Homily XXII.

John ii. 4

“Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come.”

[1.] In preaching the word there is some toil, and this Paul declares when he says, “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine.” ( 1 Tim. v. 17.) Yet it is in your power to make this labor light or heavy; for if you reject our words, or if without actually rejecting them you do not show them forth in your works, our toil will be heavy, because we labor uselessly and in vain: while if ye heed them and give proof of it by your works, we shall not even feel the toil, because the fruit produced by our labor will not suffer the greatness of that labor to appear. So that if you would rouse our zeal, and not quench or weaken it, show us, I beseech you, your fruit, that we may behold the fields waving555   κομῶντα. with corn, and being supported by hopes of an abundant crop, and reckoning up your556   al. “our.” riches, may not be slothful557   lit. “numb,” al. “be weary.” in carrying on this good traffic.

It is no slight question which is proposed to us also to-day. For first, when the mother of Jesus says, “They have no wine,” Christ replies, “Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine, hour is not yet come.” And then, having thus spoken, He did as His mother had said; an action which needs enquiry no less than the words. Let us then, after calling upon Him who wrought the miracle, proceed to the explanation.

The words are not used in this place only, but in others also; for the same Evangelist says, “They could not lay hands on Him,558   οὐδεὶς ἐπίασεν αὐτόν, G. T. because His hour was not yet come” ( c. viii. 20 ); and again, “No man laid hands on Him, because His hour was not yet come” ( c. vii. 30 ); and again, “The hour is come, glorify Thy Son.” ( c. xvii. 1.) What then do the words mean? I have brought together more instances, that I may give one explanation of all. And what is that explanation? Christ did not say, “Mine hour is not yet come,” as being subject to the necessity of seasons, or the observance of an “hour”; how can He be so, who is Maker of seasons, and Creator of the times and the ages? To what else then did He allude? He desires to show559   Ben. Morel. and ms. in Bodl. read: ἀ λλὰ διὰ τῶν οὕτως εἰρημένων τοῦτο δηλῶσαι κ.τ.λ. this; that He works all things at their convenient season, not doing all at once; because a kind of confusion and disorder would have ensued, if, instead of working all at their proper seasons, He had mixed all together, His Birth, His Resurrection, and His coming to Judgment. Observe this; creation was to be, yet not all at once; man and woman were to be created, yet not even these together; mankind were to be condemned to death, and there was to be a resurrection, yet the interval between the two was to be great; the law was to be given, but not grace with it, each was to be dispensed at its proper time. Now Christ was not subject to the necessity of seasons, but rather settled their order, since He is their Creator; and therefore He saith in this place, “Mine hour is not yet come.” And His meaning is, that as yet He was not manifest560   Morel. and ms. in Bodl. read: ἀ λλὰ ̓Ιωάννης ἐνταῦθα τὸ Οὔπω ἤκει ἡ ὥρα μου εἰσάγει τὸν Χριστὸν λέγοντα δεικνὺς ὅτι κ.τ.λ. to the many, nor had He even His whole company of disciples; Andrew followed Him, and next to561   al. “beside.” him Philip, but no one else. And moreover, none of these, not even His mother nor His brethren, knew Him as they ought; for after His many miracles, the Evangelist says of His brethren, “For neither did His brethren believe in Him.” ( c. vii. 5.) And those at the wedding did not know Him either, for in their need they would certainly have come to and entreated Him. Therefore He saith, “Mine hour is not yet come”; that is, “I am not yet known to the company, nor are they even aware that the wine has failed; let them first be sensible of this. I ought not to have been told it from thee; thou art My mother, and renderest the miracle suspicious. They who wanted the wine should have come and besought Me, not that I need this, but that they might with an entire assent accept the miracle. For one who knows that he is in need, is very grateful when he obtains assistance; but one who has not a sense of his need, will never have a plain and clear sense of the benefit.”

Why then after He had said, “Mine hour is not yet come,” and given her a denial, did He what His mother desired? Chiefly it was, that they who opposed Him, and thought that He was subject to the “hour,” might have sufficient proof that He was subject to no hour; for had He been so, how could He, before the proper “hour” was come, have done what He did? And in the next place, He did it to honor His mother, that He might not seem entirely to contradict and shame her that bare Him in the presence of so many; and also, that He might not be thought to want power,562   This passage is wanting in the ms. in Bodleian. for she brought the servants to Him.

Besides, even while saying to the Canaanitish woman, “It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to give563   βαλεῖν, G. T. it unto dogs” ( Matt. xv. 26 ), He still gave the bread, as considering her perseverance; and though after his first reply, He said, “I am not sent save unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel,” yet even after saying this, He healed the woman’s daughter. Hence we learn, that although we be unworthy, we often by perseverance make ourselves worthy to receive. And for this reason His mother remained by, and openly 564   al. “wisely.” brought to Him the servants, that the request might be made by a greater number; and therefore she added,

Ver. 5. “Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it.”

For she knew that His refusal proceeded not from want of power, but from humility, and that He might not seem without cause565   ἁ πλῶς. to hurry to566   ἐ πιῤῥίπτειν. the miracle; and therefore she brought the servants.567   Morel. and ms. in Bodl. read: δἰ ὁ καὶ τὴν ὑπακοὴν ἀναβάλλεται.

Ver. 6, 7. “And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus said unto them, Fill the waterpots with water; and they filled them up to the brim.”

It is not without a reason that the Evangelist says, “After the manner of the purifying of the Jews,” but in order that none of the unbelievers might suspect that lees having been left in the vessels, and water having been poured upon and mixed with them, a very weak wine had been made. Therefore he says, “after the manner of the purifying of the Jews,” to show that those vessels were never receptacles for wine. For because Palestine is a country with but little water, and brooks and fountains were not everywhere to be found, they always used to fill waterpots with water, so that they might not have to hasten to the rivers if at any time they were defiled, but might have the means of purification at hand.

