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On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine." Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."
Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water." And they filed them up to the brim. And He said to them, "Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast." And they took it. When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, "Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!" This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.
After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.
John 2:1-12
On Saturday, we read about the fourth day reported in the Gospel of John, in which He chose two more disciples: The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, "Follow Me." Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote -- Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." And Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!" Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Nathanael answered and said to him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered and said to him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than these." And He said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereinafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. My study bible tells us that the wedding in Cana is the setting for the first of the seven signs performed by Jesus in the Gospel of John. It adds, "The setting is significant. In the Old Testament, marriage feasts symbolize the union of God with His bride, Israel. Jesus begins His ministry at a wedding in Galilee, which was largely Gentile territory: thus this sign becomes a symbol of the joy of the Kingdom being spread beyond Judea to all the world. It is the third day from the call of the first disciples. The mother of Jesus was there, perhaps as a relative of the bride or groom. (Tradition names Simon the Zealot as the groom.) By His presence at this wedding, Jesus declares marriage to be holy and honorable." In this first sign or miracle reported by John, Jesus' mother is present. We recall John's role as Jesus' "brother" in which he became caretaker to Jesus' mother after Jesus' death.
Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine." Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it." And in this first sign, we're given a strong flavor of the personality of the woman who was mother to Christ. My study bible points out her gift of intercession, for which many Christians pray. The Orthodox and other churches believe that Mary continually speaks to her Son on our behalf. Another thing it tells us is about Mary's own assertiveness, and also the relationship Jesus has with His mother. It is one of dialogue and mutual respect. My study bible says that "Woman is a title of respect and distinction. Jesus addresses His mother from the Cross in the same way as He does the woman at the well, the adulteress and Mary Magdalene (all incidents found in John's gospel), thus giving great dignity to womanhood. What does your concern have to do with Me? is literally, 'What to Me and to you?' A better translation is, 'What concern is that to Me and to you?' or, 'Why do you intervene?' In His answer to His mother, Jesus is neither refusing Mary's request nor embarrassing her, but reminding her that the time for His full and public self-disclosure has not yet arrived. My hour refers primarily to the time of His 'glorification' -- His Passion, death, Resurrection, and Ascension." Jesus seems to ask His mother why the wine at the wedding is any of their business! But she still confidently expects Him to act.
Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. My study bible says, "Waterpots were made of stone because, according to rabbinical teaching, stone would not contract ritual impurity. That there are six (one less than the perfect seven) may indicate that Levitical law (Lev. 11:29-38), typified by this water, was partial, incomplete, imperfect. The water, symbolizing the old dispensation, is changed into wine, symbolizing the new dispensation revealed by Christ. The abundant gallons of wine are probably symbolic of the abundance of grace and truth in Christ."
Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water." And they filed them up to the brim. And He said to them, "Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast." And they took it. My study bible points out to us that there is no overt action on the part of Christ. "His word alone is sufficient to work the miracle." In Christ's capacity as Logos, it is His thought that brings forth life, creation. We notice the grace of Christ, the wine is simply taken to the master of the feast. Those with faith will understand the sign.
When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, "Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!" My study bible says, "The Church Fathers saw in the transformation of the water into wine an anticipation of the transformation of the bread and wine into Christ's Body and Blood at the Eucharist."
This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him. After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days. A note reads, "The seven signs of this Gospel point to something beyond themselves; the mystery of the Incarnate God at work in His mighty and saving acts; the Kingdom of God being inaugurated by Jesus. The disciples see His glory -- His divine power which reveals that He comes from the Father -- and are strengthened in their faith in Him." John's gospel also tells us that they went to Capernaum, the center of what will become His Galilean ministry headquarters. Note how all are together: "brothers" in the Middle East today still denotes extended family. We once again remark on the "relatedness" involved in all events so far in John's gospel.
A wedding is the central event of this first miracle in John's gospel, the first sign. Let's think for a moment of signs and of weddings, and we add in another metaphor to think about, the water turned to wine. Water turned to wine involves a natural process that takes place given the presence or introduction of certain elements. Here, its miraculous quality is the sign, but in itself wine is a good metaphor for what happens as we are engaged in the Spirit, in faith. Jesus will use the term "new wine" to refer to the faithful who follow Him as well, elsewhere in the Gospels. Both "wine" and "wedding" have great symbolic value; they tell us of what happens in union, through the effects of the grace of God at work in our midst, and we await that great wedding feast which characterizes the world to come, the fullness of His Kingdom here on earth in which all are reconciled, united. The relatedness of all the disciples and family, even Jesus' mother's role in this first miracle here in this Gospel, all tell us about the importance of "related" -- about what God brings together. In its fullness, a marriage grows in interdependence, not only becoming an entity in itself, a kind of creation of God in which the action of the Holy Spirit is present, but also in which each party grows in their own capacity as human beings. It's a way to "God-likeness" for lay people. So we also have the metaphor of the wine, the product of a good vintage thanks to the grace of God, God's energies at work among us and in us. Let us consider the joy of a wedding feast, the wine that serves also as a "sign" for consecration and union. Let us think about what covenant is and means, and how it is hereby extended. Ultimately, every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights (James 1:17). The Light will figure dramatically in John's gospel. Let us remember His signs in our presence as we read through the Gospel.
