The Holy Bible
The New Testament
The Gospel According to St. John (New International Version)
Chapter 2
- On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there,
- and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.
- When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”
- “Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied, “My time has not yet come.”
- His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
- Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
- Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.
- Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so,
- 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
- 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.”
- This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.
There are several lessons that came to me through this passage over a period of time. Let me share them with you:
This passage describes a miracle. Now what are the ingredients that go into a miracle? What should we do to set the stage for a miracle to happen?
The Conditions Precedent is a nice caption for this analysis on which we are going to embark; I’ll go with it but with a word of caution. We must keep in mind that God cannot be limited by conditions – unless He chooses to.
Oh, I’ve said it. God. For miracles are not performed by men. They require the presence of God (To be sure the devil also has miracle working powers and the question of what the source of Jesus’ power was, was raised and settled in the gospel narratives. See Luke 11:18 ). And Jesus was present. Jesus was testified to be the Son of God by God Himself on more than one occasion. Matthew 3:17 and Matthew 17:5 refer to the two such instances. Jesus is God Himself in holy trinity with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
The first condition fulfilled.
But there is a precursor. Jesus wouldn’t come unless he is invited. It really is in our hands in a sense. And our hearts. He would even come up to the door of our hearts and knock (Revelation 3:20) but to let Him in or not is our decision. Oh the stupendous power of human free will! Are we of a mind to ask Him in? Would we be ready to welcome Him? Or would we rather do without Him?
Here is a most important family and social event. Sure, all the arrangements have been made. The wedding hall booked. The banquet ordered. The bride and the groom have been waiting for this day. Every one has been invited. Every one? Just make sure that all important invitation has gone out, the one that can make a difference.
Or are we content to call the mother of Jesus (verse 1 above) as many good Catholics are? She was no doubt a virtuous woman and a chosen vessel, but Mary was not divine. She could work no miracles. She had to go to Jesus. So must we.
Ah, but how can we even think of doing without Jesus? Indeed in life’s little things and big, it is better to have him around. Nay, it is essential, vital, critical. Have Him on your side.
All you need to do is call Him.
He’ll come.
There is no such thing as a perfect wedding, however well planned. The father of the bride may believe that he has left no stone unturned in making the occasion grand and glorious. But you can be sure that there is always something missing. Something that is not quite adequate. Some thing not just right. In India, where the bride’s family usually is responsible for the arrangements (and the expenses), you just have to ask the groom’s party if everything is fine!
In this case, the wine was running out. Horror of horrors! The friends of the groom are dancing in the courtyard, every round going higher and higher. And suddenly deflation! Gradual dilution! What a disgrace!
So there is a problem, as in all of life’s endeavours. And who can solve it? Mary knew one who could. Yes, Mary knew Jesus could (check out Daniel 11:32). By virtue of her closeness to Jesus and indeed by sporadic previous revelations, Mary was aware of Jesus’ divinity.
Do you know that Jesus is God? Have you heard or read something to that effect?
What is more, Mary was related to Jesus! Well, you may know that Jesus is God but “Are you related to Him?” Now, how do you get related to Jesus? Thank God, the directions are clear in the scriptures. The Bible says in Matthew 12:49 that Jesus regards His disciples as His mother and brothers. John 1:12 says that “to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God”. Ephesians 2:13 declares that “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ”.
That is the blood of atonement that Jesus Christ shed on the cross as a vicarious sacrifice for the sins of the whole world – providing a path of reconciliation to all who by simple faith will accept this divine plan of redemption. That is the relationship we are talking about, of becoming the children of God with all the rights of inheritance: in the words of the scriptures heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ Himself. What a glorious promise! And how amazing that this relationship is open to “every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation”
A further question. Okay, you are related to Jesus. But are you close to Him? Closeness is evidenced by the amount of time one spends in the company of the other. It conveys the idea that there exists no barrier, that there is free direct access, that there is open, unveiled two way communication, that there obtains a certain level of mutual comfort in the relationship. No alienation, no estrangement.
That’s the kind of relationship Mary enjoyed with Jesus. Closeness.
