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JOHN II, 10

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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 13, 1868

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 32, No. 16.

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JOHN II, 10.

By H. C. Miller

“And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse; but thou hast kept the good wine until now.”
Many might suppose that by the expression “well drunk” in the above is conveyed the idea of intoxication; indeed we think we have heard commentators explain it as the custom to offer good wine at first, and when they became so intoxicated as to be unable to detect the difference, substitute a bad quality. And the infidel is ready to charge the Saviour with assisting at a drunken carousal by furnishing still more wine when the supply failed, instead of rebuking their folly. We find the following comments on this text:
“When men have well drunk.” Doddridge, “drank plentifully.” Campbell, “largely,” or “freely,” which last term seems best.” The LXX uses the same words in Gen. xliii, 34; Cant. v, 1; Hag. i, 6. In none of these does it imply intoxication. [Cottage Bible.]
“The Greek expression here does not imply the least degree of intoxication. The verbs methusko and methuo from methu, wine, which, from meta thuein, to drink after sacrificing, signify not only to inebriate, but to take wine, to drink wine, to drink enough, and in this sense the verb is used in the Septuagint, Gen. xliii; Cant. v, 1; 1 Mac. xvi, 16; Ecclus. i, 16. And the prophet Isaiah chap. lviii, 11, speaking of the abundant blessings of the godly, compares them to a well-watered garden, which the LXX translates hos kepos methuon (ὡς κῆπος μεθύων), by which is certainly understood, not a garden drowned with water, but one sufficiently saturated with it, not having a drop too much or too little.”—Clarke.
Verse 15. Some may have made merry over the picture of a Saviour in anger whipping men out of the temple. Says the commentary to Cottage Bible: “The common idea that Jesus scourged the money-changers is unfounded. The scourge as is evident from the original was used only in driving the sheep and oxen from the temple.” H. C. MILLER.