"He was the first to find his brother Simon, and said to him, We have found the Messiah, which means, Christ; and brought him to Jesus" (John 1:41,42)

1. In the beginning, when God created man, He did not leave him alone, but gave him a wife to help him, and commanded them to live together, because He knew that many benefits could come from this cohabitation. What if the wife did not use this benefit as she should? If anyone delves into the essence of this matter, he will see that there is much benefit from cohabitation for prudent people. However, not only from the cohabitation of husband and wife, but if the brothers also live together, then they also benefit from it. That is why the prophet said: "How good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together" (Psalm 132:1)? And Paul exhorted not to abandon mutual communion. This is what distinguishes us from animals. We build cities, marketplaces, and houses in order to be together with one another, not only in dwellings, but also in the union of love. Our nature was created by the Creator in such a way that it has different needs, but is insufficient for itself; therefore God arranged it so that the needs arising from this would be corrected by the benefit arising from communal life. For this reason marriage is also instituted in such a way that, what is lacking in one, the other makes up for it, and in this way the needs of nature are satisfied, and although it was created mortal, it nevertheless preserves immortality for a long time by succession. I could dwell further on this subject and show how much benefit to people comes from a mutual, close, and sincere connection with each other. Andrew, having spent time with Jesus and having learned from Him as much as he could, did not keep this treasure with him, but hurried, immediately ran to his brother, in order to share with him the goods he had acquired. But why did John not say what Christ was talking to them about? And how can it be seen that they were with Him precisely for this purpose? We have already shown this before; But this can also be learned from the current reading. Notice what Andrew says to his brother. "We have found the Messiah, which means, Christ." Do you see that he shows here how much he has learned in a short time? By this he expresses both the power of the Teacher, who convinced them of this, and his own zeal, with which they have long been concerned about this from the very beginning. The very expression "found" shows a soul yearning to see Christ, awaiting His descent from above, and filled with joy when the object of its expectation appeared, and finally hastening to tell others the joyful news of it. In spiritual matters, shaking hands with each other is a sign of brotherly love, kindred friendship, and sincere benevolence. Notice also that he also speaks of the Messiah with the addition of a penis. He did not simply say, "The Messiah," but the Messiah of the expected one. In this way they were expecting one Christ, who had nothing in common with the others[1]. See, then, how Peter from the very beginning discovers in himself a soul that is obedient and obedient. He immediately hastens to Jesus, without the slightest delay. "Brought him," it is said, "to Jesus." But no one accuses him of frivolity, if he accepts his brother's words, without further investigation. Probably, his brother also told him about this at length and in detail, but the Evangelists usually present much in brief, taking care of brevity. Moreover, it is not said that Peter simply believed, but only that Andrew "brought him to Jesus," wishing to present his brother to Him so that he would learn everything from Him. Moreover, another disciple was with them and helped to do so. If, however, John the Baptist himself, having said of Christ that He is the Lamb and that He baptizes with the Spirit, left the clearest teaching about Him to his disciples to learn from Himself, how much more must Andrew have done so, feeling himself unable to explain everything. Wherefore he drew his brother to the very fountain of light, with such care and joy that he did not hesitate or hesitate in the least. "And Jesus looked at him, and said, Thou art Simon the son of Jonah; thou shalt be called Cephas, which is to say, Peter the Stone" (v. 42). Here (Christ) already begins to reveal His divinity and little by little reveals it in His utterances. Thus He did it in His conversations with Nathanael and with the Samaritan woman.

