Whatever He says to you, do it

 

Deesis mosaic ("Prayer") with Mary the Theotokos and St. John the Baptist in prayer before Christ on His right and left; Hagia Sophia cathedral, 13th century, Constantinople, Byzantine Empire

 

 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 our readings brought us the fourth day given in this beginning of Christ's public ministry.  After gathering His first disciples from St. John the Baptist, 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.  The third day indicates that this is the sixth day of Christ's public ministry given in St. John's Gospel.  In yesterday's reading, we were given the fourth day.  "The third day" counts the skipped middle day (the fifth) in the calculation, and so this is the sixth.  My study Bible notes that Jesus begins His ministry at Galilee, which had a large Gentile population; this is a sign of the spread of the gospel to all the world.  The setting here is significant, as in the Old Testament, marriage feasts symbolized the union of God and God's Bride, Israel. "The third day" also gives a resurrectional tone to this event, showing that the marriage of God and God's Church will be fulfilled in Christ's Resurrection.    My study Bible adds that by His presence at this wedding, Jesus further declares marriage to be holy and honorable (Hebrews 13:4).  Today's passage is read at Orthodox weddings, and the images given to us by St. John are incorporated into many prayers in the 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 says that this is an example given to us of Mary's gift of intercession.  Even now, Mary the Theotokos ("God-bearer") continually speaks to her Son on our behalf, and she is our preeminent intercessor before His Throne.  This is declared in an Orthodox prayer:  "The intercessions of a mother have great effect to win the favor of the Master."  This we see in today's reading, as Jesus grants her request.  Additionally, my study Bible teaches, in this passage wine is symbolic of life, and so there are two levels of meaning to Mary's statement, "They have no wine."  First, a marriage is incomplete without the presence of Christ; and second, the old covenant was not able to bestow life even on the most faithful people.  In terms of Jesus' seeming protest to His mother, my study Bible notes that, contrary to certain modern usages, Woman is a sacred title in Scripture; it's an address which conveys deep respect and distinction (John 4:21; 8:10; 19:26; 20:13; compare to Genesis 2:23).  Jesus statement, "What does your concern have to do with Me?" is more closely rendered, "What is that to me and to you?"  However, in the Greek of the Gospel this phrase Christ utters is identical to the widow Zarephath's question to Elijah after she has lost her son following her help to the prophet in the Septuagint version of 1 Kings 17:18 (in Greek, τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί) .  Jesus' answer, therefore, is not a refusal of Mary's intercession, but a warning to her and a reminder they must both be ready for what will follow once His signs begin.

 

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!"  My study Bible tells us that waterpots were made of stone because, in accordance with rabbinical teaching, stone would not contract ritual impurity.  That there are six (one less than the perfect seven), it says, is an indication that the Law, illustrated by water being reserved for Jewish purification, was incomplete, imperfect, and unable to bestow life.  This water changed into wine therefore symbolizes the old covenant being fulfilled in the new, which is capable of bestowing life.  The overabundant gallons of wine are an image of the overflowing grace Christ grants to all.  In patristic commentary, this transformation of water to wine is seen as prefiguring 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.  Christ's glory is the expression of His divine power and His compassion for human beings.  Thus the signs He performs point to His identity and manifest His glory.  On this seventh day given in St. John's Gospel, Jesus rests, together with His mother, His brothers, and His disciples, in a parallel to the seventh day given in Genesis 2:1-3.

 

