And he saith to him: Amen, amen I say to you, you shall see the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

“(in Verb. Dom.) Let us recollect the Old Testament account. Jacob saw in a dream a ladder reaching from earth to heaven; the Lord resting upon it, and the angels ascending and descending upon it. Lastly, Jacob himself understanding what the vision meant, set up a stone, and poured oil upon it. (Gen. 28:12.) When he anointed the stone, did he make an idol? No: he only set up a symbol, not an object of worship. Thou seest here the anointing; see the Anointed also. He is the stone which the builders refused. If Jacob, who was named Israel, saw the ladder, and Nathanael was an Israelite indeed, there was a fitness in our Lord telling him Jacob’s dream; as if he said, Whose name thou art called by, his dream hath appeared unto thee: for thou shalt see the heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. If they descend upon Him, and ascend to Him, then He is both up above and here below at the same time; above in Himself, below in His members.”

“Having set down the fruit that came from the preaching of John, and of his disciple, the Evangelist consequently makes clear the fruit that came from the preaching of Christ; and first he treats of the conversion of one disciple to the preaching of Christ; second, of the conversion of others through the preaching of the disciple who had been converted to Christ, there: "Philip found Nathanael," and so on. Concerning the first he does three things. First, the occasion of the disciple to be called is set down; second, the calling of this disciple itself is subjoined; third, the condition of the disciple who was called is described, there: "Now Philip was from Bethsaida." The occasion, indeed, of the calling was the departure of Jesus from Judea. And therefore it is said "on the next day he willed to go forth," namely Jesus from Judea, into Galilee, "and he found Philip." Now a threefold reason is assigned for Jesus' going forth into Galilee: two, indeed, literal, of which one is that, after he had been baptized by John, wishing to defer honor to the Baptist, he went forth into Galilee, withdrawing from Judea, lest by his presence he should obscure and diminish John's teaching office, while it still had standing: teaching us to anticipate one another in honor, as it is said in Romans 12:10. The second reason is that in Galilee there are no distinguished persons, below in John 7:52: "a prophet does not arise from Galilee," etc.; and therefore Jesus willed to go forth thither, and to choose from there the princes of the world, who are greater than the prophets, that through this he might show forth his power. Psalm 106:35: "he set the desert into pools of waters." The third reason is mystical: because Galilee is interpreted "transmigration." He willed therefore to go forth from Judea into Galilee in order to intimate that "on the next day," that is, in the day of grace, namely of the Gospel, he would go forth from Judea into Galilee, that is, to the Gentiles to be saved; below in John 7:35: "will he go into the dispersion of the Gentiles?" The calling, therefore, of the disciple is to following; and therefore he says "he found Philip, and said to him: Follow me." And note that sometimes a man finds God, but as it were unknown; Proverbs 8:35: "he who shall find me, shall find life, and shall draw salvation from the Lord." Sometimes God finds a man, but so as to manifest him and to magnify him; Psalm 88:21: "I have found David my servant." And thus Christ found Philip, in order to call him to faith and grace: and therefore he says at once "Follow me." There is a question why Jesus did not from the beginning call disciples. To which Chrysostom responds that he did not wish from the beginning to call anyone, before someone adhered to him spontaneously through the preaching of John: because men are drawn more by example than by words. Exodus 26: "the curtain draws the curtain." It is also asked why Philip at once, at one word, followed Christ, whereas Andrew followed him after hearing about Christ from John, and Peter from Andrew. To this there is a threefold response. One, that Philip had already been instructed by John; because, according to one exposition set down above, that other one, who together with Andrew followed Christ, was Philip. Another reason is that the voice of Christ had a certain power such that it moved the heart not only exteriorly but also interiorly; Jeremiah 23:29: "my words are as fire." For the voice of Christ was not spoken only to exterior things, but it inflamed the interior parts of the faithful to his love. Third, because perhaps Philip had already been instructed about Christ by Andrew and Peter, because they were from the same town; which the Evangelist seems to hint at through this, that he adds "now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter." In which the condition of the disciple who was called is expressed: that he was from Bethsaida. And thus it accords with the mystery. For Bethsaida is interpreted "house of hunters": so as to show what Philip, Peter, and Andrew then were in spirit, and that from the house of hunters he was fittingly calling hunters to capture souls unto life. Jeremiah 16:16: "I will send my hunters," and so on. Consequently there is set down the fruit of the disciple who was converted to Christ; and first is set down the beginning of the fruit made by the disciple; second, the consummation made through Christ, there: "Jesus saw Nathanael." Concerning the first he does three things. First is set down the announcement of Philip; second, the response of Nathanael, there: "and Nathanael said"; third, the consequent admonition of Philip, there: "Philip said to him." Concerning the first, attend that, just as Andrew, perfectly converted, was eager to bring his brother to Christ, so too Philip his brother Nathanael. And therefore he says "Philip found Nathanael," whom perhaps he was seeking, just as Andrew had sought Peter: which was a sign of perfect conversion. "And he said to him." Nathanael is interpreted "gift of God"; and that anyone be converted to Christ is from the gift of God. Now he announces to him that all the prophecies and the law have their completion, and that the desires of the holy fathers were not frustrated but were verified, and that what had been promised by God to their desires had now been fulfilled. "Him of whom Moses wrote in the law, and the prophets, we have found, Jesus"; through which it is given to be understood that Nathanael was sufficiently skilled in the law, and that Philip too, already instructed about Christ, wished to lead Nathanael to Christ from things known to him, namely from the law and the prophets, and therefore he says "him of whom Moses wrote," and so on. For Moses wrote about Christ; below in John 5:46: "if you believed Moses, you would perhaps believe me also: for he wrote about me." Likewise the prophets wrote about Christ; Acts 10:43: "to him all the prophets give testimony." Attend also that Philip says three things about Christ, consonant with the law and the prophets. First indeed the name; whence he said "we have found Jesus." And this accords with the prophets: Isaiah 19:20: "I will send them a savior," etc.; Habakkuk last chapter, 18: "I will exult in God my Jesus." Second indeed the lineage, whence he traced the human origin when he says "the son of Joseph," namely who was of the house of David and his family. And although Christ did not draw his origin from him, nevertheless he drew it from the Virgin, who was of the same lineage as Joseph. Now he calls him "the son of Joseph," because he was reckoned to be his son, to whom, namely, his mother was betrothed. Whence it is said in Luke 3:23: "as it was supposed, the son of Joseph." Nor is it a wonder if Philip called him the son of Joseph, since even his mother, conscious of the divine incarnation, called him his son; Luke 2:48: "your father and I, sorrowing, sought you." And if indeed anyone is called the son of someone because he is nourished by him, Joseph much more could be called the father of Jesus, although according to the flesh he was not the father: because he had both nourished him, and was the spouse of the Virgin mother. Now it is said here by Philip not as though he were born from the union of Joseph and the Virgin, but because he knew that Christ was to be born of the generation of David, of whose house and family Joseph was, to whom Mary was betrothed. And this too accords with the prophets: Jeremiah 23:5: "I will raise up to David a just branch," and so on. Third, he commemorates his native place, saying "from Nazareth": not because he was born in it, indeed in Bethlehem, but because in it he had been nourished. For because his nativity was unknown to many, but the place where he had been nourished was known to many, therefore Philip was silent about Bethlehem, and put down Nazareth. And this indeed accords with the sayings of the prophets; for, Isaiah 11:1: "there shall come forth a rod from the root of Jesse, and a flower," or a "Nazarene," according to another reading, "shall ascend from his root." Consequently, when he says "and Nathanael said to him," etc., the response of Nathanael is set down: which indeed can be read both assertively and interrogatively; and in either way such a response accords with the words of Philip. For if, according as Augustine wishes, it is read assertively, the sense is: "from Nazareth can there be something good." That is, from a city of such great name, it can be that something of highest grace should arise for us, or some outstanding teacher, who may preach to us the flower of virtues and the cleanness of holiness. For Nazareth is interpreted "flower." From which it is given to be understood that Nathanael, most learned in the law, having scrutinized the Scriptures, foreknew that from Nazareth a savior was to be expected, which the other Scribes and Pharisees did not easily know; and therefore, when Philip said "we have found Jesus from Nazareth," raised up in hope, he responded: "truly from Nazareth there can be," and so on. But if it is read, according to Chrysostom, interrogatively, then the sense is: "from Nazareth can there be something good?" As if to say: all the other things which you say seem to be credible, because both the name and the lineage are consonant with the prophets, but this which you say, "from Nazareth," does not seem possible. For Nathanael had held through the Scriptures that Christ must come from Bethlehem, according to that of Matthew 2:6: "and you, Bethlehem, land of Juda, are by no means least among the princes of Juda: for out of you shall come forth the leader who shall rule my people Israel." And therefore, not finding Philip's statement to agree with the prophetic proclamation, prudently and gently he inquires about the truth of the saying: "from Nazareth can there be something good?" Consequently the admonition of Philip is set down: "Philip said to him: Come and see"; which admonition indeed accords with either response of Nathanael. Assertively indeed, so that it be said: you say that from Nazareth something good can be, but I say that that good which I announce to you is so great and so magnificent that I am not able to express it; and therefore "come, and see." Interrogatively, however, it is read thus. You, wondering, say: "from Nazareth can there be something good?" reckoning this to be impossible according to the Scriptures; but if you are willing to experience what I have experienced, you will understand that the things I say are true; and therefore "come, and see." Philip indeed draws Nathanael to Christ, not broken by his questionings, he who knows that for the rest he will not contradict, if he has tasted the words and doctrine of Christ: and in this Philip followed Christ, who above, to those questioning him about his dwelling place, responded: "come, and see." Psalm 33:6: "come to him, and be enlightened." Consequently, when he says "Jesus saw Nathanael," the consummation of the fruit through Christ is set down. Now it must be known that some are converted to Christ in a twofold way: some through miracles seen and experienced in themselves or in others; some indeed through internal inspirations, and through prophecy and the