [ Continue Reading ]
And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. Ver. 2. _Jesus was called_] That was the way to have all sanctified, 1 Timothy 4:3, and disorders prevented. _Cave, spectat Cato, _ Beware, Cato is wating, was the old watchword.... [ Continue Reading ]
And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Ver. 3. _And when they wanted wine_] Wine then may be wanting, though Christ be at the wedding; yea, bread, though Christ be at the board. But the hidden manna is ever ready; and anon in our Father's house will be bre... [ Continue Reading ]
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. Ver. 4. _What have I to do with thee? &c._] Is it fit to prescribe to the only wise God? to send for the king by a post? The Chinese whip their gods if they come not at a call.... [ Continue Reading ]
His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do _it_. Ver. 5. _His mother saith to the servants_] Not a word to her Son, though he had publicly reproved her. "Once I have spoken, but I will not answer," saith Job, Job 40:5. Jonah, reprehended by God, shuts up his prophecy in si... [ Continue Reading ]
And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Ver. 6. _After the manner of the purifying, &c._] But who required these things at their hands? Men are apt to over do in externals. The devil strove to bring this... [ Continue Reading ]
Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. Ver. 7. _Up to the brim_] God permits his people an honest affluence. Christ supplies them here with great store of wine, to the quantity of a thousand and eight hundred pounds, as Beza computes, _a_ No small... [ Continue Reading ]
And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare _it_. Ver. 8. _The governor of the feast_] The Jews had a sort of officers at their feasts, called _praefecti morum, _ οινοπται, οφθαλμοι, the eyes and overseers of the feast, that took care that none shoul... [ Continue Reading ]
When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, Ver. 9. _The water that was made wine_] Doth not Christ daily turn water into wine, when of water falling u... [ Continue Reading ]
And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: _but_ thou hast kept the good wine until now. Ver. 10. _Every man at the beginning_] _Ingenium hominum adumbrat, natura fallax et sophisticum. Sic Satan nos ad se allicer... [ Continue Reading ]
This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. Ver. 11. _This beginning, &c._] For as for his miraculous disputation with the doctors, and fasting forty days, these were rather miracles wrought upon Christ than by him. He... [ Continue Reading ]
After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days. Ver. 12. _To Capernaum_] Where he had hired him a house; for the foxes had holes, &c., but the Son of man had not a house of his own to put his head in, Matthew 8:2... [ Continue Reading ]
And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, Ver. 13. _And Jesus went up to Jerusalem_] In obedience to the law, and to preach the gospel in the great congregation.... [ Continue Reading ]
And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: Ver. 14. _And found in the temple_] The Talmudists tell us that it was grown to a custom to set up tables in the temple, and money changers at them, that those who ought to offer half a shekel might... [ Continue Reading ]
And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; Ver. 15. _And when he had made a scourge_] Here he put forth a beam of his Deity; while, as another Samson, he lays heaps up... [ Continue Reading ]
And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. Ver. 16. _And said to the dove sellers_] These (belike, as more tractable, and not so gross offenders) he deals more gently with, but bids them be packing. I expect not (saith Rev. Rollo... [ Continue Reading ]
And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. Ver. 17. _The zeal of thine house_] Apostates, on the other side, eat up their zeal of God's house. But as in falling forward is nothing so much danger as backward; so the zealot, though not so discreet, is... [ Continue Reading ]
Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? Ver. 18. _What sign_] They might have seen sign enough, in his so powerful ejecting of those money merchants. But Church reformations are commonly thus diversely entertained. The disciples... [ Continue Reading ]
Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Ver. 19. _Destroy this temple_] This was the same in effect with that sign of the prophet Jonah, Matthew 12:39,40. His resurrection was a plain demonstration of his Deity, _Superas evadere ad auras, hic la... [ Continue Reading ]
Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? Ver. 20. _Forty and six years_] All, save what lacks; for it was six years' work only, but they reckon the interim of interruption, Ezra 3:1,13; Ezra 4:1,24; Ezra 5:1,17; Ezra 6:1,22; Ezra 7... [ Continue Reading ]
But he spake of the temple of his body. Ver. 21. _The temple of his body_] Wherein the "Godhead dwelt bodily," Colossians 2:9, that is, personally, as he dwelt in the material temple sacramentally, and doth dwell in the hearts of his people spiritually. This tabernacle of Christ's body was not made... [ Continue Reading ]
When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said. Ver. 22. _His disciples remembered_] In the mean time they murmured not, much less opposed. "We can do nothing against the truth,... [ Continue Reading ]
Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast _day_, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. Ver. 23. _Many believed_] _Fides fair minime fida, quippe historica, ex miraculis nata._ These thought they had laid hold on Christ, but they did but as children tha... [ Continue Reading ]
But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all _men_, Ver. 24. _Did not commit himself unto them_] Who yet would needs obtrude upon him. None are so impudent as hypocrites; they deceive themselves, they would do others; God, too. I read not (saith one) in Scripture of a hypocrite's... [ Continue Reading ]
And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man. Ver. 25. _For he knew what was in man_] Artificers know the nature and properties of their works, and shall not Christ of the heart? He searcheth men's hearts, and trieth the reins, which of all their inwards are the most i... [ Continue Reading ]