THE BRIDEGROOM The Giver of Joy to the Soul The Wedding in Cana In Chapter One, St. John the Evangelist introduces the first disciples. Now, in Chapter two, he presents the first miracle, which is the changing of water into wine at the wedding in Cana of Galilee. The Lord had just begun His service in a new Messianic era in which the waters of purification according to the old Law are turned into wine of a new order. The Jews were anxiously waiting for the Messianic era that would be marked by a bounty of blessings and ultimate joy. Baruch 2:29 expresses this concept: ‘ On every vine there are one thousand branches, every branch bears a thousand bunches, every bunch carries one thousand grapes, and every grape includes a cor of wine (about 120 gallons)…this will be enjoyed by those who will be living when the world comes to an end.’ Pappias borrowed this view when he wished to imagine the time of the Lord’s coming in order to rule for a thousand years, and what His kingdom will include in the nature of imaginary vines1. In the Gospel according to St. Mark the Lord Jesus Christ begins His ministry as He ‘ came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God…’ (Mk 1:14). In the Gospel of St. John, the evangelist tells us about the beginning of this joyful message by the Lord’s attendance at the wedding in Cana of Galilee and changing the water into wine. He preached through His presence and by restoring joy to the newly wedded and their families and friends. For the kingdom of God is like ten virgins who ‘ went out to meet the bridegroom…’ (Matt 25:1); or ’ like a king who arranged a wedding for his son’ (Matt 22:1). In the case of Jesus Christ, His presence among His disciples changed their lives into a wedding. When He was asked: “Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” Jesus said to them: “…As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. But the day will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days” (Mk 2:18-20). St. Paul the apostle says: “ …old things have passed away; behold all things have become new” (2 Cor 5:!7). Inviting the Lord and His disciples to the wedding was not meaningless for if the Lord Jesus Christ is the bridegroom then the disciples are the first born of the Church of the New Testament: they are the spiritual bride. It is as though the wedding in Cana has been performed according to the Jewish Law and tradition. In its center there is a hidden wedding of which no one was aware: the wedding of the Lord Jesus Christ to His Church which would last forever and until its proclamation on the great Day of the Lord (Rev 21:2) and not for just one week according to the Jewish custom (Gen 29:27; Judges 14:12). In this Chapter, the Evangelist confirms the following truths: 1- The Lord started His ministry with the wedding in order to reveal His love for mankind. He wishes to carry all peoples to heaven as to the bridegroom’s chamber. We will consequently partake of the heavenly joy, and shine as we reflect the brilliance of His glory. The Lord affirms that He has come to the world in order to transform our lives into a joyful wedding: the transformation of the waters of our lives into wine is an indication of our eternal spiritual joy (Is.55:1; Eph. 5:18-20). 1 Fr Tadros Y Malaty: The Apostolic Fathers, 1993,p 137. https://coptic-treasures.com/ * The Word of God descended from heaven to earth in order to become the Bridegroom of our human nature. He has made our nature His dwelling place so as to engage and lead her. Ultimately this would result in the birth of spiritual wisdom within us. St. Cyril the Great * He who made wine at the wedding in Cana and changed the water in the six pots is He Himself who does the same thing every year in the vineyards… such an act no longer arouses wonder due to its continual repetition1. * Is it not amazing that He came to that house for the wedding, and He came to this world for a wedding? Actually, if He has come to a wedding then there is certainly a bride there. Yet, what does the apostle say? “ For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ (2 Coe 11:2)…That is how He has a bride here whom He has redeemed with His blood, has granted her the Holy Spirit as a pledge, and has liberated her from the chains of Satan. He has died for her sins and rose again to grant her justification (Rom 4:25). Who would offer such matters to his bride?2 * The bridegroom who was told: “ …you have kept the good wine until now”[2:10] is the Lord Jesus Christ who has preserved the new wine- that is the Gospel- until now3. St. Augustine 2- The Lord transformed the water of purification into wine as his first task is to transfer us from the literal understanding of the Law - where it speaks of purification- to the joy of the Spirit. Hence we would live in a new age with a new beginning. The Lord began His work with the two young wedded persons to underline His interest in youth. He requested to be their friend in order to grant them unending joy. 3- As the Lord brings us into His eternal wedding, He holds it in His holy Temple. Therefore, He cleansed the Temple [2:13-17]. The Jews requested a miracle [18], but He offered the miracle of His death and resurrection [19]. His enemies did not understand His words and even tried to distort them. However, His friends perceived its meaning after His resurrection (Matt 26:62; 27:40; Jn 10:18). The Evangelist takes us from the wedding to the Passover to show us our Lord as He purges the Temple from the sellers and moneychangers. He affirms that the new Temple will be built in three days[19] and so guides our eyes away from the stone temple to the temple in the inner soul where God will build His Kingdom. That is how we have come to possess a new Temple in a new age: a temple that neither grows old nor aged. 1- The Water Turned into Wine [1-12] 2- Purification of the Temple [13-17] 3- Requesting a Miracle [18- 25] 1- The Water Turned into Wine ‘On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there’ [1]. ‘On the third day…’ This is how the Evangelist indicates that with every new day the Lord Jesus went about doing a new service and a new act. Not a single day of His life on earth passed away without His doing services. In the same manner the lives of all those who are close to the Lord are spent in work and not a single day is lost in idleness. The statement ‘On the third day…’ carries a symbolic significance since the Lord Jesus Christ Himself came to His Church to celebrate His wedding to her in the third age. The first age 1 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 8:1 2 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 8:4 3 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 8:4 https://coptic-treasures.com/ was that of the Fathers before the Law was given. The second age is that of the Fathers who lived under the Law. And the third is the age of grace in which the true Light shone on the world to dissipate its darkness. * The wedding is celebrated on the third day- that is in the last age of the world- for the number three indicates the beginning, the middle, and the end1. * The wedding takes place on the third day- that is at the end of all ages (in the fullness of time). The number three denotes the beginning, middle , and end: these are the three perspectives of all time. This agrees with the saying of one of the prophets: “ He has stricken, but He will bind us up. After two days He will revive us: On the third day He will raise us up…that we may live in His sight” (Hosea 6:1- 3). St. Cyril the Great By saying ‘Cana of Galilee’ the Evangelist wishes to distinguish it from the one with the same name found in Ephraim in the region of Samaria (Joshua 16:8; 17:9). The Lord began His Ministry in Cana of Galilee the place of the tribe of Asher (Joshus 19:28). Jacob had foretold this, when he blessed the tribes, saying: “ Bread from Asher will be rich, and he shall yield royal dainties…” (Genesis 49:20). Hence the Lord comes to Asher and offers rich bread to the soul and spiritual dainties to the spiritual kings. The Lord began His work in a small corner of the kingdom, isolated from the capital ‘Jerusalem’ in order to proclaim that He has come to serve rather than seek glory from people. He came to serve the simple who do not resist like the Scribes, Pharisees, chief priests, and other religious leaders. Bede considers that Cana of Galilee means ‘ zeal to immigrate.’ It is as though the spiritual wedding is fulfilled with those who have zeal for the race to immigrate away from imperfection to virtues, from the earthy to the heavenly based on hope and love. * By attending to detail we notice that the celebration did not take place in Jerusalem but rather outside Judea. The meeting for the event took place in the country of the Gentiles (Matt 4: 15). It is very clear that the Council of the Jews rejected the heavenly King. Yet, the Church of the Gentiles received Him with a rejoicing heart2. St. Cyril the Great This is the first Christian wedding to ever take place in the world. It happened according to God’s will otherwise the friends of the groom would not have invited the Lord and His disciples. Besides, the presence of the holy virgin Mary indicated her concern for the wedded for she was a living example of the pure bride who opens her heart with love for everyone. ‘…the mother of Jesus was there…’[1] probably not as one of the guests but as one of the family. This would explain why she realized that they had run out of wine. The guest would not have known that for only those hosting the wedding would be concerned. This is important since in this wedding the Lord performs His first miracle in which He links the Old with the New Testament. Since the Virgin Mary descends from the tribe of Judah - one of the families in the Old Testament- she intercedes to her Son in order to restore the lost salvation. The wine of joy had run out, the prophets had been absent for a long time, and sadness and bitterness prevailed among the people. ‘Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding’ [2]. The indication that Jesus and His disciples came to the wedding and stayed for the 1 Exposition of St. John, PG 73:223-226. 2 Exposition of St. John, , PG 73:223-226 https://coptic-treasures.com/ celebration reveals the spirit of the newly weds, their families, and their friends. They all walked in the path of the Lord. They did not plan for Jesus to come and leave after a short while so that they could switch their behavior and rejoice in an immoral and inappropriate manner. * The Lord attended a wedding once only. This teaches us that a woman should marry once only (as long as her husband is alive. This fact would seem to oppose virginity if we were to fail in giving marriage its rightful significance…the heretics are the only ones who despise marriage and by doing so they step over the Lord’s commandments. As for us, we listen joyfully to the Lord’s words as He praises marriage. The Church does not condemn marriage but rather regulates it by a clause of submission1. ST Jerome * The Lord attended the wedding with the main intention of achieving a miracle and not just merely to share in the celebration. Indeed, He wished to sanctify the beginning of a new physical birth for mankind. This is appropriately done by Him who has come to renew the nature of men and bring it into a totally better state. He carries this blessing not only to those who have been born already but also promises it to all who will be born in the future and therefore sanctifying their arrival into this world…through the sanctification of marriage He has put an end to the old sadness and regret of being born2. * He came (to the wedding) to sanctify the beginning of His birth - I mean His birth according to the flesh…with the purpose of providing grace and offering it to those to be born. Consequently, He ensures a sanctified birth for them too… * Women have been informed by God “ In pain you shall bring forth children” (Gen 3:16).Was it not of greater urgency to abolish this curse? Otherwise, how do we prevent a fatal marriage? Yet, because our Savior loves mankind, He is the One who can remove this curse since He is at the core of our joy and happiness. He honored the marriage celebration by attending and so eliminated the shame previously associated with pregnancy. If anyone lives in the Lord then he is a new creature, and the “ old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Cor 5:17). * The Savior did not attend the wedding due to His will alone but because He had been invited. That is He was urged and begged by saintly voices. However, the wine ran out and the partakers had none left: this is a reference to the law that does not achieve perfection, and to the Law of Moses that did not give joy. Besides, the laws of nature ingrained within us were incapable of redeeming us. St. Cyril the Great * We have stated earlier that the Lord was known in Galilee and therefore was invited to the wedding. He responded to the invitation for He did not think of His honor but rather His goodness to us. It is He who did not reject to take the form of a slave (Phil 2:7), therefore it seems logical and befitting that He would not resent attending the wedding of His slaves. He is the same who sat with tax collectors and sinners (Matt 9:10) and so it is befitting that He would not reject to be present at the wedding. Those who invited the Lord were unable to show appropriate acknowledgement to Him. They did not extend an invitation fit for a great One for they invited Him as a simple person and as one of many that they knew. The Evangelist presents this meaning indirectly as he says: ‘…the mother of Jesus was there…’; so they had invited Him just as they had invited her3. 1 Letter 48:11. 2 Exposition on St. John PG 73:276 3 Homilies on St. John, Hom.21:1. https://coptic-treasures.com/ St. John Chrysostom ‘And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “ They have no wine”[3] The Evangelist does not mention that St. Mary had been invited to the wedding. Until that point he just says that the Lord Jesus Christ and His disciples- five of them- had been invited. However, she was there probably because she was one of the members of the family. When the Lord Jesus Christ is invited through prayer, He comes and brings His saints (disciples) with Him. This transforms the wedding into a sanctified Church, and He blesses generously the newly wedded and all those present from the springs of His heavenly joy. Some may wonder: Since the Lord had not yet performed any miracles, how did the holy mother Mary know that He could provide wine at the wedding in a miraculous manner? Although the Lord Jesus Christ had not made any miracle publicly so far, yet St. Mary knew of His divine power, righteousness, and gentleness. She was certain He would do something to fulfill all the needs of the wedding. She was sure that He would step in when necessary to respond to and satisfy any need. * It is appropriate to wonder how the mother got the notion that there is an element of greatness in her Son. He had not done any miracle yet and the Evangelist states: ‘ This is the beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee…’[11]…indeed, the pregnancy itself and the events around it inspired in her great thoughts concerning Him. Significantly, St. Luke comments: “…His mother kept all these things in her heart…” as she heard all these things about the Child (refer to Lk 2:51). St. John Chrysostom “ They have no wine”[3]: This is the condition of Israel ever since they have lost the joy of salvation. The prophet Joel tells them: “Awake, you drunkards, and weep and wail, all you drinkers of wine, for it has been cut off from your mouth…”(Joel 1:5). The mother of the Lord, the daughter of Israel, discovered what had happened to her people and therefore shouted out to the heavenly bridegroom. He alone could provide an endless flow of wine and oil (Jn 2:7). On behalf of all mankind, she echoes what her father David says in Psalm 51: ‘ Restore to me the joy of Your salvation…’ ==== p 169 What the holy Virgin proclaims is the result of her own experience of the new heavenly wedding. She had realized it when she bent her head down and accepted the incarnation of the Word in her womb. Her depths had then become an unspeakable wedding celebration and she sang : “ My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior…: (Lk1:46).This is the wine of God that brings joy to the spirit, and restores glory and brilliance. Consequently, believers enjoy a constant wedding: “ And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you” (Is. 62:5). The way the holy Virgin Mary acted reveals the motherhood of a believer and the concern to respond to the needs of others rather than one’s own needs. A believer turns first to the Source to receive abundantly and in greater measure than from any other. Moreover, the request is made in a spirit of humbleness as a person presents the situation without offering the solution to God and as though claiming to be more knowledgeable or more loving to others than the almighty Lord. https://coptic-treasures.com/ * God is exceedingly generous and He does not despise us as we struggle and hunger for His riches1. St. Cyril the Great ‘Jesus said to her: “ Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” [4] The Lord did not blame the newly wedded or their parents for not having bought enough wine; neither did He blame His Mother for being concerned. He simply underlined that for every action there is an appropriate and convenient time. Some wonder why the Lord called His mother ‘ woman.’ However, this vanishes when we find Him on the Cross and He repeats these words: “ Woman, behold your son!” He speaks to her at the beginning of His miraculous deeds to indicate that the process of carrying His Cross has started. As His Person is increasingly revealed, the powers of darkness are enraged and plot for His death. He is not addressing her as His mother since it is not for her to define the hour of His crucifixion. Indeed, it is in the hands of the Father who has sent Him; for the Lord Jesus Christ came to fulfill the Father’s will that He sacrifice Himself to redeem and save the world. It is true that the holy Virgin Mary was there for His first miracle, yet she was unaware that it was the opening hour of the crucifixion. She remained with Him until the last moment of the crucifixion as she is the representative of the Church. She is the new Eve who accompanies the Second Adam along the path of pain and so He pours His glory over her. After she became pregnant and carried the Lord in her womb, she was told: “…a sword will pierce through your own soul also..”