335. Above, the Evangelist showed the dignity of the incarnate Word and gave various evidence for it. Now he begins to relate the effects and actions by which the divinity of the incarnate Word was made known to the world. 335. Supra Evangelista ostendit dignitatem Verbi incarnati, et evidentiam eius multipliciter; hic consequenter incipit determinare de effectibus et operibus quibus manifestata est mundo divinitas Verbi incarnati, et First, he tells the things Christ did, while living in the world, that show his divinity. primo narrat ea quae Christus fecit in mundo vivendo, ad manifestationem suae divinitatis; Second, he tells how Christ showed his divinity while dying; and this from chapter twelve on. secundo quomodo Christus suam divinitatem monstravit moriendo; et hoc a XII cap. et ultra. As to the first he does two things. Circa primum duo facit: First, he shows the divinity of Christ in relation to the power he had over nature. primo enim ostendit Christi divinitatem quantum ad dominium quod habuit supra naturam; Second, in relation to the effects of grace, and this from chapter three on, at and there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus (John 3:1). secundo quantum ad effectus gratiae, et hoc in III cap. ibi erat homo ex Pharisaeis Nicodemus nomine etc. Christ’s power over nature is pointed out to us by the fact that he changed a nature. And this change was accomplished by Christ as a sign: Dominium autem Christi super naturam proponitur nobis per hoc quod naturam mutavit: quae quidem mutatio facta est a Christo in signum first, to his disciples, to strengthen them; primo discipulis ad confirmandum; second, to the people, to lead them to believe, at after this he went down to Capernaum (John 2:12). secundo vero turbis ad credendum, ibi post hoc descendit Capharnaum. This transformation of a nature, in order to strengthen the disciples, was accomplished at a marriage, when he turned water into wine, at there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee. Mutatio autem naturae ad confirmandos discipulos in nuptiis facta est, in quibus convertit aquam in vinum; et hoc est quod dicit nuptiae factae sunt in Cana Galilaeae: ubi First, the marriage is described. primo describuntur nuptiae; Second, those present, at and the mother of Jesus was there. secundo illi qui nuptiis interfuerunt, ibi erat autem mater Iesu; Third, the miracle performed by Christ, at and when the wine ran out. tertio describitur ipsum miraculum patratum, ibi et deficiente vino etc. 336. In describing the marriage, the time is first mentioned. Hence he says and on the third day, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee, i.e., after the calling of the disciples mentioned earlier. For, after being made known by the testimony of John, Christ also wanted to make himself known. 336. Describit autem nuptias primo quidem quantum ad tempus; unde dicit et die tertia nuptiae factae sunt, scilicet postquam praedicta de vocatione discipulorum fecerat. Postquam enim manifestatus fuerat testimonio Ioannis, voluit etiam seipsum manifestare. Second, the place is mentioned; hence he says, in Cana of Galilee. Galilee is a province, and Cana a small village located in that province. Secundo vero, quantum ad locum; unde dicit in Cana Galilaeae. Galilaea namque provincia est, Cana viculus quidam in ipsa provincia. 337. As far as the literal meaning is concerned, we should note that there are two opinions about the time of Christ’s preaching. Some say that there were two and a half years from Christ’s baptism until his death. According to them, the events at this wedding took place in the same year that Christ was baptized. However, both the teaching and practice of the Church are opposed to this. For three miracles are commemorated on the feast of the Epiphany: the adoration of the Magi, which took place in the first year of the Lord’s birth; second, the baptism of Christ, which implies that he was baptized on the same day thirty years later; third, this marriage, which took place on the same day one year later. It follows from this that at least one year elapsed between his baptism and this marriage. 337. Quantum autem ad litteram pertinet, sciendum est, quod circa tempus praedicationis Christi est duplex opinio. Quidam namque dicunt, quod a baptismate Christi usque ad passionem eius, fuerint duo anni et dimidius. Et secundum hos, hoc quod hic legitur de nuptiis, eodem anno factum est quo Christus baptizatus est. Sed his contrariatur sententia et consuetudo Ecclesiae: nam in festo Epiphaniae trium miraculorum commemoratio fit, scilicet adorationis magorum, quae fuit primo anno nativitatis Dominicae; et baptismi Christi, quo baptizatus est eodem die, revolutis triginta annis; et de nuptiis, quae sunt factae eodem die, revoluto anno. Ex quo sequitur quod ad minus unus annus elapsus fuit a baptismo usque ad nuptias. In that year the only things recorded to have been done by the Lord are found in the fourth chapter of Matthew: the fasting in the desert, and the temptation by the devil; and what John tells us in this Gospel of the testimony by the Baptist and the conversion of the disciples. After this wedding, Christ began to preach publicly and to perform miracles up to the time of his passion, so that he preached publicly for two and a half years. In quo quidem anno nil aliud legitur Dominus fecisse nisi quod dicitur Matth. IV de ieiunio in deserto, et de tentatione a diabolo, et ea quae hic Ioannes refert de testimonio Baptistae et conversione discipulorum. A nuptiis autem coepit publice praedicare et miracula facere usque ad passionem, ita quod duobus annis cum dimidio publice praedicavit. 