Given her knowledge of who Jesus really was and her close relationship with Him, it is no wonder that Mary brought the problem of the wine running out to Jesus. As prayers go, her communication was not very impressive. No pious posturing, no elaborate prefaces, no flowery language. Just a simple “making known”, expressed with concern and deep sincerity in a comfortably conversational manner. Perfectly in order in that bond of closeness.
Mary prayed.
But Jesus’ reaction seems somewhat brusque (verse 4). What is this about His “time”? When will that come? Let’s enter the pantry in search of the answer.
There, the wine is gradually turning to water. Perhaps it started with a 10% dilution but things have gone from bad to worse. Discontent among the guests, the hosts the very definition of dismay, disaster but a moment away. The human endeavour has run its course. The reserve resources are all gone. The cellar, sirs, is empty. The moment of truth, the bitter truth, has arrived.
God’s time.
But let’s get back to Mary. She didn’t get a comforting response. But she wasn’t upset. For (as we said before) she knew Jesus. This is not about her and she wasn’t going to act slighted. On the other hand, she was the very picture of confidence. Absolutely sure the solution will come from Jesus, she commands the servants (verse 5). Now, how did she manage to be so restful and serene, having turned the problem over to Jesus? He hadn’t performed any miracle before (see verse 11). The answer, dear people, is trust. Mary was aware of Jesus’ divinity and she put her trust in Him completely.
Now, the servants wait for the word. What a beautiful picture this is, of people hungry for the Word of God, ready to do His bidding, prepared to obey! It is instructive that this group of people – the servants – wanted to hear what Jesus was going to say. Contrast this with Christian meetings and even worship services. There are many who attend but only some listen to God’s word. In fact a number of people take special care to avoid the message. There is always a pressing engagement, an urgent telephone call or why, even a chore for the church.
God’s word might make them feel uncomfortable. If they don’t leave altogether, they sit on the periphery, out of ear shot where they could fiddle with their SMS undisturbed. Lest the word of God falls in their ears and speaks to their heart and convicts them of their sinful state. Better to stay away, at a ‘safe’ distance. Going to the right place, being in the right place and yet turning a deaf ear to words of life. It is not for nothing that Jesus repeatedly stated elsewhere that “he who has ears, let him hear”! The devil however wants us to turn a deaf ear even as the prophet cries out (Isaiah 43:8) “Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf”
But the servants, listen to the Master’s voice. It is good to have the attitude of servant. Psalms 123:2 “As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God……..”
Attentive
There is no immediate action, however, as Jesus is waiting for His time as we noted earlier. The answer to prayer – even a believing, trusting prayer from a close, devout person – may not come at once. But Mary had left the scene, unperturbed by what others might perceive as a disconcerting response from Jesus, fully confident in leaving matters in His hands. She didn’t tell any one else. There is no need. If you’ve come to Jesus, you’ve come to God. And by definition, there can only be one God.
Faith, substance of things hoped for, evidence of things to come. Mary demonstrated it.
After what seems like eons, comes the word from Jesus, “fill the jars with water”.God works with available material, ordinary material, every day stuff. Earthen jar, water from the well, as long as it is offered up. He is isn’t looking for demin stuff. Howsoever lowly you may be in your own eyes, does not matter to him at all. He can still use you.
Make no mistake. There is power in the word of God. If we ignore it, we do it at peril to ourselves and a loss of blessing to others around us.
Ah, the servants were all keyed up, with expectation, with excitement. They filled the jars to the brim. Do you stop short when handing your little holdings into God’s hand to bless? The little boy in the story of feeding the five thousand, didn’t keep back a slice of bread and a piece of fish for himself. He gave all. He recognized that there is a multiplication process involved when Jesus blesses what you surrender for Him to use, for the benefit of others. Give it all you’ve got (as the coxswain coaxes the oarsmen!)
What is the moment when the water turns to wine? When it is drawn out and served, no doubt. Unquestioning obedience on the part of the servants. “You fill” . Filled upto the brim. “Draw out and take it to the Master of the banquet for serving the people”. Yes, sir. The obedience was immediate and total.
