Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

SECTION V.

OF OUR LORD'S TEMPERANCE.

IT is observable of Christ that he did not aim at striking the people by an austerity of appearance and conduct. He came "a eating and drinking;" in contradistinction to the solitariness and abstinence of his harbinger, John the Baptist: a conduct on which the Jews put a perverse interpretation, and were neither pleased with the rigour of the Baptist, nor with our Lord's familiar and conversible manner; though the wisdom of such a deportment, in him who "bcame to seek and to save that which was lost," carried its own justification with it to the well disposed and considerate. The calumny advanced by the inconsistent Jews of our Lord's time was a general one, confuted by facts: it was as groundless as their assertion, that he was a friend to publicans and sinners; when he conversed with them, only to reclaim them. It was truly remarked by d Origen that, amidst numberless accusations and falsehoods, none could object to him the least act of casual self indulgence. He appeared in a state of poverty, and endured the inconveniences incident to it: some of his followers ministered to him of their substance; and he had not where to lay his head.

Matt. xi. 19.

b Luke xix. 10.

Compare Luke v. 33. with Matt. ix. 14. Mark ii. 18, c Matt. xi. 19. d Contra Cels. 1. 3. § 36. Οὗ μηδὲ οἱ μύρια κατηγορήσαντες, καὶ ψευδῆ ὅσα περὶ αὐτῇ λέγοντες, δεδύνηνται κατειπείν, ὡς κἂν τὸ τυχὸν ἀκολασίας κἂν ἐπ' ὀλίγον γευσαμένο.

[blocks in formation]

We read that Jesus was present at a 8 marriage feast very early in his ministry; and on this occasion some objectors to his conduct have alleged that he contributed to intemperance by the first miracle which he wrought.

But it is probable that the guests at this feast were many a supposition which seems agreeable to the h custom of the Jews; to the appointment of a governor, as Bishop Pearce has well observed; and to the circumstance that "both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage feast :" for what was the number of his converts at that time cannot be determined.

i

Neither can it be ascertained during how many days the marriage feast continued. We read of some which lasted seven days and thus, if Jesus was present on the third day of the feast, it might have been protracted, and much frequented, for four days onwards.

1

Nor is it easy to fix what was the quantity of wine produced. Our translation may give too definite an idea to a word signifying any capacious m vessel in

* John ii. 1-11. Judges xiv. 10.

b Matt. xxii. 1-14.

Luke xiv. 8-10. i Some have inferred from John i. 37-51. that they were only four: but during the journey into Galilee, and in that country, it is natural to think that they were increased.

* Judges xiv. 12. Tobit xi. 19. Gen. xxix. 27. Schoettgen i. 338. Selden's Works, fol. ii. 629: where Rabbi Eliezer says, Quemadmodum rex utitur splendidis vestimentis, ita et sponsus etiam per septem 1 See Bishop Pearce John ii. 1. convivii nuptialis dies. But the best interpretation of this passage is, "on the third day" after Jesus's arrival in Galilee which may have been the first day of the feast. m See H. Stephens voc. μergurs. The word is used largely by ò, for the Hebrew bath, which contained more than seven

L

general; or if a determinate measure is meant, which I think most agreeable to the evangelist's mode of expression, it may be the Syrian "metretes, and not the Attic or Roman.

It has also been very properly suggested that great part of the wine provided might have been considered as a benevolent nuptial present, acceptable to persons who were probably in an humble station, and to be partly reserved for other occasions; and that "the quantity furnished, supposing it as great as any objector has stated, was both an act of exuberant goodness, and gave such magnificence to the miracle as removed it beyond all possibility of fraud." Abundance administers to the debasing and brutal act of intemperance only among the vicious: and the religious awe impressed by the miracle naturally tended to prevent it.

It must likewise be observed that a lighter wine might be in ordinary use among the Jews: and we Pknow that the wines, now made from the grapes of a Lebanon and Hermon, are not of an intoxicating quality when taken freely.

