Whatever He says to you, do it

 

 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 filled 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 

 

 Yesterday we were given the fourth day in this beginning of Christ's ministry:   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 to 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, hereafter 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.  Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.  This wedding in Cana of Galilee is the setting for the first of the seven "signs" we're given in John's Gospel (see verse 11).  My study Bible comments that John uses this term "signs" in order to show that these miraculous actions point beyond themselves -- to the truth that the Kingdom of God has come among us in the Person of Jesus Christ.  This setting of a wedding is significant also, as my study Bible explains.  Marriage feasts in the Old Testament were symbolic of the union of God with God's Bride, Israel.  Here Christ begins His ministry at Galilee, which also had a large Gentile population.  My study Bible says that this is a sign of the spread of the gospel to all the world.  This wedding takes place on the third day, which sets a resurrectional tone, which shows that the marriage of God and God's Church is fulfilled in Christ's Resurrection.  There are also other parallels to this marriage and the Resurrection account (found in John 20:1-18) which my study Bible notes:  both involve a woman named Mary who makes an appeal, and in both passages the disciples are invited to witness the event.  Moreover, in the Resurrection story (John 20:11-18) there is a striking similarity to Song of Solomon 3:1-5, which again reflects the unity between marriage and Christ's Resurrection.  Additionally, through Christ's presence at this wedding, marriage is plainly declared to be both holy and honorable (Hebrews 13:4).  This passage is read at Orthodox weddings, my study Bible reminds us, and these images are also incorporated into many prayers in the wedding service.

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."   My study Bible notes that this is an example of Mary's gift of intercession.  It says that even now, Mary continually speaks to her Son on our behalf and is our preeminent intercessor before His Throne; she prays for us.  This is confirmed in Jesus' granting of her request here.  Let us make note of her own sense of obedience to her Son, an example to us all, as she tells the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."  In this passage, my study Bible comments, wine is symbolic of life, and so there are two levels of meaning to Mary's statement that "they have no wine."  First, a marriage isn't complete without the presence of Christ; and second, the old covenant could not bestow life even on the most faithful people.  Additionally, my study Bible explains that contrary to some modern usages, Woman is a sacred title in Scripture.  It says it is an address which conveys deep respect and distinction (see John 4:21; 8:10; 19:26; 20:13; compare to Genesis 2:23).   Jesus says, "What does your concern have to do with Me?"  From the Greek, this is more literally stated, "What is that to Me and to you?"  Moreover, the Greek is a quotation from the Septuagint Old Testament (the source of Christ's Old Testament quotations) 1 Kings 17:18.  It is what Zarabeth says to Elijah upon the death of her only son after she helps the prophet.  Christ is reminding His mother what she stands to lose once His "signs" become part of His public ministry.  Jesus' reply is therefore not a refusal of Mary's intercession, but a statement that the time had not yet come for Him to be revealed.  My study Bible comments on what Christ's fulfillment of her request teaches to us:  First, that He is Lord over hours and seasons and is not subject to them; second, that the wedding party needed to be aware of their lack of wine first so they might learn it is Christ who fulfills all needs.  Third, we need to have perseverance in our petitions before God (Matthew 15:21-28); and finally, the intercessions of the righteous have great power (James 5:16). 

 

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 filled 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 comments that waterpots were made of stone because, in accordance with rabbinical teaching, stone would not contract ritual purity.  The number six is significant:  it is one less than the perfect seven (symbolizing fullness) which indicates that the Law, illustrated by water reserved for Jewish purification, was not complete; it was imperfect, and in and of itself was unable to bestow life.  As this water will be changed into wine, it will be symbolic of the old covenant being fulfilled in the new -- which is capable of bestowing life.  Additionally, my study Bible tells us, the overabundant gallons of wine are an illustration of the overflowing grace which Christ grants to all.