foreknowledge of hidden future things. But the mode of being converted through prophecies and the foreknowledge of future things is more efficacious than through miracles. For the demons themselves, and some men by their aid, can put forward certain marvels: but to predict future things is the work of divine power alone; Isaiah 41:23: "announce also the things that are to come, and we will say that you are gods"; 1 Corinthians 14:22: "prophecies are given to the faithful." And hence it is that the Lord draws Nathanael to faith not through miracles, but through the foretelling of hidden things; and therefore he says of him "behold a true Israelite, in whom there is no guile." Where he intimates to him three hidden things, namely hidden present things, which are in the heart, past deeds, and future heavenly things: which three things indeed to know is a divine, not a human, work. He intimates to him hidden present things when he says "behold a true Israelite, in whom there is no guile": where indeed first is set down Christ's foretelling; second, Nathanael's inquiry, there: "whence do you know me?" He says therefore, concerning the first, "Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him," as if to say: before he arrived at him, he said of him: "behold a true Israelite," and so on. Now he said this of him before he arrived at him, because if he had said this after he had come to Jesus, Nathanael could have believed that Jesus had heard this from Philip. Now he said "behold a true Israelite, in whom there is no guile": now Israel has two interpretations. For in one way it is interpreted "most upright"; Isaiah 44:2: "fear not, my servant most upright, whom I have chosen," where the Gloss says that Israel is interpreted "most upright." In another way Israel is interpreted "a man seeing God." And according to either, Nathanael is truly an Israelite: for because he is called upright in whom there is no guile, therefore he is called "truly an Israelite, in whom there is no guile"; as if to say: truly you represent your lineage, because you are upright and without guile. But because through cleanness and simplicity a man sees God, therefore he said "a true Israelite"; that is, you are a man truly seeing God, because you are simple and without guile. Now he said "in whom there is no guile," lest it be believed that he had spoken maliciously: "from Nazareth can there be something good?" as if questioning. Augustine, however, expounds otherwise. For it is manifest that all are born under sin. Those therefore are called guileful who, having sin in the heart, exteriorly feign themselves just; but he who is a sinner, and confesses himself a sinner, is not guileful. He said therefore "behold a true Israelite, in whom there is no guile," not that he had no sin, not that a physician was not necessary to him, because no one is so born that he needs no physician; but in him he praised the confession of sin. Consequently, when he says "whence do you know me?" Nathanael's inquiry is set down. For Nathanael, wondering at the power of God in the manifestation of hidden things, because this is of God alone: Jeremiah 17:9: "the heart of man is depraved and inscrutable, and who shall know it? I the Lord who search the heart and prove the reins"; and 1 Kings 16:7: "men see the things that appear, but God beholds the heart," therefore he asks "whence do you know me?" In which the humility of Nathanael is commended: because although he was praised, he was not lifted up; but he held his own praise as suspect: against which is said Isaiah 3:12: "my people, those who call you blessed, they themselves deceive you." He intimates the past things that were absent when he says "before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you," where first is set down the declaration of Christ; second, the confession of Nathanael, there: "Nathanael answered and said: Rabbi, you are the Son of God." Concerning the first it must be known that Nathanael could have a twofold suspicion about Christ: one, that Christ had said the aforesaid things wishing to flatter him and to draw him to his friendship; another, that the things which he said above he had known from another. Therefore, in order to remove the suspicion, and to raise him to higher things, he manifests those hidden things which no one could have known except divinely, namely those which had happened just then concerning Nathanael himself: and this is what he says "before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." For, according to the letter, Nathanael had been under the fig tree when he was called by Philip: which Christ had discerned by the power of divinity, because, as is said in Ecclesiasticus 23:28, "the eyes of the Lord are far brighter than the sun." Mystically, however, by the fig tree sin is designated: both because we find the fig tree cursed, having leaves only, and not fruit, Matthew 21:19, which was done as a figure of sin; and because Adam and Eve, when they had sinned, made themselves aprons from fig leaves. He says therefore "when you were under the fig tree," that is, under the shadow of sin, before you were called to grace, "I saw you," namely with the eye of mercy: for the very predestination of God, with the eye of piety, looks upon the predestined living under sins; Ephesians 1:4: "he chose us before the foundation of the world," and so on. And it is of this eye that he speaks here. "I saw you," namely by predestinating from eternity. Or, according to Gregory, "when you were under the fig tree," that is, under the shadow of the law, "I saw you." Hebrews 10:1: "the law, having a shadow of the good things to come," and so on. Now Nathanael, immediately turned to this, and knowing the power of divinity in Christ, breaks forth into a voice of confession and praise, saying "Rabbi, you are the Son of God." Where he considers three things about Christ, namely the fullness of knowledge, when he says "Rabbi," which is interpreted "master"; as if he said, you are perfect in knowledge. He already presaged what is said in Matthew 23:10: "your master is one, Christ." Second, the excellence of singular grace, when he says "you are the Son of