1. AND the next day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus and Mary Magdalene were there, and his disciples came to the marriage. 2. And when they wanted wine the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what is that to thee and to me? mine hour is not yet come. His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
3. And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. And Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he said unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.
4. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine to them, and knew not whence it was; the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, 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.
5. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and many disciples believed on him.
6. After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, with Mary Magdalene, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there for many.
7. And there arose a question between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purifying. And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou bearest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all do come to him.
8. John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. 9. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice; this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase; but I must decrease. He that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.
10. AND certain of the Pharisees came and questioned Jesus, and said unto him, how sayest thou that God will condemn the world? And Jesus answered, saying, God so loveth the world, that the only begotten Son is given, and cometh into the world, that whosoever believeth in him may not perish, but have everlasting life. God sendeth not the Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him may be saved.
11. They who believe on him are not condemned: but they that believe not are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only begotten of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil.
12. For all they that do evil hate the light, neither come they to the light, lest their deeds may be condemned. But they that do righteousness come to the light, that their deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
15. Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. And as, he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.
16. Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him,
Yesterday of the seventh hour the fever left him. So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth. And himself believed, and his whole house.
LECTION 12. 3-4. -Jesus being a Yessene (Essene) could not drink intoxicating wine, and it is to be remarked here, that he did not provide it. He poured water into jars, and they tasted it as wine unfermented, or, if fermented, with four times or least twice its volume of water, which makes what is termed all through the Gospel the “fruit of
the vine.” It is impossible that Jesus could sanction drunkenness, though his enemies slandered him as a “wine- bibber.”
v. 16. -Two modes of reckoning time were in use. The Roman, from 12 midnight to 12 midnight. The Jewish from 6 a.m. (mean time is here spoken of) in the even to 6 p.m. of next even. The Jewish hours, adopted from the Temple in the Christian Church in her devotions, were as follows:
6 p.m. 1st watch, Vespers. Ferial.
9 p.m. 2nd watch. Nightfall. (“Compline” Lat. use.) 12 midnight 3rd watch. Nocturms.
3 a.m. 4th watch. Daybreak. (Lauds.) 5-6 p.m. Seventh or last hour of the night. 6 a.m. Matins (or “Prime” Lat. use). First hour. 9 a.m. Terce. Third hour.
12 midday. Sext. Sixth hour. 3 p.m. Nones. Ninth hour.
5-6 p.m. Eleventh or last hour of the day. Vespers. Festal. Really “Compline” in its true sense.
The “seventh hour,” in this place is therefore 1 p.m. of our reckoning; whether by Jewish or Roman time–13th hour in some countries.
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