A Wedding to Attend
Opening Prayer
Thanks be to You, God! “For [You have] clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness” (Isa. 61:10).
Read JOHN 2:1–11
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”
4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”
5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.
8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”
They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”
11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Meditate
“The sign itself is significant as a sign of transformation: the common water becomes the best wine. What Jesus touches, he will transform” (Earl Palmer). Here, the old order is being replaced with a new one: what Jesus offers is superior to Judaism!
Think Further
The wedding at Cana functions as the curtain-raiser for Jesus’ glorious ministry. It shows, from the start, that Jesus is in control; not even his mother can tell him what to do. Interestingly, we are not told when the water changed into wine. Apparently this is not important. The emphasis is not so much on the miracle itself but on its significance. That is why Jesus’ miracles are called “signs” in this Gospel: the miracles point beyond themselves to what they sign-ify. So what is the significance of this event?
One clue lies in verse 6, where the water jars used for Jewish purification rites represent the old order of Judaism. In the miraculous act of turning the water into wine, Jesus indicates that he will replace the old order with a new one. Next, when the master of ceremonies tastes this wine, he remarks that it is of a superior quality and wonders why it has been kept until the end (10). This superior wine is an example of what Jesus has to offer: something that supersedes what Judaism can offer—and God has kept it until now, until the coming of Jesus. Finally, we should also view the wedding at Cana against the background of the banquet that God had promised to his people, for example in Isaiah 25:6.
Now we have a clearer picture. While on the surface Jesus miraculously rescues the wedding and the honor of the hosts, at a deeper level he reveals something far more important. The miracle is a prophetic act, symbolizing the festive arrival of the new messianic age—the coming of the kingdom of God. The wedding at Cana launches Jesus’ ministry, one which will bring life and give rise to celebration.
Apply
When Jesus returns, there will be another wedding banquet, between Christ and his bride—the church (Rev. 19:17,18). Are you looking forward to it? How are you preparing yourself for it?
Closing prayer
Lord Jesus, I thank You for Your festive joy that can fill my life, even in difficult times. Truly, Your joy is my strength.
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