Notes. John II. 12 — 25.
J2. — [Re went down to Capernaum.] The strict accuracy of John'a writing is note-worthy here. Cana was a village in the hill country. Capernaum was a town on the shore of the lake of Galilee, at a very much lower level than Cana. It is therefore said that Jesus " went downy
Capernaum appears to have been our Lord's principal residence in Galilee during his earthly ministry. " Leaving Nazareth, he dwelt in Capernaum." (Matt. iv. 13.) At no place does He seem to have worked so many miracles ; and on no place does He de- nounce so severe a judgment for its impenitence and neglect of privileges : " Thou Capernaum which art exalted to heaven shalt be cast down to hell." (Matt. xi. 23.) It is a striking fact that though Capernaum was a wealthy and important place in our Lord's time, it has so entirely passed away and been " cast down," that even its situation has never been clearly ascertained.
[His mother.] Here again we see no mention of Joseph. Whether the Virgin Mary was a constant companion of our Lord throughout His earthly ministry, may be doubted. We see her here. We see her again at the crucifixion. But we see her in another place " standing without and desiring to speak with him " when He was talking to the people, and giving occasion to the solemn saying, " Who is my mother ?" (Matt. xii. 46.) In- deed there is no proof that Mary ever saw more clearly than the rest of our Lord's disciples the whole purpose of Christ's advent, or was at all more prepared than the rest for His crucifixion and sufferings.
[His brethren.] There is no good ground for supposing that these were our Lord's brethren according to the flesh, and that Mary ever had any other son after our Lord's miraculous birth. — For one thing, it is well known to every careful reader, that the word "brethren" is apphed in the Bible to many relatives be- sides those whom we call " brethren." Abraham says to Lot, " We be brethren," (Gen. xiii, 8,) though Lot was his nephew. Mishael and Elzaphan were called the " brethren " of Nadab and Abihu, though they were only cousins. (Lev. x. 4.) — Jacob said " to his brethren " gather stones (Gen. xxxi. 46) ; yet they were his sons and servants. — For another thing, it is quite possible that Joseph might have had children by a former marriage, be- fore he was espoused to the Virgin Mary ; and these children, we can well understand, wou'd be called our Lord's " brethren." — In the last place, we know that the Apostle James was called oui '' Lord's brother," (Gal. i. 19,) and yet we are distinctly told that he was the son of Alpheus or Cleophas, the husband of the Vir- gin Mary's sister. It is therefore most probable that " brethren"