Now on the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 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.”[1] Jesus replied, “Dear woman,[2] why are you saying this to me?[3] My time has not yet come.” His mother told the servants, “Whatever he tells you, do it.”
Now there were six stone water jars[4] there for Jewish ceremonial washing[5], each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants, “Fill the water jars with water.” So they filled them up to the very top. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the head steward,” and they did.
When the head steward tasted the water that had been turned to wine, not knowing where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), he called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the cheaper wine when the guests are drunk. You have kept the good wine until now!”[6]
Jesus did this as the first of his miraculous signs, in Cana of Galilee. In this way he revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him. After this Jesus went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there a few days.
I could spend a lot of time on how, throughout church history, people found every minute detail loaded with meaning, and they may well be right. Check my footnotes. I just don’t have time to address everything. I am going to hit three bigger picture observations from this event.
JESUS SANCTIFIES THE ORDINARY
From the beginning, Jesus was not about spotlights, glamour, or show. He uses “the foolish things of the world” right out of the ministry gates. This is consistent with what Paul later writes to the church in Corinth.
Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish (uneducated) things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak (without influence) things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly (lacking nobility) things of this world and the despised (without merit) things—and the things that are not [esteemed]—to nullify the things that are [esteemed], so that no one may boast before him. (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)[7]
Jesus uses the things that “are not”:
servants, not prominent community leaders.
clay pots, not silver bowls.
water, the most basic liquid on the planet.
a poor person’s wedding.[8]
“Galilee of the Gentiles.”
5 recorded disciples, and he had to ask a couple of them to join.
“They believed in him” after this, as if maybe not all of them were quite sure what they had signed up for.
Jesus sanctifies the ordinary. This is the way of the kingdom. He calls ordinary disciples. He hangs out with the ordinary people in common places. He transforms ordinary things into extraordinary gifts. Jesus didn’t need movers and shakers, halls of power, mansions, a spotlight, or an honored place with the Pharisees.[9] In fact, he tended to resist all those things throughout his ministry. He sanctified the ordinary.
If you think of yourself as ordinary, don’t let that discourage you. Jesus intends to sanctify you. He will take the “are not” part of you and make something of it for your good and His glory.
JESUS PROPS UP HYPERLINKS (earthly realities analagous to heavenly realities)
Jesus brings wine to a wedding (two images LOADED into the New Testament in reference to the church – the bride – and Jesus – the groom. More on that later). The first thing official act John records is Jesus ensuring the success of an earthly institution that was going to be referenced to describe heavenly realities.[10]
Theologians use the word “accommodation” to describe how God communicates to people. He accommodates us by using language and imagery we can understand. Think about how your language changes with your kids as they grow older. How you explain something to them when they are 3 is very different from when they are 8, or 15. The realities of the heavenly kingdom are often explained in the institutions, language, and images of earth. This is an accommodation to help us understand things about God and His Kingdom.
God as a Father and Husband
Church as a Bride or a Mother
Christians as children of God, brothers and sisters with each other
Marriage as a covenant of mutual love, care and respect.
I have been blessed to have those analogies bring an overall good response in me: Great dad and mom and extended family; I love being a husband a father; my sisters are amazing; marriage gets deeper and better the further it goes. None of these people or institutions have been perfect; sometimes it’s been really hard. I don’t want to make it glossy where its not. It’s just that when someone says to me, “God is our Father,” that brings me comfort, not anxiety, fear, or disgust.
We have hyperlinks embedded in us. We hear those words or think about those things, and we are taken to a place in our hearts and minds. We make a connection. I think we, as the people of God, have a vested interest in strengthen the integrity of these things so we and others don’t have terrible hyperlinks embedded in us. We do this by a) valuing them ourselves in word and deed, and b) bringing gospel health and healing in the culture around us through spreading the Good News of the life-saving, life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ.
I am interested in the church teaching and modeling godly fatherhood (and a holy view of masculinity in general), as well as bringing gospel-centric stabilization to fathers and men everywhere. When people hear that God is a Father, I want to help “make straight the path” to the salvation and transformation Jesus offers rather than settle for potholes on the road to the Kingdom.
I am interested in the church teaching and modeling godly motherhood (and holy view of femininity in general) as well as bringing gospel-centric stabilization to mothers and women everywhere. When people hear that church is their mother, I want to help “make straight the path” to the salvation and transformation Jesus offers rather than settle for potholes on the road to the Kingdom.