 In today's reading, we get a glimpse of what we know as intercession, and in particular the intercessory capacity of the mother of Jesus, Mary the Theotokos.  For the Orthodox and others, such as Roman Catholics, Mary is the supreme saint who may intercede and pray for us.  We ask her to pray for us, just as we might ask one another to pray for ourselves or others for whom we have concern.  St. Paul speaks about the communion of saints when he references the "great cloud of witnesses" with which we're surrounded (Hebrews 12:1).  That is, all those who are alive in Christ, the living body of the faithful, which extends beyond time and beyond this world as we know it, including the angels, with whom we pray and worship at each liturgy.  This is the faith and understanding of ancient tradition and the earliest Church.  But Mary, the mother of Jesus, plays a stronger role for us than simply "intercessor" in today's reading.  For perhaps it is rare that we get a glimpse of her in terms of this role that so mirrors the experience of millions, if not billions, of faithful who pray with her and seek her prayers for them in return.  (See the image above, the mosaic titled Deesis, in which she prays for all.  Magnify to see her tender expression.)  In today's reading, we are given her compassion, her concern for others, because at this wedding they have run out of wine.  Let us consider the stakes of what is to come:  she has been warned from Christ's infancy that pain will come to her in her life in her very special role as the mother of Jesus.  This was given to her in a form of prophecy when Jesus was forty days old, and they came to the temple for her purification and Christ's presentation in accordance with the Law (see Luke 2:25-35, especially the prophecy given to Mary by Simeon in verse 35).  And it is in this context only that Christ's words to her make sense, as they come directly from the Old Testament:  τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί, spoken by the widow Zarephath at the death of her son (1 Kings 17:17-24; verse 18 in particular).  These glimpses of Mary given in St. John's Gospel are interesting in particular because we know that from the Cross, Jesus gave the care of His mother over to St. John, the beloved disciple (John 13:23; 19:25-27).  So the expression of Mary's character, her intercession and her compassion, tell us a lot about her own identity and role in the salvation plan of the Church, including for you and I, for whom she still serves as a great intercessor and remains "most blessed among women" (Luke 1:28, 42).  Let us not forget she is the one chosen to give her humanity to the Christ, and that her character and that of St. Joseph no doubt played a role in the shaping of His human understanding.  She made every sacrifice for her Son, and here He is asking her if she is really ready to initiate what is to come through her prayer to Him for the needed wine at this wedding, even the words of a widow lamenting her son.  Her answer is clear when she tells the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."  So we should take these words of his mother, Mary, and apply them to ourselves also, for we need to follow if we are to be good servants in turn.  Like so many have discovered, she always leads the way to her Son, as can be seen in every icon of the Theotokos.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

Fill the waterpots with water

 

 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 read that, after choosing His first disciples who came to Him from John the Baptist,  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 . . .  The wedding in Cana is the setting for the first of seven signs performed by Jesus reported to us in John's Gospel.  My study Bible comments that John uses this term, "signs" (see verse 11) 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.  The Greek word translated as sign (σημείων/semeion) is related to the word for "flag" -- it is a representation, indication, or symbol of something present.  My study Bible comments that the setting of the wedding is significant.  In the Old Testament, marriage feasts symbolized the union of God with God's Bride, Israel.  Jesus begins His ministry at Galilee, a quite deliberate intention as we read in yesterday's reading (above), which had a large Gentile population.  This is seen as a sign of the spread of the gospel to all the world.  That this wedding took place on the third day gives it a resurrectional tone, and according to my study Bible, shows that the marriage of God and God's Church will be fulfilled in Christ's Resurrection.  There are other parallels between the marriage here and the Resurrection account in John 20:1-18 in that both involve a woman named Mary who makes an appeal, and in both passages the disciples are invited to witness the event.  Moreover, it notes, the Resurrection account (John 20:11-18) bears a striking similarity to Song of Solomon 3:1-5, again showing the unity between marriage and the Resurrection of our Lord.  By Christ's presence at this wedding, moreover, Jesus declares marriage to be holy and honorable (Hebrews 13:4).  This passage is often read at weddings, and its images are incorporated into many prayers in the Orthodox wedding service.

. . . 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."  My study Bible calls this 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 declares, "The intercessions of a mother have great effect to win the favor of the Master."  This is confirmed as Christ grants her request here.  Wine is symbolic of life, so when Mary tells Jesus, "They have no wine," there are two levels of meaning to her statement.  First, we understand that a marriage is not complete without the presence of Christ; and second, that the old covenant could not bestow life even on the most faithful people.  We should also understand that, contrary to how it sounds to modern ears, Woman is a sacred title in Scripture.  My study Bible calls it an address conveying deep respect and distinction (John 4:21; 8:10; 19:26; compare to Genesis 2:23).  "What does your concern have to do with Me?" reads more literally, "What is that to Me and to you?"  This answer is not a refusal, but a declaration that the time had not yet come for Christ to be revealed.  There is an even greater depth to this question that those familiar with the Septuagint version of the Old Testament could hear (that is the Greek version of Old Testament Scriptures, the one quoted by Christ throughout the New Testament).  Jesus is quoting directly the words of the Septuagint version of 1 Kings 17:18, the words of Zarabeth to Elijah, when her only son died after she helped the prophet ("τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί").   So, we could also loosely translate these words as "what is [between] me and you," and implying to Mary that such a sign will begin the road toward the Cross, the death of her only Son.  (See also the prophesy of Simeon, Luke 2:33-35.)  Mary's confident assertion to the servants to do whatever Christ tells them is her response.