2. Prophecies are no less convincing than miracles, and moreover they do not contain vanity. Miracles were still subject to perverse interpretations, at least from foolish people: of "Beelzebub," they said, "casteth out demons" (Matt. 12:24); but nothing of the kind has ever been said of prophecies. Thus, Christ used this method of teaching for Simon and Nathanael, but He did not do the same with Andrew and Philip. Why? Because they had already received no small training in the testimony of John; and Philip, moreover, saw those who stood before Christ, took this as a direct proof for faith in Him. "Thou art Simon, son of Jonah; thou shalt be called Cephas, which means Peter the Stone." From the present, the future also becomes reliable. The one who named Petrov's father, of course, foresaw the future. Prophecy is here combined with praise; but this was not flattery, but a prediction of the future, as is evident from the following. Remember with what powerful rebuke He allows His sight to be seen in His conversation with the Samaritan woman. "Thou hast had five husbands," He says, "and he whom thou hast now is not thy husband" (John 4:18). In the same way, His Father, rebelling against the worship of idols, speaks much about prophecy. "Let them go forth and save you from what is to happen to you." And in another place: "I prophesied, and saved, and declared; but there is no other among you" (proclaimed and saved, and was not a stranger to you) (Isaiah 47:13; 43:12). And this is evident throughout the prophecy. Prophecy is primarily the work of God, which the demons cannot even imitate, no matter how much they intensify. In miracles there may still be some deception; But to predict the future with accuracy is peculiar only to one eternal being. If the demons ever did this, it was only to deceive the foolish; therefore it is always easy to denounce their prophecy as a lie. Meanwhile, Peter does not answer anything to the words of Christ, because he did not yet understand anything clearly, but only learned. Moreover, the prediction itself was not yet fully pronounced. Christ did not say, "I will rename thee Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church," but only said, "Thou shalt be called Cephas, which means, the rock of Peter." That renaming would mean the highest dignity and great power. But Christ did not suddenly and not from the very beginning show His authority, but for a time He spoke more humbly. When He has given a full proof of His divinity, He also says with greater authority: "Blessed art thou, Simon son of Jonah, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven." And in another place: "I say unto thee, Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church" (Matt. 16:17,18). Thus Christ called Simon, and Jacob and his brother sons of thunder. Why does He do this? By this He shows that He is the One Who gave the Old Testament and then changed the names, calling Abraham Abraham, Sarah Sarah, Jacob Israel, and many of them from their birth gave names, such as: Isaac, Sampson, and the persons mentioned by Isaiah and Hosea; and to some he changed the names given by their parents, such as to the persons mentioned above, and to Joshua. It was also the custom of the ancients to give names according to circumstances, as Elijah did. And this was not without purpose, but so that the very name of people would be for them a reminder of God's blessings, so that, through the expression of prophecy in names, it would be all the better preserved in the minds of those who heard. In the same way, John was given a name before his birth. Thus, people who had to shine with virtue from the first age received names even before birth; and to those who were glorified afterwards, and the nickname was afterwards attached.

3. But then each received a special name; and now we all have one name, which is more important than all those, the name of Christians, the sons and friends of God, the body (of Christ). Such a designation, more than all these, can arouse in us an intensified zeal for excellence in virtue. Let us not do anything unworthy of this honorable title, thinking about the loftiness of the dignity by which we are called Christ's. This is what Paul called us. Let's keep this in mind, let's respect this great name. If some, bearing the name of some famous commander or any other illustrious person, think highly of themselves when they hear that they are called by the name of so-and-so, consider this name a great virtue for themselves, and take every care not to dishonor him with whom they are namesake, then we, who are called by the name of not a general, nor any earthly ruler, not an angel, not an archangel, not a seraphim, but their King himself, should we not lay down the soul itself, so as not to offend Him Who has vouchsafed us such an honor? Do you not know what honor is enjoyed by the detachments of the king's shield-bearers and spearmen who surround the king? In the same way, I, who have been vouchsafed to be near the King Himself, and even much closer to Him than those we have mentioned are to our King, as close as the body is to the head, must act in all things only in imitation of Christ. And what does Christ say? "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head" (Luke 9:58). If we were to demand this of you, it might seem difficult and burdensome to many. And so, for the sake of your infirmity, I leave this severity, and only demand that you should not be addicted to riches, and just as, for the sake of the infirmity of many, I do not demand of you such a high virtue, so I urge you, and even more so, to shun vices. I do not condemn those who have houses, fields, money, servants; but I only want them to possess all these things prudently and properly. In what proper way? As masters should, and not slaves, i.e. to possess wealth, and not so that it possesses you, using it, and not abusing it. Money exists so that we use it for necessary needs, and not to save them: this is characteristic of work, and otherwise of the master. To guard is the business of a slave, and to spend is the business of a master who has full power to do so. You do not receive money to bury it in the ground, but to distribute it. If God wanted them to be preserved, He would not give them to people, but would leave them forever in the ground. But since He wants them to be expendable, He allowed us to have them – to pass them on to one another. If we keep them to ourselves, then we are no longer their masters. And if you keep them in order to multiply them, then the best way to do this is to squander them and distribute them everywhere. And there can be no income without expenditure, or wealth without expense. This can be seen in the affairs of life. This is what the merchant does, this is what the farmer does: one spends seed, the other money. One sails on the sea, squandering his money, the other works for a whole year, sowing seeds and working. Yet there is no need for anything of the sort: there is no need to prepare a ship, nor oxen to harness and plow the land, nor to worry about air storms, nor to be afraid of hail. There are no waves, no (underwater) rocks. This swimming, this sowing, requires only one thing – to give up what you have; and all the rest will be done by the Farmer of whom Christ said: "My Father is a husbandman" (John 15:1). And so, is it not foolish to indulge in laziness and negligence where everything can be obtained without difficulty, and to show all one's activity where there is much labor, care, and sweat, and after all this is still a false hope? Let us not, beseeching you, be so foolish in the matter of our own salvation, but, leaving behind the most burdensome works, let us hasten to work that are easier and more useful, in order to attain to future blessings, through the grace and love of mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom be glory to the Father with the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

