Lectionary Calendar
Friday, July 18th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Bible Commentaries
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Commentary Critical
Copyright Statement
These files are a derivative of an electronic edition prepared from text scanned by Woodside Bible Fellowship.
This expanded edition of the Jameison-Faussett-Brown Commentary is in the public domain and may be freely used and distributed.
These files are a derivative of an electronic edition prepared from text scanned by Woodside Bible Fellowship.
This expanded edition of the Jameison-Faussett-Brown Commentary is in the public domain and may be freely used and distributed.
Bibliographical Information
Jamieson, Robert, D.D.; Fausset, A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on John 2". "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/jfb/john-2.html. 1871-8.
Jamieson, Robert, D.D.; Fausset, A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on John 2". "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible". https://www.studylight.org/
Whole Bible (49)New Testament (18)Gospels Only (5)Individual Books (12)
Introduction
CHAPTER 2
:-. FIRST MIRACLE, WATER MADE WINEâBRIEF VISIT TO CAPERNAUM.
Verse 1
1. third dayâHe would take two days to reach Galilee, and this was the third.
mother thereâit being probably some relative's marriage. John never names her [BENGEL].
Verse 3
3. no wineâevidently expecting some display of His glory, and hinting that now was His time.
Verse 4
4, 5. Womanâno term of disrespect in the language of that day ( :-).
what . . . to do with theeâthat is, "In my Father's business I have to do with Him only." It was a gentle rebuke for officious interference, entering a region from which all creatures were excluded (compare Acts 4:19; Acts 4:20).
mine hour, c.âhinting that He would do something, but at His own time and so she understood it (John 2:5).
Verse 6
6. firkinsâabout seven and a half gallons in Jewish, or nine in Attic measure; each of these huge water jars, therefore, holding some twenty or more gallons, for washings at such feasts (Mark 7:4).
Verse 7
7, 8. Fill . . . draw . . . bearâdirecting all, but Himself touching nothing, to prevent all appearance of collusion.
Verse 9
9, 10. well drunkâ"drunk abundantly" (as Song of Solomon 5:1), speaking of the general practice.
Verse 10
10. the good wine . . . until nowâthus testifying, while ignorant of the source of supply, not only that it was real wine, but better than any at the feast.
Verse 11
11. manifested forth his gloryâNothing in the least like this is said of the miracles of prophet or apostle, nor could without manifest blasphemy be said of any mere creature. Observe, (1) At a marriage Christ made His first public appearance in any company, and at a marriage He wrought His first miracleâthe noblest sanction that could be given to that God-given institution. (2) As the miracle did not make bad good, but good better, so Christianity only redeems, sanctifies, and ennobles the beneficent but abused institution of marriage; and Christ's whole work only turns the water of earth into the wine of heaven. Thus "this beginning of miracles" exhibited the character and "manifested forth the glory" of His entire Mission. (3) As Christ countenanced our seasons of festivity, so also that greater fulness which befits such; so far was He from encouraging that asceticism which has since been so often put for all religion. (4) The character and authority ascribed by Romanists to the Virgin is directly in the teeth of this and other scriptures.
Verse 12
12. Capernaumâon the Sea of Galilee. (See on :-).
his mother and his brethrenâ(See on :-, and :-).
:-. CHRIST'S FIRST PASSOVERâFIRST CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE.
Verse 14
14-17. in the templeânot the temple itself, as :-, but the temple-court.
sold oxen, &c.âfor the convenience of those who had to offer them in sacrifice.
changers of moneyâof Roman into Jewish money, in which the temple dues (see on :-) had to be paid.
Verse 15
15. small cordsâlikely some of the rushes spread for bedding, and when twisted used to tie up the cattle there collected. "Not by this slender whip but by divine majesty was the ejection accomplished, the whip being but a sign of the scourge of divine anger" [GROTIUS].
poured out . . . overthrewâthus expressing the mingled indignation and authority of the impulse.
Verse 16
16. my Father's houseâHow close the resemblance of these remarkable words to :-; the same consciousness of intrinsic relation to the templeâas the seat of His Father's most august worship, and so the symbol of all that is due to Him on earthâdictating both speeches. Only, when but a youth, with no authority, He was simply "a SON IN His own house"; now He was "a SON OVER His own house" ( :-), the proper Representative, and in flesh "the Heir," of his Father's rights.
house of merchandiseâThere was nothing wrong in the merchandise; but to bring it, for their own and others' convenience, into that most sacred place, was a high-handed profanation which the eye of Jesus could not endure.
Verse 17
17. eaten me upâa glorious feature in the predicted character of the suffering Messiah ( :-), and rising high even in some not worthy to loose the latchet of His shoes. (Exodus 32:19, &c.).
Verse 18
18-22. What sign showest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?âThough the act and the words of Christ, taken together, were sign enough, they were unconvinced: yet they were awed, and though at His very next appearance at Jerusalem they "sought to kill Him" for speaking of "His Father" just as He did now ( :-), they, at this early stage, only ask a sign.
Verse 19
19. Destroy this temple, &c.â(See on :-).
Verse 20
20. Forty and six yearsâFrom the eighteenth year of Herod till then was just forty-six years [JOSEPHUS, Antiquities, 15.11.1].
Verse 21
21. temple of his bodyâin which was enshrined the glory of the eternal Word. (See on :-). By its resurrection the true Temple of God upon earth was reared up, of which the stone one was but a shadow; so that the allusion is not quite exclusively to Himself, but takes in that Temple of which He is the foundation, and all believers are the "lively stones." (1 Peter 2:4; 1 Peter 2:5).
Verse 22
22. believed the scriptureâon this subject; that is, what was meant, which was hid from them till then. Mark (1) The act by which Christ signalized His first public appearance in the Temple. Taking "His fan in His hand, He purges His floor," not thoroughly indeed, but enough to foreshadow His last act towards that faithless peopleâto sweep them out of God's house. (2) The sign of His authority to do this is the announcement, at this first outset of His ministry, of that coming death by their hands, and resurrection by His own, which were to pave the way for their judicial ejection.
Verse 23
23-25. in the feast dayâthe foregoing things occurring probably before the feast began.
many believedâsuperficially, struck merely by "the miracles He did." Of these we have no record.
Verse 24
24. did not commitâ"entrust," or let Himself down familiarly to them, as to His genuine disciples.
Verse 25
25. knew what was in manâIt is impossible for language more clearly to assert of Christ what in Jeremiah 17:9; Jeremiah 17:10, and elsewhere, is denied of all mere creatures.