The Gospel of St. John. Joseph MacRory
things whatsoever I have done. Is not he the Christ?
28-30. The discourse being interrupted by the arrival of the disciples, the woman, forgetful or indifferent regarding the errand [pg 084] which had brought her to the well, went her way into the city, and soon returned with a number of her fellow-citizens.
| 31. Interea rogabant eum discipuli, dicentes: Rabbi, manduca. | 31. In the meantime the disciples prayed him, saying: Rabbi, eat. |
| 32. Ille autem dicit eis: Ego cibum habeo manducare, quem vos nescitis. | 32. But he said to them: I have meat to eat which you know not. |
| 33. Dicebant ergo discipuli ad invicem: Numquid aliquis attulit ei manducare? | 33. The disciples therefore said one to another: Hath any man brought him to eat? |
| 34. Dicit eis Iesus: Meus cibus est ut faciam voluntatem eius qui misit me, ut perficiam opus eius. | 34. Jesus saith to them: My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, that I may perfect his work. |
31-34. Meanwhile the disciples invite Jesus to eat, to whom He replies that He has meat to eat which they know not, that meat being, as He explains in verse 34, to do the will of Him that sent Him. It was no time for attending to the wants of His human nature; He had more serious work in hand in the conversion of the Samaritans.
| 35. Nonne vos dicitis quod adhuc quatuor menses sunt, et messis venit? Ecce dico vobis: Levate oculos vestros, et videte regiones, quia albae sunt iam ad messem. | 35. Do not you say, there are yet four months, and then the harvest cometh? Behold I say to you, lift up your eyes, and see the countries, for they are white already to harvest. |
35. There are yet four months, and then the harvest cometh. Maldonatus, followed by Father Coleridge, takes this to be a proverb43 meaning that there is no need of hurry—that the matter in question is still far off. As, however, there is [pg 085] no evidence that such a proverb was current among the Jews, it is much better to understand the verse thus: You say what is true, that it is still four months till the harvest of nature; but lift up your eyes, and behold the harvest of grace in the men of Sichar who are approaching.
As the barley harvest in Palestine came in about the middle of April, this time, four months earlier, was the middle of December, the end of the first year of our Lord's public life.44
| 36. Et qui metit, mercedem accipit, et congregat fructum in vitam aeternam: ut, et qui seminat, simul gaudeat, et qui metit. | 36. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life everlasting: that both he that soweth, and he that reapeth, may rejoice together. |
36. He encourages His disciples to the work; in saving others they save themselves.
| 37. In hoc enim est verbum verum: quia alius est qui seminat, et alius est qui metit. | 37. For in this is the saying true: that it is one man that soweth, and it is another that reapeth. |
| 38. Ego misi vos metere quod vos non laborastis: alii laboraverunt, et vos in labores: eorum introistis. | 38. I have sent you to reap that in which you did not labour: others have laboured, and you have entered into their labours. |
37-38. The Prophets and Doctors of the old Law had prepared the way for the Apostles and disciples of Christ; had ploughed and sown where they were now to reap. I have sent you. Mald., who holds that this is not the same journey with that referred to in Matt. iv. 12, Mark i. 14, and that the Apostles were already formally called by Christ, understands “I have sent” of an action already completed by Christ. As, however, it is more probable that the Apostles were not yet formally called (see Matt. iv. 12, 18; x. 1), it is better to understand this, with A Lap., of the Divine decree to send the Apostles on their mission afterwards.
| 39. Ex civitate autem illa multi crediderunt in eum Samaritanorum, propter verbum mulieris testimonium perhibentis: Quia dixit mihi omnia quaecumque feci. | 39. Now of that city many of the Samaritans believed in him, for the word of the woman giving testimony: He told me all things whatsoever I have done. |
| 40. Cum venissent ergo ad illum Samaritani, rogaverunt eum ut ibi maneret. Et mansit ibi duos dies. | 40. So when the Samaritans were come to him, they desired him that he would tarry there. And he abode there two days. |
| 41. Et multo plures crediderunt in eum propter sermonem eius. | 41. And many more believed in him because of his own word. |
39-41. Many believed in Him [pg 086] on account of what the woman told them, and, after He had remained two days in Sichar, many more on account of His discourses.
