The suggestion of some modern writers, that our Lord's pre- sence at a marriage feast condemns those Christians who decline to go to such amusements as balls, and routs, and dancing-parties, has no weight in it at all. The objects for which people meet together at a marriage feast and at a ball are widely different. The one is a mere irrehgious assembly for pleasure and recrea- tion of a very questionable tendency, entailing late hours, and ministering to worldliness, levity, and the love of display. The other is a gathering of friends to witness the most important step in life that two persons can take, and a gathering closely con- nected with a religious ceremony.
3. — [ When they wanted ivine.'] The Greek words so rendered mean literally, " Wine having failed." This circumstance probably shows the poor and humble condition of those to whose marriage Jesus was invited. His acquaintances and those of His mother were not wealthy persons.
It throws light on this expression, and indeed on the whole story, to remember that a marriage feast among the Jews was often an affair of several days' duration, and an occasion when many were invited. Consequently it entailed not only much expense, but a considerable consumption of food and wine. Thus Sam- son's marriage feast lasted seven days. (Judges xv. 10—18.) Thus the marriage fea^t described in the par,.ble of the King's Son, was a feast which large numbers were invited to attend. (Matt. xxii. 2, &c.) This being the case, we may well understand that in the feasts of those who were not wealthy the wine might soon run short, without there having been any excess of drinking. So it seems to have happened in the case before us.
[^TTie mother of Jesus.... saith.... no wine.] This little sentence has given rise to various and strange interpretations.
Some have thought, as Bengel. that Mary suggested to our Lord that it was time for Him and His disciples to depart and leave the feast, in order to spare the feelings of the bride and bridegr >om, and to avoid exposing their poverty.
Some have thought, as Calvin, that she wished our Lord to occupy the minds of the guests by profitable discourse, and so to take off their attention from the deficiency of wine.
By far the most reasonable and probable idea is, that Mary conjectured that our Lord might in some way supply the de- ficiency of wine. How it would be done she could not tell. There is not the slightest ground for supposing that our Lord had ever worked a miracle up to this time. But it wculd be foolish to suppose that Mary did not remember well all the mi- raculous I ireumstances of our Lord's birth, and all the words