…it started to pierce her soul at the wedding in Cana of Galilee to carry the wounds inflicted by love! He Lord did not say “ O mother” but rather “ O woman..”, because what He was doing as He transformed the water into wine is not enacted of a man who has taken flesh from her but occurs as a result of His divinity. It is true that there is no separation between His divinity and His humanity, and that his actions result from His being the word of God incarnates, yet some acts result specifically from Him as the only Son of God while others proceed from Him as the Son of Man. Why did He say: “ My hour has not yet come” yet He did do a miracle at that same time? He wished to clarify to her that the time to publicly enact miracles before the crowds had not yet come even though His work is continuous. He performed the miracle so quietly after the servants brought the water pots to Him that the master of the feast and the bridegroom did not get to know. The servants were the only ones who knew about it [9]. * In order to be convinced that the Lord respected His mother, listen to the words of St. Luke as he states that He ‘…was subject to them’ (Lk 2:51); while St. John reveals how He was 1 Exposition on St. John, PG 73:278. https://coptic-treasures.com/ providing for her in the actual moments of His crucifixion. When the parents do not present obstacles in matters concerning God yet they need to prepare the way for them and it would become a serious danger if that were not so. Nevertheless, if they were to demand an impossible request that would form an obstacle in any spiritual matter then it would be dangerous to obey! The Lord’s answer is a result of that situation, and He replies in another incident by saying: “Who is My mother and who are My brothers…?”(Matt 12:48).This is because they did not think of Him as they should have. As the virgin Mary had given birth to Him, she wanted to direct Him in all things just as other mothers do. However, she needed to honor and worship Him. That explains His response in such situations1. * The Lord was concerned for others and He used every means to inculcate the right idea concerning Himself. Therefore how much more concerned would He be with informing His mother of such matters2. St. John Chrysostom St. John Chrysostom believes that the Lord would have wished that the request came from those who had the need rather than from His mother. If what the Lord did was in response to the request of a friend , even though it was a great deed, yet some would be suspicious. Whereas if those in need had asked, then there would be no doubts concerning the miraculous act and hence it would have greater benefit. St. John Chrysostom likens the Lord to a skillful physician who enters a house full of sick people and although he does not speak to any of the sick or their relatives; yet He speaks only to his mother. This would annoy every body and arouse suspicions. * The Lord wished to indicate that he did everything at the appropriate time and does not do everything instantaneously…He is not obligated necessarily by the times for He has set the order of the seasons and has created them. Consequently, He says “ My hour has not yet come.” By this He indicates that He has neither been revealed to many nor does He have a body of followers as yet… Besides, it is as though the Lord is telling her that He should be informed by others rather than by His mother otherwise they would be suspicious of the miracle. It is appropriate that those who need the wine to come and speak to Him- although He is already aware of their need and does not need to be informed of it-but this would make them unanimously welcome and recognize the miraculous deed fully When a person is needy, he becomes thankful upon receiving help, whereas someone who does not feel needy will not have any clear feelings towards a benefit he receives1. * While He is being respectful to His mother yet He is more concerned with the salvation of her soul. He performs that which is beneficial to many and to accomplish that He came in the flesh. Therefore His words proceed from Someone who is stern with His mother but rather from 1 Homilies on St. John, Hom.21:2 2 Homilies on St. John, Hom.21:2 1 Hom. 22. PG 59: 126-127 https://coptic-treasures.com/ Him who is wise in His plans. He leads her to think correctly, and wishes to ensure that His miracle is accepted with the honor due to it2. St. John Chrysostom * The Lord does not wish to rush into any action as He does not desire to appear as a miracle maker to someone who has not requested anything. Indeed, He waits until the needy invite Him rather than satisfy those who are merely curious. He grants grace to the needy and not to mere spectators seeking to enjoy some sight. St. Cyril the Great * The Lord of the angels is not subject to time for He has created the times and hours as part of His creation. However, the holy Virgin desired that He would do a miracle when the wine expired. That explains why the Lord immediately answered and as though to tell her clearly: ‘I can do a miracle through my Father and not through My mother.’ For He who has the same nature as the Father worked miracles that issued from the mother, and this enabled Him to die which He did when He died on the Cross. He knew His mother and He entrusted her to His disciple with these words: “Behold your mother!”(Jn 19:27). Therefore, by saying: “ Woman, what does you concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come”, He wished to convey that ‘ the miracle is not a natural part of you and I do not recognize you in it. When the hour of My death comes, then I will know that you are My mother since having accepted that in you I know that I can die’3. Pope Gregory the Great Saint Bede adopted the same opinion when he stated that the Lord appears to say: ‘ there is nothing in common between what I have always possessed through the Father and the body which I took from you in the flesh. The hour has not come when I will prove the human weakness which I have taken from you. First let Me underline My divine and everlasting power.’ Nevertheless the hour will come when that which He shares with His mother will be revealed and that occurs when He dies on the Cross as well as when He entrusts His chaste disciple to look after the holy Virgin. When the Lord suffers human weakness He recognizes His mother from whom He inherited this weakness; but when He performs divine acts He appears as One who does not know her. This is due to His knowledge that she is not the source of His divine birth. His mother said to the servants “ Whatever He says to you, do it ”[9] She did not reprimand her Son for His words to her for she understood the mystery at least to a certain extent. She also sensed some signs of acknowledgement so she asked the servants to obey the instructions of the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Homilies on St. John, Hom. 21:3 3 N & PN Frs. , Series 2, Vol 13:48. https://coptic-treasures.com/ The Evangelist uses the Greek word ‘ diaconis’ to reveal that they are the servants fulfilling the divine mysteries and which the Lord adopts to serve His people and bring them joy. The Church of the New Testament uses the term ‘diaconin’ for the deacons who serve at the altar and at the tables (being concerned with the needs of the poor and the sick…). Being confident in the love of the Lord to serve and in His tenderness, she was sure that He would definitely act and satisfy every shortage. The Holy Virgin asked the servants to turn to Him and obey Him. This is the role of the holy Saint Mary and all the saints: to draw our attention to our Lord and obey Him completely. * She began to work by orienting the servants so that would readily obey Him always. St. Cyril the Great * She knew that He abstained out of humility and not out of weakness. In order to avoid the assumption that He is imposing Himself and voluntarily rushing to work a miracle, she brought the servants to Him1. St. John Chrysostom St. John Chrysostom finds that St. Mary gives us a practical lesson in perseverance through her act. For in spite of the Lord’s response to her, she did not stop working, called the servants, and asked them to obey Him. ‘ Now there were set there six water pots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons a piece.’[6] Six pots were used to correspond to the days of the week from Sunday to Friday, each pot consecrated for a specific day for purification. As for Saturday, it was a day for worship and restno one did any work that required purification. It is not strange that the Lord transforms the water into wine, for it is He who extracts wine from the earth (Ps 104:14 -15) as He grants the soil to produce vines whose grapes are then pressed and made into wine. Moses started his miracles during the ten plagues by changing the water into blood that carried bitterness and death. All had broken the Law and were therefore subject to a curse and death. As for the Lord Jesus Christ , He turned the water into wine for He offers the joyful message of salvation. Indded, He came to save the world and not to condemn it. He came to grant inner fullness an joy. His evangelical invitation is : “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters…come buy and eat…buy wine and milk” (Is 55:1). These water pots were used for purification since it was not acceptable for a Jew to eat unless he washed first (Mk 7:3).This water was also used fr other rituals relating to purification. A popular saying among the Jews was: ‘The one who uses water the most to wash himself 1 Cf. Homilies on St. John, Hom. 21:1 https://coptic-treasures.com/ benefits better health in this world.’ These water pots were used solely for water, and wine was not put in them. They were made of stone so that no trace would be left if they had been used for wine before. This is different in the case of clay water pots as they would absorb the old liquids and lend their taste to the new. The water pots were made of stone: Zechariah had seen the stone placed before the face of the Lord and it had seven eyes (Zech. 3:9). This indicates that he had spiritual knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. St. Peter the apostle also saw Him as a living stone that would be used to build the altar of the Lord (1Peter2:4,5). St. John Chrysostom notes that the Evangelist stresses that this is ‘according to the manner of purification of the Jews’so that all may be aware that they were never used for wine but only for water for purification. He also notes that Palestine is a country known for scarcity of water- there are no canals or sources available every where. Therefore people used to fill water pots with water so that they would not have to rush to the river when they got desecrated at any time. In this way they had instant access to the means of purification1. Some believe that the six water pots refer to the six periods of the world that humanity has traversed until the advent of the Lord that will occur in the seventh period (the seventh seal in the Book of the Revelation). It seems to point to believers across the years and generations who have been purified from their sins and drink the joyful spiritual wine. According to St. Augustine are: A. From Adam to Noah B. From Noah to Abraham C. From Abraham to David D. From David to the Babylonian Exile E. From the Babylonian Exile to John the Baptist F. From John the Baptist to the end of the world St. Augustine goes on to say: [ Add to that the fact that God created man in His image on the sixth day; and in the sixth period He proclaimed the renewal of our minds through the Gospel so that we might become in the image of our Creator. Moreover the water was transformed into wine so that we might taste the Lord. This is proclaimed in the Law and by the prophets. That is why there were six water pots and He ordered that they be filled with water. These water pots now indicate the six periods that were not without prophecies; and they were divided and were separated, as it were, from the joints…and they will remain empty if the Lord does not fill them up…it is necessary to comprehend and find the Lord in each of these prophecies2]. What do these words convey: ‘ …containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece’[6]?St. Augustine explains that the word ‘rain’ in the Greek language ‘metpou’ refer to a certain unit of measure and that the number ‘two’ refers to the Father and the Son, while ‘three’ refers to the Holy Trinity. Note that the Evangelist does not say ‘some water pots containing two and others three gallons of rain’ but said that ‘each one had the capacity to contain two or three gallons of 1 Cf. Homilies on St. John, Hom. 22:2. 2 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 9:6 https://coptic-treasures.com/ rain.’ In the Books of the Old Testament, the prophecies speak about the Father and the Son (the Lord Jesus Christ) and this included references to the Holy Spirit since He is the Spirit of the Father and the Son at the same time. St. Augustine finds that [ the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of love that binds the Father and the Son together. When allusion is made to two the reference is the Holy Trinity even though this is not expressed. When the allusion to three occurs then the reference is to the Holy Trinity and it is clearly expressed1]. We stated earlier that the six water pots refer to the six periods that would transpire and lead to the wedding of the Lord Jesus Christ with the Church that is made up of all nations2. 1- The first water pot starts with Adam who carries a union with Eve and so become one body (Gen.2:24). This is similar to the union between the Lord Jesus Christ and His Church (Eph. 3:31).They are the parents of all mankind and not of the Jews only. 2- The second water pot starts with Noah the representative of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he placed in his ark animals and birds from all over the world. 3- The third water pot refers to Abraham, who through his seed , all nations were blessed. 4- The fourth water pot is David who sang : “ Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all nations” (Ps 82:8).The tune was set by Asaph the singer. 5- The fifth water pot is the Babylonian exile when Daniel the prophet sees the Lord Jesus Christ as a small stone cut out without human hands and it filled the whole earth(Daniel 2:34). 6- The sixth water pot relates to John the Baptist the greatest born of women. It is said of him that he is greater than a prophet (Matt 11:11). He prophesied about the Lord Jesus Christ and that the Lord is sent for all nations as he says: “…God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones” (Matt 3:9). This is how St. Augustine sees that the sixth water pot has witnessed the marriage of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Church that is formed of all nations. [ Because we come from these nations, yet we could not have come from her if God had not raised from the stones children to Abraham. We have become Abraham’s children as we have emulated his faith and not by being born of him according to the flesh3]. ‘ Jesus said to them: “ Fill the pots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim’[7]. The Lord could have created wine from nothing, yet He transformed the water into wine to stress that He did not come to ignore or abolish the Law. Rather He came to perfect it. Hence the Gospel is a spiritual extension to the Law without being literal. Besides, He intended that 1 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 9:7-8. 2 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 9:10-11. 3 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 9:16. https://coptic-treasures.com/ those who brought and drank of the water to become themselves witnesses to the actual miracle and testify that it was not mere fantasy. St. Augustine finds that the water here refers to the Old Testament and ‘ the Law, the prophets, and the Psalms.’ The whole of the Old Testament had the taste of water to those who could not comprehend it spiritually and discover the mystery of the Lord Jesus Christ within it. Now the Lord has come to transform the water into joyful wine that has a new taste and effect. [ How did He change the water into wine? When He opened their minds and interpreted the Holy Books to them: starting from Adam and all the prophets and until they became as drunk men and said: “Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us ?” (Lk 24:32). They therefore comprehended the Lord Jesus Christ in these Books whereas they had not recognized Him before. That is how the Lord transformed the water into wine and it had a taste it did not have before then. Now it was overwhelmingly intoxicating…a matter that did not exist before… He revealed that the Old Testament was issued from Him just as the water pots were filled with water at His command. They have been truly granted by the Lord in the same way as the Old Testament. However, they had no taste as long as the Lord Jesus Christ was not comprehended through them1]. In obedience to the Lord’s command, the servants filled the water pots to the brim. In the same way, it is not appropriate for a servant to rest before he /she completes the command and seeks to fulfill, by service, the work of the Lord ‘ the fullness of Him who fills all in all’(Eph.1:23)…‘for God does not give the Spirit by measure’ (Jn 3:34). Nothing could occupy a godly person other than the concern that every soul would enjoy fully the glory of the Lord Who is ever near. Consequently he/she would sing: “And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace” (Jn 1:16). The One who transformed the water into wine, and Who sends rain could fill the water pots with water and then transform them into wine. However, due to His love for mankind, He does not disregard our obligation to work with Him. Since we are capable of filling the water pots, we need to do our best while He completes what is impossible for us to achieve. In the same way, and in many tasks, He grants us the honor of working with Him and for His Kingdom that lies within us. He therefore asks of those present to lift the stone from over the grave, and orders Lazarus to come out. He grants life and resurrection. He commands the disciples to free the dead from his grave clothes. We therefore sing joyfully with the Apostle: “…those who work with God…”! ‘ And He said to them: “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it.”