In John 1:2-5 we read: "And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come. His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it."
The wedding feast (Revelation 19:1-9) was on the third day (we are now in that third day dear one) there was a wedding (Matthew 22:1-14) at Cana (place of reeds) in Galilee (heathen circle). Jesus’ mother was there, (Mary is never called “Mary” in the Gospel of John, but is referred to only as the mother of Jesus) and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no wine left.” Jesus replied, “Woman (Genesis 3:15; Revelation 12:1), why are you saying this to me? My time (John 19:30) has not yet come.” His mother told the servants, “Whatever he tells you, do it.” Mary is very careful not to plead or to tell Jesus what to do, but obviously she hopes He will do something. Jesus knows that His mother expects a response of some kind, and He gives her a response, though it is hardly what she expects. Yet, it is not an unkind response—it simply serves to set the record straight by redefining His relationship to Mary, His earthly mother. Jesus does not call her “Mary,” or “mother,” but “woman.” This is the same term Jesus will use when He speaks to her from the cross (John 19:26). Here, at the wedding, Jesus asks the question, “Woman, why are you saying this to Me?
Jesus asks His Mother just what has caused her to think the problem she has identified is suddenly now His problem as well as hers. Jesus is now a man who is thirty years old. Mary no longer has any authority over Him! Mary has basically said, “Jesus, they are out of wine. We really need to do something,” to which Jesus responds, “Woman, what do you mean ‘we’”? As a child, Jesus lived in submission to her authority (Luke 2:51), but it is now time for our Lord to indicate to His mother that there will be a change. Not only is He a grown man about to set out on His own Ministry, He is the Lord's Messiah, who has come to establish His kingdom on the earth. He can no longer relate to Mary as He formerly has. He cannot allow His submission to His Father to be “overruled” by the requests of His earthly mother especially if and when they are not in “His time.” He is the Messiah, who must now obey only His true Father. Duly informed, Mary simply turns to the servants and instructs them, “Whatever He tells you, do it.” She does not argue with Him, for He has made His point. She does not plead with Him. By her words, she leaves her request in His hands to deal with as He sees fit. He may not tell the servants to do anything. Yet, if He does tell them to do something—anything—they should obey, for then it will be His good pleasure and will be done in His good time.
In John 1:29,35,43; 2:1, we see reference to a succession of days, with each verse starting with the words, “the next day(2), the next day(3), the next day (4), and finally, “on the third day” (which counting from the first reference, is the seventh day). This is a clear reference to the seven days of Creation in Genesis. Jesus uses six (the number of man) stone jars of water that were used for ceremonial washing (Take note that in Numbers 19:11-12, ceremonial washing for uncleanness had to be done with water and had to take place both on the third and seventh days). Notice also that Jesus associated providing wine with “His hour”. When was Jesus’ “hour”? In John’s gospel, Jesus’ “hour” when He drinks very cheap sour wine (not the best) at the very moment of His death on the Cross. Here, Jesus transforms water meant for the Jewish rites of purification. (It is very interesting to note that the term used in the Septuagint of that water in Numbers 19 is literally “baptizmois”). The baptismal water of the Old Covenant ritual of purification is what Jesus decides to use to provide the best wine at the wedding feast. All of this prefigures what He expected to deliver to mankind when His “hour” finally came on the cross at Calvary. John is trying to get us to see that there is a mystical marriage getting ready to take place and John continues this idea in John 3:29 where John the Baptist clearly states Jesus is the Bridegroom.
In John 2:6-11 we read: "And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on Him." (2:6-11)
The Old Testament Law required various washings (Mark 7:1-5) and to facilitate these washings, there are nearby six (the number of man) large stone waterpots. Jesus instructs the servants to fill (Acts 2:4) each of the six waterpots to the brim (we are to be completely filled with His Holy Spirit) with water (Revelation 17:15). When the six stone pots are filled, Jesus instructs the servants to draw out some of the “water” from one of the pots and to serve it to the governor of the feast. Here is where Mary’s words to the servants are put to the test. What must it have been like for the servants when they finished filling the stone waterpots with water and returned to Jesus for further instructions. Not one of them could have ever imagined what Jesus would say next: “Now draw some out and take it to the governor of the feast .” In absolute unbelief they must have thought, “I know Mary said to do whatever Jesus said, but surely He can’t be serious! Are we really supposed to serve this “water” to the governor of the feast? Jesus did not even say a single word over the water or the waterpots. Jesus did not close His eyes, pray. or command the water to become wine. He never even touched the water or the pots. Jesus did not even bother to mention that the water had now become wine. As far as they knew, Jesus was now instructing them to serve the ceremonial cleansing water, to the governor of the feast no less! To tell them more would have surpassed the limits of what their minds could have possibly understood.
