Resurrection, not one seems to penetrate the mysterious truth of Incarnate Deity. Not until the day of Pentecost would believers know by the Spirit that Christ was God. Including even John the Baptist,1 Nathanael, Peter, and the rest, down to blind Bartimæus, and the most abject leper, the Jewish mind never appears to rise above the earthly notions which the Jews attached to the Messiah, the Restorer of David's

ab Israel in Regem et defensorem. Expectabant enim omnes Judæi Messiam temporalem regem futurum: et hoc modo videtur loqui iste Nathanael : quia non habebat adhuc cognitionem perfectam de Christo: non enim videtur intellexisse tunc ipsius divinitatem: quia non dixisset, 'Tu es Rex totius mundi,' sed Tu es Rex Israel:' et proptereà cùm dixit, Tu es filius Dei,' non fuit confessus ejus divinitatem, sed intellexit hanc filiationem per quandam gratiæ excellentiam. Unde dicit Chrysostomus, quòd adhuc credens esse sapientem, qui ex aliquâ revelatione Dei secreta noverit, confitetur eum esse filium Dei, non per naturam, sed per adoptionis gratiam: quia adhuc non erat plenè illu.. minatus de fide Trinitatis." Ludolphus, Vita Christi, cap. xxiv. p. 122.

It is impossible to define by comparison, which of the faithful had the clearest view of our Lord's real Nature, since several expressed their belief in Him very much in the same words. Otherwise we might suppose that John the Baptist was favoured with a higher degree of illumination than any other. By the word of God, which came unto him in the wilderness, he knew that he was the Herald of the Messiah; and even before he beheld the descent of the Spirit in a visible shape at the Baptism, he told the people that One greater than himself should baptize them with the Holy Ghost. And the clear declaration which he afterwards made is remarkable, "He that cometh from above is above all;" 'He that cometh from Heaven is above all." The testimony of our Lord seems conclusive; for He declared that, "Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater, than John the Baptist."

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"Vidit Spiritum Sanctum in columbâ, et audivit vocem paternam, et totius Trinitatis, Christum baptizando accepit. Magnus Joannes totius Trinitatis minister, imò totius Trinitatis amicus, qui patrem Deum audivit in voce, filium Deum baptizavit in carne, Spiritum Sanctum Deum aspexit in columbinâ specie, nec aliud quàm Unum Deum in substantiâ, et trinum in personis credidit, et opera Trinitatis esse omnino indivisa cognovit." Simon de Cassia, Gesta Christi Salvatoris, lib. iii. p. 124.

2 The exclamation of Thomas, "My Lord, and my God," was after the Resurrection, when "he made amends for his fault of unbelief by the greatness of his confession: for he was the first person who expressly declared that Jesus was the true God." "Dominus meus, et Deus meus.' In textu Græco præponitur articulus dictioni Dominus, et alter articulus dictioni Deus ['O Kúpiós μου, καὶ ὁ Θεός μου.] Et hic est solus textus in universis Evangelistis in quo Jesus in carne appellatus est Deus." "Hic enim clarè Jesus appellatur Deus cum articulo, ad explicandam Jesu veram Divinitatem, quemadmodum appellando Dominum cum articulo, explicat supremum Dominum." Cajetan, Evang. Joan., fol. 259. And to the same effect see Cyrill Alexand., In Evang. Joan., cap. lix., Opera, i. 622. Also Barradius, vol. iv. lib. viii. cap. xvii. p. 427. "At the Last Supper Christ says to his disciples, 'If ye had known Me, ye

throne, which was in their esteem the highest glory. He Himself twice declared, "No man knoweth the Son but the Father," that is, as long as He is on Earth no man knoweth Him as God.2 Bearing this constantly in mind, we have a key to harmonize many, otherwise difficult, passages.

Nathanael's ready and joyful confession of Christ, notwithstanding his former ill opinion of all Nazarenes, was an evidence of his candour; and justified the praise bestowed upon him, as "an Israelite indeed, in whom was no guile." But, that he might understand what wonders were yet in store for all true believers, Jesus answered him, “Because I said, I saw thee under the fig-tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. Verily, verily I say unto you, hereafter ye shall see Heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the SON OF MAN." Here is the first expression of Christ's familiar knowledge of the realms of Heaven, of which we have so many examples afterwards. Already we perceive His perfect self-consciousness, that He was "above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named." 4 From the very beginning of His ministry there was a deep harmony of teaching, forecast and determined in the Divine counsels, enlightening the minds of His followers by glimpses into the unseen world. As we proceed, it will more and more appear how all the parts are framed and fitted to each other, as clearly foreseen; all things wait upon His Will; all accomplish His original design.

should have known My Father also,' as speaking to men who did not yet know Him." Musculus, Comment. in Evang. Joan., p. 539.

1 Matt. xi. 27. Luke, x. 22.

2 "In homine non intelligebant Deum. Carnem videbant, Deum nesciebant: habitaculum cernebant, habitatorem ignorabant." Aug., in Joan., Tract. xviii. §2. 3 This is the first time that Christ calls Himself the "SON OF MAN," which afterwards we shall find often repeated. It was not a vague term, as belonging to men in general; but the Son of Man, as a title exceedingly eminent. It was one of the names under which the Messiah was looked for by the learned and religious Jews according to Daniel's prophecy, (vii. 14.) Whose dominion was to be "an everlasting dominion, and His Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." See Schöettgen, Hora Heb. et Talmud, vol. ii. p. 3.

4 Eph. i. 21.

CHAPTER X.

CHRIST AT A MARRIAGE FEAST IN CANA TURNS THE WATER INTO WINE-ATTENDS THE PASSOVER IN JERUSALEM, AND DRIVES THE BUYERS AND SELLERS FROM THE TEMPLEHIS DISCOURSE WITH NICODEMUS.

