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The Gospel of John, The Wedding at Cana, John 2:1-11, Part II - Lesson 11
It appears that Mary was at the wedding before Jesus and his disciples came.
It also appears that she was well acquainted with the family because she takes command when there was a need for wine.
She may even have been the planner for a portion of the wedding, perhaps the wine steward or caterer.
Jesus' disciples were but five at this time, John, Andrew, Peter, Phillip and Nathanael.
They learn quickly that though Jesus had no wealth, they need fear no want.
They also see the contrast between John the Baptist's austere teachings and Jesus's readiness and pleasure in joining a joyous wedding feast.
Verses 2:3,4,5, And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
At this festive occasion a major problem arises.
The wedding may last for a week and wine was a necessary part of a successful celebration for the fortunate couple.
As the Jewish saying goes: Without wine there is no joy.
For the wine to run short was a very serious blow to the reputation of the host.
Most likely Mary had some responsibility for the catering or the wine and felt she needed to help.
Perhaps the presence of Jesus and 5 disciples, extra guests, perhaps unexpected, had caused the lack of sufficient wine.
She knew who to turn to.
The same faithful son that she had depended on for many years.
Jesus would do something.
She tells him that the wine is gone.
What a social error this is!
What would you ladies do at the wedding of your daughter if something lacked.
This is the big day, this is the big week that you will remember all your life.
Everything must be just right.
This will be talked about for years and this social error will spoil the joy of the couple and will be a poor beginning for the newly weds.
Jesus addresses her in a manner that indicates a change in their relationship that she did not realize.
He does not call her mother, but uses the term "Woman" which translates close to madam or dear lady.
During the time that this wedding was taking place it was a designation used for addressing females of all classes and relationships and was sometimes used with great reverence and affection.
Remember that Christ used this same term when he addressed his mother on the cross as "Woman, behold thy son."
Since He last saw Mary several months previously, he had been anointed by the Holy Spirit and had received power to undertake the special work that God the Father had appointed him to do.
Now that he had entered on his public ministry, everything including his family ties must be subordinated to this mission.
By addressing his mother in this fashion he called attention to the fact that he was more than man, that he was no less than the Son of God.
To have addressed her as mother would have called attention to human relationships but by calling her woman it showed that God was speaking to her.
He also shows that Mary was only a woman and not worthy of worship as the mother of God, she is the mother of Jesus but not the mother of God.
In Luke 1:28 Mary is called blessed among women, not blessed above woman.
He says, "What have I to do with thee?
Or literally, What is there to me and thee?
Leave me to myself, let me follow out my own course!
He is telling her that for thirty years I have been subject to you but I am your God.
God has no mother and she cannot claim that relation.
Jesus Christ is telling his mother, now that he has entered on his divine work, that his actions are no longer dependent in any way on the suggestion of a woman, even though that woman is his mother.
After he was anointed, everything he does comes from within and will be consummated at the proper time and does not depend upon outside advice or direction.
The time of obedience to his mother was over.
Jesus Christ was now operating on the higher plane of obedience to the Father's will and direction.
The lesson for us?
How prone we are to dictate to God.
How often we tell him what to do.
Another evidence of self promotion in our lives.
We are going to tell God how to solve a problem, how to answer a prayer.
Our duty is to commit our way to the Lord and than leave him to supply our need in his own good time and manner.
Jesus also says that his hour has not come.
This phrase is used 7 times in this gospel.
Why does he use it here?
Because at this event he was not subject to man's will, but when his hour would come he would be delivered up into the hands of sinners and be subject to their will.
But until then, he was not about to be ordered about by man or woman; instead he was to be about his Father's business, seeking to do his will.
Mary humbly yields to the Lord's rebuke and leaves the matter in his hands.
She replies not to the Lord but tells the servants to do what he saith.
She left to him his own pleasure to do it or not.
She left to him his own way of doing it.
She left to him to do it in his own time and she left to him his own choice what to do.
This is the way of the trusting heart.
The yes or no is in his hands, the way, the time and the choice is in his hands.
We are not to take over God's responsibility.
We are not to tell God what to do.
We make no demands on God.
We simply trust his wisdom and commit our all to him.
It is so simple yet so difficult to let go.
Verses 2:6,7,8, And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.
Jesus sees six water pots of stone.
God uses what is available.
He did not make the pots.
He allowed the pots to enter into this miracle because they were available.
We see here that the pots were made of stone and held about 18 to 27 gallons each.
Stone was a proper material since stone is less liable to impurity.
Vessels of stone or earthenware were prescribed by Jewish tradition for the washings before and after meals.
This washing was not only for the washing of hands but for the washing of cups and other vessels.