[1] That is, with those persons who in the Holy Scriptures. The Scriptures are called anointed in the general sense of the word.

CONVERSATION 20

"On the morrow [Jesus] desired to go into Galilee, and found Philip, and said to him, Follow me. And Philip was from Bethsaida, from the same city with Andrew and Peter" (John 1:43,44)

1. "From all labor there is profit" (Proverbs 14:23) – says the book of Proverbs. But Christ inspires us even more when He says: "He who seeks finds" (Matt. 7:8). That is why it seems to me surprising how Philip followed Christ. Andrew followed, having heard about Christ from John, Peter from Andrew; and Philip knew nothing about Him from anyone or anyone, but as soon as Christ said to him: "Follow Me," Philip immediately obeyed Him, and not only did not abandon Him, but even became a preacher about Him to others. Hastening to Nathanael, Philip says to him, "We have found him of whom Moses wrote in the law and the prophets" (v. 45). Do you see how anxious his soul was, how often he pondered over what Moses wrote, and how he awaited the coming of Christ? The word: found shows people who are constantly searching. "On the morrow [Jesus] desired to go into Galilee." He does not call anyone to Himself before anyone joins Him. And he does this not simply, but according to His inherent wisdom and understanding. If no one had come to Him voluntarily, and He Himself had drawn everyone to Himself, then perhaps they would have left Him afterwards. But as soon as they themselves decided to do this, they remained firm in their intention. But He calls Philip as a man more known to Him than others. Born and raised in Galilee, Philip, of course, knew Christ more than anyone else. Thus, having gained some disciples, Christ goes to catch others and draws Philip and Nathanael to Himself. The conversion of Nathanael to Christ is not so surprising, because the rumor of Jesus spread throughout all Syria, as is the conversion of Peter, James, and Philip, not only because they believed before they saw the miracles of Jesus Christ, but also because they were from Galilee, from whence no prophet came, and nothing good could come (v. 46). for the Galileans were an uneducated, savage, and coarse people. Meanwhile, Christ manifested His power here as well, choosing from the earth, which bore no fruit, the most worthy disciples. So, probably, Philip followed Christ, seeing Peter's companions and hearing (about Christ) from John. Probably, too, the voice of Christ produced its effect in him. Christ knew who would be useful to Him. But the evangelist omits all this. Philip knew that Christ was to come; but that Christ is Jesus, he did not know; but I think that he heard it either from Peter or from John. The Evangelist also names the village of Philip in order to show how "God chose the weakness of the world" (1 Corinthians 1:27). "Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, We have found him of whom Moses wrote in the law and the prophets, Jesus the son of Joseph of Nazareth" (v. 45). He says this in order to give credibility to his preaching, referring to Moses and the prophets, and thus to encourage the listener to pay attention. Nathanael was a precise man and in all things he inquired into the truth, as Christ also testified and the deed itself showed. Therefore Philip did well to send him to Moses and the prophets, in order thus to dispose Nathanael to accept Him of whom he had preached to him. But if Philip calls Christ the son of Joseph, then do not be dismayed. At that time He was still considered to be the son of Joseph. But how can it be seen, Philip, that He is the one of whom Moses and the prophets wrote? What proof will you give us? Verbal testimony alone is not enough. What sign hast thou seen? What miracle? After all, in such cases it is not safe to believe simply without evidence? What proof do you have? The same as Andrew's, Philip answers us. As Andrew, not having the strength to depict the riches that he found, not finding words to describe this treasure, leads his brother to Him whom he has found, so Philip: without telling Nathanael why Jesus is the Christ and how the prophets foretold about Him; but draws him to Jesus, knowing that he will not depart from Jesus as soon as he tastes His words and His teachings. "Nathanael said to him, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip said to him, "Go and see." And when Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, he said of him, Behold, this is indeed an Israelite, in whom there is no guile" (vv. 46, 47). Christ praises and exalts Nathanael because he said: "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth"? Should he not be condemned for this? No, these were not the words of an unbeliever, and they did not deserve accusations, but praise. How and why? Because he was more versed in prophecy than Philip. He knew from the Scriptures that Christ was to come from Bethlehem and from the village where David was. This opinion prevailed among the Jews, and the prophet had long foretold, saying: "And you, Bethlehem, the land of Judah, are in no way less than the governors of Judah, for from you shall come forth a Leader who will