The servants had to be selfless. They couldn’t stand around enjoying the wine. They had to carry it to the point of need. For such is the nature of the call,
To serve
Now, what was happening during the interminable wait for the power of God to come into operation? How come there was no total collapse? Why didn’t all hell break loose? The answer is the grace of God. Where Jesus is present, there is grace. Remember the benediction? …..the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ………
We may not be doing great at the moment but there is no question we are sustained by the grace of God.
And in the end Glory to God (verse 11). That quiet simply should be the objective of all our undertakings. Never mind your shortcomings.
Didn’t Jesus say that if you believed, you would see the glory of God? (John 11:40)
A quick reminder may be in order, about the precursor to the precedents – Invite Jesus
Let’s look at some corollaries:
Now Jesus was an orderly person. He didn’t say,”Go, and serve the people” thereby starting a parallel service. He respects the office of the Master of the Banquet (BM) and the function he performs.
There is something we can learn from the BM. He tastes the wine before serving the people. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good says the Bible. Are we experiencing Jesus in our lives, placing everything under His control – in an attitude of obedience, offering, expectation ?
But the BM goofs. He doesn’t bother to enquire into the source of this fresh supply of wine, but assumes that the jars are coming from the groom’s reserves and promptly pats him(the groom) on the back. There is no application of mind, no spirit of earnest enquiry. Carried away by the moment, swayed by the seeming, ready to make facile, false assumptions as to who really is at work. Utterly failing to read the hand of God. Supernatural? Didn’t cross his mind at all. It is all very secular; explanations rational. No room for the divine. This is all about song and dance and having a good time, man. This is no place for God. Who wants Him at the wedding? Guess, He won’t be interested anyway. Leave Him alone.
But Jesus makes no distinction between the spiritual and the secular or the physical and the spiritual. He is interested in you, all of you – body, mind and spirit. Holistic is the word that is waiting to pop out.
The groom, poor man. He is all at sea. A moment ago he was sinking in a sea of shame as the acutely embarrassed host, and now the weight of the garlands is unbearable. Who has engineered this sudden turn around? These topsy turvy events were a little too much for a man drunk albeit with diluted wine. Then there is the bride, driving him nuts. Completely out of kilter.
Clueless
There is this crowd in the courtyard that didn’t know that any thing went wrong at all. Their spirits already high, their minds rendered insensitive. They have drunk themselves silly and are merrily dancing around in the courtyard, while there was panic in the pantry.
You don’t want to be a member of that party.
Contrast this behaviour with Mary’s. It is not clear if any body told her about the problem. But she sensed it. And she didn’t pass the word around. She knew where to go. She took the problem straight to Jesus.
Are we sensitive to the needs of people around us? Or are we gloating at their misfortune? Does their plight fill us with unholy glee? Do we care? Do we intercede with Jesus on their behalf, knowing that He is the only one who can do something definitive about the problem, all the other quick fixes sure to come unstuck when the pressure builds up?
Spare a moment for the hosts. Where did they go wrong? Did they invite too many people, thinking that all of them won’t turn up – working on the law of averages that went woefully awry that night? Were they trying to show off and went over board, celebrating beyond their means? Wasn’t the service managed well, the BM at fault in not rationing out supplies according to stock? (You might want to note that Jesus didn’t make that mistake. He said “Draw some out” (verse 8)
It is instructive that Mary didn’t go into these possible, plausible reasons. With Jesus, there is no need to give reasons, elaborate explanations. He knows. And He doesn’t turn the prod in your wounds to make you squirm. He understands. He does not indulge in ego boosting investigations.
The fundamentals may be unsound. But take heart. He is a creator God.
And Jesus. He quietly retreats, His work finished. Typical of Jesus, He doesn’t go around announcing the source of this new, aged wine. And as we said before, He didn’t undermine the office of the BM. He wasn’t looking for a thundering applause. And He didn’t protest when the BM mistakenly gave credit to the groom. Perhaps He smiled, at our little human assumptions.
Another thing. Don’t go late to the party if Jesus is going to be there. You might miss a miracle. Be there, on time.
Jesus doesn’t arrive, raise hell, leave.
He arrived, raised high, left.
It is God’s will that your life be rich,full, of high quality. Why settle for water when you can be wine? Let Jesus in. You will never regret it. Don’t keep Him on the bench. Play Him. He can change the complexion of the game.
___________________