feasts nor social companionship nor cheerfulness, but only sinful pleasures.

Ver. 3. The mother of Jesus saith. Being in her sister's house, she would feel at liberty to remark concerning the feast, and even to give orders to the servants. Probably she expected a miracle, and was anxious to hasten the performance of it. But Jesus chose His own times.

Ver. 4. Woman. This was not a disrespectful mode of addressing His mother (chap. xix. 26): it was a customary one in the East. Mine hour is not yet come. That is to say, His time for publicly working His miracles had not yet come. It had come, however, when He began to perform them at Jerusalem (ver. 23).

Ver. 6. After the manner of the purifying of the Jews. Both before and during meals the Jews were accustomed to wash (Matt. xv. 2; Mark vii. 3, 4). Containing two or three firkins a-piece. Most commentators understand this to mean that each vessel contained a bath, that is eight gallons English.

Ver. 8. Bear unto the governor of the feast. The governor of the feast, says Plutarch, was one chosen among the guests the most pleasant and diverting in the company. He was to rule over the feast, to forbid disorder, but to encourage mirth. He first proclaimed liberty to every one to drink what he thought proper, but, observing who among the guests was most ready to be disorderly, mixed more water with his wine to keep him equally sober with the rest of the company (Ecclus. xxxii. 1). It was the governor's duty to bless and drink of the cup, and then to send it round to the guests.

On this point it is

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Ver. 9. Knew not whence it was. observed by Paxton that the governor was certainly sober; for those who on such occasions are entrusted with his office observe the strictest sobriety." His ignorance therefore was not caused by revelry.

Ver. 10. Kept the good wine until now. Marriage-feasts generally lasted seven days (Judg. xiv. 12). To this custom Laban most likely alludes when he says, "Fulfil her week" (Gen. xxix. 27). It was usual to bring the best

or sweet wine forward at the beginning, not at the end of the seven days.

Ver. 11. His disciples believed on Him. His mother had previously believed (Luke i. 45). This miracle was the beginning of His signs, but it was in a manner privately wrought. The governor of the feast knew nothing of it. It was manifested to His mother and disciples.

Questions.-Ver. 1. You say there was a marriage on the third day; the third day from what event? Where did the marriage take place? Describe Cana. Who is mentioned first as being at the marriage?

Ver. 2. Why was it natural that Jesus should be invited? What fact do you learn from His being present at the feast? L" Notes."]

Ver. 3. What fact did our Lord's mother point out to her Son? Why do you suppose she would feel at liberty to remark concerning the feast? What was she most likely anxious to hasten?

Ver. 4. What did Jesus say to her? Prove that His answer was not disrespectful. What did He mean by saying that His hour was not yet come? When did it come?

Ver. 5. What orders did Mary give the servants? What is it likely Mary expected?

Ver. 6. What is meant by the words "after the manner of the purifying of the Jews"? How much is each vessel supposed to have contained? How many gallons were in a bath?

Ver. 8. Describe the office of the governor of the feast. Quote a passage from the Apocrypha in which the governor's office is described. Why was the cup first carried to him?

Ver. 9. Show that the governor's taste could not have been deceived owing to his having drunk wine to excess.

Ver. 10. When was it usual to bring forth the best or sweetest wine? How long did marriage feasts generally last? Was the wine good which Jesus made?

Ver. 11. What effect had the miracle upon Christ's disciples?

Application. What one great lesson do you draw from this day's Gospel? You cannot tell. Who created the world? Who therefore created water? Is man able to impart to water any property or quality which it has not in its natural state? [Yes.]

Did Jesus, when at Cana, impart to the water in the vessels any property or quality which it had not before? [Yes.] Then do you mean to say that Jesus did no more than a mere man is able to do? What is the difference between what Christ actually did, and what man can do? [Christ changed the water simply by the exercise of His will: this a mere man could not have done.] Was it by the exercise of God's will that the world was created? [Yes: "Let there be light," He said; and this form of speech He used throughout the work of creation.] Then whom did Jesus resemble? [God.] Why? [Because He is God.] What lesson therefore do you draw from the Gospel? [That Christ is a divine being.]