“And why was it, that He did not the miracle before they filled them, which would have been more marvelous by far? for it is one thing to change given matter to a different quality, and another to create matter out of nothing.” The latter would indeed have been more wonderful, but would not have seemed so credible to the many. And therefore He often purposely lessens568   lit. “clips round.” the greatness of His miracles, that it may be the more readily received.

“But why,” says one, “did not He Himself produce the water which He afterwards showed to be wine, instead of bidding the servants bring it?” For the very same reason; and also, that He might have those who drew it out to witness that what had been effected was no delusion since if any had been inclined to be shameless, those who ministered might have said to them, “We drew the water, we filled the vessels.” And besides what we have mentioned, He thus overthrows those doctrines which spring up against the Church. For since there are some who say that the Creator of the world is another, and that the things which are seen are not His works, but those of a certain other opposing god, to curb these men’s madness He doth most of His miracles on matter found at hand.569   ὑ ποκειμένων. Because, had the creator of these been opposed to Him, He would not have used what was another’s to set forth His own power. But now to show that it is He who transmutes water in the vine plants, and who converts the rain by its passage through the root into wine, He effected that in a moment at the wedding which in the plant is long in doing. When they had filled the waterpots, He said,

Ver. 8–10. “Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast; and they bare it. 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, and saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine, and when men have well drunk, then that which is worst; but thou hast kept the good wine until now.”

Here again some mock,570   al. “impeach.” saying, “this was an assembly of drunken men, the sense of the judges was spoilt, and not able to taste571   ἀ ντιλάβεσθαι. what was made, or to decide on what was done, so that they did not know whether what was made was water or wine: for that they were drunk,” it is alleged, “the ruler himself has shown by what he said.” Now this is most ridiculous, yet even this suspicion the Evangelist has removed. For he does not say that the guests gave their opinion on the matter, but “the ruler of the feast,” who was sober, and had not as yet tasted anything. For of course you are aware, that those who are entrusted with the management572   διακονίαν. of such banquets are the most sober, as having this one business, to dispose all things in order and regularity; and therefore the Lord called such a man’s sober senses to testify to what was done. For He did not say, “Pour forth to them that sit at meat,” but, “Bear unto the governor of the feast.”

“And when the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was, (but the servants knew,) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom.” “And why did he not call the servants? for so the miracle would have been revealed.” Because Jesus had not Himself revealed what had been done, but desired that the power of His miracles should be known gently, little by little. And suppose that it had then been mentioned, 573   al. “examined.” the servants who related it would never have been believed, but would have been thought mad to bear such testimony to one who at that time seemed to the many a mere man; and although they knew the certainty of the thing by experience, (for they were not likely to disbelieve their own hands,) yet they were not sufficient to convince others. And so He did not reveal it to all, but to him who was best able to understand what was done, reserving the clearer knowledge of it for a future time; since after the manifestation of other miracles this also would be credible. Thus when he was about to heal the nobleman’s son, the Evangelist has shown that it had already become more clearly known; for it was chiefly because the nobleman had become acquainted with the miracle that he called upon Him, as John incidentally shows when he says, “Jesus came into Cana of Galilee, where He made the water wine.” ( c. iv. 46.) And not wine simply, but the best.

[3.] For such are the miraculous works of Christ, they are far more perfect and better than the operations of nature. This is seen also in other instances; when He restored any infirm member of the body, He made574   lit. “showed.” it better than the sound.

That it was wine then, and the best of wine, that had been made, not the servants only, but the bridegroom and the ruler of the feast would testify; and that it was made by Christ, those who drew the water; so that although the miracle were not then revealed, yet it could not in the end be passed in silence, so many and constraining testimonies had He provided for the future. That He had made the water wine, He had the servants for witnesses; that the wine was good that had been made, the ruler of the feast and the bridegroom.

It might be expected that the bridegroom would reply to this, (the ruler’s speech,) and say something, but the Evangelist, hastening to more pressing matters, has only touched upon this miracle, and passed on. For what we needed to learn was, that Christ made the water wine, and that good wine; but what the bridegroom said to the governor he did not think it necessary to add. And many miracles, at first somewhat obscure, have in process of time become more plain, when reported more exactly by those who knew them from the beginning.