338. In the mystical sense, marriage signifies the union of Christ with his Church, because as the Apostle says: this is a great mystery: I am speaking of Christ and his Church (Eph 5:32). 338. Mystice autem per nuptias intelligitur coniunctio Christi et Ecclesiae, quia, ut dicit Apostolus Eph. V, 32, sacramentum hoc magnum est, dico autem in Christo et in Ecclesia. And this marriage was begun in the womb of the Virgin, when God the Father united a human nature to his Son in a unity of person. So, the chamber of this union was the womb of the Virgin: he established a chamber for the sun (Ps 18:6). Of this marriage it is said: the kingdom of heaven is like a king who married his son (Matt 22:2), that is, when God the Father joined a human nature to his Word in the womb of the Virgin. It was made public when the Church was joined to him by faith: I will bind you to myself in faith (Hos 2:20). We read of this marriage: blessed are they who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev 19:9). It will be consummated when the bride, i.e., the Church, is led into the resting place of the groom, i.e., into the glory of heaven. Et illud quidem matrimonium initiatum fuit in utero Virginali, quando Deus Pater Filio humanam naturam univit in unitate personae, unde huius coniunctionis thalamus fuit uterus Virginalis; Ps. XVIII, 6: in sole posuit tabernaculum suum. De istis nuptiis dicitur Matth. XXII, 2: simile est regnum caelorum homini regi, qui fecit nuptias Filio suo, tunc scilicet quando Deus Pater humanam naturam Verbo suo copulavit in utero virginali. Publicatum autem fuit, quando Ecclesia sibi per fidem coniuncta est; Oseae II, 20: sponsabo te mihi in fide etc. De istis nuptiis dicitur Apoc. XIX, 9: beati qui ad caenam nuptiarum agni vocati sunt. Consummatum autem erit, quando sponsa, idest Ecclesia, introducetur in thalamum sponsi, in caelestem scilicet gloriam. The fact that this marriage took place on the third day is not without its own mystery. For the first day is the time of the law of nature; the second day is the time of the written law. But the third day is the time of grace, when the incarnate Lord celebrated the marriage: he will revive us after two days: on the third day he will raise us up (Hos 6:3). Nec vacat a mysterio quod die tertio nuptiae factae sunt. Primus namque dies est tempus legis naturae; secundus tempus legis scriptae; tertius vero dies tempus gratiae, in quo Dominus incarnatus nuptias celebravit; Oseae VI, 3: vivificabit nos post duos dies: in die tertia suscitabit nos. The place too is appropriate. For Cana means zeal and Galilee means passage. So this marriage was celebrated in the zeal of a passage, to suggest that those persons are most worthy of union with Christ who, burning with the zeal of a conscientious devotion, pass over from the state of guilt to the grace of the Church. Pass over to me, all who desire me (Sir 24:26). And they pass from death to life, i.e., from the state of mortality and misery to the state of immortality and glory: I make all things new (Rev 21:5). Locus autem congruit mysterio: Cana enim interpretatur zelus; Galilaea vero transmigratio. In zelo ergo transmigrationis hae nuptiae celebrantur, ut denuntiet eos maxime Christi coniunctione dignos existere qui zelo piae devotionis ferventes transmigrant de statu culpae ad gratiam Ecclesiae, Eccli. XXIV, 26: transite ad me, omnes qui concupiscitis me etc., et de morte ad vitam, idest de statu mortalitatis et miseriae, ad statum immortalitatis et gloriae; Apoc. XXI, 5: ecce nova facio omnia. 339. Then the persons invited are described: the mother of Jesus was there. Mention is made of three: the mother of Jesus, Jesus himself, and the disciples. 339. Consequenter cum dicit erat autem mater Iesu ibi, describuntur personae invitatae: ubi agitur de tribus, scilicet de matre, de Iesu, et de discipulis. 340. The mother of Jesus is mentioned when he says, the mother of Jesus was there. She is mentioned first to indicate that Jesus was still unknown and not invited to the wedding as a famous person, but merely as one acquaintance among others; for as they invited the mother, so also her son. 340. De matre quidem, cum dicit et erat mater Iesu ibi. Quae quidem praemittitur, ut ostendatur quod Iesus adhuc ignotus erat, et non vocatus ad nuptias sicut insignis persona, sed ex quadam familiaritate, tamquam notus, et unus aliorum: sicut enim vocaverunt matrem, ita et filium. Or, perhaps his mother is invited first because they were uncertain whether Jesus would come to a wedding if invited, because of the unusual piety they noticed in him and because they had not seen him at other social gatherings. So I think that they first asked his mother whether Jesus should be invited. That is why the Evangelist expressly said first that his mother was at the wedding, and that later Jesus was invited. Vel forte prius invitatur mater, quia ambigebant de Iesu, an invitatus venturus esset ad nuptias propter summam religiositatem, quam videbant in eo, et quia non viderunt eum se immiscuisse conviviis. Et ideo puto quod primo consuluerunt matrem, an Iesus esset vocandus. Et ideo signanter dixit Evangelista primo matrem adesse iam in nuptiis, et Iesum postmodum fuisse vocatum. 