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.   My study Bible comments that in patristic literature this transformation of water that was made wine as prefiguring the transformation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist.  This beginning of signs manifested His glory to the disciples, who then 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.  Today's reading gives us both the sixth and the seventh day of Christ's ministry.  The "sign" of manifestation of water into wine occurred on the sixth day.  That is, in the text it is said to be "on the third day" after the fourth (yesterday's reading, above).  This expression means "two days later," as it includes the current day in the calculation.  We're not given any events of the fifth day, but this sixth day on which the wedding at Cana took place parallels the creation of man and woman on the sixth day in Genesis 1:26-31.  On the seventh day (verse 12, here) Jesus rests at Capernaum with His mother, His brothers, and His disciples.  This parallels God resting on the seventh day in Genesis 2:1-3; thus completing this first week of Christ's ministry given by the Gospel of John.

 

 In yesterday's commentary, we spoke of how "light" is used in John's Gospel, especially in the preaching of Jesus, but also to describe Christ as the true Light (John 1:1-9).  In today's reading, we see the light reflected and manifested in the world, but in the form of a sign.  That is, a sign (as my study Bible says) that points to something beyond itself.  So, if we think of grace as light radiating from the sun (symbolizing God in God's substance or essence), then we can think of these signs as light that comes from the true Light.  Therefore, in Christ's manifestation of the transformation of water to wine, we have, in a sense, light leading the way in physically manifested form, so that we as human beings may see back to the source of that light and learn, and grow in its illumination for us.  Christ's signs in this way point to God, but also to Himself as Son and Logos.  In today's reading we're given the first of seven signs in the Gospel of John.  The other signs include curing the nobleman's son (John 4:46-54); healing the paralytic (John 5:1-15); feeding the five thousand (John 6:1-14); walking on water (John 6:15-21); opening the eyes of a blind man (John 9:1-41); and raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:38-44).  In Orthodox theology, God's substance or essence is differentiated from God's grace by referring to grace as the "energies" of God.  So, like the sun itself in its dynamic function extends illuminating rays to the planets of our solar system, providing the light that is so necessary for all life in this world, God's grace extends to us to give us reflections of God, while not revealing the full essence of God, which we cannot know.  In each of these ways, in all of Christ's signs, in His teachings, in His sacrificing love for us, grace and light extend to give us life.  John's Gospel gives us this light and life, pointing back to the Source, the true Light.  Let us look forward to what we receive, and be grateful for that light we're given which shines in the darkness, although the darkness cannot know it (John 1:5).  Today's illumination also teaches us about prayer and intercession, the power of the saints whose prayers are carried by angels to God (Revelation 5:8; 8:3-4).  Mary, the Mother of God, intercedes on behalf of those who want to celebrate the wedding, at once displaying the power of intercession, but also her total faith in her son, and teaching obedience to Him.  Saints also are depicted with halos, indicating the holy light they carry into the world.  In this light of a saint, the one blessed among women, so we are also blessed.

Whatever He says to you, do it

 

Icon of Mary titled "Unfading Rose" (Ρόδον τό Ἀμάραντον).  Christ is the Unfading Rose to whom Mary gave birth.  The Akathist hymn to Mary declares, "Rejoice, O thou who alone hast blossomed forth the unfading Rose"