The servants obediently draw out of the pots and begin to serve the wine (Matthew 26:28), starting with the governor of the feast . The governor of the feast has no idea where his wine has come from, but the servants know. The suspense of those moments between the time the governor of the feast drinks the wine and when he first speaks must have been sheer torture for the servants. The governor of the feast sniffs the cup, then sips and then he calls for the bridegroom—what is he about to say? With a smile, and perhaps a pat on the bridegroom’s back, the governor of the feast proclaims this last wine to be great—the very best yet. The bridegroom's timing is a little different, he tells the bridegroom, but the wine is great. Usually, he notes, the trick is to save the cheaper wine until last. When everyone has had their fill of wine, or more (literally “have become drunk”), their taste will not be as discerning, and thus the inferior wine may not be detected. But this last wine is the best yet! The bridegroom has outdone himself, saving the very finest until the last. (Matthew 19:30; Hosea 6:3; Joel 2:23,24: Zechariah 10:1) In John 14:12 we read: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." "Rejoice ye sons of Zion, and be glad in Jehovah your G-d; for He hath given you the early rain for righteousness; and He will cause to come down for you the rain, the early rain and the latter rain in the first. And the floors shall be filled with pure corn, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil." (Joel 2:23, 24).
Minimizing the visibility of this first miraculous sign of our Lord’s power is by His design. Everything our Lord did in transforming the water into wine was intended to minimize His exposure. Done in this way, our Lord was able to perform the miracle without violating His Father’s will concerning “His time.” It was not yet the moment for our Lord to publicly display His power and glory. Thus, He performed the miracle privately, in a way that conformed to His Father's timing. In one sense, there are two miracles here in these first verses of John 2. The first is the transformation of water into wine. The second is accomplishing this miracle in a way that was not apparent to everyone. Even so, “This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him” How could our Lord’s glory have been manifested when so few even knew a miracle had been performed? The answer is found in John 1:10-11 where we read: "He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not."
The Old Testament Law required various kinds of washings. All of these were to demonstrate to the Israelites how deeply sinful and unclean they were, and thus how unfit to enter into G-d’s presence. These washings were drudgery, yet the Israelites were to do them in obedience to G-d’s law. By the time legalistic Judaism added even more washings, Judaism was a laborious religion. Jesus took this ceremonial cleansing water and made it into wine. Jesus took that which was a pain and made it into a pleasure. Jesus took that which Jews would have found unfit to drink, and He made of it the best wine that has ever passed the lips of man. Jesus used the water intended for ritual cleansing and turned it to wine, and in a similar way Jesus’ blood will be used to cleanse away sins in a way that was never before possible with the sacrificial blood of animals! Because He came and perfectly fulfilled the law, meeting all of its requirements, our Lord was uniquely qualified to die for sinners on the cross of Calvary. The salvation He procured through His sacrifice on the cross of Calvary makes it possible for men to leave the drudgery of the Law behind and to enter into the joy of His Grace and eternal salvation. Our Lord is able to take that which is less than desirable and make it into the best vintage wine, the finest man has ever tasted. He is able to take common, sinful men like Peter, James, John, Andrew, Philip, and Nathanael and make them into incredible apostles that literally shook the world! . He is able to take the “weak and foolish things of this world” and transform them into His own image so that we marvel at G-d’s grace and power!
The wine Jesus created was not only the best ever, but He produced much more than was needed. When Jesus fed the 5,000 (Matthew 14:13-21) and again the 4,000 (Matthew 15:32-39), there were plenty of leftovers (14:20; 15:37). G-d’s blessings are always bountiful. “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38).
Water is a symbol of life as well as a means of cleansing, or purification. Water was created on the first day (Genesis 1:2, 6-8). The Spirit of G-d was hovering over the face of the waters (Genesis 1:2). The earth was founded upon the waters (Genesis 1:6-7, 9-10). G-d commanded the water to bring out an abundance of living souls (Genesis 1:20-21). G-d is compared with the rain (Hosea 6:3). Water brings life (cf. Exodus 15:23-35; 17:2-7; Psalms 1:3; 22:2; 41:2; 64:10; 77:20; Isaiah 35:6-7; 58:11) and joy (Psalm 45:5). It is a powerful purifying element and can destroy evil and enemies as in the stories of the Flood and the flight of Israel from Egypt (Genesis 3:1-15; Exodus 14:1-15:21). According to Old Testament Law, it cleanses defilement (Leviticus 11:32; 13:58; 14:8, 9; 15-17; 22:6; cf. Isaiah 1:16) and is used in sacrifices (Leviticus 1:9, 13; 6:28; 1 Kings 18:30-39), in which context the Bible mentions the living water (Leviticus 14; Numbers 5; 19). Water heals, as can be seen from the stories of Naaman the Syrian cured from his leprosy in the waters of Jordan (2 Kings 5:1-14) and the annual miracles at Bethesda in Jerusalem (John 5:1-4). John the Baptist used the waters of the Jordan to cleanse people's sins which reminded typical Jewish custom (Matthew 3:1-6; Mark 1:4-5; Luke 3:2-16; John 1:26-33) - even Jesus came to be baptized (Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10). On the other hand, water is also the habitat of serpents whose heads G-d crushed (Psalm 73:13-14) and of the dragon (Job 41:25; Psalm 103:26). The Great Flood is an example of baptism. In 1 Peter 3:20-21 we see the eight souls saved by water - that were a symbol of the eighth day, wherein Jesus appeared when he rose from the dead even as Noah was saved from death by the wood when he rode over the waters with seven members of his household.
"And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our G-d: For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped G-d that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our G-d, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord G-d omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of G-d." (Revelation 19:1-9)
2 Corinthians 11:2 "For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin (not the whore Babylon or her harlot daughters) to Christ."
Ephesians 5:26-29 "That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church."
Are you ready dear one? Or are you still in Babylon? You really do not want to miss the marriage supper of the Lamb! Shalom!
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