45
7ο6
τετήρηκας τὸν καλὸν οἶνον ἕως ἄρτι.”
p John passim, and freq. in Synopt.
q Mt. xii. 46.
11. Ταύτην ἐποίησε τὴν
ἀρχὴν τῶν 5 σημείων ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς ἐν Kava τῆς Γαλιλαίας, καὶ ἐφανέρωσε τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ: καὶ ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ.
12. ΜΕΤΑ τοῦτο κατέβη eis Καπερναοὺμ,ὶ αὐτὸς καὶ ἡ µήτηρ αὐτοῦ, καὶ οἱ ἃ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ : καὶ ἐκεῖ ἔµειναν
1 Καφαρναονμ in ΝΒΧ, adopted by T.Tr. W.H.
work of Christ, who came that human happiness might not untimely close in shame. Wine had become the symbol of that blood which brought reconcile- ment and renewal. Seeing this sign and the glory manifested in it ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ. ‘‘ Testimony (i. 36) directs those who were ready to welcome Christ to Him. Personal inter- course converts followers into disciples (ii. 2). A manifestation of power, as a sign of divine grace, converts disciple- ship into personal faith’? (Westcott). ‘“ Crediderunt amplius ’ (Bengel). The different grades, kinds, and types of faith alluded to in this Gospel are a study. Sanday remarks on the unlikelihood of a forger making such constant allusion to the disciples. That they believed would seem a truism. If they had not, they would not have been disciples. It would have been more to the point to tell us the effect on the guests, and a forger would hardly have failed to do so. But John writes from the disciples’ point of view. Not happy are the attempts to interpret this seeming miracle as a cleverly prepared wedding jest and gift ‘Paulus); or as a parable (Weisse), or as a hastened natural process (Augustine, Olshausen). Holtzmann finds here an artistic Lehrdichtung, an allegory rich in suggestion. Water represents all that is mere symbol as contrasted with spirit and reality. The period of symbolism is represented by the water baptism of John: this was to find its realisation in Jesus. The jars which had served for the outward washings of Judaism were by Jesus filled with heart-strengthening wine. The O.T. gift of water from the rock is superseded by the gift of wine. Wine becomes the symbol of the spiritual life and joy of the new kingdom. With this central idea the details of the in- cident agree: the helplessness of the old oeconomy, “they have no wine”; the mother of the Messiah is the Ο.Τ. com- munity; and so forth. The historical truth consists simply..in..the joyful character ascribed to the beginning of Christ’s ministry. (1) Against all these
attempts it is the obvious intention of John to relate a miracle, a surprising and extraordinary manifestation of power. (2) Where allegory exists he directs attention to it; as in this chapter, ver. 21; also in chapters x., xv., etc. (3) That the incident can be allegorised is no proof that it is only allegory and not history. ΑΙ incidents and histories may be allegorised. The life and death of Caesar have been interpreted as a sun myth.
Few, if any, incidents in the life of Jesus give us an equal impression of the width of His nature and its imperturbable serenity. He was at this juncture fresh from the most disturbing personal. con- flict; His work awasted..Him,...a--work full of intense strife, hazard, and pain; yet in a mind occupied with these things the marriage joy of a country couple finds a fit place.
Ver. 12. From Nazareth to Capernaum and thence to Ferusalem, At νετ. 12, as Calvin says, ‘“‘transit Evangelista ad novam historiam”. This new section runs to the end of the fourth chapter, and gives an account of the first great series of public manifestations on the part of Christ (1) in Jerusalem, (2) in Judaea, (3) in Samaria, (4) in Galilee These are introduced by the note of time μετὰ τοῦτο, commonly used by John when he wishes merely to denote sequence without definitely marking the length of the interval. The interval in the present case was probably long enough at any rate to allow of the Nazareth family returning home, although this is not in the text. The motive for a fresh movement was probably the desire of the fishermen to return home. Accordingly κατέβη εἰς Καφαρναοὺμ, down from the higher lands about Nazareth to the lake side, 680 feet below sea level. His destination was Καφαρναούμ, the site of which is probably to be found at Khan Minyeh (Minia), at the north end of the plain of Gennesareth, where the great road to Damascus leaves the lake side and strikes north. [The most valuable comparison of the two competing sites,