I am interested in the church building holy marriages/families and then stabilizing marriages/families all around us. When people hear that the church is a bride with a divine groom, or God adopts as his children, I want the to help “make straight the path” to the salvation and transformation Jesus offers rather than settle for potholes on the road to the Kingdom.
This isn’t about political action, though surely God has ordained government to restrain evil and support what is good. I’m talking about first being salt and light, and then being scattered throughout our neighborhoods to bring gospel preservation and truth in what we say and what we do.
For that matter, this is true of the language we use to describe aspects of God’s character – and thus God’s action in the world. We, as followers of Jesus, have an interest in properly defining and living out things that are part of God’s nature and will for the world
Love needs true definition and consistent incarnation so that when we talk about God’s love and our love for God and others, we bring gospel illumination to a very murky word.
Justice needs true definition and consistent incarnation so that when we talk about a just God’s justice, we bring gospel illumination to an often misunderstood word.
Mercy and grace need true definition and consistent incarnation so that when we talk about a God’s mercy and grace, people have already seen a gospel illumination in the mercy displayed by God’s people.
In all these things, we have the opportunity to “make straight the path” to Jesus through our words and our lives.
JESUS: GROOM AND MASTER OF CEREMONIES
Jesus rebuked his own mother – respectfully – when she asked him to do something about the wine problem. Commentators, preachers and theologians disagree on what is going on here. The equivalent Hebrew expression in the Old Testament had two basic meanings:
When one person was unjustly bothering others, they could say "What to me and to you?" meaning, "What have I done to you that you should do this to me?" (Judg 11:12, 2 Chr 35:21, 1 Kgs 17:18 ).
When someone was asked to get involved in a matter that was not their business, she could say, "What to me and to you?"Or, "That is your business, how am I involved?" (2 Kgs 3:13, Hos 14:8).”[11]
So did Jesus mean:
“This is not our problem. If they run out of wine, they run out of wine.” That would seem at odds with Jesus’ character.
“It’s not time for me to do miracles.” Which is basically what he told Satan in the wilderness when he didn’t do a miracle, so I struggle with that explanation.
Some say he was just honoring his mother’s request – but then what happened to, “I must be about my Father’s business”? Or the times he tells people they must prioritize God over people, including their families?
I have an opinion that I hold in an open hand. I think he is saying, “I am not responsible for thiswedding feast. I am not the master of ceremonies or the groom. Not yet.” Not yet. But that hour will come. After all, Jesus as the groom taking the church as His bride[12] is a primary image throughout the New Testament.
The Mishnah Kiddushin (where the Talmud deals with “dedication” or betrothal) talks about how a groom secured a bride. This is a different culture, to be sure, so whatever you think of the process, watch for the analogy.
· The groom (and/or his father) traveled to the bride’s home to “purchase” her with a “bride price.”[13]
· When the bride consented, the marriage contract, or ketubah, was established
· The father handed the groom a cup of wine, which he gave to the bride and said, "This cup I offer to you."
· If she drank it, they were betrothed. They had given their lives to each other.
· This betrothal (kiddushin, meaning “sanctified” or set apart) made them legally husband and wife
· During that time between betrothal and marriage, the groom would construct a home.
· The groom would return for his bride without advance warning. The bride needed to be ready (see the parable in Matthew 25:1–15).
· The groom’s arrival was announced with a shout, and the wedding feast commenced shortly.
· On the 7th day of the wedding feast, the bridegroom lifted the veil of the bride. This moment of revelation was called "the apocalypse," or, "the unveiling."
· For the first time she was fully revealed to Him, and the marriage would be consummated.
So….
· Jesus traveled to earth to “purchase” His bride, the church, for the price of His blood. Purchase from whom, you ask? Hmmm. Well, the Bible says that outside of Christ, “the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one” (I John 5:19) We are in bondage to the Devil as “master” and at times even a “father” (John 8:44, I John 3:8), prince of this world (John 12:31; Ephesians 2:1-3) or ruler (John 16:11). I think this means we are born into (or have sold ourselves into) Satan’s headship as our abusive father/husband/master. Jesus offers betrothal that dissolves our ties to the ruler of the darkness of this world and makes us members of God’s household, no expense spared.[14]
· Jesus gives a bride price: the Holy Spirit. The church consents.
· The marriage contract is established; the church is sanctified, or set apart, exclusively for Jesus.