[8] We do not hear that the Lord called upon the name of God or that He prayed to bless the water, but that He issued an order to fill the water pots and then instantly ordered to present them. He did not even ask them to give Him some in order to taste it. The Lord did not perform this miracle in order to publicly reveal Himself. He did it to fulfill a need and so ordered the servants to offer it immediately. He has not granted the talent in 1 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 9:5 https://coptic-treasures.com/ order that we bury it but so that we might labor constantly and seize every chance to serve. The Lord Jesus Christ was not ‘the master of the feast’ but rather the friend of the bridegroom and a Servant to everyone. This is the true seat of leadership and it evident when a person sacrifices himself lovingly and humbly for the sake of others. ‘When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew) the master of the feast called the bridegroom.’[9] The Greek word used to translate the term ‘drank’ corresponds to the colloquial Arabic word ‘draw’ which is used to indicate extracting from a deep source. Note that the water pots are very deep and have wide openings through which the wine is poured. So it is impossible to do so except by using a serving spoon with a long hand. This is true of a minister presenting the holy mysteries and a preacher of the Gospel as it is appropriate for them to reach far into the depths and draw from the wealth of God’s great blessings. They are like someone drawing from the eternal and divine springs. ‘And he said to him: “Every man at the begnnig sets out the good wine, and wen the guests are drunk, then that which is inferior; but you have kept the good wine until now.”[10] St. Chrysostom explains that the testimony comes from the master of the feast so that on one would say that the testimony comes from drunk men who, therefore, do not distinguish water from wine. Moreover, the master of the feast is careful not to get drunk since he is responsible for providing all the matters that concern the wedding in a dignified and wise manner1. The Evangelist is specific when he says: ‘When the master of the feast has tasted…’ to indicate that he had not taken any drink, not even of this wine. He just tasted it. In Cana of Galilee, the Lord Jesus Christ transformed the water into wine and by doing so He created a spiritual joy that spread throughout the celebration. In the New Testament, the Lord - by His Holy Spirit - transforms the wine into His Blood that is sacrificed for our sake, and this results in the creation of a heavenly joy that fills the life of those who partake of It. * The Lord did not just transform the water into wine, but He also turned it into a wine of supreme quality. This is because the miracles of the Lord possess this distinction as they become more brilliant and far better than the quality of things existing in nature. In that respect, when He healed a crooked member in a person’s body, that member appeared better than the other healthy parts. The proof is in that water turned into wine and becoming of supreme quality. This is not only the testimony of the servants, but to which the master of the feast witnessed as well. St. John Chrysostom ‘This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana Of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and 1 Homilies on St. John, Hom.22:2 https://coptic-treasures.com/ His disciples believed in Him.’[11] Here the meaning of ‘glory’ begins to be uncovered in this Book and it signifies the ‘Divine presence.’ God glorifies us when He proclaims His presence within us; while we glorify Him when we proclaim His presence in the world. In this verse the presence of the Father in His Son - consubstantial with the Father- is proclaimed and the Son reports about Him. * The One who has made wine from water is able to make bread out of stone for authority arises from the same Source. Satan tempted the Lord by making a similar challenge, but the Lord rejected him, for as you know, when the Lord was tempted the devil suggested this to Him as He was hungry. But it sounded as though Satan could grant Him such power. However, the Lord practiced this (to be hungry) to demonstrate humility. The Bread (the Lord Jesus Christ) was hungry, the path was rough, the Giver of life was wounded, and life was dead…He did not make bread out of the stones. The One who could do so easily- just as He turned the water into wine… yet nothing could defeat the tempter as much as despising him. When the Lord overcame Satan’s temptations, the ‘angels came and ministered to Him’ (Matt 4:11)… Why did He do this act and not the other?…When He turned the water into wine, what does the Evangelist go on to add? ‘…and His disciples believed in Him’ (Jn 2:11). Was it given to Satan to believe in Him?2 St. Augustine * If someone states: there is not sufficient evidence to show that this miracle is the beginning of the miracles of the Lord and to specify Cana of Galilee where it all started; for it is possible that He could have done other miracles in other places. Our answer would be as follows: John the Baptist had previously said of the Lord: “ I did not know Him, but that He should be revealed to Israel , therefore I came baptizing with water”(Jn 1:31).If the Lord had done wonders at an early stage of His life, the Jews would not have been in need for someone else to proclaim Him. Moreover, His previous fame would have spread every where and it would not have been necessary for Him (the Lord) to come among the people and to become known through his miracles. He did so for only three years and He needed this period to reveal Himself not only to the Jews but also to those in Syria and beyond (Matt. 4: 24). I state that the One, Who in a short period shone upon you with wonders and therefore making His Name known to all, would not have achieved less than that if He had performed miracles at an earlier age. Moreover, He would not have remained unknown all that time (until He became thirty years old). Had he not remained unknown, it would have appeared strange for a child to do miracles… Actually, He did not do anything when He was a child other than one incident that St. Luke reports as a witness (Lk. 2:46). He was twelve years old when He sat and listened to the 2 Sermon on N.T.Lessons, 73:2. https://coptic-treasures.com/ teachers and they were astonished by His questions. Other than that, it is more probable and logical that He did not begin to do miracles at an early age otherwise things would have appeared suspicious. Many doubted in Him when He was of a mature age; so how much more would that have been if He had performed miracles as a young boy? This would have expedited His crucifixion before the designated time, and through the poison of hatred the facts of God’s Plan would not have been accepted1. St. John Chrysostom ‘ After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days’ [12] Origen2 notes that the word ‘Capernaum’ means ‘ field of action.’ He says that the Lord and those with Him went to Capernaum but did not stay there for long. This is because those who are fallen or wavering do not have a place where the Lord and His saints could stay for many days. They represent the incline in the ‘field of action’ that has no potential to be receptive to much teaching, and is satisfied with very little movement. In contrast, souls that are spiritually sublime look upwards and enjoy the divine promise: “…lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” and are not satisfied with just a few days. When we are crucified with the Lord, He lives with us and within us so that we can join the Apostle and say: “ …it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me…” (Gal. 2:20). In this way He abides, lives, and speaks with us to the end of time. * After the joy provided by the wine, it was necessary for the Savior, together with His Mother and the disciples to enter ‘the field of action’ in order to motivate the disciples that fruit is found in a fertile field. It is the Holy Spirit that makes the soul pregnant and fruit bearing. Besides, they wanted to motivate those who were present and were willing to benefit3. Origen the Scholar What does the Evangelist mean when he uses the expression ‘His brothers’? St. Augustine explains that it would include all those who have blood ties with St. Mary and therefore considered His brothers. St. Augustine supports this by quoting the Holy Bible: Lot, Abraham’s nephew is called his brother (Genesis 13:8; 14:14); Laban, Jacob’s uncle, was called his brother (Gen.29:12,15). Moreover, the Lord speaks about His disciples and calls them His brothers (Matt.12:46-50)4. 2- The Purification of the Temple ‘ Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.’[13] This is the first Passover that occurs after the Baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ. The 1 Homilies on St. John, Hom. 21:2. 2 Commentary on John, Book 10:41-42. 3 Commentary on John, Book 10:38 4 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 10:2-3. https://coptic-treasures.com/ second is mentioned in Luke 6:1; the third in John 6:4; and the fourth falls on the day the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified (Jn 11:55). ‘ And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers doing business.’