| 42. Et mulieri dicebant: Quia iam non propter tuam loquelam credimus: ipsi enim audivimus, et scimus, quia hic est vere Salvator mundi. | 42. And they said to the woman: we now believe, not for thy saying: for we ourselves have heard him, and know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world. |
42. This is the Hebrew way of expressing that it was not so much on account of the woman's saying, as because they had heard Him themselves.
| 43. Post duos autem dies exiit inde: et abiit in Galilaeam. | 43. Now after two days he departed thence: and went into Galilee. |
| 44. Ipse enim Iesus testimonium perhibuit, quia propheta in sua patria honorem non habet. | 44. For Jesus himself gave testimony that a prophet hath no honour in his own country. |
43-44. The connection between these two verses is obscure. (1) Verse 44 gives the reason why He had left Galilee, to which He now returns; or (2) the reason why He passes Nazareth, and goes on to Capharnaum (Matt. iv. 13), Tolet, A Lap., Corl.; or (3) the reason why He proceeded on His way from Judea, His birthplace, into Galilee, Mald., Patriz.
| 45. Cum ergo venisset in Galilaeam, exceperunt eum Galilaei, cum omnia vidissent quae fecerat Ierosolymis in die festo: et ipsi enim venerant ad diem festum. | 45. And when he was come into Galilee, the Galileans received him, having seen all the things he had done at Jerusalem on the festival day: for they also went to the festival day. |
45. He is well received by the Galileans, because the remembrance of His exercise of authority and of His miracles, on the occasion of the previous Pasch (ii. 15, 23), is still fresh in their memories.
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| 46. Venit ergo iterum in Cana Galilaeae ubi fecit aquam vinum. Et erat quidam regulus, cuius filius infirmabatur Capharnaum. | 46. He came again therefore into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain ruler whose son was sick at Capharnaum. |
| 47. Hic cum audisset quia Iesus adveniret a Iudaea in Galilaeam, abiit ad eum, et rogabat eum ut descenderet, et sanaret filium eius: incipiebat enim mori. | 47. He having heard that Jesus was come from Judea into Galilee, went to him, and prayed him to come down and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. |
46. A certain ruler whose son was sick at Capharnaum, on hearing that Jesus was in Cana, came and asked Him to come down and heal his son, who was on the point of death. Origen thinks this ruler may have belonged to the household of Cæsar, and been on duty in Palestine at this time. But Josephus uses the word (βασιλικός) to designate the courtiers or officers of the Herods (see B. J. vii. 5, 2; Antt. xv. 8, 4); so that this ruler of Capharnaum may have been an officer of Herod Antipas, the Tetrarch of Galilee. Doubtless the ruler had heard of the miracle at the marriage feast in Cana (ii. 7, 11); and perhaps he had witnessed the evidence of Christ's miraculous power at the feast of the Pasch (ii. 23).
| 48. Dixit ergo Iesus ad eum: Nisi signa et prodigia videritis, non creditis. | 48. Jesus therefore said to him: Unless you see signs and wonders, you believe not. |
| 49. Dicit ad eum regulus: Domine, descende prius quam moriatur filius meus. | 49. The ruler saith to him: Lord, come down before that my son die. |
48. Christ upbraids the ruler for his imperfect faith. The ruler is blamed either because he was waiting to see a miracle before he would believe, or because he foolishly considered that it was necessary for Christ to go down to Capharnaum in order to heal his son.
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| 50. Dicit ei Iesus: Vade, filius tuus vivit. Credidit homo sermoni quem dixit ei Iesus, et ibat. | 50. Jesus saith to him: Go thy way, thy son liveth. The man believed the word which Jesus said to him, and went his way. |
| 51. Iam autem eo descendente, servi occurrerunt ei, et nuntiaverunt dicentes, quia filius eius viveret. | 51. |