God." For that a man be a son of God through adoption, is only of grace; and also to be a son of God through union, which is proper to the man Christ, is through grace: because not from any preceding merits, but through the grace of union, that man is the Son of God. Third indeed, the immensity of power, when he says "you are the king of Israel," that is, awaited by Israel as king and defender; Daniel 7:14: "his power, an eternal power," and so on. But concerning this a question arises, according to Chrysostom. Since Peter, who after many miracles, after great doctrine, confessed what Nathanael here confesses about Christ, "you are the Son of God," merited to be beatified, the Lord saying: "blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona," etc., why was Nathanael too, who had said the like before seeing miracles and receiving doctrine, not beatified? And to this Chrysostom responds that the cause of this is that, although Nathanael and Peter uttered the same words, nevertheless the intention of each was not the same. Peter indeed confessed that Christ is the true Son of God by nature, namely such that he was man in such a way that nevertheless he was true God; but this one confessed him to be the Son of God through adoption, according to that of Psalm 81:6: "I have said: you are gods, and all of you sons of the Most High." And this is clear through the following words. For if he had understood him to be the Son of God by nature, he would not have said "you are the king of Israel" only, but of the whole world. This too is clear, because to the faith of Peter Christ added nothing, as being perfect, but he said he would build his Church upon that confession. But Nathanael, as being deficient in the greater part of his confession, he elevates to greater things, namely to the knowledge of his divinity. Whence he said "you shall see greater things than these." Where the third thing is noted, namely the intimation of future things, as if to say: because I have told you past things, you believe me to be the Son of God through adoption and king of Israel only, but I will lead you to a greater knowledge, namely that you may believe me to be the natural Son of God and king of all ages. And therefore there follows "amen, amen I say to you, you shall see heaven opened, and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man," where, according to Chrysostom, the Lord wishes to prove that he is the true Son of God, and God. For it is proper to the Angels to minister and to be subject, Psalm 102: "bless the Lord, all his Angels, his ministers, who do his will." When therefore you shall see that the Angels will administer to me, it will be certain to you that I am the true Son of God. Hebrews 1:6: "when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says: and let all the Angels of God adore him." But when did the apostles see this? They saw it, I say, in the passion, when an Angel was present to him, comforting him, Luke 22:43. Likewise in the resurrection, when the apostles found two Angels standing above the sepulcher. Similarly in the ascension, when they said to the apostles, Acts 1:11: "men of Galilee, why do you wonder, looking up into heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, shall come in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven." And because he had already told him true things about past matters, it was the more credible to him what he foretells about the future, when he says "you shall see." For it is an evident argument that he tells true things about future matters who had manifested the truth about hidden past things. Now he says "upon the Son of man the Angels ascending and descending," because according to mortal flesh he was made a little lower than the Angels: and insofar as this, the Angels ascend and descend upon him; but according as he is the Son of God, he himself is above the Angels, as has been said. According to Augustine, however, in the aforesaid words he beautifully manifests his divinity. For it is read in Genesis 28:12 that Jacob saw a ladder, and Angels ascending and descending. And Jacob, understanding what he saw, rising up anointed the stone with oil, and then said: "truly the Lord is in this place." This stone is Christ, whom the builders rejected; and he is anointed with the invisible oil of the Holy Spirit; but he is set up as a memorial pillar, because he was to be the foundation of the Church, as is said in 1 Corinthians 3:11: "no one can lay another foundation besides that which has been laid." Now the Angels ascend and descend, inasmuch as they are present to him by serving and ministering. He said therefore: "amen, amen I say to you, you shall see heaven opened," etc., as if to say: because you are a true Israelite, attend to that which Israel saw, so that you may believe me to be that one who is signified by the stone anointed by Jacob: for you too shall see upon him the Angels ascending and descending. Or the Angels are the preachers, according to Augustine, preaching Christ; Isaiah 18:2: "go, swift Angels, to a nation rent and torn to pieces"; who indeed ascend through contemplation, just as Paul had ascended even to the third heaven, as is said in 2 Corinthians 12:2, and descend through the instruction of their neighbors "upon the Son of man," that is, to the honor of Christ: because, as is said in 2 Corinthians 4:5: "for we preach not ourselves, but Jesus Christ our Lord." But that they may ascend and descend, heaven is opened, because it is necessary that heavenly grace be given to the preachers, that they may ascend and descend. Psalm 67:9: "the heavens dropped down," etc.; Revelation 4:1: "afterward I saw heaven opened," and so on. Now the reason why Nathanael is not chosen as an apostle after so great a confession of faith is this, that Christ did not wish that the conversion of the world to faith be ascribed to human wisdom, but only to the power of God. And therefore he did not wish to choose Nathanael, most skilled in the law, as an apostle; but he chose the simple and the unlearned; as is said in 1 Corinthians 1:26: "not many wise ones... but the foolish things of the world God has chosen."”