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.  Waterpots were made of stone in accordance with rabbinical teaching that stone would not contract ritual impurity.  My study Bible says that six of them (one less than the perfect seven) indicates that the Law, illustrated by water 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 -- the new being capable of bestowing life.  The overabundant gallons of wine (filled ... up to the brim) illustrate the overflowing grace which Christ grants to all.

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!"  My study Bible indicates that patristic commentary sees this transformation as prefiguring 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.  John calls this first sign a manifestation of Christ's glory, beheld by His disciples who believed in Him.  It reminds us of John's words in the Prologue to his Gospel, writing as witness and disciple:  "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).  

There seems to me a clear parallel passage to today's sign, and that is of Jesus' use of "new wine" needing new wineskins as illustrative of His followers in the new covenant (see Matthew 9:14-17).  This transformation of water to wine in today's passage from the Gospel of John echoes in the enzymatic transformation of new wine that needs new wineskins that can stretch and grow with the power of action of grace, of holiness, of the Holy Spirit.  In that same passage from Matthew, we might also note that Christ mentions a wedding feast as well ("Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?")  Perhaps it is appropriate to think of this topic on the eve of the celebration of Transfiguration, which takes place across most churches tomorrow (see Matthew 17:1–8, Mark 9:2–8, Luke 9:28–36).   The Transfiguration is a manifestation of the Holy Trinity, and the clear revelation to the disciples of Christ's divinity.  There the sign is an incredible light permeating all, especially Christ's face and clothing, but also a bright cloud over all the mountain.  All of these different "signs" teach us about Christ's glory and its manifestation in the world.  He is the Bridegroom come for His Bride, those who will believe in Him and know who He really is.  He is the One who brings that glory into the world so that we all may partake.  He is the guest at the wedding feast who makes the best wine possible by transfiguring the water through His holy power, as one come from heaven to bring heaven to us and its meanings and the heartbreaking beauty that persists through all things.  This kind of beauty transfigures everything with its meaning, even suffering, even the Cross.  And there we will begin with Jesus in this first sign in the Gospel of John, of overabundance, of transfiguration, of glory and surprise.  Even the steward at the wedding seems not to be aware of what great thing has just happened in the midst of this wedding.  But Mary the queen of angels and saints knows and initiates through her supplication, and Christ indicates to her the fullness of what is to come down this "road," this "way" He will initiate with His ministry once this sign is made manifest, and the disciples know too -- for they "believed in Him."  My study Bible explains that today's reading gives us the sixth day of Christ's ministry.  (John does not include the events of the fifth day, but jumps to the sixth.  The phrase that begins today's passage:  On the third day, is an expression which means "two days later."  It includes the current day in the calculation.  This wedding therefore parallels the creation of man and woman in Genesis 1:26-31.  Finally, the seventh day is a day of rest, as Jesus rests at Capernaum with His mother, His brothers, and His disciples, paralleling God resting on the seventh day in Genesis 2:1-3.  Let us note once again the fullness of the Church given here:  Jesus is never alone in His ministry, but remains connected with His Church, with those who are with Him:  His mother, His brothers (meaning extended family), and His disciples.  Just as we can look at these interconnected events and passages from the Gospels, and find echoes of meanings reflected in each, so we are reminded that we are members of a Body, and all are interconnected.  What we understand of our faith, the Scriptures handed down to us, the witness testimony that went into them, and the experience of the Holy Spirit working through and in the Church, comes to us in all of this.  Jesus' connection with His mother teaches us something powerful and important about the nature of holiness and of our faith:  it reaches into each one and connects each one, so that the kingdom of heaven is both within us and among us (Luke 17:21).  Christ is our place where heaven and earth meet, and the signs in John's Gospel point the way to His kingdom, and allow us to participate and be included.  Let us follow His way to rivers of living water (John 7:23).

 

Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me?

