Chapter Two

¹ And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there. And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus says to him, They have no wine. Jesus says to her, Woman, what have I to do with you? mine hour is not yet come. They call the Lord to the marriage, not as having seen wonders, nor as some great one, but simply and as an acquaintance; whence the evangelist, signifying this, says, “And the mother of Jesus and His brethren were there.” As, then, they had called her and the brethren, so also they called the Lord. And the Lord comes, and does not disdain the invitation, because He looked not to His own dignity, but to our profit and benefit. For He who did not disdain to become among slaves, much more would not disdain to come to a marriage. And His mother urges Him to a work of wonder, having conceived a great opinion of His power both from the conception and from the birth. For she kept all these things in her heart, and from them reckoned that her Son could do things above man. For it was not from Jesus’ having done other wonders that the mother was led to ask Him for this; for while He was a child He worked no wonder, else He would have been notable to all. But at once the mother both remembered the witness which John bore concerning Him, and already saw disciples following Him; and from all these things she inferred the power of her Child. And He rebukes her, not without reason. For if, He says, there is no wine, those who lacked it ought to have come and asked, not you the mother. For entreaty on behalf of one’s own becomes a stumbling-block to the beholders; but when they that have the need entreat for themselves, the matter is free from suspicion. And the “Mine hour is not yet come” He says, not as being subject to the necessities of times, or as observing the hour (for how should the Maker of times and ages be such?), but because He works all things with the season that befits. Since, then, He was as yet unmarked, and unknown to the many, and had not even all His disciples, nor did those at the marriage know Him — for they would themselves have come and entreated concerning the wine — since, then, all this was so, for this cause He says, “Mine hour is not yet come” — that is, the fitting season is not at hand. But still the madness of Arius presses on, attempting to show the Lord subject to hours and seasons. Learn, then, O accursed one: if He were subject to hours, how did He afterward do the wonder? For it behooved Him, according to your reasoning, since He serves hours and seasons, and His hour was not yet come, not to be able to work a wonder; but in fact He worked it; therefore He does not serve hours. And mark for me how He does not contend with His mother to the end, nor in everything; but having rebuked her a little, He again fulfills her request, honoring her, and giving us patterns of the reverence due to parents.

² His mother says to the servants, Whatever he says to you, do it. And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus says to them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he says to them, Draw out now, and bear to the governor of the feast. And they bare it. To the servants the mother says, “Whatever He says to you, do it”; that the request might be the greater, they coming and asking; so that it might be shown that the refusal was not of weakness, but of His not wishing to seem to run after wonder-workings for display and empty vanity. And the stone waterpots served for the purifying of the Jews. For the Jews washed themselves almost daily, and so ate; for example, if they had touched a leper, or a dead body, or had company with a woman, they washed, as being thereafter unclean. Since, then, Palestine was waterless, and it was not possible in many places to find springs, they always filled the waterpots with water, that they might not run to the rivers whenever they became unclean. He did not, then, say without purpose, “after the manner of the purifying of the Jews”; but that none of the unbelieving should suspect that some lees had remained, and then, the water being poured in and mingled, a very thin wine had been produced, he shows that those vessels had never been receptacles of wine. Could He not, then, even without the waterpots being filled with water, have created wine out of things that were not? He could indeed; but in many places He cuts short the greatness of the wonders, that they might be the more easily received; and at the same time, that He might have the servants as witnesses of the wonder, those who had poured the water into the waterpots; and further, that we might learn that He it is who turns the moisture of the vine, which is altogether water, into wine. He bids the servants, then, show the taste to the governor of the feast — not without reason, but that none should suspect that it was a gathering of drunken men, and their perception was corrupted, and that, being corrupted by drunkenness, they thought the water to be wine. That such a suspicion, then, might have no place, He entrusts the tasting to the governor of the feast, who was sober. For in such matters those entrusted with this service are especially sober, that all things may be done in order and decency at their command. But let us pray that these things may be accomplished in us also: that there may now be, as it were, a marriage — that is, a union of God with our soul, while we are yet in the Cana of Galilee, I mean in the region of this lower and rolling-down world, that at one time is rolled one way and another another. And this marriage does not take place without the presence of Christ, and of His mother, and of the disciples. For unless one believe in Christ, who was born of Mary and spoke in the apostles, how shall he be united to God? Let us see, then, what wonder the Lord works in such a marriage, and in such a union of God with the soul. He changes the water into wine, He fills our six stone waterpots. By water you might understand the watery, and fluid, and dissolute element in our life and in our doctrines; and by the six waterpots, the five senses, by which we are tripped up in our actions, and a sixth waterpot, the reasoning faculty, by which we are dangerously disposed in matters of doctrine. Our Lord Jesus Christ, then — I mean the Gospel word — healing our errors, both in the practical and in the doctrinal, that is, contemplative, part, changes the watery and easily-dissolved element in these into wine, I mean a life and a word that are bracing and gladdening; and thus our six waterpots are filled with this good drink — both the senses, that we may not stumble in the practical part, and the reasoning, that we may not stumble in matters of doctrine. And note that the stone waterpots stood there for the purifying of the Jews. Now Judas is interpreted “confession”; and he that confesses is cleansed through the five senses, by which formerly he sinned. The eye saw amiss, but again the eye weeps in confession, and so becomes a means of cleansing. The ear heard harlot-songs, but again is inclined to the words of the mouth of God; so also with the other senses. Again the reasoning stumbles in matters of doctrine, but again purges away its former wickedness, having passed over to right teaching. And they are stone waterpots, either because our frame is from the earth, or because it behooves the vessels that are to hold such wine to be firm and not easily dissolved. A stone waterpot was the reasoning of Paul, both when he persecuted (for he was zealous for the traditions of the fathers above all his contemporaries) and when he preached — for he had so great a flow of speech that he was thought to be Hermes, as being the leader of the word.