 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galiliee, 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 filled 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 were given the fourth day of Jesus' ministry:   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 in whom there 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, "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, hereafter 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 Galiliee, and the mother of Jesus was there.  Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.   My study bible explains that the setting of the wedding in Cana is significant.  In the Old Testament, marriage feasts symbolized the union of God with God's Bride, Israel.  Jesus begins His ministry at Galilee, which had a large Gentile population.  My study bible says that this was a sign of the spread of the gospel to al the world.  That the wedding takes place on the third day gives a resurrectional flavor; it shows that the marriage of God and God's Church will be fulfilled in the Resurrection of Christ.  There are also other parallels between this marriage account and the story of the Resurrection in John 20:1-18:  both involve a woman named Mary who makes an appeal, and in both passages the disciples are invited to witness the event.  Moreover, the John's Resurrection account (John 20:11-18) has a strong similarity to Song of Solomon 3:1-5, again giving us a unity between marriage and Christ's Resurrection.   Let us note also that on Saturday, we were given the fourth day of Jesus' ministry, but here this wedding takes place on the sixth day.  On the third day is an expression which is inclusive of the current day in its calculation:  therefore this is actually two days after the "fourth day."  This wedding in Cana parallels the creation of man and woman on the sixth day in Genesis 1:26-31.  By Christ's presence at this wedding, He declares marriage to be holy and honorable (Hebrews 13:4).  In the Orthodox tradition, this passage is read at weddings, and images from it are incorporated into many prayers in the wedding service

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."  My study bible says that this is an example of Mary's gift of intercession.  Even now, it says, Mary continually speaks to her Son on our behalf and is our preeminent intercessor before Christ's Throne.  An Orthodox prayer states, "The intercessions of a mother have great effect to win the favor of the Master."  This is confirmed as Jesus grants her request here.   It also should be noted that wine is symbolic of life, therefore there are two levels of meaning to Mary's statement, when she informs Jesus, "They have no wine."    First, a marriage isn't complete without Christ's presence, and second, the old covenant was unable to bestow life even on the most faithful people.  Regarding Jesus' use of the term Woman for His mother, my study bible says that "Woman" is a sacred title in Scripture in contrast to some modern uses.  In Scripture it conveys deep respect and distinction (see John 4:21, 8:10, 19:26, 20:13; compare to Genesis 2:23).  Jesus' question to Mary, What does your concern have to do with Me? is important to ponder.  In Greek it reads more literally, "What is that to Me and to you?"   My study bible says that it is not a refusal of Mary's intercession but rather a declaration by Jesus that the time has not yet come for Him to be revealed -- as via an extraordinary sign.  Let us note Mary's confident reply to the servants.

 

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 filled 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 comments that waterpots were made of stone because, in accordance with rabbinical teaching, stone would not contract ritual impurity.  That there are six (that is, one less than the perfect seven) is an indication that the Law, illustrated by water being reserved for Jewish purification, was incomplete, imperfect, and unable to bestow life.  This water is changed into wine, which symbolizes the old covenant being fulfilled in the new, which is capable of bestowing life.  The overabundant gallons of wine is an illustration of the overflowing grace granted by Christ to all.  That Jesus chooses to fulfill Mary's request teaches us several things.  First, Christ is Lord over hours and seasons, and is not subject to them.  Second, the wedding party needed to be aware of their lack of wine first so they might learn that it is Christ who fulfills all needs.  Third, we need to have perseverance in our petitions before God (Matthew 15:21-28).  Finally, that the intercessions of the righteous have great power (James 5:16).  

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!"   According to patristic commentary, the transformation of water that was made wine is a prefiguration of the transformation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ in 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.  The wedding in Cana of Galilee is the setting for the first of seven signs which are performed by Jesus in the Gospel of John.  John's Gospel uses the term "signs" to show that these miraculous actions point beyond themselves to the truth that the Kingdom of God has come among us in the Person of Jesus.  As John writes, they manifested His glory.  The seven signs are (1) changing water into wine (John 2:1-11, in today's reading), (2) curing the nobleman's sons (John 4:46-54), (3) healing the paralytic (John 5:1-15), (4) feeding the five thousand (John 6:1-14), (5) walking on water (John 6:15-21), (6) opening the eyes of a blind man (John 9:1-41), and (7) raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:38-44).   Here in these verses we are given the seventh day of this first week of Christ's ministry, in which Jesus rests at Capernaum with His mother, His brothers, and His disciples.  It is a parallel to God resting on the seventh day in Genesis 2:1-3.