 

 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 fourth day described in John's Gospel:  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. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.   As we have remarked in the commentaries this week, John's Gospel gives us the first week of Christ's ministry in interesting parallels to the creation story in Genesis.  The events described in today's reading occur on the sixth day given in John's Gospel, while the fifth is skipped.  The phrase on the third day, my study Bible explains, is an expression which means "two days later," as the current day is included in the calculation.  On this sixth day given to us occurs the wedding in Cana, paralleling the creation of man and woman in Genesis 1:26-31.  My study Bible points out also that in the Old Testament, marriage feasts symbolized the union of God with God's Bride, Israel.  Here Jesus begins His ministry at Galilee, which had a large Gentile population; the events described in today's reading are a sign of the spread of the Gospel to all the world.  That the wedding took place "on the third day" sets a resurrectional tone, my study Bible adds, showing that the marriage of God and God's Church will be filled in the Resurrection of Christ.  There are other parallels here between today's reading and the Resurrection account of John 20:1-18, in that both involve a woman named Mary who makes an appeal, and in both passages the disciples are invited to witness the event.  Moreover, my study Bible points out that the Resurrection account in John (specifically John 20:11-18) bears a great similarity to Song of Solomon 3:1-5, which again shows the unity between marriage and Christ's Resurrection.

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 as an example of Mary's gift of intercession.  It notes that even now, Mary continually speaks to her Son on our behalf, and is our preeminent intercessor before His Throne.  This is confirmed as Jesus grants her request here.  It notes also that wine is symbolic of life, and therefore there are two levels of meaning to Mary's statement, "They have no wine."   First, a marriage isn't complete without Christ's presence; second the old covenant was not able to bestow life even on the most faithful.  It's important also that we understand that Woman is a sacred title in Scripture, an address which conveys deep respect and admiration (John 4:21, 8:10, 19:26, 20:13; compare to Genesis 2:23).  It's important to remark upon Jesus' words here.  That which is rendered "What does your concern have to do with Me?" more literally reads, "What [is that to] Me and you?" in the Greek.  Jesus' answer isn't a refusal of Mary's intercession, but rather a declaration that the time had not yet come for Christ to be revealed.  There is an extremely significant parallel here to the Septuagint Old Testament, which is the version of the Old Testament quoted in the New Testament.  In the Septuagint, in 1 Kings 17:18, after her son dies following her help to Elijah, the widow Zarabeth says to him, "What have I to do with you, O man of God?" (NKJV).  But in the Greek, the phrase is precisely the same reply Jesus gives to Mary here:  "τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί."   Understood properly, this communication between Son to mother clearly implies He is preparing her for what is to come, asking her if she is ready for His public ministry to begin with this first sign which begins with her request here, and its inevitable outcome at the Cross and the death of her own Son.  Her response is to directly defer to Christ, telling the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."   Additionally, that Christ fulfills Mary's request teaches several things which my study Bible notes as follows:  First, that 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 that 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, 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.  Waterpots were made of stone, my study Bible explains, because, according to rabbinical teaching, stone would not contract ritual impurity.  That there are six (one less than the perfect seven) indicates that the Law, which is illustrated by water being reserved for Jewish purification, was incomplete, imperfect, and unable to bestow life.  My study Bible says that the water changed into wine symbolizes the old covenant being fulfilled in the new, which is capable of bestowing life.  The overabundant gallons of wine illustrate the overflowing grace which Christ grants to all.  

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!"  My study Bible says that according to patristic commentary, this transformation prefigures 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.  This beginning of signs is the first of seven signs performed by Jesus in John's Gospel.  My study Bible says that John uses the 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.  John again uses the word glory (as in John 1:14), referring both to His divine power shown by His signs and wonders and also to Christ's service to humankind, in both ways revealing He is the One sent by the Father.

 

After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.  This is the seventh day given in the Gospel, again paralleling the Genesis creation account.  Jesus rests at Capernaum with His mother, His brothers, and His disciples, as God rested on the seventh day in Genesis 2:1-3.