[14] Origen wonders about the addition of ‘Jews’ to ‘ Passover’ …is there another Passover that is celebrated besides the Passover of the Jews? He responds by saying that there were probably some who celebrated the Passover based on their own human understanding rather than following the Divine thought of the Holy Bible. That is why the Evangelist uses the expression ‘ the Passover of the Jews.’ In the Book of Exodus, the expression used is: ‘ It is the Lord’s Passover’(Ex.12:11). It does not say ‘ It is your Passover’ in any place. When God announces His rejection of the people, He associates the feasts and fasts to them and not to Himself, and says in Isaiah 1:14: “Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; they are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them.” * This is what happens when God’s people sin- they do not forget God. Similarly, God rejects feasts that are celebrated by sinners. Thos that are set by the Lord are considered feasts of the Lord and the Passover is one of them. Although in the Gospel here, the wording indicates that the feast is not of Lord but of the Jews; yet in another part of the Holy Bible the Lord says the following : “The feasts of the Lord which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts” (Lev 23:2)1. Origen Some thinkers believe that this incident occurred in the last week in the Life of the Lord on earth and that it helped to accelerate the events leading to His judgment and crucifixion. The leaders at the Temple considered the Lord’s act humiliating to them and to the holy building. However, St. John the evangelist puts this incident at the beginning of the Lord’s mission among the public in order to stress that He is the new Temple which replaces the old one. Besides, He is the unique Sacrifice that replaces the role of the bloody animal sacrifice. That is why the Lord chases the cattle and sheep with their sellers2. Many scholars believe that the Lord purified the temple on two occasions: once during the first Passover which took place at the beginning of His service and as it is mentioned in St. John’s Gospel; and again a second time during the fourth and last Passover which was at the time of the Lord’s crucifixion (Matt 21:12; Mk 11:15;Lk 19:45). It is as though the cleaning of the House of God is the Lord’s first and last task: He begins His service at the Temple and ends it there too. The prophet Malachi had foretold that task (Mal.3:2- 4). The Lord Jesus Christ found that there was a market in one of the buildings of the temple known as the People’s House. There people to sell bulls, sheep, and pigeons which they would use for offering sacrifice. This place was close to the pool known as Bethesda (Jn 5:2) and the head priests and those with them therefore used it to get material profit: in return for a certain fee they gave certificates stating that the sacrifice has no blemishes. That is how greed for money 1 Commentary on John, Book 10:80-81. 2 El Khoury Paul Elfaghali: The Gospel of St. John, The Writing Syndicate, 1992, pg 15. https://coptic-treasures.com/ damaged the purity of worship (1 Tim. 6:5, 10). Besides, there were moneychangers who sold shekels of gold specifically indicated as offerings for the temple. There is no doubt that the Lord had seen that sight before when He visited the temple. One instance was when He had gone to listen to the teachers and questioned them, but He was only thirteen years old at that time. But He only purified the temple when He began His ministry publicly. Besides, He did not complain or report about it to the head priests for He knew that they approved and encouraged what was going on. The sellers of the sheep are those who transfer the salvation provided by the Lord , the Lamb of God, into a commercial business. They acquire a material possession at the expense of losing eternal salvation and seek that which is earthly rather than a heavenly reward. * The Lord has justly said about such people: “ Many rulers have destroyed My vineyard, they have trodden My portion under foot, they have made My pleasant portion a desolate wilderness, they have made it desolate…” (Jer. 12:10). For truly the vineyard of the Lord has become corrupt for they have learned to crush divine worship. Through the greed of those appointed as guardians, the vine has been left barren and unfruitful for all the uninformed. St. Cyril the Great * Who are they who sell the sheep and the pigeons? They are those who seek to satisfy themselves rather than serve the Lord. They are those who believe that all that matters is what sells and do not think of salvation. They do not ask to be bought but rather want to sell. Indeed, it would have been better for them to be saved by the Blood of the Lord and to possess His peace. Now however, what benefit do they get when they seek in this world a transient object? No matter what it is - be it money or pleasure of food, or honor that stems from people’s praise- these are all certainly transient. Are not all these things as a cloud or steam? Do not all these pass away and vanish?…those who seek these things, my dear brothers, are only selling1. St. Augustine St. Augustine considers that the bulls to refer to the apostles (I Cor 9:9-10). And that those who trade in bulls are like those who adhere to the apostle and not to his Friend (the Lord Jesus Christ). Therefore St. Paul reprimands the Corinthians and says: “…Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?…” (1Cor1:13); also “ I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase,” (1 Cor 3:6-7). [ May those who pray for the peace of His servants say: May the Lord be glorified!2] Those who participate in the bull trade are those who engage in teaching the Word and they are like those who plough in the Lord’s field. Yet they do so as they seek a transient benefit rather than the joy of the Fruit of the Spirit. St. Paul says that these “…preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely…” (Phil 1:16). 1 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 10:6. 2 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 10:7 https://coptic-treasures.com/ Those who sell the sheep are those who perform acts of mercy (woolen clothes and meat) in order to win human praise. They therefore receive their reward in this world (Matt 6:5). Those who sell pigeons are those who misuse the gift of the Holy Spirit that appeared in the form of a dove. An example of this is the Simonist movement practiced in the ordination of priests: Simon wanted to buy with silver the power of the Holy Spirit. He then wanted to sell it and get material profit or temporary honor rather than receive the spiritual benefit (Acts 8: 19- 20). * The Lord does not allow those who are slaves to money as well as those who sell seats to enter His temple. For what do these seats represent but favors and honors? What are the pigeons other than the simple - minded and those souls that follow a clear faith? Has the Lord shut the door in the face of anyone that has been brought to His temple…yet those who sell honors and posts must necessarily be ordered to leave. It is vital to command the eviction of those who sell the simple- minded believers3. St. Ambrose * The cattle refer to transient matters since cattle are engaged in plowing the earth. The sheep symbolize unreasoning beastly matters as sheep are the most remote and unreasoning animals. Pigeons represent unsteady thoughts and their annulment ; while the coins represent what we think are good matters1. * It is necessary to tear away these beastly and commercial matters from the temple which is the Body of Christ so that it does not become a house of trade2. * It is also necessary that the temple be destroyed by those who devise plots against the Word of God; and that it would be back (risen) on the third day after its destruction…similarly, every person is purified when the Lord Jesus Christ tears and removes from him all manner of bestiality and commercial confusion. These are destroyed on account of the zeal of the Word within that person, and he will arise on the third day through the Lord…the temple is built on the first day following its destruction, and on the second day, and finally completed on the third when the resurrection is achieved. It will be a resurrection since having been buried with Christ, we arise with Him too (Rom. 6:4)3. Origen ‘When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changer’s money and overturned the tables.’ [15] It seems as though He did not chase the sellers or the moneychangers but only the cattle, 3 Sermon Against Auxentius, 21. 1 Commentary on St. John, Book 10:142. 2 Commentary on St. John, Book 10:240. 