Hence we see here the phrase "after the manner of the purifying of the Jews." Mark 7:3, For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders."
The servants were faithful to the Word of Christ. He said fill the water pots with water.
This was a big job since six pots of 18 to 27 gallons per pot results in a total capacity of 108 to 162 gallons.
This is about two large barrels capacity.
They had to carry this amount of water from a well, perhaps some distance away.
No indication of complaint.
And they filled the pots to the brim.
Good servants.
They didn't skimp and try to get out of that last, perhaps long walk to the well.
They obeyed Mary when she said, "Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it."
Obedience has its reward.
The servants, by their obedience, were privileged to see the first miracle the Jesus Christ performed.
He did not draw out the wine himself.
He could have grandstanded with great pomp and circumstance and presented the wine to the governor himself and gotten immediate credit and recognition.
But he choose to use the servants who had served him.
He gives them the honor of drawing the water out of the pots and allowing them to bring it to the governor who tastes it and exclaims as to its quality that it is fine wine.
The servants did what they were told and they see the miracle.
The governor sees and enjoys the wine but the servants see the miracle.
No tricks, no mirrors of a magician or charlatan.
No little container of wine which could be the product of a slight of hand, but water turned to wine as a servant does his duty by transporting the water as he is told.
This miracle was performed with no visible sign of Divine power.
He did not command the water to become wine.
If there were spectators they simply witnessed men at work, not God creating out of nothing.
It was Christ's first miracle and in it he shows that God is pleased to use humans as he performs the wonders of his Grace.
Wine is a symbol of joy and this miracle symbolizes that the Lord is pleased to use men and women to bring joy to the hearts of his people.
It also shows the passing of the economy from law to grace.
The empty stone pots are representative of the ceremonial law of the Jews, an empty practice which emphasizes the outward.
The Jews had no wine.
They had no joy.
Without the life that only Christ gives there is no Joy.
This sign shows us that the source of joy is in Christ alone.
Happiness is a slippery thing and cannot be held onto but joy is eternal and is a fruit of the Spirit.
We also see here the message for us to bring the water of the Word to the heart of men and then God will turn that water into the wine of joy.
The heart of man is dead and cold, lifeless like stone until the water of the Word fills the heart and God is then obliged to bring the wine of joy to the believer.
We are the water pots, filled with the water of the Word.
We are obligated to ladle out that water and give that water to the thirsty soul.
God, as his responsibility, turns that water into the wine of joy in the new believers heart and he in turn ladles out the water of the word to another and another until the house if filled and all the guests are at the marriage supper of the Lamb.
That's the picture we see here in this first miracle of the Lord.
Verses 2:9,10, When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, 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.
The servants knew who made the wine.
They had participated in the miracle.
he governor had not.
What puzzled the governor was not secret to the servants.
Is not this true when we know God?
The world puzzles but we know our God and his way.
We see here that those who are humble are nearest to God and see his mighty works.
Amos 3:7, "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." "He made known his ways unto Moses." the meekest of men.
The governor proclaims the way of the world.
The best is first and the worst is last.
First the pleasures of sin for a season, and then the wages of sin.
But with God it is the opposite.
He brings his people into the wilderness before he brings them into the promised inheritance.
First the cross, then the crown.
The endurance of hardship, then the glories that are set before us.
This life as a pilgrim, the next in our eternal home.
Proverbs. 4:18, "The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day."
Verse 2:11, This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
We see here in the performance of this miracle or sign that Jesus begins to establish a pattern where the miracles or signs are revelations of truth through the symbolism of outward acts.
In other words the value of the work that the miracle or sign accomplished was rather in what it indicated than what it was.
In this verse John tells us that Christ's glory was manifested by the changing of the water to wine and that revelation of his glory brought about faith on the part of his disciples.
John remembers "and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father."
This sign contributed to that remembrance.
This beginning of signs was designed to display the Lord's glory and convince his disciples that he was all he claimed to be.
John again uses the term, "believe on".
This phrase describes an unreserved transfer of trust from oneself to someone else, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The wedding at Cana.
Who was the bride?
My, my, go to a wedding and not even know or discuss the bride?
The bride or the brides dress or her beauty or her parents are not important here.
God's purpose for inviting us to the wedding at Cana is not to glorify the bride.
As we see in verse 11 of chapter 2 the purpose of this wedding account is to manifest the glory of Christ.
Not to glory in the miracle that was performed but to glory in the one who performed it.
And that glory is designed to cause us to believe on him who can turn water into wine, who can take the water of the Word and turn it into the wine of joy.
Jesus is the important one at this wedding.
You can be sure that your trust in him will not go unrewarded. |