seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
John 2:1 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,[a] 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.[b]
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.
12 After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days
a. John 2:4 The Greek for Woman does not denote any disrespect.
b. John 2:6 Or from about 75 to about 115 liters
This is a nice little story. It's a nice little miracle to get Jesus going.
The commentaries are down on the calendar and the Mormons and even John the Disciple in this part of the Gospel.
First the calendar. Days are getting mixed up..... so time to go back and check the days.... we're only on the second chapter.....
"next day" seems to be giving the commentaries a problem. First we read where the Pharisees were bugging John the Baptist. They made sure everyone around John the Baptist knew they considered John the Baptist a nobody.... definitely not a Prophet.... and his Baptism was nothing more than a bath because they didn't participate. Then, Verse 35 said on the "next day" Jesus showed up to be Baptized. John the Disciple was writing about John the Baptist, so the first "next day" does not belong to Jesus.... John was harassed by the Pharisees and Jesus came to John the Baptist on the following day.
The next "next day" is at verse 43. This is the "next day" after the Baptism.... so it's the second day of the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. On the first day He was Baptized and picked up a couple disciples. On the second He picked up a couple more disciples and moved from Judea to Galilee. On the "third day"... John 2:1 Jesus had plans to attend a wedding with His mother, Mary. His disciples went with Him.
Now the Mormons..... they are mentioned in a couple of the commentaries. I don't think it's fair but here goes..... the commentaries say the Mormons teach that this wedding was for Jesus. Let me just say.... I think if Jesus was married.... we would have known.... His children would have been leaders.... in my opinion, that is.
The commentaries also suggest that John the Disciple was the groom and they indicate that some think that John the Disciple left his wife at the altar for Jesus. OK then. Well, in all fairness to the commentaries..... John didn't introduce himself as a the other disciple of John the Baptist either. If John the disciple was hanging out with John the Baptist by the river every day..... when did he have time to get betrothed and married? Where's his income? How would John purchase such a large wedding? And then he walked away? I don't think so. I think this was a friend of Mary.
One last little tidbit to discuss from the commentaries. Jesus called Mary "woman". He didn't call her Mom or Mother.... He called her "woman". The commentaries say He might have used a word that could also translate to "lady" as well as it would translate to "woman'. Lady would not be as cold, the commentary says. If my child called me "woman" or "lady" after I had asked for a favor.... neither would show any respect for me [in my opinion] unless they completed the task. Jesus did as He was tasked by His Mother.
The commentary says He didn't call her Mother because He was showing people the ministry had begun. I think there's something much more natural going on here. Jesus was a grown man. It was time for Him to get about God's Work. I'm sure His mother knew that. After all she could have been stoned in the street by an angry mob for getting pregnant before it was time. She raised Him. She needed to kick start her son. So she picked His First Miracle.... and got Him started.
One more little note about the "woman" term. Women back then were not given the same respect we are today. There was no #metoo back in those days. A slave got more respect than women back in the days when Jesus called His mother "woman". It would have taken a miracle to get that straight. But they chose wine for the beginning.
So... Jesus made 180 gallons of wine for a wedding for His first recorded miracle. The pots would hold between 20 and 30 gallons of water... and they were filled to the brim.... and there were six jars.... so 180 gallons of wine. That's a hefty order... it must have been a huge wedding. I think Jesus had been doing little miracles to get use to the upgrades as He was growing up. He probably supplied the family wine after a while.... because the water was not fit to drink and that's why they needed wine. He probably made the water into wine for his "woman" a bunch of times.... and maybe she wanted to show Him off as well.
Wine.... a nice little miracle.