3 Commentary on St. John, Book 10:243. https://coptic-treasures.com/ sheep and pigeons. He overturned the money and the tables. He came not to judge but to purify and sanctify. He came to mend the corrupt. In His eyes, one soul is more precious than all these animals and gold and money. * He reveals His feelings not only by words but by using cords. He chases them out with a whip from the holy places. He Justly applies the appropriate punishment for slaves for they have rejected the Son. It is He who grants freedom to man through faith. * It is important that those who honor obedience to the law and proclaim the truth to realize that they deserve to submit to the stripes and sufferings of slavery when they revert to the spirit of slavery and reject to rejoice in freedom4. * The rebellious Jews will be chased out of the holy places, and they will be ousted from the sanctified gathering of the saints. Even when they will present offerings , He will reject them. Moreover, He will subjugate them to punishment and the whip as they hold on to the cords of their sins (refer to Prov. 5:22). St. Cyril the Great ‘And He said to those who sold doves: “ Take these away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!”[16] The Lord went up to Jerusalem in order to purify His Father’s temple and which had become a house of trade. Now He constantly goes up to the inner Jerusalem , to our depths, to build within us a heavenly temple sanctified to the Father. He purifies it from all trading and corruption. * He says: “ Do not make My Father’s house a house of trade…” and He does not say “ our Father’s house.” This is appropriate for according to these words…the Word is understood to be of the essence of God the Father. The Word is not one of those who are children by grace. Therefore He separates Himself from the rest and calls God His Father.St. Cyril the Great * Yet do not keep our silence towards heretics who separate the Old fro the New Testament. We believe the words of the Lord Jesus Christ concerning the temple: “ Did you not know that I must be in My Father’s house?1” Also: “ Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise.” Here He affirms more clearly that the previous temple in Jerusalem is His Father’s house 2. St. Cyril of Jerusalem * The Lord did not say: “ Do not make the holy house…” but He said: “ Do not make My Father’s House….” So here He calls God His Father. They were not angered because they believed Him to be using that expression in a simplistic way and did not understand these words except after He explained that He spoke these words to equate Himself with God. They then got 4 Comm. On John, hom. 132. 1 Luke 2:49: “ Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?!” 2 Article 7: 6. https://coptic-treasures.com/ angered against Him. St. John Chrysostom ‘ Then His disciples remembered that it is written: ‘ Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.” [17] The disciples began to comprehend what lay behind the acts of the Lord as they began to remember that what is written in the Holy Book. Indeed, within the Word of God every word explains the other and clarifies it. Now hey remembered that which is written in Psalm 69:9. * The zeal for the house of the Father- that is the Church- burned in the heart of the Lord for He loved Her and delivered Himself for Her sake. He did so in order to grant Her eternal life and fellowship in His glory. * ‘ Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up’[17]…everyone of you knows what to do in your home, with friends in their homes, at work, with those who are greater or lesser than you; and as much as God allows you to enter, when He opens the door for His Word - that never ceases to win someone for the Lord - for you have been won yourself through the Lord Jesus Christ3. St. Augustine * The Lord Himself says: ‘ Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up’: May we have true zeal for the Lord. I do not mean an earthly kind of zeal as this arouses envy. For peace to exist among you, the kind that surpasses understanding, may you love one another. Nothing is sweeter than love, and nothing is more blessed than peace. You know that I love you always, and now I love you above all else and as children of one Father: for you have become unified by the bond of brotherly love4. St. Ambrose 3 - Requesting a Miracle 3 - Requesting a Miracle So the Jews answered and said to Him, “What sign do you show to us, since You do these things?”[18] When the Lord chased the sellers and purified the Temple He did so with such authority that the leaders could not display any resistance or opposition to Him before the public. They needed to underline their great respect and concern towards the Temple, as well as everything that happened there. So instead of admitting the corruption that had taken place as a result of the 3 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 10:9. 4 Duties of the Clergy, Book 2:30:154. https://coptic-treasures.com/ of trade transactions carried on within its walls, they asked Him: “What sign do you show to us, since You do these things?” Moreover, they were really hurt as they would lose their dishonest money as a result. By asking this question, they therefore hoped to prevent Him from interfering with their business When Moses appeared to save the people of God from slavery, he performed clear miracles. So what are the miracles that Jesus did that would make them accept and acknowledge Him? The leaders could not comprehend how He could purify the Temple without meeting any opposition, and even though He was not vested with any human power or official religious status or divine weapon. Indeed, His Divine Presence dissolved all darkness. * If that matter was hidden from the Jews, it was because they stood outside. As for ourselves, it has been revealed to us since we know in whom we should place our faith. Soon, we will celebrate the destruction of the Temple in an awesome annual celebration. We urge you to be prepared for that since you will receive grace as believers1. St. Augustine * The Jewish leaders could not reprimand the Lord Jesus Christ…but they invented the means that would allow the dealers to escape. At the same time they found a way to excuse themselves for their unbelief and their inability to submit to Him immediately or unquestioningly. Therefore they could not receive Him as the Son of God if they were not given a miracle. St. Cyril the Great * Their utter insanity is so regrettable! Is there a need for a miracle before they could stop from their evil acts and liberate the House of God from such shameful transactions? Is not the greatest miracle evident in His jealousy towards that House? The disciples appropriately distinguished themselves as they remembered that it was written: “Zeal for Your house has eaten me up,’ [17].In contrast, the Jews did not remember this prophecy, and said: “What sign do you show to us?” They hoped that in this manner they would be able to stop Him and further embarrass Him so that He would perform a miracle. This would have given them the opportunity to find Him guilty2. St. John Chrysostom “Jesus answered and said to them: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up,”[19]. The miracle that the Lord Jesus Christ did is that He came to our earth as the all-powerful Divine Presence. He alone could break the lock of Hades and destroy death that is the last enemy of mankind. By this, He granted those who believe in Him the power of the resurrection. This is the last miracle the Lord Himself has performed by His resurrection and before His ascension into the heavens. It was necessary for Him to die yet corruption could not affect Him (Ps. 16:10). 1 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 10:10. 2 Homilies on St. John, Hom.23:2. https://coptic-treasures.com/ He asked them to destroy the temple of His Body indicating that they would lift Him up on the Cross; whereas they understood that He was speaking about the temple made of stone. * Those who have described Him as the free One have well-said for He has the power to raise Himself…furthermore He is free who descended in order to set others free1. St. Ambrose ‘ Then the Jews said: “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” [20. The temple was built in forty-six years. Some believe that building began in the days of Herodus in the year 19/20 B.C. and so it was finished by the year 28 B.C. approximately. Others believe that Herodus the Great began rebuilding it in the eighteenth year of his reign2 and ended the main work in nine and a half years. However, repairs and additions went on for many more years. Herodus began the work in the year 16 B.C. and the reference here is to the time the Lord was thirty years old. In this way the temple was forty six years old and it was not yet finished. This indicates that the reference made here is to the last temple because the first one had been completed in twenty years. It therefore becomes clear that the beginning of the Lord’s ministry coincided with the time the Jews experienced the peak of their pride in their newly achieved temple. Therefore it was not easy for them to accept the words of the Lord concerning destroying it in three days. It took the same time to build the temple when Zerbabel laid the foundations of the temple from the second year in the reign of Koresh to its completion in the year 32 in the reign of Artaxerxes. * They belittled the miracle as they did not comprehend the depth of the mystery. Indeed, they held on tenaciously as they suffered from the disease of ignorance. This is their excuse and self-vindication for disobeying Him…How could He be incapable of doing anything however hard while He is the One who has mightily created the whole world in six days; while to Him belongs transcendental and inexpressible power: He just has to will something and it gets