John, ii. 1-25; iii. 1—21.

THE time was now at hand when the Son of Man thought fit to enter upon His public ministry: to this He had been solemnly anointed; for this He had made preparation by prayer and fasting. Hitherto, mysteries above the order of nature have marked every step in the history; the Annunciation to Mary by Gabriel; His Birth of a pure Virgin; angels at Bethlehem; prophecies at His Presentation in the Temple; the Star in the heavens; the Flight into Egypt at the command of an angel; the Voice of the Father, and the descent of the Holy Ghost at His Baptism; the Temptation in the wilderness; all have been wonderful. And from this time forward signs and miracles multiply: all things in all places speak of God walking among men.

On the third day after His coming into Galilee, being probably at Nazareth, Jesus was invited to a marriage feast at the neighbouring town of Cana, with His mother and His disciples. As the two places were within eight miles of each other, there must have been constant intercourse between them; and family friendships and alliances would naturally spring up. It is not said that Joseph was present: indeed no mention is anywhere made of him after our Lord's visit to the Temple at twelve years of age; and it is reasonably supposed that he had died in the intervening eighteen

years.1 He had been highly blessed in his privilege to be the watchful guardian of the Infant Redeemer, and to witness the wonderful unfoldings of His Divine intelligence. But when the Holy Child, growing from infancy to youth, and from youth to manhood, "increased in wisdom and in stature," Joseph's happy task was accomplished, and we may believe that he was carried by angels into Abraham's bosom. And now behold, HE Who was to be the " Man of Sorrows," of Whom it has been said that HE was never seen to laugh, but often to weep-is a guest at the house of feasting. It was the first of several like occasions, when He joined in festive meetings; and thus brought upon Himself the reproach of ascetics. Such was the tenderness of His Human sympathies, that every circumstance, whether cheerful or sad, drew forth some lesson of Divine Love, or some miracle of mercy. His presence at the feast in Cana adorned and sanctified marriage as an honourable and holy state, "ordained for the mutual society, help, and comfort" of man and woman. When we read of His occasionally mixing in scenes of earthly happiness, we may acknowledge with thankfulness our permitted enjoyment of the blessings with which God has surrounded our path. Partaking of all our best human feelings and affections, Jesus several times condescended to be present at times of social harmony, when He was invited: His Gospel teaches us to "rejoice with those that rejoice, and weep with those that weep."

We can hardly doubt, that intelligence of the events at Bethabara, the public declarations of John, and the Baptism of her Son, had reached the ears of the blessed Virgin. Moreover, she found that He was already attended by a company of disciples; and perhaps Nathanael had told her of those mysterious words about "the angels ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." All this would cast a gleam of light across the mother's long cherished but uncertain hopes, which she had "kept and pondered in her heart."

"Quæret aliquis hoc loco, An Joseph Virginis sponsus vocatus quoque fuerit ad nuptias? Etenim cùm Deipara Virgo, Christus, ejusque discipuli vocati sint, videtur quoque Joseph fuisse invitatus. Atqui Evangelista nullam illius facit mentionem. Respondemus, Joseph ad nuptias non fuisse invitatum: neque enim invitari potuit, quod è vita jam excessisset. D. Epiphanius opinatur post duodecimum Christi annum obiisse." Barradius, vol. ii. lib. iii. cap. i. P. 154. 2 Basil, Opera, Tom. ii. p. 558.

Thus towards the end of the feast, when the wine began to fail, she came and said unto Him, "They have no wine," as if her maternal longings looked to the disclosure of His hidden power in supplying the want. Perhaps the deep pent up musings of thirty years swelled into conviction that her Son, so miraculously born, so matured in wisdom, so wonderfully gifted, was indeed the true Messias, the Redeemer of Israel; and she thought the time was come when she might reasonably ask some sign of His greatness. But she had a new lesson to learn. All claims of human ties, and all the relations of life must give place before the sublime and mysterious revelation, now to be made to the World, that the Son of God had deigned to appear on Earth in the form of man. Therefore let every

one keep silence before Him, that they may learn His wisdom, and wait upon His Will. Mary had nursed Him during the years of His youthful Humanity; and waited upon Him in His retirement at Nazareth: but those blessed offices had ceased: she must no longer presume to interpose a mother's hopes, or a mother's fears; or suggest times and seasons to the Anointed of the Lord. His answer to her was, “Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come." These words of authority express no want of respect or tenderness; but they clearly point to the vast distance between them. In all the future history the Virgin Mary is only twice present. And now He would seem to say, Woman, if it be My Will to provide for this occasion by a miracle, what is that to thee? How canst thou judge of the fitting time to show forth My Glory? Mary made no reply; but notwithstanding the gentle rebuke, she evidently expected that something would come to pass; for she said to the servants, "Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it."

Her interference neither hastened nor delayed the Divine

1 Lucas Brugensis, John, ii. 4, “Tí èμol kal odi, yúvaɩ; Quid mihi et tibi est, mulier?" "Dominus noster Jesus Christus et Deus erat, et homo: secundum quòd Deus erat, matrem non habebat; secundum quòd homo erat, habebat matrem. Mater ergo erat carnis, mater humanitatis, mater infirmitatis quam suscepit propter nos. Miraculum ergo exigebat mater; at ille tanquam non agnoscit viscera humana, operaturus facta divina; tanquam dicens, Quod de me facit miraculum non tu genuisti, divinitatem meam non tu genuisti. Sed quia genuisti infirmitatem meam, tunc te agnoscam cùm ipsa infirmitas pendebit in cruce: hoc est enim nondum venit hora mea.” Aug. in Johan. Evang., Tract. viii.

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