· God the Father handed Jesus the cup of His suffering; Jesus says, "This cup I offer to you." #lastsupper
· In communion, we symbolically accept His life and give him ours. We are betrothed (“sanctified”), but waiting for the final consummation.
· During that time Jesus is “preparing a place” for us (John 14:2-3).
· Jesus will return for the church (1 Thessalonians 4:17). The exact time of his arrival is not known (Mark 13:33). The church needs to be ready![15] “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.” (Revelation 19)
· His arrival will be announced with a shout (1 Thessalonians 4:16).
· In Revelation, "The Apocalypse of Jesus Christ” we see the "unveiling" of the Bride as she is received by Christ, the Bridegroom.
· The consummation for the church? “Then we will fully know as we are known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12)
Final note. Seven blessings were pronounced at the wedding. The 7th Blessing summarizes the others, after which the bride and the groom share wine:
"Blessed art Thou, 0 Lord, King of the universe, who has created joy and gladness, bridegroom and bride, mirth and exultation, pleasure and delight, love, brotherhood, peace and fellowship. Soon may there be heard in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of joy and gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the jubilant voice of bridegrooms from their canopies, and of youths from their feasts of song. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who makest the bridegroom to rejoice with the bride."[16]
We are closing with communion today. It was the betrothal ceremony initiated by Jesus 2,000 years ago. “This do in remembrance of me.” He is preparing a place; he will return, and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb and His bride, the church, will begin. “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
"Blessed art Thou, 0 Lord, King of the universe, who has created joy and gladness, mirth and exultation, pleasure and delight, love, brotherhood, peace and fellowship. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who through your Son has made the way for bride, the church, to rejoice with the bridegroom – our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May our words and our lives fill the streets with the jubilant voices of joy and gladness.”
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[1] Ancient commentators speculated this was the wedding of John the Baptist or another near relative - which is why Mary would know of this hugely embarrassing shortage of wine, and perhaps explaining why a shortage of wine was a problem for Jesus to help solve. Also, notice Mary does not ask for a miracle. She asks for Jesus to help solve a problem. Some think Mary may have been hinting they should leave: “A question of great interest arises - What did she mean by her appeal? Bengel suggested that Mary simply intended: "Let us depart before the poverty of our hosts reveals itself." (Pulpit Commentary)
[2] This is a respectful way of addressing a woman within that culture.
[3] What do you have against me? What is there between us? What do we have in common in this matter?” It’s “a phrase that emphasizes distance and often hostility.” (NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible) It was a Hebraic idiom that means in essence “What do we have in common?" Demons spoke similar words when confronted by Christ ("What business do we have with each other, in Mk 1:24+, Mk 5:7+). (Precept Austin)
[4] “That there are six (one less than the perfect seven) indicates 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, symbolizing the old covenant being fulfilled in the new, which is capable of bestowing life. The overabundant gallons of wine illustrate the overflowing grace Christ grants to all.” (Orthodox Study Bible)
[5] Those pots were to be used for washing for ritual purity. “To employ waterpots set aside for purification for non-ritual purposes violated custom; consistent with Jesus’ values elsewhere in the Gospels, Jesus here values the host’s honor above ritual purity customs.” (Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary of the New Testament)
[6] "The Old Covenant is the inferior wine: Jesus is the good wine.
[7] “These verses should serve as a rebuke to Christians who curry the favor of prominent and well-known personages and show little or no regard for the more humble saints of God.” (Believer’s Bible Commentary)
[8] Most commentaries speculate that the hosts had cut it close on the wine to save money.
[9] If you find yourself chasing and clinging to the powerful, beautiful, famous people in the spotlight of culture or church, that’s not a spotlight found in Scripture. Be careful. God’s favor is not on the boastful and proud.
[10] Earthly marriage and weddings are important enough to prop up, even if they are only echoes of the Marriage Feast of the Lamb and the wedding of Christ and the church.
[11] Explanation from the NET Bible
[12] For example, Revelation 21:2, 9–10; 19:7; 22:17. “I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.” (2 Corinthians 11:2–3).
[13] When a dowry is paid, it is paid by the bride’s family. This did not happen in Judaism.
[14] “Betrothed to God at a Price.” https://www.patheos.com/blogs/beyondalltelling/2019/04/betrothed-to-god-at-a-price/2/
[15] In Revelation 19:1-9 : “And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; for the fine linen is the righteousnesses of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they who are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.”
[16] Translation from https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/313725/jewish/The-Seven-Benedictions-Sheva-Berakhot.htm