We can consider the ways in which this miracle or sign in John's Gospel is highly significant, but one of them that we can't leave out is simply the presence of Mary, the Mother of God, and the role she plays in bringing about this first sign of turning water into wine.  It seems to tell us a number of things about her and about the role she plays in the work of salvation, in the life of Jesus Christ.  She is not just His mother, not just a woman who gave birth, as if all God needed was some random woman to place God's Son into the world as a human being, both fully divine and fully human.   No, Mary plays an important role, and she played that role in the life of the author of this Gospel, John the Evangelist, as he testifies in chapter 19 of this Gospel.  John writes, "Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.  When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!”  Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home"  (John 19:25-27).    As it was common for writers not to give their own names, many patristic commentators throughout the centuries have held that this disciple whom Jesus loved is John, the purported author of the Gospel, and this is the tradition of the Church.  So important is this commission of the care of Mary that the very next verse tells us, "After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, 'I thirst!' " (John 19:28).  This final and last task of Christ's human life, the care of His mother, is significant enough to be reported to us by John, and notable in its declaration that Mary had but one Child, Jesus (otherwise this assignment to John's care would have been unthinkable).   This is all significant information in terms of what we can assume to be John's closeness and familiarity with Mary, and thereby also her place in this story.  As the mother of Christ, she is the one who kept the secrets prophesied about him.  Twice in Luke's Gospel, we are told that Mary was witness to the marvelous things revealed about her child, and that she "kept all these things in her heart" (see verses 19 and 51 in Luke chapter 2).  There is no other human being who knew Jesus as did His mother in this sense, and from this we must conclude that she is a special human being indeed, and chosen by God to be His mother for important reasons.  Her character was such that she stood by Him all through His life (despite the difficulties His ministry no doubt presented; see Mark 3:21, 31-32).  Her faith on display here in today's reading is a part of that confidence in Him and His mission and identity in the world.  As such, Mary stands out among all the saints and Christ's followers as one who displays an unshakeable faith for us all to behold and emulate and understand.  Moreover, since it is this first revelation of His glory that she sparks through her plea -- which we might read as a prayer -- then Mary also provides the model for us all in terms of prayer and intercession.  It is Mary who intercedes through prayer on behalf of this wedding party, when she knowingly tells Jesus, "They have no wine."  So she shows herself not only as a model of prayer for each of us, for we all have the power to act as intercessors on others' behalf through prayer, but she also reveals her power to intercede on our behalf.  Mary is part of what St. Paul calls the "great cloud of witnesses" (Hebrews 12:1-3).  That is, those who live to God (Luke 20:37-38), who dwell in a place of the eternal present, and upon whom we also may call for prayer in the same way that you or I may pray for one another or call upon any other believer in Christ to pray for and with us.  This is the great role Mary has played in the Church for centuries, as intercessor and fellow pray-er with each one and all who call upon her.  It is why there are so many varied icons of Mary in the Orthodox tradition, and this testifies not just to a theoretical understanding of the role of saints, but to centuries of countless stories of experience for individual believers and their own acts and intercessions with Mary in prayer.  Atop all of these considerations, there is one more story to understand about this interaction between Mary and her Son.  In the Greek, when Jesus says, "What does your concern have to do with Me?" it is a precise quotation from an Old Testament story in the Septuagint Version.  In fact, when the Gospels quote from the Old Testament, as a rule of thumb it is from the Septuagint Version.  In this case, it is from the story of Zarabeth and Elijah in 1 Kings 17:17-18.  Zarabeth's son has passed after she helped Elijah.  In the New King James Version in English, she asks, "What have I to do with you, O man of God? Have you come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to kill my son?"  But in the Greek Septuagint, her words are literally the same as Jesus' when He asks this question to Mary, which we could loosely translate as "What is that to me and to you?"  In effect, Jesus is quoting this passage back to His mother, reminding her that once He is revealed -- that is, once this process of signs revealing His glory begins -- there will be no turning back.  It is the prophesied sword that would pierce her own soul He is reminding her and warning her about -- the she is the mother who will lose her Son.  See Simeon's prophecy to Mary in Luke 2:34-35.  There is a tremendous depth and sympathy of mother and Son revealed here if we but look at it with proper eyes tuned to understanding the Scripture as it is laid out for us.  Mary, in this light, is a very special woman indeed.  To the Church, she has always remained the greatest saint.  As fully human, Mary is the one who kept her faith intact throughout the trial and difficulties of her Son's life and ministry.  Here she initiates the first sign given by John, and we might add the possibility that it is her loving Son who makes certain that she is ready for what is to come.  She is, effectively, a model not just for our prayer but also for a depth of communion with Christ.  We can but aspire to build and grow in such a life for ourselves, and through prayer as she models.  Let us turn to her when our own prayer lives need help, for she is at once kind, gentle, and strong.  She is also known -- as is her Son -- as the one who turns no one away.  We are left to ponder how much of her human nature was given to her Son, how much of His tremendous compassion, mercy, and forbearance also existed in His mother, in addition to His divine nature.  It would become a central question of the early Church to understand that His mind and soul were human, just as was His flesh.  And so, we also have Mary to look to in the shaping of these components of Christ's human nature.  Let us seek her out, for she plays a role far beyond that of being a human chosen for her capacity to be a mother.  In the Eastern Church, she is titled the Mother of God or "God-Bearer" for a reason far beyond the physical act of bearing a Child.  None of us should forget that bearing a child, or being a mother in any capacity, is a sacred role, and so much depends on how this role is filled.  We diminish women and the body when we make it anything less.  Mary as faithful still directs us all to the word of Christ as she tells the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."