At that time, then, Jesus made of water wine, and both then and now He ceases not to change our weak and unstable575   lit. “flowing away.” wills. For there are, yes, there are men who in nothing differ from water, so cold, and weak, and unsettled. But let us bring those of such disposition to the Lord, that He may change their will to the quality of wine, so that they be no longer washy,576   διαῤῥεῖν. but have body,577   τὸ ἐπεστυμμένον, “astringency.” and be the cause of gladness in themselves and others. But who can these cold ones be? They are those who give their minds to the fleeting things of this present life, who despise not this world’s luxury, who are lovers of glory and dominion: for all these things are flowing waters, never stable, but ever rushing violently down the steep. The rich to-day is poor tomorrow, he who one day appears with herald, and girdle, and chariot, and numerous attendants, is often on the next the inhabitant of a dungeon, having unwillingly quitted all that show to make room for another. Again, the gluttonous and dissipated578   διασπώμενος. man, when he has filled himself to bursting,579   lit. “has burst his stomach.” cannot retain even for a single day the supply580   χορηγίαν. conveyed by his delicacies, but when that is dispersed, in order to renew it he is obliged to put in more, differing in nothing from a torrent. For as in the torrent when the first body of water is gone, others in turn succeed; so in gluttony, when one repast is removed, we again require another. And such is the nature and the lot of earthly things, never to be stable, but to be always pouring and hurrying by; but in the case of luxury, it is not merely the flowing and hastening by; but many other things that trouble us. By the violence of its course it wears away581   ἀ ποξύει, “abrades.” the strength of the body, and strips the soul of its manliness, and the strongest currents of rivers do not so easily eat away their banks and make them sink down, as do luxury and wantonness sweep away all the bulwarks of our health; and if you enter a physician’s house and ask him, you will find that almost all the causes of diseases arise from this. For frugality and a plain582   λιτὴ. table is the mother of health, and therefore physicians583   lit. “children of phys.” have thus named it; for they have called the not being satisfied “health,” (because not to be satisfied with food is health,) and they have spoken of sparing diet as the “mother of health.” Now if the condition of want584   ἐ νδεία. is the mother of health, it is clear that fullness is the mother of sickness and debility, and produces attacks which are beyond the skill even of physicians. For gout in the feet, apoplexy, dimness of sight, pains in the hands, tremors, paralytic attacks, jaundice, lingering and inflammatory fevers, and other diseases many more than these, (for we have not time to go over them all,) are the natural offspring, not of abstinence and moderate585   φιλοσόφου. diet, but of gluttony and repletion. And if you will look to the diseases of the soul that arise from them, you will see that feelings of coveting, sloth, melancholy, dullness, impurity, and folly of all kinds, have their origin here. For after such banquets the souls of the luxurious become no better than asses, being torn to pieces by such wild beasts as these (passions). Shall I say also how many pains and displeasures they have who wait upon luxury? I could not enumerate them all, but by a single principal point I will make the whole clear. At a table such as I speak of, that is, a sumptuous one, men never eat with pleasure; for abstinence is the mother of pleasure as well as health, while repletion is the source and root not only of diseases, but of displeasure. For where there is satiety there desire cannot be, and where there is no desire, how can there be pleasure? And therefore we should find that the poor are not only of better understanding and healthier than the rich, but also that they enjoy a greater degree of pleasure. Let us, when we reflect on this, flee drunkenness and luxury, not that of the table alone, but all other which is found in the things of this life, and let us take in exchange for it the pleasure arising from spiritual things, and, as the Prophet says, delight ourselves in the Lord; “Delight thyself in the Lord, and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart” ( Ps. xxxvii. 4 ); that so that we may enjoy the good things both here and hereafter, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom and with whom, to the Father and the Holy Ghost, be glory, world without end. Amen.

