At the request of his mother he worketh his first miracle turning water into wine at a
mariage in Galilee, although the time of his manifestation be not yet come. 12. Then in Hierusalem
at Pasche, being but one, and yet obscure, he throweth out of the Temple most miraculously al the
marchantes. 28. And being yet of the blind Iewes asked a signe, he signifieth so long before, that
they should kil him, but he wil rise againe the third day. 23. Which also presently they would doe, but
that he knowing their false hartes (though beleeue in him) wil not tarie among them.
1.
⋮
The Ghospel vpon the 2. Sunday after the Epiphanie.
AND the third day there was a mariage made in Cana of Galilee: and the mother of Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ
was there.
2. And Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ also was called, and his Disciples to the mariage.
3. And the wine failing, the mother of Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ saith to him:
They haue no wine.
4. And Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ saith to her: What is to me and thee woman? my houre commeth
not yet.
5. His mother saith to the ministers: Whatsoeuer he shal say to you, doe ye.
6. And there were set there six water-pots of stone, according to the purification
of the Iewes, holding euery one two or three measures.
7. Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ saith to them: Fil the water-pots with water. And they filled them
vp to the top.
8. And Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ saith to them: Draw now, and carie to the cheefe steward. And they
caried it.
9. And after the cheefe steward tasted the
✟
He that seeth water turned into wine, needeth not dispute or doubt how Christ
changed bread into his body.
water made wine, and knew not whence it
was, but the ministers knew that had drawne the water; the cheefe steward called the bridegrome,
10. and saith to him: Euery man first setteth the good wine, and when they haue
wel drunke, then that which is worse. But thou hast kept the good wine vntil now.
11. This beginning of miracles did Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ in Cana of Galilee: and he manifested
his glorie, and his Disciples beleeued in him.
12. After this he went downe to Capharnaum himself and his mother, and his brethren,
and his Disciples; and there they remained not many daies.
13.
⋮
The Ghospel vpon Munday in the fourth weeke of Lent.
And the Pasche of the Iewes was at hand, and Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ went vp to Hierusalem:
14. and he found in the Temple them that sold oxen and sheep and doues, and the bankers
sitting.
15. And when he had made as it were a whip of litle cordes, he
cast them al out of
the Temple, the sheep also and the oxen, and the money of the bankers he powred out, and the tables
he ouerthrew.
16. And to them that sold doues, he said: Take away these things hence, and make not
the house of my Father, a house of marchandise.
17. And his Disciples remembred that it is written:
*
Psa. 68,10.
The zeale of thy house hath
eaten me.
18. The Iewes therfore answered and said to him: What signe doest thou shew vs, that
thou doest these things?
19. Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ answered and said to them:
*
Mat. 26,61. 27,40.
Dissolue this temple, and in three daies
I wil raise it.
20. The Iewes therfore said: In fourtie and six yeares was this Temple built, & wilt
thou raise it in three daies?
21. But he spake of the temple of his body.
22. Therfore when he was risen againe from the dead, his Disciples remembred, that he
said this, and they beleeued the scripture and the word the Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ did say.
23. And when he was at Hierusalem in the Pasche, vpon the festiual day, many beleeued
in his name, seeing his signes which he did.
24. But Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ did not commit himself vnto them, for that he knew al,
25. and because it was not needful for him that any should giue testimonie of man;
for he knew what was in man.
ANNOTATIONS.
Cʜᴀᴘ. II.
2. IESVS also was called.)
Christ with his presence honoureth and approueth Mariage.
By his vouchsafing to come with his to the Mariage, he approueth the custome of the
faithful in meeting at honest feastes and recreations for maintenance of love, peace,
and amitie among themselues: he reproueth the heresie of Tatian, Marcion, and such
like condemning wedlocke: lastly (as S. Cyril saith*) he sanctifieth and blesseth the
Mariage of the Faithful in the new Testament, making it a new creature in him, and
discharging it of the manifold maledictions and disorders wherein it was before. By
which benediction the often diuorces, remariages, and pluralities of wiues, and the
womens seruile subiection and imparitie in that case, be redressed and reduced to
the primitiue institution, and so Christian mariage made a Sacrament. See S.
Aug. de nupt. & concup. li. 1 c. 10 & 21. li. 1 de adult. coniug. c. 8.
*Cyril in 2. Io. c. 42.
3. They haue no wine.)
Our Ladies intercession.
Our Lady many waies vnderstood that now the time approched of manifesting himself
to the world by miracles and preaching, and nothing doubted but that he would now
begin at her request. Whereby we learne that Christ ordinarily giueth not his
graces, but humbly asked and requested thereunto; and that his mothers intercession
is more then vulgarly effectual, and that he denieth her nothing.
4. What is to me and thee?)
Translatours of holy Scriptures.
Because this speach is subiect to diuers senses, we keepe the wordes of our text,
left by turning it into any English phrase, we might straiten the Holy Ghosts
intention to some certaine sense either not intended, or not only intended, and so
take away the choise and indifferencie from the Reader, whereof (in holy Scripture
specially) al Translatours must beware. Christ then may meane here, what is that,
woman, to me and thee being but strangers, that they want wine? as some interpret
it. Or (which is the more proper vse of that kind of speach in holy writ) what haue
I to doe with thee? that is, why should I have respect to thy desire in this case?
in matters touching my charge and the commission of my Father for preaching, working
miracles, and other graces, I must not be tied to flesh and bloud. Which was not a
reprehension of our Lady, or signification that he would not heare her in this or
other things pertaining to Gods glorie or the good of men, for the euent showeth the
contrarie. But it was a lesson to the companie that heard it, and namely to his
Disciples, that respect of kinred should not draw them to doe any thing against
reason, or be the principal motion why they doe their dueties, but Gods glorie.
5. Whatsoeuer he shal say.)
Our Lady doubteth not but Christ wil grant her petition.
By this you see, our Lady by her diuine prudence and entire familiaritie and
acquaintance with al his manner of speaches, knew it was no checke to her, but
a doctrine to others: and that she had no repulse, though he seemed to say his
time was not yet come to worke miracles: not doubting but he would begin a litle
before his ordinary time for her sake, as S. Cyril* thinketh he did: and therfore
she admonisheth the waiters to marke wel, and to execute whatsoeuer Christ should
bid them doe.
*li. 2. in Io.c. 23.
15. Cast them out.)
Profaners of Gods Church are to be punished in soul and body by the Spiritual power.
By this chastising corporally the defilers and abusers of the Temple, he doth not
only shew his power, that being but one poore man he could by force execute his
pleasure vpon so many sturdy fellowes: but also his soueraigne authoritie ouer al
offenders; and that not vpon their soules only, as by excommunication and spiritual
penalties, but so farre as is requisite for the execution of spiritual iurisdiction,
vpon their bodies and goods also. That the Spiritualtie may learne, how farre and in
what cases, for just zeale of Christs Church, they may vse and exercise both
spiritually and temporally their forces and faculties against offenders, specially
against the prophaners of Gods Church, according to the Apostles allusion 1 Cor. 3.
If any defile the Temple of God, him wil God destroy.
24. IESVS committed not himself.)
The B. Sacrament is not to be giuen to nouices or younglings, in faith.
S. Augustine applieth this their first faith and beleefe in Christ, sodenly raised
vpon the admiration of his wonders, but yet not fully formed or established in them,
vnto the faith of Nouices or Catechumens in the Church and Christ not committing his
Person to them as yet, to the Churches like warinesse and wisedom, in not opening nor
giuing to them our Lord in the B. Sacrament, because al were not to be trusted with
that high point without ful trial of their faith.