 

 

Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come

Creation of the plants, 15-16th century fresco.  Sucevita Monastery, Romania

 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 filled 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

In yesterday's reading, we were given the events of the fourth day of Jesus' ministry, as the Gospel of John reports:   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, hereafter 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.   So far John's Gospel has given us a report of the first four days of Jesus' earthly ministry, after its Prologue (verses 1:1-18) which gives us the theological understanding of who Christ is as Logos and Son.  On the third day is an expression which means "two days later," as it includes the current day in the calculation.  Therefore, this is the sixth day given in the Gospel.  The setting of the wedding at Cana of Galilee parallels the creation of man and woman in Genesis 1:26-31, just as each day given so far has paralleled the creation story of Genesis.  This is the setting for the first of seven signs given in John's Gospel.  My study bible comments that "on the third day" gives a resurrectional tone to this event, which gives us another parallel linking both Old and New Testaments:  in the Old Testament, marriage feasts symbolized the union of God with God's Bride, Israel.  My study bible comments that Jesus deliberately begins His ministry here at Galilee, which had a large Gentile population; and that makes this a sign of the spread of the gospel to all the world.  The resurrectional tone of the "third day" shows that this marriage of God and God's Church will be fulfilled in the Resurrection.   My study bible links several other parallels to John's Resurrection account in 20:1-18.  Both involve a woman named Mary who makes an appeal, and in both passages the disciples are invited to witness the event.  Moreover the Resurrection account in 20:11-18 has a strong similarity to the verses in Song of Songs 3:1-5, which again echoes the ties between marriage and Christ's Resurrection.  My study bible comments further that by Christ's presence at this wedding, He declares marriage to be holy and honorable (Hebrews 13:4).  Therefore this passage is read at Orthodox weddings, and these images are incorporated into many prayers in the wedding service (which itself strongly parallels the Jewish wedding service).