“Ye shall see heaven opened: not that the heaven was to be in reality cleft, but because it was to afford a passage to the angels going in and out, like as it were a door that is opened. Thus heaven shall appear to be opened. This is the figure of speech called catachresis . In like manner, the heaven seemed to be opened at Christ’s baptism. So too S. Stephen, when he was stoned, saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God. By this vision it is signified that heaven, which had been shut for four thousand years because of the sins of men, was now to be opened by Christ The angels of God, &c., to obey Him as their King. This is the force of the Greek M, which answers to the Hebrew al. Wherefore Vatablus translates under the Son of Man , as though Christ said, “under My power and sway, as I will and command.” So Frank Lucas. Observe (1.) that Christ, in calling Nathanael an Israelite in whom was no guile, evidently alludes to the vision of angels ascending and descending in the ladder from earth to heaven, which the Patriarch Jacob saw at Bethel (Gen. xxviil 12). So S. Augustine. For Israel, Digitized by V^rOOQie 74 or Jacob, was a type of Christ. For Christ is the true Israel, i.e. t having power with God Christ is the Patriarch of Christians, the founder of Bethel , the House of God f i.e., the Church both militant and triumphant. 2. Christ, by what He says about this vision of the angels ascending to Himself, signifies that He is the Prince not only of men, but of angels, and therefore true God, the Son of God. For the angels ascend and descend to Him as His ministers, that they may obey and fulfil all His commands both in heaven and earth. So S. Cyril and Chrysostom. You will ask, When did this descent and ascent of the angels to Christ take place? i. S. Chrysostom thinks it took place when Christ suffered His agony and bloody sweat in the garden, when an angel appeared, strengthening Him (S. Luke, xxii. 44). Also when the angels appeared to the woman to announce His resurrection (S. Matt xxviii.) 2. S. Cyril thinks it took place at His baptism ; for then it was that by the ministry of angels a dove was formed, and flew down upon Christ, which was the sign of the Holy Ghost But this had already taken place when Christ spoke to Nathanael. 3. Euthymius thinks it took place at the ascension ; for then all the angels accompanied Him as He went up, like servants their prince, and soldiers their king. 4. Toletus thinks that it is continually taking place in the Church, which Christ rules by means of the angels. 5. Maldonatus thinks it will take place in the Day of Judgment ; for then all the angels, both good and bad, will stand in His presence — the good, that they may after the Judgment lead the righteous to heaven ; the bad, that they may carry the wicked to hell 6. Frank Lucas understands the words to refer to the miracles of Christ, and the heavenly gifts, in which the angels were employed by Christ in this life, and afterwards. Jesus means, he says, that at the bidding of the Son of Man from henceforth heaven should seem to be open, with the angels going and coming, because in a short time the angels, being commanded by the Son of Man, would bring Digitized by V^rOOQie VISION OF ANGELS. 7 5 great abundance of God’s great gifts to the earth, which all would behold,— even the healing of the sick, the cleansing of the lepers, giving sight to the blind, the justification of the wicked, the effusion of the Holy Ghost And since all of these are manifest gifts of God, heaven could not seem other than to be opened, and the holy angels, by whom heavenly things are ministered, to serve, at the bidding of the Son of Man, by those who beheld Him bestowing them upon many. Christ therefore is here speaking of all kinds of miracles and heavenly gifts, which, immediately after the calling of Nathanael, He was about to manifest in the whole period of His mortal life, and after His ascension, in the government of the Church until the end of the world. All these meanings are true and apposite. But because Christ specially promises this vision of angels to Philip and Nathanael to strengthen and augment their faith in Him, this ascent and descent of the angels upon Him was not fulfilled either at His baptism, passion, resurrection, or ascension. Therefore we say that the words more plainly, simply, and expressly imply that this was an open, or manifest, and peculiar vision of angels coming to the living Christ, such as was given to Jacob, who was a type of Christ Wherefore that vision of Jacob presignified a similar vision of angels to Christ, a vision like that which took place at His birth, when the angels who descended to Him sang, Glory to God in the highest. But where and when this angelic vision took place the Evangelists do not tell us, just as they omit many other acts in the life of Christ. So Jansen. This vision took place (i.) to show that Christ had reconciled men and angels, earth and heaven, and had restored the mutual communion and friendship which existed in Paradise. 2 . To show that Christians are strangers and foreigners on earth, and ought to converse with angels, and imitate the angelic life, as “ fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.” 3. To assign angels to us as our guardians, to defend us against all the attacks of men and evil spirits, to urge us to the practice of heroic virtues, and when we die to carry us to heaven. For the Digitized by V^rOOQie 7 6 S. JOHN, C. 1. angels ascend to bear our sighs and prayers to Goa : they descend to bring God's gracious gifts to us. 4. To declare the majesty of Christ and the obedience and reverence of the angels to Him. For He, as S. Chrysostom says, has been set “ far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come ” (Eph. Lai). Digitized by V^rOOQie ( 77 ) CHAPTER 11. I Christ tumeth water into wine: 12 departeth into Capernaum, and to Jerusalem, 14 where He purgeth the Temple of buyers and sellers. 19 He fore - telleth His death and resurrection. 23 Many believed because of His miracles, but He would not trust Himself with them. A ND the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee ; and the mother of Jesus was there : 2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. 3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. 4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee ? mine hour is not yet come. 5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. 6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. 