Nor do the words, used by the Governor of the feast, import that the guests had been guilty of excess at that particular time. According to the usual every man at first setteth on good wine,

custom,

[ocr errors]

gallons, and for the seah which was one third of the bath. 2 Chron. iv. 15. 1 Kings xviii. 32. This, according to Bishop Cumberland, • See Bishop Pearce

contained seven pints and one eighth.

comment: ii. 347. Doddridge and Macknight in loc. P Sir Edward

Barry on Wines, 4to. 144.

See Hos. xiv. 7.

and, when men have drunk fully, then that which is worse thou hast kept the good wine until now;" until the present day, and the feast itself, are far advanced in which circumstance alone, I mean the lateness of time when the good wine was given, the parallel may hold, and not further though indeed the expression, ray μst, does not necessarily imply intoxication, but may be understood of that * abundance which temperate men on some occasions innocently partake of.

It should be remarked of our Lord's attendance and conduct at this marriage, that they were a testimony from the Great Founder of our religion in favour of that state as a pure and honourable one. And though he himself led a life of celibacy, he mentioned marriage as a divine institution, subjected it to wise regulations, and expected, even at that peculiar time, that only a select " few would detach them. selves from domestic ties, " on account of the kingdom of heaven," then to be extended by their means. Nor did he subject these to any insnaring restraint, but made their own prudence the rule of their conduct.

Thus did our Lord display a prophetic foresight and a divine wisdom. For ecclesiastical history

See in the Greek version Gen. xliii. 33, or 34. Cantic. v. 1. Haggai i. 6. Ecclus. i. 16. Psal. xxiij. 5. Heb. xxii. 5. ò. ed. Breit. xxxvi. 8. Heb. xxxv. 9. ed. Breit. Jer. xxxi. 14, 25. Heb. xxxviii. ed. Breit. Herod. 1. § 133. ed. Wess. Hippocrates de victus ratione 1. iii. p. 375. Genev. 1657. See these two latter passages, and some others referred to and discussed in Merrick's Annotations on St. John. See also Bishop Pearce on 1 Cor. xi. 21. Matt. xix. 4, 5, 6, ib. v. 32.

[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors]

a

[ocr errors]

informs us that, from the infancy of the gospel, heretics of various denominations arose, who asserted the unlawfulness of marriage. Such were the Marcionites, the Gnostics, the Manichees, the Apostolics, and Origenians. The early heretic Saturninus said that marriage was of Satan : Theodoret has recorded that Cerdon, as well as Marcion, enjoined the law of virginity, and we learn from Epiphanius that marriage was also rejected by the heresiarch Lucian or Lucius, from the horrid principle of hatred to the Creator and his works. We likewise know that the church of Rome forbids marriage to one order at this day; notwithstanding the apostle's very remarkable manner of expressing himself, that it is "honourable IN ALL MEN ;" and notwithstanding an overseer of Christ's flock is described as "the husband of one wife, and one that ruled well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity."

[ocr errors]

d

We may likewise discern a wisdom in the specific miracle performed at Cana. For the use of wine was forbidden by the Marcionites and Manichees among the Christians; and afterwards by the successful Arabian impostor.

258, 9. Lardner on Heretics, 238.

z ib. 196.
b Heb. xiii. 4.
1 Tim. iii. 2, 4.

ib. 283. These ci. e. not guilty Η Σεμνότης See Aristot.

* See Jones's Canon. i. 183, y Lardner on Heretics, p. 70. three lived about A. D. 140. of polygamy or of causeless divorce. here denotes the mean between rigour and familiarity. magna moralia, i. § xxix. And I think that the word is used in this sense Phil. iv. 8. The curis is equally remote from pride and flattery ; he maintains not intimacy with all, but with the worthy; and has in his manners a soft and becoming gravity. Arist. Rhet. ii. 19, 1 Sale's Koran, 25, 94. • Jones's Canon. i. 183.

« ForrigeFortsæt »