THIRD SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY.

St. Matt. viii. 1-13.

1 When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.

2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, show thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,

6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.

7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.

8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but

speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

Notes.-Ver. 1. Down from the mountain.

The mount

since called "Beatitudes" or Blessings, on which Christ

E

delivered to His apostles and the multitude * what is called the "Sermon on the Mount" (see preceding chap.).

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Ver. 2. A leper. One having the leprosy. The word "leprosy" is derived from the Greek word meaning a scale. The disease does not affect the general health, nor is it painful. It causes a slight itching when the skin is heated. The Greeks and the Hebrews distinguish three species of leprosy. The first did not render a person unclean. The other two, which they sometimes called a stroke" (or chastisement), did render a person unclean. The leprosy of the middle ages, to which the remarks in most modern books have reference, is probably the dreadful disease elephantiasis, so called by the Greeks because the skin was supposed to resemble that of an elephant. Among other effects of it the smaller members fall off at the joints. About the time of the Crusades it spread over the whole of Europe, but it is now confined to intertropical countries.

Ver. 2. If thou wilt. The rumour of Christ's power to cure diseases (especially of the leprosy, which was incurable by human means) had probably reached this leper.

Ver. 3. I will. The putting forth His hand was merely an outward sign. It was the simple exercise of Christ's will that cured the man. Touched him. A prophet could set at nought the Jewish law which reckoned a person unclean who had touched a leper, or dead body, as did Elijah and Elisha (1 Kings xvii. 19; 2 Kings iv. 34).

Ver. 4. Tell no man. He feared (say several commentators) that the Jews in their rage would take His life and thus shorten His ministry. This would be to say that the duration of His ministry, which He had pre-determined, was in the power of men, and not subject to Himself, against whom the rage of man cannot avail until He wills that it should do so. The truth is, He made Himself

* It seems to be tolerably certain (though some doubt it) that the sermon alluded to above was delivered to the multitudes as well as to the Apostles (see Matt. vii. 28). Our Lord seems to address both parties in turns. Certain expressions are used which are applicable to all Christians.

known only to the faithful few, and was not willing that His power should be manifested until each occasion required it. Shew thyself to the priest (Lev. xiv. 2). For a testimony unto them. Who are meant by "them"? Several explanations have been given. Perhaps the sense is, that the gift was to be offered which Moses had commanded as a testimony to the priests.

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Ver. 5. Capernaum. Dr. Robinson has established the fact conclusively that a low mound of ruins of considerable circumference, near the fountain 'Ain et-Tin, marks the site of Capernaum. "The ruins are shapeless heaps of stones and rubbish," says Porter, scarcely distinguishable amid thickets of thorn-bushes and gigantic thistles." He further says, "traces of the débris of buildings-dim and indistinct, it is true-can be seen over a space several acres in extent; part of it is now cultivated, but the greater part is overrun by the rank luxuriance of nature." Yet Capernaum was called Christ's "own city" (St. Matt. ix. 1), because he was so often there. There is a khan, or caravanserai, near it called Khan Minyeh. The ruins and khan stand in a plain on the north-western side of Lake Gennesareth. Truly has Christ's prediction been fulfilled (Matt. xi. 23). A centu rion. A Roman officer having the command of a hundred men; such was Cornelius, the first Gentile convert to Christianity (Acts x. 1-22).

Ver. 6. Sick of the palsy. It is unnecessary to inquire into the nature of the servant's disease; we know that he had lost the use of his limbs.

Ver. 7. I will come and heal him. Notice the authority with which Christ says this. He does not say, "I hope to heal him," or, "I will endeavour to heal him."

Ver. 9. And I say to this man, Go, and he goeth, &c. The meaning of the entire passage is this: "As I, a centurion, am obeyed by my soldiers, how much more wilt Thou, the prophet of God, be obeyed by the powers of heaven?" There is nothing in the verse to show that the centurion considered Christ as the Son of God, or anything more than a Prophet who had the power of doing miracles.

Ver. 10. No, not in Israel. If faith could flourish