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character of the sign answers to the general character of Christ as a new creation, a transfiguration of the cere monial Law into the spiritual Gospel, the ennobling of the whole life. It may be added also that the scene of the ‘sign’—a marriage feast—-is that in which the accomplishment of Christ’s work is most characteristically prefigured ch. ii :29; Matt, xxii :2ff; xxv:lfif.; Rev. xix:7, xxi:2.” The minuteness of the details of the story here told suggest that as John himself could not have been a wit ness of all of these details, that these details must have been told to him by Mary, the mother of our Lord, who had witnessed the whole miracle. As our Lord entrusted His mother to John when He Himself was dying on the cross, it was very natural that she should have told to John time and again all the details of the things that she had witnessed about our Lord. This thought is confirmed by the fact that this is the only miracle in which she occupies a prominent place.
It is found only once in the Syncoptic Gospels (Matt. 18:6. It is also found in some manuscripts' in Mark 9 :42, but not accepted by most of the best authorities) and but rarely in Paul’s writings (Rom. 10:14; Gal. 2:16; Phil. 1:29). Westcott calls attention to the fact that “as a beginning of Christ’s signs, this miracle cannot but have repre sentative value.” He finds this rep resentative value in “1. Its essential character. A sign of sovereign power wrought on unorganic matter, not a living body. 2. Its circumstantial character. The change of the simpler to the richer element. In this respect it may be contrasted with the first pub lic miracle of Moses, with whose his tory the record of miracles in the Old Testament-commences. 3. Its moral character. The answer of love to faith ministering to the fullnes of human joy in one of its simplest and most natural forms. Contrast this feature with the action of the Baptist, Mat thew 11:18, 19. In each respect the
Water Changed T o W ine By an Unknown Author
Gay mirth shall deepen into joy, Earth’s hopes shall glow divine When Jesus visits us to turn Our water into wine. The social talk, the evening fire, The homely household shrine, Shall glow with angel’s visit when The Lord pours out the wine.
Come, Friend, whose presence in the house, Whose gracious Word benign Could once at Cana’s wedding feast Change water into wine,— Come visit us, and when dull work Grows weary line on line, Revive our souls, and make us see Our water turn to wine.
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