7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. 9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was : (but the servants which drew the water knew ;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, 10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine ; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse : but thou hast kept the good wine until now. 11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory ; and his disciples believed on him. 12 If After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples : and they continued there not many days. 13 t And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, 14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting : 15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out ot the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen ; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables ; 16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence ; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. Digitized by V^rOOQie 78 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The seal of thine house hath eaten me up. 18 ^ Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? 19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days ? 21 But he spake of the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them ; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said. 23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast-tfoy, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. 24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men ; 25 And needed not that any should testify of man : for he knew what was in man. On the third day , &c. The third day , that is, from Christ's departure for Galilee, and the calling of Philip. For this was the last date mentioned by S. John. The following is the sequence of these days in the life of Christ He was baptized by John in the thirty-first year of his age, on the 6th of January, as the tradition of the Church declares. On the same day, after dinner, He retired into the desert, where He fasted forty days. This fast thus began on the 7 th of January, and ended on the 15th of February. Then he returned to Nazareth, where He abode fifteen days. Directly afterwards, that is to say, on the fiftysixth day after His baptism, as S. Epiphanius says (flares. 51), or the 1st of March, the Jews sent messengers to John the Baptist, to ask him whether he were the Christ or not? The day following, on March 2, Jesus came to John, when he pointed Him out with his finger, saying, Behold the Lamb. On the 3d of March, John repeated this testimony before two of his disciples, of whom Andrew was one. On the morrow, or March 4, Jesus went into Galilee, where He called Philip. Since this was the second day from the coming of Andrew with his brother Peter to Christ, it must have been on the third day, or March 5, when the wedding-feast took place. Wherefore S. Epiphanius, in the place already cited, says that it took place on the sixtieth day from Christ's baptism. However, the same Epiphanius, Digitized by V^rOOQie THE FOUNT OF GERAS A. 79 contrary to the rest of the Fathers, and the general consent of the Church, says that Christ was baptized on the 8th of November. This would bring the marriage at Cana to the 6th of January, or the same festival of the Epiphany, on which thirty years previously the Magi had been led by a star to worship Christ at Bethlehem. He adds that in memory of so great a miracle as this conversion of water into wine, even in his own time, on the nth of the month Tybus, which answers to our 6th of January, certain fountains ran with wine. He testifies this of the fountain of Gerasa in Arabia. He says that he himself had drank of the fountain of Cibyris in Caria thus turned into wine on the day and hour when the miracle was wrought. He says that many in Egypt bear the same testimony with regard to the Nile. What Epiphanius says has led some to think that it was in the thirty-second or following year of Christ's ministry, and on the 6th of January, that the marriage- feast and the miracle took place. But the chronological table given above shows this to be a mistake. You will say then, Why did God renew the miracle of the conversion of water into wine yearly on the 6th of January? I reply, because the Church commemorates the miracle on that day, though it did not actually take place upon it For the Church wished to celebrate on the same feast of the Epiphany, or manifestation of Christ, the three miracles by which Christ first made Himself manifest to the world : the first, the leading of the Magi by a star ; the second, His baptism, when the Father’s voice was heard like thunder, This is My Beloved Son; the third, the turning water into wine. Two of these miracles happened on the same day of the month, or the 6th of January ; the third, two months afterwards, or the 6th of March. When therefore the Church sings, on the Feast of the Epiphany, “ To-day water was made wine,” it is as though she said, “ To-day is this event recalled to the memory of the faithful” So S. Austin and Baronius. As a parallel to this miracle, in many places of the West at the season of the Passover, when solemn baptism was wont to be conferred in the Church, copious streams of water have been known to Digitized by V^rOOQie 8o flow out of a dry and arid font or fountain ( fonte ) to be used at the baptism. This was done, not because it was the day when Christ was baptized, but because of the solemn baptism then conferred by the Church. Marriage , Syriac, Feast, sc. of a marriage . You will ask, Whose marriage was this ; and who was the bridegroom ? Bede, Ruperti, Lyra, S. Thomas, and others, think that the bridegroom was S. John the Evangelist They are influenced by the authority ofS. Augustine, who says on this passage, “ The Lord called John from the wave-tossing tempest of marriage.” But I say that this bridegroom was not S. John. For S. John was always a virgin, and never married to a wife. For this reason he was most dear to Christ, and was “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” a Virgin loving a virgin. He would never have broken his purpose of virginity by marriage ; yea, he would never have thought of breaking it : but he remained constant to his purpose all through his life. This is the teaching of SS. Ignatius, Jerome, Augustine, and others. Wherefore, what S. Augustine has said, as quoted above, is to be understood not of marriage entered into, but of marriage about to be entered into, or rather that he might have entered into, and which, according to the custom of his nation, he ought to have entered into. Christ called the youthful John to Himself, that he might not think of marriage. With more probability, Baronius, following Nicephorus (Hist L 8. c. 30), thinks that the bridegroom at this marriage was the Apostle Simon, who was surnamed the Cananite from Cana. And Baronius adds from the same Nicephorus that the place where the marriage was celebrated was adorned by a famous church built there by S. Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great. As soon as Simon had seen this miracle of Christ at his wedding, he bade farewell to his bride and. the world* and- followed Him, and was chosen to be one of His twelve Apostles. This was the reason why Christ came to this wedding ; and. by coming, indeed, honoured marriage ; but by calling him to Himself, He showed that celibacy and the apostolate were better than marriage. Digitized by V^rOOQie THE SPIRITUAL BRIDE. Si Tropologically, a holy soul by faith, hope, chastity, and charity is like a bride married to Christ. She becomes the bride of Christ, who, leaving all the allurements of the world, transfers her whole love to Christ, and for Him covers and veils her head, that is, her mind, and all her senses, so as to converse with Him continually above the clouds in heaven, and dedicates and consecrates her whole self to Him. With this idea the etymology of nuptials , as given by Festus, most admirably agrees. Some he says derive nuptia from the Greek, for the Greeks call a bride S. Isidore, however, derives nuptia from obnubere, to cover , because women when married were accustomed to cover their head with a veil An unmarried woman, on the contrary, was called innuba , or one whose head was not covered. Such a bride of Christ was S. Dympna, virgin and martyr, who, on account of her beauty, being asked in marriage of her father, an Irish king, fled into Brabant, and was beheaded by her own father at a town called Geel, not far from Antwerp. Thus she died a noble martyr for chastity. Therefore those who are possessed, and visit her sacred relics, are delivered from the deviL I myself once visited her shrine, and did her reverence. Cana of Galilee. This is added to distinguish it from another Cana, or Chana, which was situated in the tribe of Aser, near Sidon. Hence it was called Cana of the Sidonians, though it also was in Galilee. And the woman of Canaan, from whose daughter Christ drove out the demon, was an inhabitant of it But this Cana where the marriage took place was in the tribe of Zabulon, above the valley of Cas-melon, and about three leagues from Nazareth. (So Jerome in Locis Hebr.) And the Mother^ &c. “ She was invited as a friend by those who were celebrating the marriage,” says Euthymius. For Simon the Cananite, who was the bridegroom, was the son of Cleophas, the brother of Joseph the husband of the Blessed Virgin. There is no mention of Joseph in this place, nor subsequently ; for he was now dead, as S. Epiphanius {Hares. 78), Baronius, and others gather from the silence of this passage. VOL. iv. jf Digitized by V^rOOQie &2 §. JOHN, C. It. Jesus also was called as the cousin of the bridegroom. “ Jesus being called,” says S. Chrysostom, “was present at the marriage, not having regard to His dignity, but to our profit.” He was present (i.) to pay respect to His kinsfolk, and to honour their nuptials by His presence. 2. To give an example of humility, in being present at the marriage of poor people. As S. Chrysostom says, “ He who did not disdain to take the form of a servant, was not ashamed to be present at the wedding of servants.” Or, as S. Augustine says (de Verb. Dom. y Sertn. 41), “ Let man blush to be proud, since God became humble. Behold, He came to the marriage, who, when He was with the Father, instituted marriage.” 3. That by the miracle He might make Himself known to His disciples, and show them that He was the Messiah. 4. That He might give His sanction to marriage, and sanctify it by His presence, and so condemn the Encratites, and the followers of Tatian, who were to arise in after times, and revile marriage as a filthy invention of the devil So SS. Austin, Cyril, and Bede. Hear what this last says {Horn, in Domin. 2, post Epiph.) : " If there were any fault to be found with wedlock, duly and chastely celebrated, the Lord would not have been present at a marriage. Good is holy wedlock, better is the continence of widowhood, best of all is perfect virginity. Thus Christ was born of a virgin ; He was blessed by the prophetic lips of the widow Anna ; He came an invited guest to a wedding.” And His disciples. You will ask, Who were these disciples ? For Jesus did not gather together His apostles until after the imprisonment of S. John the Baptist : and this had not then taken place. I reply, it is probable they were Nathanael and Philip, and perhaps Andrew and Peter. For they had visited Jesus three days before, and for a time adhered to Him as their Master; though afterwards they went back to their fishing until they were called to the apostolate. And when wine failed , Greek, Oentfearroe, was deficient , because the bridegroom, being poor, had only provided a little, the Mother of Jesus , &c. As though she said, " Our relations, the bride and bridegroom, have no wine. Consider their modesty, O my Son, that Digitized by V^rOOQie REQUEST OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 83 they be not put to shame before their guests. I know Thou art able to do this, for Thou art the Son of God, and it is becoming both to Thy kindness and Thy providence, so that by now performing a miracle Thou mayest make manifest both to Thy disciples and all the guests that Thou art the Messiah.” So S. Cyril. Observe the modesty of the Virgin. She does not bid, or even ask. She does not say, My Son, provide wine for them. She did not doubt that Jesus in His providence and love would provide it Hear what S. Bernard says (Serm. 2, de B. Virg .) : “ Those words of hers are a most sure index of innate meekness, and virgin modesty. Accounting the reproach of others her own, she could not bear it; she could not profess ignorance of the wine having failed. When indeed she was reproved by her Son, forasmuch as she was meek and lowly in heart, she neither answered again, nor yet despaired. She only bade the servants do what He told them.” Moreover, the Mother having a certain confidence that she would obtain, here tacitly asks her Son to procure wine. During the thirty years that they had lived together in close companionship she had learnt from Him that He had been sent by the Father, that, by His heavenly doctrine and miracles, He might convert men to Himself and God. It is impossible to doubt that when Christ bade good-bye to His Mother, when He was going to John’s baptism, and after that to enter upon His office of preaching, He had expressly told His Mother the same. Wherefore, she deeming that the present was a fitting occasion for Jesus, by a miracle, to gain authority and belief in Himself, fearlessly asked for a miracle, not doubting that Christ would perform it, and by so doing would gratify His Mother and His relations, and would advance His own office and dignity”