shepherd my people Israel" (Micah 5:2; Matt. 2:6; John 7:42). Therefore, when Nathanael heard that (Christ had appeared) from Nazareth, he was confused and perplexed, finding Philip's message not in accordance with the prophetic prediction. But see how Nathanael, even in his perplexity, is prudent and moderate. He did not immediately say, 'You deceive me, Philip, and you lie.' I don't believe, I won't go; I know from the prophecies that Christ must come from Bethlehem. And you say – from Nazareth. This is not Christ. No, Nathanael said nothing of the sort. What then? And he goes to Christ and, on the one hand, not agreeing that Christ came from Nazareth, thus shows a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures and prudence in actions, on the other hand, he does not completely reject Philip's message and thereby reveals his strong desire for the coming of Christ. He only thought that Philip had wrongly indicated the place of the coming. Pay attention also to the caution with which he expresses his doubt – in the form of a question. He does not say: Galilee does not produce anything good, but how? "Can anything good come from Nazareth"? But Philip was also very prudent. When he encounters an objection, he is not annoyed, not offended, but only stands his ground, wishing to bring this man to Christ Himself and from the very beginning showing in himself the firmness of spirit characteristic of the Apostle. That is why Christ also said: "Behold truly an Israelite, in whom there is no guile." Of course, an Israelite can also be a liar. But this one is not like that, he says: his judgment is impartial; He does not express in his words either liking or disliking. True, the Jews, too, to the question: "Where should Christ be born?" answered: "In Bethlehem," and cited the testimony: "And thou, Bethlehem, the land of Judah, is in no way less than the governors of Judah"; but they bore witness to it even before they saw Christ; and when they saw it, out of envy they hid this testimony and said: "We know Him whence He comes; But when Christ comes, no man shall know whence He comes" (John 7:27). But Nathanael did not act in this way, but what opinion he had about Christ at first, and yet he remained, namely, that He was not from Nazareth. Why do the prophets call him a Nazarite? Because there was a place of His upbringing and residence. But even Christ does not want to say to Nathanael: "I am not from Nazareth, as Philip told you, but from Bethlehem," so as not to cast doubt on His words from the very beginning. Moreover, if he had convinced Nathaniel of this, it would not have been sufficient proof that He was the Christ. Why couldn't He, who was not the Christ, come from Bethlehem, like the other people who were born there? Thus, Christ leaves this, and does what could most attract Nathanael to Him, namely, that He was present at Nathanael's conversation with Philip. When Nathanael asked Him, "Why do You know me"? He says, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you" (v. 48). Here is a firm and constant man! When Christ said: "Behold truly an Israelite," he was not haughty by these praises, he was not carried away by approvals; but he stands his ground, seeking out and testing the truth with greater diligence in order to learn something true. So he still tests as a man, and Jesus answers as God. "Before," he said, "I saw you." He had known Nathanael's good manners before, not as a man who watched over him, but as God. And now, "I saw thee under the fig tree," when there was no one there, but only Philip and Nathanael, and they talked among themselves about it. Wherefore it is said, "When he saw Nathanael coming unto him, he saith of him, Behold the Israelite indeed," and so it is said, in order to show that Christ spoke these words before Philip approached, so that such testimony might not be doubted. For this purpose, He named the time, the place, and the tree itself. If He had only said, "Before Philip came to thee, I saw thee," He might have been suspected that He had not sent Philip himself, and thus nothing of importance would have been found in His words. But when He pointed out the place where Nathanael was, when Philip invited him, and the name of the tree itself, and the time of the conversation, He showed in Himself undoubted clairvoyance. But Christ not only revealed His clairvoyance, but also brought Nathanael to his senses in another way, namely, He brought to his mind the words he had said at that time: "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" and all the more favored him to Himself, as well as by the fact that for such words He not only did not condemn him, but even praised and exalted him. That is why Nathanael understood from this that Christ was truly Christ, i.e., both from His insight and from the fact that Christ knew his opinion exactly, and thereby showed that He knew what was hidden in his soul, and not only did He not condemn him for expressing his opinion, but even praised him. That Nathanael was invited by Philip, Christ said; but what he said to Philip, and Philip to him, he kept silent about it, leaving it to his conscience and not wishing to expose him any more.

3. What is it? Did Christ see Nathanael only before Philip invited him, and until that time did not see him with a vigilant eye? I saw it - and no one will contradict it. But at that time it was necessary to say only what was necessary. What about Nathanael? Having received the indubitable proof of Christ's foreknowledge, he confessed Him, and as before in his slowness he showed prudence, so now in his compliance he showed prudence. He answered Christ thus: "Rabbi! Thou art the Son of God, Thou art the King of Israel" (v. 49). Do you see the soul that is suddenly enraptured and embraces Jesus with its words? You, he says, are desired, expected. Do you see how he is amazed, marveled, jumps and jumps for joy? In the same way, we should rejoice, who have been vouchsafed to know the Son of God, not only to rejoice in our souls, but also to express joy in our very deeds. And what is characteristic of those who rejoice? To believe Him whom they have known; but believers – to do what pleases Him.

Therefore, when Christ also came to us, let us show that we rejoice in Him, and let us not do anything that can offend Him. Let us adorn the house into which He came: this is characteristic of those who rejoice. Let us offer him the table which He Himself desires: this is the nature of those who rejoice. What kind of meal is this? He Himself says: "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me" (John 4:34). Let us feed Him who hungers, let us give Him thirsty to drink. Give Him only a cup of cold water, and He will accept this too, because He loves you; the offerings of the loved ones, however small, seem great to the lover. Just don't show negligence. Throw down two mites before Him, and He will not reject them either, but will accept them as great riches. He has no fault in anything, and does not accept it out of any need; therefore he justly measures everything not by the measure of what is given, but by the disposition of the giver. Just show that you love this Guest, that you try to do everything for Him, that you are glad to see Him. See what kind of love He has for you. He came for your sake, laid down His life for you, and after all these blessings He does not refuse to beg you. "In the name of Christ we beseech you," says the Apostle, "be reconciled to God" (2 Corinthians 5:20). But who, you will say, is so mad as not to love his Lord? This is what I say, and I know that none of us will renounce it in words and thoughts. But he who is loved wants love for him to be manifested not only in words, but also in deeds. He says that we love, but does not do what is characteristic of lovers - this is ridiculous not only in relation to God, but also to people. Therefore, if to confess only in words, and to show the contrary in deeds is not only useless, but also harmful to us, then I beseech – let us express our confession in deeds, that we may be worthy of confession also from the Lord Himself, on the day when He shall make known the worthy before His Father – I beseech in Christ Jesus our Lord, through Whom and with Whom be glory to the Father with the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

CONVERSATION 21

"Nathanael answered Him, Rabbi! You are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel. Jesus answered and said to him, "You believe, because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree; thou shalt see more than this" (John 1:49,50)

