The Jews marriages were fixed to certain days of the week: For a Virgin was to be married on the fourth day of the week, and a widow on the fifth, Talm. in chetub. cap. 1. [The reason why, is not pertinent to produce here.] Now if this marriage at Cana, were of a Virgin, and on the fourth day of the week, or our Wednesday, then Christs first shewing himself to John and his Disciples at Jordan, was on the first day of the week, afterward the Christian Sabbath.
These Marriage Feasts they held to be commanded, and thereupon they have this Max∣ime, It is not fit for the Scholars of the wise to eat at Feasts, but only at the Feasts commanded, as those of espousals and of marriages, Maym. in Deah. cap. 5.
At the Passeover, it is half a year since Christ was baptized; and thenceforward he hath three years to live, which John reckoneth by three Passeovers more, viz. Joh. 5. 1. & 6. 4. & 18. 28. In this first half year he had gone through his forty days temptation, had ga∣thered some disciples, and had perambulated Galilee.
At Jerusalem at the Passeover, in the face of all the People, he acted in the evidence of the great Prophet, and purgeth his own Temple, as Mal. 3. 1, 3. doth many Miracles, know∣eth the false hearts of many, and trusteth not himself with them.
He found in the Temple those that sold Oxen and Sheep, ver. 14. For some illustration to this passage, take a Story in Tal. Jerus. in Jom. tobh. fol. 61. col. 3. One day Baba ben Bota came into the Temple Court and found it solitary or destitute [that is, not having any beasts there for sacrifice.] He saith, Desolate be their houses who have desolated the house of our God. What did he? He sent and fetched in three thousand sheep of the sheep of Kedar, and searched them whether they were without blemish, and brought them into the mountain of the house, [or the utmost Court, the place where Christ found Sheep and Oxen at this time] and saith, My brethren, the house of Israel, whosoever will bring a burnt-offering let him bring it, whosoever will bring a peace-offering let him bring it.
Among other things that Jesus did for the purging of his Temple, it is said, He poured out the changers money, and overthrew the Tables, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and so again, Matth. 21. 12. Maym. in Shekalim. cap. 1. It is an affirmative Precept of the Law, that every Israelite pay yearly half a sheckel; yea even the poor, that lives on alms, is bound to this, either begging so much money that he may give it, or selling his coat to get so much.
Talm. in Shekalim. cap. 1, &c. On the first day of the month Adar, proclamation was made about this half shekel, that they should get it ready. On the fifteenth day of that month, the Collectors sat in every City for the receiving of it; and as yet they forced none to pay. But on the five and twentieth day they began to sit in the Temple, [this was some eighteen or nineteen days before the Passeover] and then they forced men to pay, and if any refused they distrained. They sat with two Chests before them, into the one of which they put the money of the present year, and into the other the money that should have been paid the year before. Every one must have half a shekel to pay for himself. Therefore when he brought a shekel to change for two half shekels, he was to pay 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, some profit to the changer. And when a shekel was brought for two, there was a double profit to be paid for the change.