Wine for the Party – John 2

  On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each. Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it to him. When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom, and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.”

  This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.

  After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother and His brothers and His disciples; and they stayed there a few days. (John 2:1-12 NASB)

In many accounts of Jesus’ words and deeds, the setting is Him as a guest at a meal.  Here it is He and His disciples at a wedding feast.  The Pharisees found that Jesus is not always the best of guests to have around.  Even His friends sometimes were uncomfortable with Him at the table.  I would suspect that having the Creator of all matter sitting and eating with me would be a bit intimidating.  What do you serve the Maker of food for dinner?  It would seem from this account wine would be good, but be sure it’s the best.

Some of the interesting features are the dialogue between Jesus and His mother.  Literally He says, “What to Me and you, woman? My time is not yet here.”  Rather than get into an argument with the One she bore but Who created her, she turns to the servants.  The servants are the forgotten characters here.  They blend into the background, but are critical for a few reasons.  First they are really the witnesses of what transpires and are ones who therefore share the view of Jesus’ glory.  In other words, