disciples, for whom no provision had been originally made, but because the gift of wine
or oil on such occasions was regarded a meritorious work of charity. 45
41. The Teraqlin, from which the other side-rooms opened (Jer. Rosh haSh. 59 b; Yoma
15 b). From Baba B. vi. 4 we learn, that such an apartment was at least 15 feet square and
15 feet high. Height of ceiling was characteristic of Palestinian houses. It was always half
the breadth and length put together. Thus, in a small house consisting of one room:
length, 12 feet, breadth, 9 feet, the height would be 10 ½ feet. In a large house: length, 15
feet, breadth, 12 feet, the height would be 13 ½ feet. From Jer. Kethub. p. 28 d we learn,
that the bride was considered as actually married the moment she had entered the
Teraqlin, before she had actually gone to the Chuppah.
42. Pas. 18 b.
43. Thus it was customary, and deemed meritorious, to sing and perform a kind of play
with myrtle branches (Jer. Peah 15 d); although one Rabbi was visited with sudden death
for excess in this respect.
44. St. John ii. 3, A.V.: 'when they wanted wine.'
45. Baba B ix.
But all this still leaves the main incidents in the narrative untouched. How are we to
understand the implied request of the Mother of Jesus? how His reply? and what was the
meaning of the miracle? It seems scarcely possible to imagine that, remembering the
miraculous circumstances connected with His Birth, and informed of what had passed at
Jordan, she now anticipated, and by her suggestion wished to prompt, this as His Royal
Messianic manifestation. 46 With reverence be it said, such a beginning o f Royalty and
triumph would have been paltry: rather that of the Jewish miracle- monger than that of the
Christ of the Gospels. Not so, if it was only 'a sign,' pointing to something beyond itself.
Again, such anticipations on the part of Mary seem psycholo gically untrue - that is,
untrue to her history. She could not, indeed, have ever forgotten the circumstances which
had surrounded His Birth; but the deeper she 'kept all these things in her heart,' the more
mysterious would they seem, as time passed in the dull round of the most simple and
uneventful country- life, and in the discharge of every-day duties, without even the
faintest appearance of anything beyond it. Only twelve years had passed since His Birth,
and yet they had not understood His saying in the Temple! How much more difficult
would it be after thirty years, when the Child had grown into Youth and Manhood, with
still the same silence of Divine Voices around? It is difficult to believe in fierce sunshine
on the afternoon of a long, grey day. Alt hough we have no absolute certainty of it, we
have the strongest internal reasons for believing, that Jesus had done no miracles these
thirty years in the home at Nazareth,47 but lived the life of quiet submission and obedient
waiting. That was the then part of His Work. It may, indeed, have been that Mary knew
of what had passed at Jordan; and that, when she saw Him returning with His first
disciples, who, assuredly, would make no secret of their convictions - whatever these
may have conveyed to outsiders - she felt that a new period in His Life had opened. But
what was there in all this to suggest such a miracle? and if it had been suggested, why not
ask for it in express terms, if it was to be the commencement, certainly in strangely
incongruous circumsta nces, of a Royal manifestation?
46. This is the view of many commentators, ancient and modern.