1. Beloved, we need much care, much vigilance, in order to be able to penetrate into the depths of the divine Scriptures. Otherwise, while falling asleep, it is impossible to comprehend their meaning; but careful study is needed, and constant prayer is also needed, in order to see at least a little in the sanctuary of the word of God. So today we see an important issue that requires a lot of attention. When Nathanael said, "Thou art the Son of God," Christ said to him, "I said unto thee, I have seen thee under the fig tree; thou shalt see more than this." What in these words needs to be investigated? That Peter, who confessed: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matt. 16:16), after so many miracles and after such teaching, is blessed as having received a revelation from the Father; but Nathanael, who said the same thing even before the miracles and before the teaching, heard nothing of the kind from Christ, but also, as if he had not yet said as much as should have been said, is stirred up to expect great revelations. What is the reason for this? Because, although Peter and Nathanael spoke the same words, they did not speak with the same thought. Peter confessed Jesus to be the Son of God as the true God; and Nathaniel as a mere man. From what can this be seen? From the following words of Nathaniel. And when he said, "Thou art the Son of God," he added, "Thou art the King of Israel." But the Son of God is the king not only of Israel, but of the entire universe. However, this is evident not only from here, but also from the following. Christ did not add anything to Peter's words, but, as if Peter's faith were already perfect, He said that on this confession He would build His Church. But in relation to Nathanael, He did not do so, but quite the opposite. In Nathanael's confession, as it were, there was still much and something better missing, and now Christ makes up for what is lacking. What's he saying? "Verily, verily, I say unto you, From henceforth ye shall see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending to the Son of man" (v. 51). Do you see how Christ little by little raises him out of the earth and inspires him not to imagine Him as a mere man? Can he really be a man whom the angels serve and for whom the angels ascend and descend? For this reason He said, "Thou shalt see more than this," and in explaining this, He added about the angelic ministry. The meaning of His words is this: To you, Nathanael, this seemed important[1], and for this you acknowledge Me as the king of Israel. What then will you say when you see angels ascending and descending for Me? With such words Christ inspired us to recognize Him as the Lord of the angels. As to the true Son of the King, these royal servants ascended and descended to Christ, as in the time of suffering, in the time of resurrection and ascension; and even before that they came and served Him – when they preached the news of His birth, when they exclaimed: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace" (Luke 2:14), when they came to Mary, to Joseph. But Christ does it now as He does on many other occasions. He pronounces two prophecies, and the correctness of the one is immediately revealed, and the other, relating to the future, is confirmed through the present. Of these, one, already proven, is the following: "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." The other was to be fulfilled in the future, and in part was already being fulfilled at that time, namely, the ascent and descent of the angels, such as: at His sufferings, at His resurrection and ascension; and of this, even before the events, He assured by what He had said about the present. Whoever has come to know His power from the past, hearing also about the future, can more easily accept the prediction about the future. What about Nathanael? Nothing answers to this. For this reason Christ also concluded His discourse in it, leaving it to reflect on what was said for himself, and not wishing to express everything at once. By throwing the seeds into the fruitful ground, He allows it to bring forth fruit in due time. This He depicted in another place in the following words: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while the people slept, his enemy came, and sowed tares among the wheat, and departed" (Matt. 13:24,25). "On the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. And Jesus and His disciples were called to the marriage" (John 2:1,2). I have already said that He was most famous in Galilee. That's why they call Him to marriage, and He comes. He did not look to His own dignity, but to our benefit. He who did not renounce the form of a slave, much less could he renounce to come to the marriage of slaves. He who co-reclines with tax collectors and sinners could not renounce co-presence with those who were at the marriage. Those who invited Him to the marriage, of course, did not have a proper understanding of Him, they called Him not even as a great man, but simply as an ordinary and familiar person. This is what the evangelist hints at, saying: "The mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and His disciples were also called to the marriage", i.e., Jesus was called the same as she and the disciples. "And because there was a lack of wine, the mother of Jesus said to him, They have no wine" (v. 3). Here it is worth paying attention to how did His Mother come up with the idea to imagine something great about her Son? Up to that time He had not yet performed any miracle. "Thus," it is said, "Jesus began the miracles at Cana of Galilee" (v. 11).

2. And if anyone says that there is not yet sufficient proof that the miracle at Cannae was the beginning of miracles, since the addition "in Cannae of Galilee" only shows that this miracle was the first in Cannae, and not in general, and not the first of all His miracles; and it is likely that Christ had performed other miracles in other places before, we will say to this the same thing as we said before. What exactly? What John says, "I did not know Him; but for this he came to baptize in water, that he might be manifested unto Israel" (John 1:31). If Christ had performed miracles in adolescence, then the Israelites would not have needed another person to manifest Him. If Christ, having come to manhood, became known for His miracles not only in Judea, but also in Syria and beyond, moreover, He performed them in the course of only three years, or rather,