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚΒʹ. Τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοὶ, γύναι; Οὔπω ἥκει ἡ ὥρα μου. αʹ. Ἔχει μέν τινα πόνον τὸ λέγειν: καὶ τοῦτο ὁ Παῦλος δηλῶν ἔλεγεν: Οἱ καλῶς προεστῶτες πρεσβύτεροι, διπλῆς τιμῆς ἀξιούσθωσαν: μάλιστα οἱ κοπιῶντες ἐν λόγῳ καὶ διδασκαλίᾳ. Ἀλλὰ τὸν μὲν πόνον τοῦτον ὑμεῖς κύριοι καὶ κοῦφον ποιῆσαι καὶ βαρύν. Ἂν μὲν γὰρ ἀποπτύητε τὰ λεγόμενα, ἢ μὴ ἀποπτύητε μὲν, ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἔργοις μὴ δεικνύητε, βαρὺς ὁ κόπος ἡμῖν ἔσται διὰ τὸ πονεῖν εἰκῆ καὶ μάτην: ἂν δὲ προσέχητε, καὶ τὴν διὰ τῶν ἔργων ἐπίδειξιν παρέχητε, οὐδὲ αἴσθησιν ληψόμεθα τῶν ἱδρώτων: ὁ γὰρ ἀπὸ τῶν πόνων τικτόμενος καρπὸς οὐκ ἀφήσει φαίνεσθαι τοῦ πόνου τὸ σφοδρόν. Ὥστε εἰ βούλεσθε ἡμῖν τὴν προθυμίαν διεγεῖραι, καὶ μὴ σβέσαι, μηδὲ ἀσθενεστέραν ποιῆσαι, δείξατε ἡμῖν, παρακαλῶ, τὸν καρπὸν, ἵνα κομῶντα ὁρῶντες τὰ λήϊα, καὶ ἡμεῖς ταῖς τῆς εὐθηνίας ἐλπίσι τρεφόμενοι, καὶ τὸν πλοῦτον ἡμῶν ἀναλογιζόμενοι, μὴ ναρκῶμεν ἐμπορευόμενοι τὴν καλὴν ταύτην πραγματείαν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ μικρὸν ἡμῖν καὶ τήμερον πρόκειται ζήτημα. Τῆς γὰρ μητρὸς τοῦ Ἰησοῦ εἰπούσης, ὅτι Οἶνον οὐκ ἔχουσιν, ὁ Χριστός φησι, Τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοὶ, γύναι; οὔπω ἥκει ἡ ὥρα μου: καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν, ἔπραξεν ὅπερ εἶπεν ἡ μήτηρ. Τοῦτο δὲ τοῦ προτέρου οὐκ ἔλαττόν ἐστιν εἰς ζητήσεως λόγον. Αὐτὸν οὖν τοῦτον παρακαλέσαντες τὸν τὸ θαῦμα ἐργασάμενον, οὕτως ἔλθωμεν ἐπὶ τὴν λύσιν. Οὐ γὰρ ἐνταῦθα τοῦτο μόνον εἴρηται, ἀλλὰ καὶ προϊὼν ὁ αὐτὸς φαίνεται εὐαγγελιστὴς λέγων: Οὐκ ἠδύναντο αὐτὸν πιάσαι, Ὅτι οὔπω ἥκει ἡ ὥρα αὐτοῦ: καὶ πάλιν: Οὐδεὶς ἐπέβαλεν ἐπ' αὐτὸν τὰς χεῖρας, ὅτι οὔπω ἐληλύθει ἡ ὥρα αὐτοῦ: καὶ πάλιν: Ἐλήλυθεν ἡ ὥρα: δόξασόν σου τὸν Υἱόν. Ταῦτα πάντα δι' ὅλου τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου εἰρημένα ἐνταῦθα συνήγαγον, ἵνα πᾶσι μίαν ἐπαγάγω τὴν λύσιν. Τίς ποτ' οὖν ἐστι τῶν λεγομένων ἡ λύσις; Οὐκ ἀνάγκῃ καιρῶν ὁ Χριστὸς ὑποκείμενος, οὐδὲ ὥρας παρατηρήσει, ἔλεγεν, Οὔπω ἥκει ἡ ὥρα μου: (πῶς γὰρ ὁ τῶν καιρῶν ποιητὴς, καὶ τῶν χρόνων καὶ τῶν αἰώνων δημιουργός;) ἀλλὰ διὰ τῶν οὕτως εἰρημένων τοῦτο δηλῶσαι βούλεται, ὅτι πάντα μετὰ καιροῦ τοῦ προσήκοντος ἐργάζεται, οὐχ ὁμοῦ πάντα ποιῶν: ἐπεὶ σύγχυσίς τις ἔμελλεν ἔσεσθαι καὶ ἀταξία ἐντεῦθεν, εἰ μὴ τοῖς προσήκουσι καιροῖς ἕκαστον ἐδημιούργει, ἀλλ' ὁμοῦ πάντα ἔφυρε, καὶ γέννησιν, καὶ ἀνάστασιν, καὶ κρίσιν. Σκόπει δέ: Ἔδει γενέσθαι τὴν κτίσιν, ἀλλ' οὐχ ὁμοῦ πᾶσαν: καὶ τὸν ἄνθρωπον δὲ μετὰ τῆς γυναικὸς, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τούτους ὁμοῦ. Ἔδει θανάτῳ καταδικασθῆναι τὸ γένος τῶν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ τὴν ἀνάστασιν γενέσθαι, ἀλλὰ πολὺ τὸ μέσον ἑκατέρων. Ἐχρῆν δοθῆναι τὸν νόμον, ἀλλ' οὐχ ὁμοῦ καὶ τὴν χάριν, ἀλλ' ἕκαστα καιροῖς τοῖς προσήκουσιν οἰκονομεῖσθαι. Οὐ τοίνυν ὁ Χριστὸς ὑπέκειτο τῇ τῶν καιρῶν ἀνάγκῃ, ὃς καὶ τοῖς καιροῖς μάλιστα τάξιν ἐπέθηκεν, ἐπεὶ καὶ ποιητὴς αὐτῶν ἐστιν. Ἀλλ' Ἰωάννης ἐνταῦθα τὸ, Οὔπω ἥκει ἡ ὥρα μου, εἰσάγει τὸν Χριστὸν λέγοντα, δεικνὺς ὅτι οὔπω δῆλος ἦν τοῖς πολλοῖς, καὶ ὅτι οὐδὲ τῶν μαθητῶν τὸν χορὸν πάντα εἶχεν, ἀλλ' Ἀνδρέας αὐτῷ ἠκολούθει καὶ μετ' αὐτοῦ Φίλιππος, ἄλλος δὲ οὐδείς: μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ οὗτοι πάντες ὡς ἐχρῆν αὐτὸν ἐγίγνωσκον, οὐδὲ ἡ μήτηρ, οὐδὲ οἱ ἀδελφοί. Μετὰ γὰρ τὰ πολλὰ θαύματα τοῦτο περὶ τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἔφησεν ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς, ὅτι Οὐδὲ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ ἐπίστευον εἰς αὐτόν. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ οἱ ἐν τῷ γάμῳ αὐτὸν ᾔδεισαν: ἦ γὰρ ἂν αὐτοὶ προσῆλθον καὶ παρεκάλεσαν, ἐν χρείᾳ καταστάντες. Διὰ τοῦτό φησιν: Οὔπω ἥκει ἡ ὥρα μου. Οὐδέπω γνώριμός εἰμι τοῖς παροῦσιν, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἴσασιν ὅτι ὑστέρησεν ὁ οἶνος. Ἔασον αὐτοὺς αἰσθέσθαι τοῦτο πρῶτον. Οὐδὲ γὰρ παρὰ σοῦ ταῦτά με ἀκούειν ἐχρῆν. Μήτηρ γὰρ εἶ, καὶ τὸ θαῦμα ὕποπτον ποιεῖς. Ἐχρῆν δὲ τοὺς δεομένους προσελθεῖν, καὶ δεηθῆναι, οὐκ ἐπειδὴ τούτου χρῄζω, ἀλλ' ἵνα αὐτοὶ τὸ γινόμενον μετὰ πολλῆς δέξωνται τῆς συγκαταθέσεως. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ εἰδὼς ὅτι ἐν χρείᾳ καθέστηκεν, ἐπειδὰν τύχῃ ὧνπερ αἰτεῖ, πολλὴν ἔχει τὴν χάριν: ὁ δὲ τῆς χρείας μὴ λαβὼν αἴσθησιν, οὐδὲ τῆς εὐεργεσίας σαφῆ καὶ τρανὴν αἴσθησιν λήψεται. Καὶ τίνος, φησὶν, ἕνεκεν εἰπὼν, Οὔπω ἥκει ἡ ὥρα μου, καὶ παραιτησάμενος, ἔπραξεν ὅπερ εἶπεν ἡ μήτηρ; Μάλιστα μὲν, ὥστε καὶ τοῖς ἀντιλέγουσι, καὶ ὥρᾳ αὐτὸν ὑποκεῖσθαι νομίζουσιν, ἱκανὴν γενέσθαι ἀπόδειξιν τοῦ μὴ ὑποκεῖσθαι αὐτὸν ὥρᾳ. Εἰ γὰρ ὑπέκειτο, πῶς ἂν τῆς προσηκούσης ὥρας μὴ παραγενομένης ἔπραξεν ἂν ὅπερ ἔπραξεν; Ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ τιμῶν τὴν μητέρα, ἵνα μὴ διαπαντὸς ἀντιλέγειν αὐτῇ δόξῃ, ἵνα μὴ ἀσθενείας λάβῃ δόξαν, ἵνα μὴ αἰσχύνῃ τὴν τεκοῦσαν, παρόντων τοσούτων: καὶ γὰρ προσήγαγεν αὐτῷ τοὺς διακόνους. Ἐπεὶ καὶ τῇ Χαναναίᾳ λέγων, Οὐκ ἔστι καλὸν λαβεῖν τὸν ἄρτον τῶν τέκνων, καὶ δοῦναι τοῖς κυναρίοις, ἔδωκε μετὰ τὸ εἰπεῖν, τὴν προσεδρεία αὐτῆς αἰδεσθείς. Καίτοι γε μετ' ἐκείνου καὶ τοῦτο εἶπεν, ὅτι Οὐκ ἀπεστάλην, εἰ μὴ εἰς τὰ πρόβατα τὰ ἀπολωλότα οἴκου Ἰσραήλ: ἀλλ' ὅμως καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν, ἐθεράπευσε τὸ θυγάτριον τῆς γυναικός. βʹ. Ἐντεῦθεν μανθάνομεν, ὅτι κἂν ἀνάξιοι ὦμεν, πολλάκις τῇ προσεδρείᾳ ποιοῦμεν ἀξίους ἑαυτοὺς τοῦ λαβεῖν. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἡ μήτηρ καὶ παρέμενε, καὶ σοφῶς τοὺς διακόνους προσῆγεν, ὥστε παρὰ πλειόνων γενέσθαι τὴν αἴτησιν. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ προσέθηκε τὸ, Ὅ τι ἂν λέγῃ ὑμῖν, ποιήσατε. Ἤ|δει γὰρ ὅτι οὐκ ἀσθενείας ἡ παραίτησις ἦν, ἀλλὰ τοῦ ἀκομπάστου, καὶ τοῦ μὴ δόξαι ἁπλῶς ἐπιῤῥίπτειν ἑαυτὸν τῷ θαύματι: διὸ καὶ τοὺς διακόνους προσῆγεν. Ἦσαν δὲ ἐκεῖ ὑδρίαι λίθιναι κείμεναι ἓξ κατὰ τὸν καθαρισμὸν τῶν Ἰουδαίων, χωροῦσαι ἀνὰ μετρητὰς δύο ἢ τρεῖς. Λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς: Ἐμπλήσατε τὰς ὑδρίας ὕδατος. Καὶ ἐνέπλησαν ἕως ἄνω. Οὐχ ἁπλῶς εἶπεν, Κατὰ τὸν καθαρισμὸν τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ἀλλ' ἵνα μή τινες τῶν ἀπίστων ὑποπτεύσωσιν, ὅτι τρυγὸς ἔνδον ἀπομεινάσης, εἶτα τοῦ ὕδατος ἐπιβληθέντος καὶ κραθέντος, οἶνος λεπτότατος γέγονε. Διὰ τοῦτό φησι, Κατὰ τὸν καθαρισμὸν τῶν Ἰουδαίων, δεικνὺς ὅτι οὐδέποτε ἐκεῖνα οἴνου γέγονε δοχεῖα τὰ σκεύη. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἄνυδρός ἐστιν ἡ Παλαιστίνη, καὶ οὐκ ἦν πολλαχοῦ κρήνας καὶ πηγὰς εὑρίσκειν, ἐπλήρουν ἀεὶ τὰς ὑδρίας ὕδατος, ὥστε μὴ τρέχειν εἰς ποταμοὺς, εἴποτε ἀκάθαρτοι γένοιντο. ἀλλ' ἐγγύθεν ἔχειν τοῦ καθαρσίου τὸν τρόπον. Καὶ τί δήποτε πρὶν ἢ γεμίσαι οὐκ ἐποίησε τὸ σημεῖον, ὃ πολλῷ θαυμαστότερον ἦν; Ἕτερον γάρ ἐστιν ὕλην ὑποκειμένην εἰς ποιότητα μεταβαλεῖν, καὶ αὐτὴν τὴν οὐσίαν ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων ποιῆσαι: θαυμαστότερον μὲν γὰρ ἐκεῖνο. Ἀλλ' οὐχ οὕτως ἂν ἔδοξεν εἶναι πιστὸν τοῖς πολλοῖς. Διὰ τοῦτο γοῦν πολλάκις τῶν θαυμάτων περικόπτει τὸ μέγεθος ἑκὼν, ὥστε εὐπαράδεκτον μᾶλλον γενέσθαι. Καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν, φησὶν, οὐχὶ τὸ ὕδωρ αὐτὸς παρήγαγε, καὶ τότε τὸν οἶνον ἔδειξεν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς διακόνοις ἐκέλευσε; Διὰ τὴν αὐτὴν πάλιν αἰτίαν, καὶ ἵνα αὐτοὺς μάρτυρας ἔχῃ τοῦ γινομένου τοὺς ἀντλήσαντας, καὶ ὅτι οὐδεμία φαντασία ἦν τὸ τελούμενον. Εἰ γὰρ ἔμελλόν τινες ἀναισχυντεῖν, ἠδύναντο πρὸς αὐτοὺς λέγειν οἱ διακονησάμενοι: Ἡμεῖς τὸ ὕδωρ ἠντλήσαμεν. Πρὸς δὲ τοῖς εἰρημένοις καὶ τὰ κατὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἀναφυόμενα δόγματα ἀνατρέπει. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἰσί τινες οἳ τοῦ κόσμου δημιουργὸν ἕτερον εἶναί φασι, καὶ οὐκ αὐτοῦ ἔργα τὰ ὁρώμενα, ἀλλ' ἑτέρου τινὸς ἐναντίου θεοῦ: καὶ τούτων ἐπιστομίζων τὴν μανίαν, οὕτω τὰ πλείονα ποιεῖ τῶν θαυμάτων ἐκ τῶν ὑποκειμένων οὐσιῶν. Εἰ γὰρ ἐναντίος ὁ δημιουργὸς ἦν αὐτῷ, οὐκ ἂν τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις ἐχρήσατο πρὸς τὴν τῆς οἰκείας δυνάμεως ἐπίδειξιν. Νῦν μέντοι δεικνὺς, ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ ἐν ταῖς ἀμπέλοις τὸ ὕδωρ μεταβάλλων, καὶ τὸν ὑετὸν διὰ τῆς ῥίζης εἰς οἶνον τρέπων, ὅπερ ἐν τῷ φυτῷ διὰ πολλοῦ χρόνου γίνεται, τοῦτο ἀθρόον ἐν τῷ γάμῳ εἰργάσατο. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐγέμισαν τὰς ὑδρίας, φησίν: Ἀντλήσατε νῦν, καὶ φέρετε τῷ ἀρχιτρικλίνῳ. Καὶ ἤνεγκαν. Ὡς δὲ ἐγεύσατο ὁ ἀρχιτρίκλινος τὸ ὕδωρ οἶνον γεγενημένον, καὶ οὐκ ᾔδει πόθεν ἐστὶν (οἱ δὲ διάκονοι ᾔδεισαν οἱ ἠντληκότες τὸ ὕδωρ), φωνεῖ τὸν νυμφίον ὁ ἀρχιτρίκλινος, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ: Πᾶς ἄνθρωπος πρῶτον τὸν καλὸν οἶνον τίθησι, καὶ ὅταν μεθυσθῶσι, τότε τὸν ἐλάσσω. Σὺ τετήρηκας τὸν καλὸν οἶνον ἕως ἄρτι. Πάλιν ἐνταῦθά τινες ἐπισκώπτουσι λέγοντες: Οὕτω μεθυόντων ἀνθρώπων ὁ σύλλογος ἦν, καὶ ἡ αἴσθησις τῶν κρινόντων διεφθαρμένη, καὶ οὐχ ἱκανὴ ἀντιλαβέσθαι τῶν γινομένων, οὐδὲ κρῖναι τοῖς πραττομένοις, ὡς μηδὲ εἰδέναι πότερον ὕδωρ ἢ οἶνος τὸ γινόμενον ἦν: ὅτι γὰρ ἐμέθυον, αὐτὸς ὁ ἀρχιτρίκλινος ἔδειξε δι' ὧν εἶπεν. Μάλιστα μὲν καὶ τοῦτο γελοῖον: πλὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ ταύτην αὐτῶν ἐξέκοψε τὴν ὑποψίαν ὁ εὐαγγελιστής. Οὐ γὰρ τοὺς δαιτυμόνας εἶναί φησι τοὺς ψηφιζομένους περὶ τοῦ γενομένου, ἀλλὰ τὸν ἀρχιτρίκλινον τὸν νήφοντα καὶ οὐδενὸς οὐδέπω γεγευμένον. Ἴστε γὰρ δήπου τοῦτο πάντες, ὅτι μάλιστα πάντων οἱ τὴν διακονίαν τῶν τοιούτων ἐμπεπιστευμένοι δείπνων, οὗτοι μάλιστά εἰσιν οἱ νήφοντες, ἓν ἔργον ἔχοντες, τὸ ἐν κόσμῳ καὶ ἐν τάξει πάντα διατιθέναι. Διὰ τοῦτο τὴν νήφουσαν αἴσθησιν ταύτην εἰς μαρτυρίαν τῶν γινομένων ἐκάλεσεν. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν, Οἰνοχοήσατε τοῖς ἀνακειμένοις, ἀλλὰ, Φέρετε τῷ ἀρχιτρικλίνῳ. Ὡς δὲ ἐγεύσατο ὁ ἀρχιτρίκλινος τὸ ὕδωρ οἶνον γεγενημένον, καὶ οὐκ ᾔδει πόθεν ἐστὶν (οἱ δὲ διάκονοι ᾔδεισαν), φωνεῖ τὸν νυμφίον ὁ ἀρχιτρίκλινος. Καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν μὴ τοὺς διακόνους ἐφώνησεν; οὕτω γὰρ ἂν καὶ τὸ θαῦμα ἐξεκαλύφθη. Ὅτι οὐδὲ αὐτὸς ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐξεκάλυπτε τὸ γεγονὸς, ἀλλ' ἠρέμα καὶ κατὰ μικρὸν ἐβούλετο γνωρισθῆναι τῶν σημείων τὴν δύναμιν. Εἰ μὲν οὖν τότε ἠλέγχθη, οὐκ ἂν διηγούμενοι οἱ διάκονοι ταῦτα ἂν ἐπιστεύθησαν: ἀλλ' ἔδοξαν ἂν μαίνεσθαι, ἀνθρώπῳ ψιλῷ τοῖς πολλοῖς εἶναι δοκοῦντι τότε