341. And this is what comes next: and Jesus also was invited. Christ decided to attend this wedding, first of all, to give us an example of humility. For he did not look to his own dignity, but just as he condescended to accept the form of a servant, so he did not hesitate to come to the marriage of servants, as Chrysostom says. And as Augustine says: let man blush to be proud, for God became humble. For among his other acts of humility, the Son of the Virgin came to a marriage, which he had already instituted in paradise when he was with his Father. Of this example it is said: learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart (Matt 11:29). 341. Et hoc est quod sequitur vocatus est Iesus. Voluit autem Christus nuptiis interesse primo quidem ut daret nobis humilitatis exemplum: neque enim ad dignitatem suam respiciebat, sed quomodo dignatus est formam servi accipere, ita non dedignatus est ad nuptias venire servorum, ut dicit Chrysostomus. Et ideo Augustinus: erubescat homo esse superbus, quoniam factus est humilis Deus. Nam inter cetera humilia quae fecit Filius Virginis, venit ad nuptias, qui eas, cum esset apud Patrem, instituit in Paradiso. Et de hoc exemplo dicitur, Matth. XI, v. 29: discite a me quia mitis sum et humilis corde. He came, second, to reject the error of those who condemn marriage, for as Bede says: if there were sin in a holy marriage bed and in a marriage carried out with due purity, the Lord would not have come to the marriage. But because he did come, he implies that the baseness of those who denounce marriage deserves to be condemned. If she marries, it is not a sin (1 Cor 7:36). Secundo vero, ut errorem quorumdam excluderet, qui nuptias damnant, quia, ut dicit Beda si thoro immaculato, et nuptiis debita castitate celebratis, culpa inesset, nequaquam Dominus ad has venire voluisset. Quia ergo ad nuptias venit, insinuat quod sit damnabilis eorum perfidia qui nuptiis detrahunt. I Cor. VII, 36: non peccat mulier, si nubat. 342. The disciples are mentioned when he says, and his disciples. 342. De discipulis vero agitur, cum dicit et discipuli eius. 343. In its mystical meaning, the mother of Jesus, the Blessed Virgin, is present in spiritual marriages as the one who arranges the marriage, because it is through her intercession that one is joined to Christ through grace: in me is every hope of life and of strength (Sir 24:25). Christ is present as the true groom of the soul, as is said: he who has the bride is the bridegroom (John 3:29). The disciples are the groomsmen uniting the Church to Christ, the one of whom it is said: I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ (2 Cor 11:2). 343. Mystice autem in nuptiis spiritualibus est mater Iesu, Virgo scilicet Beata, sicut nuptiarum consiliatrix, quia per eius intercessionem coniungitur Christo per gratiam; Eccli. XXIV, 25: in me omnis spes vitae et virtutis. Christus autem, sicut verus animae sponsus, ut dicitur infra III, 29: qui habet sponsam, sponsus est. Discipuli vero ut paranymphi, quasi coniungentes Ecclesiam Christo, de quo uno dicebatur II Cor. XI, 2: despondi vos uni viro virginem castam exhibere Christo. 344. At this physical marriage some role in the miracle belongs to the mother of Christ, some to Christ, and some to the disciples. When he says, and when the wine ran out, he indicates the part of each. 344. Et quia in istis nuptiis materialibus aliquid de miraculo pertinet ad matrem, aliquid ad Christum et aliquid ad discipulos, ideo consequenter cum dicit et deficiente vino etc. ostendit quid pertineat ad matrem, quid ad Christum et quid ad discipulos. The role of Christ’s mother was to superintend the miracle; Ad matrem quidem pertinet miraculi procuratio; the role of Christ to perform it, at there were six stone waterpots nearby; ad Christum autem miraculi consummatio, et hoc ibi erant ibi lapideae hydriae sex etc.; and the disciples were to bear witness to it, at Jesus did this beginning of miracles. ad discipulos vero miraculi contestatio, ibi hoc fecit initium signorum Iesus. As to the first, Christ’s mother assumed the role of a mediatrix. Hence she does two things. Gessit ergo, quantum ad primum, mater Christi, mediatricis personam; et ideo duo facit: First, she intercedes with her Son. primo enim interpellat ad Filium; In the second place, she instructs the servants, at his mother said to the waiters. secundo erudit ministros, ibi et dicit mater eius ministris etc. As to the first, two things are mentioned. Circa primum quidem duo ponuntur.