If we look closely at Jesus' remark to His mother, we see an extraordinary kind of understanding that appears to be between them.  The words in Greek literally read, "What Me and you?" ("τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί") but they are the quotation of the words of Zarabeth to Elijah in the version of the Old Testament available to Christ and His contemporaries, and the version of the Old Testament quoted in the New.  In the relationship of mother to Son, she will be the one who is hurt, a widow who loses her Son.  It is an indication to us that the Cross was understood long before this moment, long before it will come, and early in the lives of this mother and her Son about whom Gabriel prophesied to her.  In Luke's Gospel, we are also given a prophesy to Mary by Simeon when the baby Jesus was brought to the temple.  Luke writes, "Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, 'Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.'"  (See Luke 2:25-35.)  The sympathy between mother and Son is revealed through the Gospels, as she is present at the Cross.  This is made particularly clear in John's Gospel, as it is in this Gospel that John records Jesus' words on the Cross regarding His mother:  "Woman, behold your son!" (John 19:26).  Who else but John the Evangelist could write and know these words, into whose hands the care of Christ's mother was given?  That Mary was chosen out of all humankind to be the mother of Christ was always extraordinarily significant to our ancient Christian ancestors, and the significance of her intercession in this first sign of John's Gospel regarded as a sign of her own capacity for intercession for us.  There is an Orthodox prayer quoted in my study Bible, which declares, "The intercessions of a mother have great effect to win the favor of the Master."  Intercession is what we ask of fellow believers when we ask for their prayers; in the communion of saints (the "great cloud of witnesses" in Hebrews 12:1) we understand God's grace enables their presence and hence prayers for us.   It is unfortunate that for a great many followers of Christ today, the importance of Mary seems to be disregarded.  But it should be clear that for any mother to be given such a place in salvation history would have required a person of extraordinary courage and faith and trustworthiness.   As we read in the Gospels, the early life of Christ was not an easy one, but one filled with danger and which required His parents to endure hardship and exile, and His mother the possible shame she would be willing to bear in silence (Matthew 1:19).  The story of Mary teaches us about the saintly, those whose faith enables them to endure and persist despite the discouragement the worldly would bring them.  Looking at Christ's beginnings, we might wonder how discouraged our faith would be when there was no room for His birth in Bethlehem (Luke 2:7), or when they had to flee the massacre of the innocents by Herod (Matthew 2:13-18).  The story of Christ is not possible without also the story of His mother Mary, and neither is the whole history of the Church possible without Mary's great presence in it, from the earliest centuries considered to be the greatest of the saints.  Uncountable numbers of the faithful have taken heart at her intercession and felt her presence in their lives; we can only guess at the hints in the Gospels about her character if we read between the lines of Christ's great sympathy, especially in His encounters with women and those among His discipleship.  We might ask from whom did Jesus' human persona develop, or under whose discerning and faithful eye, but perhaps these questions are simply unanswerable.  All we can do is look to the significance of this relationship recorded by John, the disciple who became her second son when Jesus was no longer in the world.  I recommend the prayers to Mary for intercession, the honor she's given so highly in the history of the Church, for the pain in the heart of this mother and her deep faith in her Son is such that many have found helpful for their own.

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."

 

 

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

On Saturday we read that 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.  Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.   On the third day is an expression that really translates to "two days later" in our terms -- as it includes the current day in the calculation.  On Saturday (see above), we read of the events of the fourth day in the Gospel.  This is therefore the sixth day given of Jesus' public ministry.  It is a parallel to the sixth day of the creation story in Genesis.  This was the day on which man and woman were created in Genesis 1:26-31.  Fittingly, it is the day of a wedding, at which Jesus, His disciples, and His mother are in attendance.  This wedding takes place in Galilee, where Jesus ministry begins.  Galilee has a large Gentile population, a sign of the spread of the gospel to all the world.  That the wedding takes place on the third day, my study bible notes, sets a resurrectional tone to this event; it reflects that the marriage of God and god's Church is fulfilled in Christ's Resurrection.  As with the Resurrection story (20:1-18), a woman named Mary makes an appeal, and also the disciples witness the event. 

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 calls this an example of Mary's gift of intercession.  It is the prime example we have from the Gospels.  In accordance with the ancient tradition of the Church, Mary continually speaks to her Son on our behalf.  She is considered our preeminent intercessor before His Throne.  It is also consistent with the traditions of the ancient Jews, and the line of David, and the special place of the mother of the king.  My study bible also notes the symbolism of the wine -- blood-colored, wine is symbolic of life.  Therefore, it notes, there are two levels of meaning to Mary's statement that they have no wine.   First, that a marriage is not complete without the presence of Christ.  Second, that the old covenant was unable to bestow life even on the most faithful people.  Additionally, we note that Jesus addresses His mother as Woman.  This may sound to our modern ears rather coarse, but in fact this is a sacred title in Scripture.  My study bible tells us that in fact it conveys deep respect and distinction (4:21, 8:10, 1926, 20:13; compare to Genesis 2:23).  Jesus' questioning response to Mary is literally translated, "What is that to Me and to you?"  (In modern terms, one is tempted to say He's asking her why that is any of their business!)  My study bible remarks that this isn't a refusal of her intercession, but rather a declaration that the time hasn't come for His identity as Christ to be revealed.  Spiritually, His fulfillment of her request teaches, among other things, that Christ is Lord of time, over hours and seasons, and is not subject to them.  Moreover, the wedding party had to be aware of their lack of wine so that they might learn it is Christ who fulfills needs.  Additionally, we need perseverance in our petitions before God (Matthew 15:21-28).  Finally, the intercessions of the righteous are powerful (James 5:16).  It is also noteworthy here that Mary's confidence and faith in her Son is supreme; her instructions to the servants regarding following His commands apply to each of us.