τοιαῦτα μαρτυροῦντες. Αὐτοὶ μὲν γὰρ καὶ διὰ τῆς πείρας τὸ σαφὲς ἔγνωσαν: οὐ γὰρ δὴ ταῖς ἑαυτῶν χερσὶν ἔμελλον ἀπιστεῖν: ἑτέρους δὲ πιστοῦσθαι οὐκ ἦσαν ἱκανοί. Διὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲ αὐτὸς ἐξεκάλυψεν ἅπασιν, ἀλλὰ τῷ μάλιστα συνιδεῖν τὸ γεγονὸς δυναμένῳ, τὴν σαφεστέραν αὐτοῦ γνῶσιν τῷ μέλλοντι χρόνῳ τηρῶν. Μετὰ γὰρ τὴν τῶν λοιπῶν σημείων ἐπίδειξιν, καὶ τοῦτο ἔμελλεν εἶναι πιστόν. Ὅτε γοῦν τοῦ βασιλικοῦ τὸν υἱὸν ὕστερον θεραπεύει, δι' ὧν ἐκεῖ λέγει, δείκνυσιν ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς ὅτι καὶ τοῦτο σαφέστερον γέγονε. Διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο μάλιστα αὐτὸν ἐκάλεσεν ἐκεῖνος, ἐπειδὴ τὸ σημεῖον ἐγνωκὼς ἦν, ὥσπερ ἔφην. Ὃ καὶ δηλῶν Ἰωάννης ἔλεγεν: Ἦλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὴν Κανᾶ τῆς Γαλιλαίας, ὅπου ἐποίησε τὸ ὕδωρ οἶνον: οὐχ ἁπλῶς δὲ οἶνον, ἀλλ' οἶνον κάλλιστον. γʹ. Τοιαῦτα γὰρ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὰ θαύματα, πολλῷ τῶν διὰ φύσεως τελουμένων ὡραιότερα γίνεται καὶ βελτίω. Οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων, ὅτε μέλος διώρθου σώματος χωλεῦον, τῶν ὑγιαινόντων ἐδείκνυ τοῦτο ἄμεινον. Ὅτι μὲν οὖν οἶνος, καὶ οἶνος κάλλιστος ἦν ὁ γεγενημένος, οὐχ οἱ διάκονοι μόνοι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ νυμφίος καὶ ὁ ἀρχιτρίκλινος μαρτυρεῖν ἔμελλον: ὅτι δὲ ὑπὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ γεγενημένος, οἱ τὸ ὕδωρ ἀντλήσαντες. Ὥστε εἰ καὶ μὴ τότε ἐξεκαλύφθη τὸ θαῦμα, ἀλλ' ὅμως εἰς τέλος σιγηθῆναι οὐκ εἶχεν: οὕτω πολλὰς καὶ ἀναγκαίας αὐτῷ πρὸς τὸ μέλλον προαπέθετο μαρτυρίας. Τοῦ μὲν γὰρ τὸ ὕδωρ οἶνον ποιῆσαι τοὺς διακόνους μάρτυρας εἶχε: τοῦ δὲ καλὸν γενέσθαι τὸν οἶνον, τὸν ἀρχιτρίκλινον καὶ τὸν νυμφίον. Εἰκὸς μὲν οὖν τὸν νυμφίον ἀποκρίνασθαί τι πρὸς ταῦτα, καὶ εἰπεῖν: πλὴν ἀλλ' ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς ἐπειγόμενος πρὸς τὰ ἀναγκαιότερα τῶν πραγμάτων, ἁψάμενος τοῦ σημείου τούτου μόνον, παρέδραμε τὰ λοιπά. Τὸ γὰρ ἀναγκαῖον ἦν μαθεῖν, ὅτι οἶνον τὸ ὕδωρ ἐποίησε, καὶ οἶνον καλόν: τί δὲ πρὸς τὸν ἀρχιτρίκλινον εἶπεν ὁ νυμφίος, οὐκ ἔτι ἀναγκαῖον ἐνόμισεν εἶναι προσθεῖναι. Πολλὰ γὰρ τῶν σημείων πρότερον ὄντα ἀμυδρότερα, τοῦ χρόνου προϊόντος σαφέστερα γέγονεν, ὑπὸ τῶν ἐξ ἀρχῆς εἰδότων αὐτὰ ἀκριβέστερον ἀγγελθέντα. Τότε μὲν οὖν οἶνον ἐξ ὕδατος ἐποίησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς: καὶ τότε δὲ καὶ νῦν προαιρέσεις χαύνας καὶ διαῤῥεούσας μεταβάλλων οὐ παύεται. Εἰσὶ γὰρ, εἰσὶν ἄνθρωποι οὐδὲν ὕδατος διαφέροντες, οὕτω ψυχροὶ καὶ χαῦνοι καὶ οὐδέποτε ἑστηκότες. Τοὺς δὴ οὕτω διακειμένους προσάγωμεν τῷ Κυρίῳ, ὥστε αὐτῶν τὴν προαίρεσιν εἰς τὴν τοῦ οἴνου μεταθεῖναι ἕξιν, ὥστε μηκέτι διαῤῥεῖν, ἀλλ' ἔχειν τὸ ἐπεστυμμένον, καὶ εὐφροσύνης καὶ ἑαυτοῖς καὶ ἑτέροις γίνεσθαι αἰτίους. Τίνες δ' ἂν εἶεν οὗτοι οἱ ψυχροὶ, ἢ οἱ τοῖς ῥέουσι τοῦ παρόντος βίου προσέχοντες πράγμασιν, οἱ μὴ καταγελῶντες τῆς ἐνταῦθα τρυφῆς, οἱ δόξης καὶ δυναστείας ἐρασταί; Ταῦτα γὰρ πάντα ῥεύματά ἐστιν, ἱστάμενα μὲν οὐδαμοῦ, κατὰ δὲ πρανοῦς ἀεὶ φερόμενα μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ῥύμης. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ σήμερον πλούσιος, αὔριον πένης: ὁ σήμερον μετὰ κήρυκος καὶ ζώνης καὶ ὀχήματος καὶ πολλῶν τῶν ῥαβδούχων φαινόμενος, πολλάκις τῇ ἑξῆς ἡμέρᾳ τὸ δεσμωτήριον ᾤκησεν, ἑτέρῳ καὶ ἄκων τῆς φαντασίας παραχωρήσας ἐκείνης. Ὁ τρυφῶν πάλιν καὶ διασπώμενος, ἐπειδὰν διαῤῥήξῃ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γαστέρα, μέχρι μιᾶς ἡμέρας οὐ δύναται τὴν ἐκ τούτων ἐγγενομένην αὐτῷ χορηγίαν κατασχεῖν, ἀλλὰ, διαπνευσθείσης ἐκείνης, ἀναγκάζεται πάλιν ἕτερα ἐπεμβάλλειν, οὐδὲν διαφέρων χειμάῤῥου. Καθάπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖ τοῦ προτέρου ῥεύματος προχωροῦντος, ἕτερα ἐπέρχεται πάλιν: οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα, τῆς προτέρας ἐξισταμένης τροφῆς, ἑτέρας ἡμῖν δεῖ πάλιν. Καὶ τοιαύτη τῶν βιωτικῶν ἡ φύσις, τὸ μηδέποτε ἑστάναι λαχοῦσα, ἀλλ' ἀεὶ ῥεῖν καὶ παρασύρεσθαι. Ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς τρυφῆς, οὐ τοῦτο μόνον ἐστὶ τὸ παραῤῥεῖν καὶ παρατρέχειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλὰ ἡμῖν ἕτερα παρέχει πράγματα. Ἐν τῷ γὰρ παριέναι μετὰ ῥύμης τό τε ἰσχυρὸν ἀποξύει τοῦ σώματος, τό τε ἀνδρεῖον παρασύρει τῆς ψυχῆς: καὶ οὐχ οὕτω τὰ σφοδρὰ τῶν ποταμίων ῥευμάτων τὰς ὄχθας εἴωθε διατρώγειν, καὶ ποιεῖν ὑφιζάνειν, ὡς τρυφὴ καὶ σπατάλη τὰ τῆς ὑγείας ἡμῶν ἐρείσματα πάντα ὑποσύρει ῥᾳδίως. Κἂν ἔλθῃς εἰς ἰατρεῖον, καὶ προσελθὼν ἐρωτήσῃς, πάσας σχεδὸν τῶν νοσημάτων τὰς αἰτίας ἐκεῖθεν εὑρήσεις οὔσας. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ εὐτέλεια καὶ ἡ λιτὴ τράπεζα, ὑγείας μήτηρ ἐστίν. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἰατρῶν παῖδες οὕτως αὐτὴν ὠνόμασαν, τό γε μὴ κορέννυσθαι, ὑγείαν καλέσαντες: Ἀκορίη γὰρ τροφῆς, ὑγιείη: τό τε ἐνδεῶς ἑστιᾶσθαι, μητέρα ὑγείας εἰπόντες. Εἰ δὲ ἡ ἔνδεια μήτηρ ὑγείας, εὔδηλον ὅτι ἡ πλησμονὴ μήτηρ νόσου καὶ ἀῤῥωστίας ἐστὶ, καὶ τίκτει πάθη καὶ αὐτῶν ὑπερβαίνοντα τῶν ἰατρῶν τὴν τέχνην. Καὶ γὰρ ποδαλγίαι, καὶ καρηβαρίαι, καὶ ἀμβλυωπίαι, καὶ χειραλγίαι, καὶ τρόμοι, καὶ παρέσεις, καὶ ἴκτερος, καὶ πυρετοὶ μακροὶ καὶ φλογώδεις, καὶ ἕτερα τούτων πολλῷ πλείονα (οὐ γὰρ καιρὸς πάντα ἐπιέναι), οὐκ ἀπὸ ἐνδείας καὶ φιλοσόφου διαίτης, ἀλλ' ἐξ ἀδηφαγίας καὶ πλησμονῆς τίκτεσθαι πέφυκεν. Εἰ δὲ βούλει καὶ τῆς ψυχῆς τὰς νόσους ἰδεῖν τὰς ἐντεῦθεν φυομένας, ὄψει ὅτι πλεονεξίαι, βλακεῖαι, μελαγχολίαι, νωθεῖαι, ἀσέλγειαι, ἀμαθία πᾶσα ἐντεῦθεν ἔχει τὴν ἀρχήν. Ὄνων γὰρ οὐδὲν ἄμεινον ἀπὸ τῶν τοιούτων τραπεζῶν αἱ τρυφῶσαι γίνονται ψυχαὶ, ὑπὸ τοιούτων διασπώμεναι θηρίων. Εἴπω καὶ λύπας ὅσας ἔχουσι καὶ ἀηδίας οἱ προσεδρεύοντες τῇ τρυφῇ; Ἀλλὰ πάσας μὲν ἐπελθεῖν οὐ δυνατόν: ἑνὶ δὲ καὶ τούτῳ κεφαλαίῳ τὸ πᾶν ποιήσω φανερόν. Τῆς γὰρ τραπέζης, ταύτης δὲ λέγω τῆς πολυτελοῦς, μεθ' ἡδονῆς οὐδέποτε ἀπογεύονται. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἔνδεια, ὥσπερ ὑγείας, οὕτω καὶ ἡδονῆς μήτηρ ἐστίν: ἡ πλησμονὴ δὲ, ὥσπερ νόσων, οὕτω καὶ ἀηδίας ἐστὶ πηγὴ καὶ ῥίζα. Ἔνθα γὰρ ἂν ᾖ κόρος, ἐπιθυμίαν εἶναι οὐκ ἔστιν: ἐπιθυμίας δὲ οὐκ οὔσης, πῶς ἂν εἴη ποτὲ ἡδονή; Διὰ τοῦτο οὐ μόνον συνετωτέρους καὶ ὑγιεινοτέρους τοὺς πενομένους τῶν πλουσίων εὕροιμεν ἂν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πλείονα καρπουμένους τὴν εὐφροσύνην. Ἅπερ πάντα ἐννοήσαντες, φύγωμεν μέθην τε καὶ τρυφὴν, μὴ τὴν ἐν τραπέζαις μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἄλλην ἅπασαν τὴν ἐν πράγμασι βιωτικοῖς: καὶ ἀντ' ἐκείνης ἀνταλλαξώμεθα τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν πνευματικῶν ἡδονὴν, καὶ κατὰ τὸν Προφήτην κατατρυφήσωμεν τοῦ Κυρίου (Κατατρύφησον γὰρ τοῦ Κυρίου, φησὶ, καὶ δῴη σοι τὰ αἰτήματα τῆς καρδίας σου): ἵνα καὶ τῶν ἐνταῦθα καὶ τῶν μελλόντων ἀπολαύσωμεν ἀγαθῶν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, δι' οὗ καὶ μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἡ δόξα, ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.