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."  My study bible cites this passage as an example of Mary's gift of intercession.  It notes that even now, in the faith of the Church, Mary continually speaks to her Son on our behalf.  She is our preeminent intercessor before the Throne of Christ.  This is stated in the words of an Orthodox prayer:  "The intercessions of a mother have great effect to win the favor of the Master."  My study bible also notes that this is confirmed as Jesus grants her request.    Wine here is symbolic of life, and my study bible notes two levels of meaning in Mary's statement, "They have no wine."   First, that a marriage is not complete without the presence of Christ; and second, that the old covenant was unable to bestow life even on the most faithful people.  Concerning Jesus' address to His Mother, Woman is a sacred title in Scripture, an address which my study bible notes conveys a deep respect and distinction (4:21; 8:10; 1926; 20:13; compare to Genesis 2:23).   Jesus' question, What does your concern have to do with Me? is translated more literally, "What is that to Me and to you?"  It's not a refusal of Mary's intercession, but a statement that the time hasn't come for Him to be fully revealed.  That Christ fulfills Mary's request teaches several things which my study bible notes as follows:   (1)  Christ is Lord over hours and seasons and not subject to them.  (2)  The wedding party had to first be aware of their lack of wine before it could be understood that it's Christ who fulfills all needs.  (3)  We must have perseverance when we petition before God (Matthew 15:21-28).  (4)  The intercessions of those who are righteous have great power (James 5:16).

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 filled 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.  Waterpots were made of stone as stone was considered to be unable to contract ritual purity, according to rabbinical teaching.  The number six is important.  My study bible explains that as it is one less than the perfect seven, it indicates that the Law -- illustrated by water being reserved for Jewish purification -- was incomplete, imperfect, and unable to bestow life.  When this water is changed into wine, it symbolizes the old covenant being fulfilled in the new, which is capable of bestowing life.  The overabundant gallons (filled ... up to the brim) of wine are an illustration of the overflowing grace granted to all by Christ.  It reminds us of the words in Psalm 23:  "My cup runs over."

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.   This transformation of water to wine is viewed by the Patristic Fathers as prefiguring the transformation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist.  My study bible notes that John says that Christ manifested His glory.  It is a reference back to verse 1:14, in which John wrote that "we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."  He is God and man in one Person, His divinity present in full human nature.

Man and woman together -- in marriage ceremony -- are symbolic of life, but then so is everything else in this story of the first sign or miracle in John's Gospel.  This parallel to the sixth day of creation in Genesis reminds us that God told the man and the woman, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it . . . ," teaching that they were to have dominion over the earth, and moreover that the entire earth would grow an abundance of food for all creatures on the earth "in which there is life," or a living soul.  So the feast is life, the transformation of water to wine is like God giving life to humankind, just as it is the Spirit who gives life (6:63).   With the water in the stone pots turned to wine, the Old is transformed into the New, like the new wine that needs new wineskins (Matthew 9:17, Mark 2:22, Luke 5:37-38).   The very act of change and transformation, of the enzymatic action of water turning to wine, suggests life itself, the process of ongoing change always present in what is living in this world.   In 7:28, Jesus will promise that "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water" -- and even that term, living water, means water that is moving and not still.  Let us note the movement also of labor; even this first sign happens not simply at Jesus' command and inception, but with a plea or prayer first by His mother, Mary, our chief intercessor.  It is she who first has total and unshakeable faith in her Son, as shown here -- and will carry it through His Crucifixion and forward from there.  Right from the beginning, we know Mary, the Mother of Christ, as an inspiration in the Church, from that time onward.   And on that note we can say that this first sign is also a product of a Man, and a woman.  We can think about the link between her assent to Gabriel's Annunciation ("Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word" - Luke 1:38),  and her statement to her Son, "They have no wine."  Both occur prior to God's gracious act of life-creation, and are coupled with it.  Let us consider, when we pray, our own part of participation with Creator.  The icon above is a fresco showing the Lord's creation of the plants, which filled the earth to give food even "to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life."  It is a reminder to us that Christ comes into the world not simply to save human beings, but for the life of the world, for an entire cosmos of the created order, visible and invisible.

You have kept the good wine until now!

 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.