³ 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, and says to him, Every man at the beginning does set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but you have kept the good wine until now. The governor of the feast asks not the servants, but the bridegroom. For what cause? By a wholly divine dispensation. For had he asked the servants, they would assuredly have disclosed the wonder, but no one would have believed them. For it was the beginning of the signs, and as yet no one had a great opinion of Christ; so that, even with the servants relating the wonder, no one would have believed. Afterward, however, when He had displayed other signs also, this too was to be believed, and little by little the servants, relating it to all, would be reckoned trustworthy. For this cause the Lord dispensed that not the servants should be asked, but the bridegroom. And He made not simply wine, but the best. For such are the wonders of Christ: far better than the things accomplished by nature. Of the water’s becoming wine, then, the witnesses are the servants who drew the water; and of its becoming best, the governor of the feast; all which things, as time went on, when proclaimed, were to be confirmed more surely to the hearers. And you may understand by the wine the Gospel word, and by the water all that went before the Gospel; for they were more watery, and did not attain to the perfection of the word. As I mean to say: the Lord gave various laws to man — one in paradise, a second under Noah, a third under Abraham, that of circumcision, a fourth through Moses, a fifth through the prophets. All these, then, compared with the exactness and power of the Gospel, are watery, if one understand them simply and according to the letter. But if, going deep with the spirit, one consider the hidden things, he will find the water become wine. For the things spoken simply and understood according to the letter by the many, being water, he who examines spiritually will assuredly find to be the best wine, drunk later, and kept by the Bridegroom Christ; since indeed the Gospel was shown in the last times.

⁴ This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. That after the baptism the Lord began the signs, we have said before. And it seems that this of the wine was the first sign He did. For he says, “This beginning of miracles did He.” But one will say that, even if this is a beginning of signs, yet not of all, but of those in Cana of Galilee. For, he says, of the various wonders He did in Cana, this is the beginning. So one might say; but we, although we have much to show that it is the beginning even of all the signs (for the “He manifested forth His glory,” and the “His disciples believed on Him,” indicate that He had done no wonder before this; for from this He manifested His glory), nevertheless do not contend whether this was first, or another. But how, then, did He manifest His glory, seeing that not many gave heed to what was done, nor did it take place before a multitude? Yet even if not then, afterward all were to hear the wonder; whence even until now it is sung, and has not been forgotten. And the “His disciples believed on Him” understand thus, that they received a fuller and firmer faith in Him; since indeed they assuredly believed before, but not so firmly.

