The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 236

HOMILIES BY V .ARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-11.-Jesus and social life. Public men are sometimes anxious with regard to a first appearance, that it should be upon a scene, in society, and with accompani- ments worthy of themselves or of their own conceptions of themselves. Jesus proved his superiority to human vanity and weakness in performing his first "bigc." in a lowly home at a villager's wedding. His conduct in this was just like him.self. I. THE LORD JESUS WAS OPPOSED TO ASCETIOISM. Religion and asceticism are ofteu in the popular mind associated; and pretenders have often taken advantage of the association. Even true prophets, like Elijah and John the Baptist, have had a strain of asceticism ic. their nature, a vein of asceticism in their life. A.nd vigorous sects, like tho Essenes, have sometimes gained a reputation and an influence by a self-denying life led for self-denial's sake. In Christian times again and again this principle has sprung into prominence, and has exercised immense power over society. One thing is clear, that Jesus had no sympathy with isolation, unsociableness, austerity. II. 'l'HE LORD JESUS FREQUENTED ALL KINDS OF HUM.AN SOCIETY. He dined with Pharisees and with publicans with an impartial sociability. He does not seem to have refused invitations to partake hospitality, from whatever quarter they might come. It was a complaint brought against him by the formalists, that he was "gluttonous, a wine-bibber, and a friend of publicans and sinners." This was nntrue; but it points tu a truth, viz. that our Lord had no aversion to social gatherings. He frequented the society of men, in order to diffuse his influence and his doctrine; and chiefly that meu might see e.nd hear and know him, and through him the grace of God. Ill. THE LORD JESUS ENCOURAGED HIS DISCIPLES TO MIX FREELY WlTH THEIR FELLOW-MEN, '!'here were at this pe1iod but fow of them-perhaps five; and this was an early stage of their discipleship. But there was something for them to learn at the marriage-feast ; and, as the narrative tells us, the experience was most profitable to themselves. .At the same time, there was a les,on regarding their own mission and the methods of its fulfilment, which more or less they acquired by participating in such Bocial gatherings as these. They were to learn that those who would be spiritual helpers of men must first be, and prove themselves to be, their fri«mds. IV. THE LORD JEBUS SANCTIONED LOVE AND MAl\RU.GE, Society is not possibie JOHN, II  08 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING 'l'O ST. JOHN. [ CH. II, 1-26.