powerfully fulfilled? St. Cyril the Great St. Augustine presents a symbolic interpretation to the number 42: The four letters for the name of Adam represent the first letters for the four global points: Anatole for the east, Dysis for the West, Arctos for the North, and Mesembria for the South. It is as though Adam has been fragmented and scattered in all directions in the world. These are the Greek letters for Adam and they are equivalent to the number 42, as the (A) or Alpha is equivalent to the number (1), Delta (D) to number (4), and May (M) to number (40). So ADAM is equal to 1+4+1+40= 46. This is the Temple or the Body that the Word has taken from Adam and which He destroyed in order to 1 On the Decease of His Brother Saytrus, Book 2:103 2 Josephus: Antiq.b.15c.11 s.l.;b.20c.9s.5,7. https://coptic-treasures.com/ raise him in three days and grant him eternal joy. Man has been raised by the will of the Father, the power of the Son, and by the Holy Spirit Who is the Spirit of the Resurrection3. ‘But He was speaking of the temple of His body…’[21]. They revealed their ignorance as they misinterpreted the Lord’s words. He was referring to the temple of His body. Even so, would it have been beyond the Creator’s power to build a stone temple in three days? Just as the new Messianic wine replaced the Water of Purification used according to tradition, so the temple of the resurrected body of the Lord replaces the temple of the Old Testament and which the army of Titus the Roman destroyed in the year 70 A.D. The Lord Jesus Christ has established a new temple within us and no army in the world can ever destroy it (1 Cor 6:19). This saying has been fulfilled by the death of the Lord Jesus Christ and His resurrection on the third day. Moreover, this continues to be fulfilled in the Church which is His Body; as well as within every believer who is a member in the Body of the Lord Jesus Christ. *Some may say: What was the purpose of the Lord for not explaining His puzzling words since He was referring to the building of His body and not to the stone temple. Rather, He kept silent and did not explain, because He knew that they would still not accept His words. If even some His disciples did not fully understand and did not know how to interpret what had been said to them, then it was logical that the people and the crowds could not understand the meaning of His words. St. John Chrysostom ‘Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them;, and they believed the Scripture and the word which the Lord had said.’[22]. Many of the prophecies are hard to comprehend except after they have been fulfilled. Similarly, the disciples could not comprehend His words at that time for they were still like children in their concepts. When the Lord arose, He opened their mind so that they might understand the Scriptures. He also inflamed their hearts with the real understanding of the prophecies (Lk 24:45). Although their hearts were slow to believe yet they were fully convinced that His words are true. * The Holy Spirit reminded the disciples of all what the Lord had told them previously. Indeed, they held onto the grace and talents granted to them, and displayed an enlightened existence, much wisdom, and plenty of conscientious work. They did not care at all for earthly blessings but transcended them so that they seemed like eagles in flight towards the heights. This was because they depended on the grace granted to them so that they reached the heavens themselves and ultimately possessed the grace of the Spirit. 3 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate 10:12. https://coptic-treasures.com/ St. John Chrysostom ‘Now when He was in Jerusalemat the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, when they saw the signs which He did.[23] But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men.’[24] They believed that He was the awaited Messiah, but they did not comprehend that He was the Savior of the world. Rather, they imagined that He was the King of Israel who would liberate them from being occupied and grant them a worldly power. They did not understand that He is the Savior of their spirits therefore their hearts were not changed and consequently the Lord did not place His trust in them. Origen the Scholar makes a distinction between those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and those who believe in His name (only). The Lord did not commit Himself to those who believed in His name only but He trusted those who believed in Him. * The disciples were truly profound in their faith. Unlike the others who were attracted to the Lord because of the miracles He performed, they believed because they were attracted by His teachings. Those who were drawn to Him on account of the miracles revealed a dense frame of mind, whereas those drawn by His teachings were more determined and steadfast so that the Lord called them ‘blessed’ and said: “ Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (Jn 20:19). As for those mentioned in this passage, they were not real disciples. This is what the following expression reveals: ‘But Jesus did not commit Himself to them…’[24]. Why Not? ‘Because He knew all men1.’ St. John Chrysostom * It is appropriate that we adhere to Him more than our adherence to His name. When we do miracles through His name we do not wish to hear the words that have been said about those who take pride in His name only (Matt. 7: 22-23). Indeed, we should follow St. Paul’s example and have the courage to say: “ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13)1. Origen * He did not entrust Himself to those who had newly accepted the faith…those who administer the sacraments of our Lord need to learn from this that they should not allow someone suddenly to enter into the holy sanctuary. Neither should they allow beginners, who have recently been baptized before being mature enough and have not come to the faith at the right time, to approach the divine altar. 1 Homilies on St. John, Hom. 24:1. 1 Commentary on St. John, Book 10:310. https://coptic-treasures.com/ *Just as God alone always sees our inner depths, so does our Lord Jesus Christ too. So how can He not be God by nature ? St. Cyril the Great The Lord Jesus Christ knows man for He is the Creator of all things (Jn 1:3), He is altogether wise () and the Discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Heb 4:12). ‘ …and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.’ [25]. * Recognizing God is a characteristic of man’s heart and it proceeds from Him who has created the hearts with perfection. Solomon, in wisdom, prayed to God saying: “…then hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and act, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You only, only You, know the hearts of all the sons of men) (I Kgs. 8:39). That is why the Lord did not need witnesses in order to know the plan of His creation for He knew all their their secrets. St. John Chrysostom * The expression : ’ …for He knew what was in man’ could betaken to refer to the powers of good and evil that work within man. So if a person makes a place for Satan (Eph 4: 27) allows him to come in. This is what Judas did when he allowed Satan to have a place in his heart and so betrayed the Lord…a person becomes blessed when he/she gives God a place within; for ‘ Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage’ (read Ps. 84:6). The Son of God who knows all things, knows what is within man2. Origen Inspirations drawn from The Gospel of John Chapter Two Your Presence Transforms My Life into a Perpetual Wedding Celebration * Your presence transforms my life into a constant wedding. 2 Commentary on St. John, Book 10:321 https://coptic-treasures.com/ Your Presence brings with You Your Mother, Your disciples, and those who love Come, the wedding is ready! Come, no one other than You brings joy to my heart! * You have transformed the water into new wine Instead of the literal commands of tradition which burden my frame, You have granted me the Gospel that gladdens my heart! Let me get drunk with Your love and let me adore Your heavens, Then the world will no more have no place within me! *Grant me, through Your fiery Spirit, to listen more to that voice saying: Whatever He says to you, do it! My obedience to you makes her heart and the hearts of all those who love you to rejoice. Her prayers and intercession support me, So I pray with an obedient spirit that I may observe Your commands. * May You enter into my depths and consecrate them to be an altar for You: May You chase away all the cattle and sheep from there, Then there would not be any place for ugly profit within me. May You grant me, through Your Holy Spirit, To Possess the eyes of a humble dove. May You remove all love for money from the table of my heart! * Grant me the spirit of zeal for Your house, Then my heart will be enflamed with inner purity rather than being preoccupied with judging others. * The Jews constructed the old temple in forty six years And now You have resurrected the temple of Your Body from the grave in three days In three days You have established Your Church as a heavenly Bride. The darkness of the grave is no longer our place, For we now live in the ultimate beauty of Your heavens!
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