“And he saith unto him, verily, verily, I say unto you,.... Not only to Nathanael, but to the rest of the disciples that were then with him; and to show himself to be the "Amen", and faithful witness, as well as more strongly to asseverate what he was about to say, he doubles the expression: hereafter you shall see heaven open; either in a literal sense, as it had been at his baptism; or, in a mystical sense, that there should be a clearer manifestation of heavenly truths made by his ministry; and that the way into the holiest of all should be made more manifest; and a more familiar intercourse he opened between God and his people; and also between angels and saints: and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the son of man; or to the son of man, as the Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions render it; meaning himself in human nature; the second Adam, and seed of the woman; and is expressive both of the truth, and infirmity of that nature. Reference may here be had to the ladder Jacob dreamed of, in Gen 28:12, which was a representation of Christ, in his person, as God-man; who, as God, was in heaven, whilst he, as man, was on earth; and in his office, as Mediator between God and man, making peace between them both; and in the ministration of angels to him in person, and to his body the church. And it is observable, that some of the Jewish writers (y) understand the ascent, and descent of the angels, in Gen 28:12, to be, not upon the ladder, but upon Jacob; which makes the phrase there still more agreeable to this; and so they render in Gen 28:13, not "above it", but "above him". Or the, sense is, that there would be immediately made such clearer discoveries of his person, and grace by his ministry, and such miracles would be wrought by him in confirmation of it, that it would look as if heaven was open, and the angels of God were continually going to and fro, and bringing fresh messages, and performing miraculous operations; as if the whole host of them were constantly employed in such services: and this the rather seems to be the sense, since the next account we have, is, of the beginning of Christ's miracles to manifest forth his glory in Cana of Galilee, where Nathanael lived; and since the word, rendered "hereafter", signifies, "from henceforward"; or, as the Persic version renders it, "from this hour"; though the word is left out in the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions, (y) Bereshit Rabba, sect. 68. fol. 61. 2. & sect. 69. fol. 61. 3, 4. Next: John Chapter 2”

“Verily, verily - Amen, amen. The doubling of this word probably came from this circumstance: that it was written both in Hebrew אמן and in Greek αμην, signifying, it is true. Heaven open - This seems to be a figurative expression: 1. Christ may be understood by this saying to mean, that a clear and abundant revelation of God's will should be now made unto men; that heaven itself should be laid as it were open, and all the mysteries which had been shut up and hidden in it from eternity, relative to the salvation and glorification of man; should be now fully revealed. 2. That by the angels of God ascending and descending, is to be understood, that a perpetual intercourse should now be opened between heaven and earth, through the medium of Christ, who was God manifested in the flesh. Our blessed Lord is represented in his mediatorial capacity as the ambassador of God to men; and the angels ascending and descending upon the Son of man, is a metaphor taken from the custom of despatching couriers or messengers from the prince to his ambassador in a foreign court, and from the ambassador back to the prince. This metaphor will receive considerable light when compared with Co2 5:19, Co2 5:20 : God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself: - We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead to be reconciled to God. The whole concerns of human salvation shall be carried on, from henceforth, through the Son of man; and an incessant intercourse be established between heaven and earth. Some have illustrated this passage by the account of Jacob's vision, Gen 28:12. But though that vision may intimate that God had established at that time a communication between heaven and earth, through the medium of angels, yet it does not appear that our Lord's saying here has any reference to it; but that it should be understood as stated above. What a glorious view does this give us of the Gospel dispensation! It is heaven opened to earth; and heaven opened on earth. The Church militant and the Church triumphant become one, and the whole heavenly family, in both, see and adore their common Lord. Neither the world nor the Church is left to the caprices of time or chance. The Son of man governs as he upholds all. Wherever we are praying, studying, hearing, meditating, his gracious eye is upon us. He notes our wants, our weakness, and our petitions; and his eye affects his heart. Let us be without guile, deeply, habitually sincere, serious, and upright; and then we may rest assured, that not only the eye, but the hand, of our Lord shall be ever upon us for good. Happy the man whose heart can rejoice in the reflection, Thou God seest me!”

“Hereafter, &c.--The key to this great saying is Jacob's vision (Gen 28:12-22), to which the allusion plainly is. To show the patriarch that though alone and friendless on earth his interests were busying all heaven, he was made to see "heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon a" mystic "ladder reaching from heaven to earth." "By and by," says Jesus here, "ye shall see this communication between heaven and earth thrown wide open, and the Son of man the real Ladder of this intercourse." Next: John Chapter 2”