Hebrew word, very commonly used in the Old Testament, by way of prayer or affirmation; but the sense of it, when thus used in the New Testament, signifies truth. Thus Christ is called Amen, in the Revelations, as being not only "the faithful and true Witness," but He "in whom all the promises of God are Yea and Amen," as St. Paul expresses it of Jesus. When, therefore, the Son of Man comes to publish the Gospel, He does not authorize its truth in the style of the prophets with, “Thus saith the Lord," but speaks on His own authority as the God of truth: "Amen I say unto you." It is, moreover, to be remarked, that St. John is the only one of the four Evangelists who use the word doubled, as here, "Verily, verily;" and this in speeches of Christ, which the others record with a single "verily," or "of a truth." It is doubted which was the actual expression of the Lord; but a reason for its being doubled is thought to be, as if He had said, This is truth; and I am truth that speak it:' and, as St. John wrote after the other three, it may be that he had warrant of the Holy Ghost to relate it in this way, to show what may not have been understood, that there was more included in the word by Jesus, than in the manner in which it was employed in the Old Testament'. In the present instance, these words Dr. Lightfoot. are the preface to a most solemn and imposing assertion of Christ's divinity, when He says to Nathanael, Dost thou think it so great a matter that I could see thee, though thou wert so close, and private, and secret, under the figtree? Thou shalt have stronger and more convincing proofs than those to confirm thy faith in Me as the Messiah. From this very time forward ye shall perceive that I have such knowledge of things, as if heaven itself were open to me, and such power over nature, as if the very Angels were continually going on errands for me, and doing my will. Christ here alludes to the vision of Jacob; and his meaning is, that the miracles which his disciples would see performed by Him, would declare the Divine majesty present with Him, giving Him those commands which He was to execute by his prophetical office, no less clearly than if they had seen the Angels of God ascending and descending on Him'. The promise of God, made to the patriarch Jacob, from the top of the ladder, related chiefly to the covenant with Abraham, founded in Christ, the chosen 66 seed, in which all the families of the earth should be blessed." The ladder, therefore, is believed to have been designed as a a type and emblem of the covenant of grace, which was now about to be put into execution by the in8 Dr. Whitby. 9 Dr. Lightfoot. 1 Dr. Whitby. carnation and preaching of our Saviour Christ, -that Mediator who opened an intercourse between earth and heaven; by whose intercession all spiritual blessings descend to us in abundance; and by whose merits and doctrine his disciples are sanctified, and so become "meet to be partakers with the saints in light," or to ascend into heaven. To this mystical meaning of Jacob's ladder, our Saviour is here thought to allude, when He says, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Henceforward ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man"." SECT. XVI.-Christ's first Miracle at Cana in Galilee.John ii. 1-11. It is thought to have been about two months after His baptism, and, perhaps, two weeks after His temptation, that there happened to be "a marriage in Cana of Galilee, and Jesus, and His mother, and His disciples, were called to the marriage'. On this occasion, as on many others, our Lord showed that His religion was not morose and unsocial: and that He discouraged by His example that course of rigid abstinence and mortification, by which some, who would be thought His most perfect disciples, have perverted the Gospel. It is remarkable, in the incident that is now before us, first, that we find marriage, the first institution Dr. Stackhouse. 3 Dr. Lightfoot Abp. Newcome. 4 ordained by the Almighty, is countenanced and graced by the first miracle wrought by the Saviour therefore it may be pronounced to be "honourable in all;" secondly, that He who refused to convert stones into bread, at the instigation of the Devil, for the satisfaction of His own necessities, did not refuse to turn water into wine for the festivity of others, and for the promotion of the glory of God, and the great work which required Him to "manifest it forth;" and, thirdly, that the two elements thus interchanged may serve to imply a reference to the great mystery of union and conjugal conjunction betwixt Christ and his Church, and of things changed into a better condition under the Gospel sacraments of water and wine". It is most probable that this marriage, though it may be in a class above the humblest of the inhabitants of Cana, was not in a very affluent family; "for, when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus said unto him, They have no wine." The answer of Jesus to His mother may convey to an English mind the idea of harshness and disrespect; it was, it is true, a kind of check or reprehension, but the appellation of "Woman" implied no want of proper regard since in those times, and in the Greek language, the same address would have been Dr. Lightfoot. 5 Dr. Wells. made by servants to their mistress, and even by subjects to a queen'. The expression rendered "What have I to do with thee?" is also no more than a common and gentle rebuke for intermeddling in another's province. Our Saviour replies in effect, This is an affair in which you are no way concerned leave the matter to Me; I will choose the course to be adopted in this emergency. Jesus does, in fact, only give the Blessed Virgin a mild reprehension for that she was meddling with His ministerial acting, as if she would prescribe the time and occasion for Him to perform a miracle. It is thought, indeed, to be apparent by the very frame of the words used by her, that Mary did, by her interference, look for a miracle. Whether Jesus ever had previously, in the poor and indigent state of Joseph his father, supplied necessaries by a miracle, or whether her knowledge of the Divine power led her to expect one from Him at this time, is uncertain; but it is unimportant, for, although Jesus, by His reply, seemed to deny her desire, He doth in fact accomplish what his mother sought for', and what she said to the servants at the time showed, that she did not consider His words as an absolute denial, but only as an intimation that He would reserve Himself for the proper ' Dr. Robinson. 8 Bishop Law. 1 1 Dr. Lightfoot. |