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opportunity. After all He suffered her request to sway with Him, and seemed to have made the first display of His glorious power partly in deference to her3; and He acts the miracle she did desire, because He knew it would have the fruit here that His miracles aimed and looked after, namely, faith in those that saw it and so it had; for the disciples who had just before followed Him, "believed on Him."

Six waterpots of stone, containing each from two to three gallons of our measure, were "set after the manner of the purifying of the Jews;" not however for any sprinklings and washings that were commanded by the law, but that the guests might wash their hands before they made their meal, which is still the constant practice of the Jews. The custom of washing their hands before their meals was so strictly commanded among the Jews at this time, that to neglect it was to be held guilty of a heavy and capital crime; He that taketh meat, says one of their Rabbies, with unwashen hands, is worthy of death. St. Mark details this custom and prejudice of the Jews very largely. 'All the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders;" And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups,

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6 Dr. Hammond.

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and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables." These "waterpots," however, were not those out of which they poured water upon their hands when they washed; for these would have been too heavy for such a purpose: but they stood in their place with water in them, to take out from thence either into the vessels that they poured out of upon their hands, or for washing of cups and tables, as occasion served. There was no mystical number in the six which here stood— the number of waterpots would naturally be suited to the number of the guests, and the probable occasion of much washing; and their number is mentioned for the setting forth the miracle the more, when not only the water was made wine in an instant, but also made so in many vessels'.

"The governor of the feast" is mentioned as well in heathen as in Jewish writers. His business was, generally, to see the entertainment managed in an orderly manner. His duty was also to take care that none should be forced to drink, and that none should be drunken though unforced. He had special appointment about the distribution and disposal of the wine, and therefore our Saviour directed the miraculous wine to be tasted first by him. The same character is styled "the master of the feast" in the Book of Ecclesi' Dr. Lightfoot. • Dean Stanhope. • Dr. Lightfoot.

asticus. It was also usual for the governor of the feast to bless what was prepared in the cup, and, having drunk of it thus blessed, to send it round to the whole company 10. It has also been surmised, that in order that no one might suspect that the taste of the company could be so vitiated by excess as to imagine water to be wine, our Saviour directs it to be tasted first by the governor of the feast, for he certainly must have been sober; since those, who on such occasions were entrusted with this office, observed the strictest sobriety, in order that every thing might, by their orders, be conducted with regularity and decency'. All these minute particulars appear of importance, in order to silence the profane questioning of idle persons. This was the first instance which Jesus gave of His Divine power. This His first public miracle was nothing more than a becoming act of kindness and humanity, in preventing the confusion of a poor relation by a very seasonable supply of what was wanting in his entertainment, which want could not perhaps have been otherwise supplied, and was probably occasioned by the extraordinary concourse He Himself drew thither 2. Christ by this miracle plainly proved His power to be as of God. Who indeed less than God could have the creatures of this lower world so absolutely at his disposal, 2 Bishop Law.

10 Dr. Whitby.

1 Pictorial Bible.

as to make them start from their fixed laws of being, and change their nature and qualities in an instant? He only could repeal the laws of nature who made them; He only could alter their laws who at first appointed them. And when this was done, without invoking the aid of any higher power, it showed that the authority by which He did it was supreme, as well as that the creatures over which the authority was exercised were entirely His own 3.

SECT. XVII.-Christ departeth to Jerusalem.-John ii. 12, 13. AFTER this He went down to Capernaum. This place is called by St. Matthew "His own city, where He dwelt." It is very probable that His mother dwelt here after the death of her husband. This city stood on the lake of Genessaret, just at the entrance of Jordan into the lake. It is not mentioned in the Old Testament. His stay at Capernaum was not long, because the Passover called Him to Jerusalem. This is mentioned by St. John, for the other Evangelists mention no other Passover after Christ's baptism but that at which He suffered : John, however, reckons three distinct feasts, in order, probably, to denote and mark particularly that the whole period, from His anointment by the Spirit for the work of the Gospel, until His offering on the cross, was three years

Dean Stanhope.

'Dr. Whitby.

and a half, the period foretold by Daniel. Exact in His obedience to the law, Christ, doubtless, came every year to the Passover, even while He lived as a private man; but these attendances are not mentioned by any of the Evangelists. He would have come then that He might fulfil the law; He came now that He might work out the Gospel, and that He might take advantage of the opportunity afforded by the great concourse of Jews, to manifest Himself and to work His miracles. The time that passed between His baptism and this His first Passover is about six weeks".

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SECT. XVIII.-Christ purgeth the Temple.-John ii. 13-25. In the service of the Temple at Jerusalem there was of course great necessity for lambs for the Passover; bullocks for the subsequent festival doves for the offering of the women, &c.; and these occasioned a market to be kept within the precincts of the Temple, that those who came from a distance to the Passover and other festivals, might not be obliged to bring with them beasts for sacrifice, but might have the convenience of obtaining them for money when they arrived at Jerusalem. The part of the Temple, in which our Lord found this market, was a part of the great space enclosed with a wall, all of which was called the Temple; but Dr. Lightfoot.

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