⁵ After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days. And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: 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; and said to them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of your house has eaten me up. The Lord goes down to Capernaum for no other need than to settle His mother there, that He might not draw her about everywhere. For since they had come to Cana because of the marriage, the marriage being over, He brings the mother back to her house in Capernaum. And that He went down to Capernaum for this cause is plain from His neither remaining there many days, nor doing wonders in it. For those who dwelt in this city were unbelieving toward Him; wherefore elsewhere also the Lord pronounces woe upon it. And by the evangelist’s saying that the Passover was at hand, he shows that not many days before the Passover He was baptized. And going up to Jerusalem, He does a deed full of much authority. For He casts out those who sold the sheep and the oxen. And if Matthew too says that He did this, yet know that He did it not once only; but the one in Matthew He does near the Passion, and this now in John, at the beginning of the signs; wherefore here He spoke more mildly, “Make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.” For it was as yet a beginning of the signs, and He had not yet so great boldness from the display of signs. But there, in Matthew, He says, “Make it not a den of thieves.” For plainly He named them thieves, as gaining from unjust sources. For when one prices at much what is worth little, and gathers his gain perhaps from the poor and from widows (for for the most part these are they who buy and sell the necessaries), what else does he but the work of a thief, trafficking gains from the misfortunes of others? And for what cause does He cast such men out of the temple at all? Not without reason; but since He was about to heal on the Sabbath, and to loose the law, lest He should seem to be against God, He corrects from this such a supposition. For He who displayed so great a zeal for the house would not have set at nought God, the master of the house. For He cast them out not simply, but smiting with a plaited scourge, and overturning the tables, and pouring out the small change — that is, the coin of the money-changers — and undertaking a hazardous deed. He, then, who cast Himself into danger for the house of God would not have loosed the law of God as one against God, but assuredly as being Son, and having equal authority with God the Father, who also gave the law concerning the Sabbath. Wherefore He did not say, “The house of God,” but, “The house of My Father,” showing that He has authority, as Son, over all the Father’s things. And the money-changers are those who sell the small coins, that is, the nummi. For kollybos is the name among the Greeks for the small coin, which the Romans call nummus. And many of the high priests sin such things as the hucksters did then: selling the oxen in the Church — I mean, not cherishing those eminent in the teaching word, but giving them over to those who wish to do mischief; and selling the sheep, the simpler and common people, and the doves, I mean the spiritual gifts, and assigning the higher ranks to those who give more; whom the Lord casts out of the temple, judging them unworthy of the priesthood. But also, if one sells small change and coin — that is, doctrine and word — and being perhaps a teacher, does not proclaim the word unless he has gain, his table too the Lord overturns, I mean the throne of teaching, and the word which that man holds back through wickedness, not giving it to all; the Lord Jesus deposing that one from his office, and setting up another. And the disciples remembered that it is written, “The zeal of your house has eaten me up”; for receiving testimonies from Scripture, they held the more firmly to the things they saw.

⁶ Then answered the Jews and said to him, What sign do you show to us, seeing that you do these things? Jesus answered and said to them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and will you rear it up in three days? But he spoke of the temple of his body. When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this to them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said. Since the Jews saw the Lord doing these things with much authority, and saying, “Make not the house of My Father a place of merchandise,” they say: Persuade us by some sign that You are the Son of God, and that You were sent thence; for whence is it plain that the Lord of this house is Your Father? And He answers them enigmatically, saying, “Destroy this temple” — meaning assuredly His own body, since in it dwelt all the Godhead of the Only-begotten. And in saying, “Destroy,” He does not urge them to bloodshed — far from it! — but, since He knew that they would do this, He without reserve hints at what was to come to pass. Let the Arians hear also how the Lord, being the dissolver of death, says, “I will raise it up.” For He did not say, “The Father will raise it,” but said, “I will raise it” — using His own power, and needing no other from without. But the Jews, supposing Him to speak of the lifeless temple, mock Him. For, they say, this temple was built in forty and six years; how do you say that You will raise it in three days? And it must be known that, when the temple was first built by Solomon, all was completed without lack in twenty years; but later, after the captivity, the Hebrews, receiving authority to build it, began to rebuild it in the reign of Cyrus; then, being hindered by those who envied them, they prolonged the building until the reign of Artaxerxes; under whom, enjoying full security, with much diligence they were able to finish the work. At which time it is also said that the Jews, while building, held in one of their two hands a spear, and in the other a builder’s tool; so greatly were they in fear, dreading their neighbors — the Idumeans, perhaps, or the Persians; for from the Persians, as I said, they had received all security. This building, then, after the captivity, they say took place in forty and six years, the Jews being hindered, and for this cause prolonging it from the reign of Cyrus until that of Artaxerxes. And it is no marvel if the Jews did not understand, when not even the disciples did. For two things especially hindered them: one, that the matter of the resurrection was hard to grasp, or rather wholly unknown to them; and another, that it is God who dwells in the body. Yet after the resurrection the disciples understood, and believed the Scripture. What Scripture? Both all that treats of the resurrection, and most plainly the “You will not leave my soul in hell,” and the “The Lord wills to cleanse him from his stroke, and to show him light.” For most manifestly these Scriptures treat of the resurrection. And Apollinarius tries from this to find advocacy for his own heresy. For, wishing to establish that the Lord’s flesh was without a soul, he says: Since the flesh is called a temple, and the temple is without a soul, therefore this flesh is without a soul. O thunderstruck and crafty man! Will you then make the Lord’s flesh wood and stones also, since of these the temple is made? And when you hear the Lord saying, “Now is my soul troubled,” and, “I have power to lay down my soul,” how do you understand these things? And if these are not said of the rational and intellectual soul, where will you place the “Into your hands I commend my spirit,” and the “You will not leave my soul in hell”?

⁷ 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. But Jesus did not commit himself to them, because he knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.