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!"   Waterpots, in Jewish tradition, were made of stone.  This is as rabbinical teaching indicates that stone would not contract ritual impurity.  Six waterpots (that is, one less than the perfect seven which means fullness),  is symbolic of the idea that the Law, illustrated by water reserved for Jewish purification, was incomplete, imperfect, and unable to bestow life, according to my study bible.  Just as John the Baptist's baptism of water was for repentance in preparation for the Baptism with the Spirit initiated by Christ, the water changed into wine symbolizes that the old covenant is fulfilled in the new.  This new wine, as symbol of the new covenant in Christ, is capable of bestowing life.  These gallons of new wine, the waterpots filled up to the brim in overabundance, are images of the overflowing grace Christ grants to all (And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace - 1:16).

This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.  This is the first of seven signs that John will report in his Gospel.  These are called signs by John to show that the miraculous actions of Christ are meant to point to something beyond themselves, to the truth that the Kingdom of God has come among us in the Person of Christ.  They are not meant to persuade or manipulate; rather, they are manifestations of the reality of the grace and truth of Christ.  This first sign is traditionally seen in the Church as prefiguring the transformation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist.

After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.   Finally, we are given the seventh day of Christ's ministry.  Paralleling the seventh day of Genesis, in which God rested (Genesis 2:1-3).  Jesus, His mother, his brothers, and His disciples all rest at Capernaum.

 We cannot read this passage without a comment regarding the intercession of Mary.  As many modern people find it difficult to relate to this particular "ministry" of Mary, it is noteworthy to consider how deeply in Christian history the role of Mary as both intercessor and protector goes.  Just a bit of Church history might be useful here:  Mary's title as "Godbearer" (Theotokos in the Greek) was formally affirmed at the Third Ecumenical Council (431).   (Note that the Reformed tradition accepts the first four Ecumenical Councils.)  But Mary as intercessor remains a concept that some struggle with.  A papyrus (called P470), part of a collection obtained by the Rylands Library in Manchester, England in 1917, contains a very early prayer to Mary.  The entire collection includes what is considered the oldest record of the canonical New Testament, dating as early as 117 to 138.  This particular papyrus dates as early as 250.  The prayer it contains reads:  "Beneath your compassion, we take refuge, Theotokos!  Our prayers, do not despise in necessities, but from danger deliver us, only pure, only blessed one!"   It is important to note the corporate nature of this prayer; therefore it was already being used in early worship in the Church.  We note the appeal to her compassion, as expressed in today's text, in which she is concerned that those at the wedding have run out of wine.  She is already referred to as one whose prayers were sought for needs and for protection -- even deliverance, and as refuge.  It is, in light of this text, impossible to ignore the role of Mary already present in the early Church, and at a time of its active persecution, before Christianity could be legally practiced in the Empire (which was possible only after the Edict of Milan in 313).  Mary remains a figure venerated in both East and West, whose help in prayer is actively sought, just as you or I might seek the prayers of a person whom we know as particularly righteous for our strength and help in our own spiritual and other struggles in life.  She remains the most highly esteemed of all the saints, for reasons which include what is on display in today's reading:  she kept all the secrets of her heart in faith regarding her Son (Luke 2:19, 51).  She has the insight of absolute faith in the identity and mission of Christ.  She expresses and acts upon her compassion, making a plea on others' behalf.  And finally, although He questions her regarding her request, Christ nevertheless reveals the first sign of His Kingdom in the world in response to her prayer.  Her command to us, as His followers, remains as essential to that mission today as it was then:  "Whatever He says to you, do it."  It is her faith that remains the supreme example to us all.  We must keep in mind, as well, that this is the Gospel of the disciple to whom Jesus entrusted His mother for her care, from the Cross (John 19:26).  Besides her Son, who could have known her better?  Aside from the Gospel, we have the testimony of the Church regarding Mary, and the uncountable faithful who entrust their prayers to her help and intercession, and especially their testimonies regarding the love and care they feel and receive in return.  Let us consider how our faith makes of this woman its supreme saint, the human being who was capable of being mother to this Son and to the rest of us -- should we seek to find her as companion in the faith.