John 2:12

Καφαρναούμ (preferred by the best editors to Καπερναούμ).

12. This verse alone is almost enough to disprove the theory that the Gospel is a fiction written with a dogmatic object: “why should the author carry his readers thus to Capernaum—for nothing?” If S. John wrote it, all is natural. He records this visit because it took place, and because he well remembers those ‘not many days.’

κατέβη. Down from the plateau on which Cana and Nazareth stand to the shore of the lake. Capernaum, or Caphar-nahum, the modern Tell-Hûm, was the chief Jewish town, as Tiberias was the chief Roman town, of one of the most busy and populous districts of Palestine: it was therefore a good centre. For μ. τοῦτο see on John 3:22.

ἡ μήτ. αὐ. κ. οἱ ὀδ. αὐ.] Natural ties still hold Him; in the next verse they disappear. On the vexed question of the ‘brethren of the Lord’ see the Introduction to the Epistle of S. James. It is impossible to determine with certainty whether they are (1) the children of Joseph and Mary, born after the birth of Jesus; (2) the children of Joseph by a former marriage, whether levirate or not; or (3) adopted children. There is nothing in Scripture to warn us against (1), the most natural view antecedently; but it has against it the general consensus of the Fathers, and the prevailing tradition of the perpetual virginity of S. Mary. Jerome’s theory, that they were our Lord’s cousins, sons of Alphaeus, is the one commonly adopted, but John 7:5 (see note) is fatal to it, and it labours under other difficulties as well.

The fact of His brethren being with Him makes it probable that He returned to Nazareth from Cana before coming down to Capernaum.

οὐ πολλάς ἡμ. Because the Passover was at hand, and He must be about His Father’s business. S. John here corrects the impression, easily derived from S. Matt. (John 4:13; John 9:1), that when Christ moved from Nazareth to Capernaum, the latter at once became His usual abode, ‘His own city.’

John 2:13 to John 11:57. THE WORK

We enter now on the second and principal portion of the first main division of the Gospel, thus subdivided:—THE WORK 1. among Jews (John 2:13 to John 3:36); 2. among Samaritans (John 4:1-42); 3. among Galileans (John 4:42-54); 4. among mixed multitudes, chiefly Jews (5–9). In this last subdivision the Work becomes a CONFLICT between Jesus and ‘the Jews.’

John 2:13 to John 3:36. THE WORK AMONG JEWS