Philip and Nathanael became the next disciples of Jesus the last time we met. Today we’ll see how Jesus handled a wedding at Cana. John 2:1-12.
On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. 9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
12 After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.
Jesus’ Humanity
One of the things this passage brings home to me is this: Jesus was a regular sort. Just like you and I, he had a life. He got invited to weddings, had a mom telling him what to do, and people to keep happy. Just a regular sort of a fellow. Jesus and his disciples hanging out a wedding is how this passage starts.
Then mom happened. Can you see the scene? The wine has run out, Mary obviously knows that Jesus is capable of handling this problem. She won’t want her friends disgraced for not having enough wine to last the night so she tells Jesus about it. “They have no wine.”
Jesus begs off telling her “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” Just makes him seem so human eh? But do you see it? Mary has full confidence in the fact that he will handle it. Does she know HOW he will handle it? No, though she tells the servants “Do whatever he tells you.” That confidence eh? I’ve done similar things with my lad. Telling him of a task that needs doing and just trusting that he’ll see it through, not always knowing, or caring, how he’ll complete the task. Knowing that he’ll do it. This is how Mary was with Jesus. Handle this problem son, they are running out of wine.
Jesus’ Divinity
BUT it also shows that he is something MORE than human, did you read how Jesus solved the problem? Water and the willingness of servants to obey him. Sometimes I wonder what the servants thought…knowing they were bringing water to the master of the feast. I wonder if they expected to be corrected or if the water changed to wine when they poured it into cups and then were walking to the master of the feast with hearts and minds filled with amazement. We can’t know can we?
Just the scene though eh? The smell of good wine, the master of the feast’s amazement at the quality so much so that he calls the bridegroom to himself commending him for such lovely wine.
Do you see it? Do you see Jesus’ humanity and yet his divinity? I can’t make water become wine…and I’ve seen my hubby make wine but it always starts with some type of fruit or juice, never just plain water. Only God could do this. This was the first of the signs that Jesus did. His disciples saw him do it and they believed. This sign showed his glory. Makes sense that last eh? Remember…the servants knew what he had done, his mom knew and so did his disciples. This miraculous event would have been remembered well.
After the wedding Jesus, his mom and family along with the disciples stayed in Capernaum a few days.
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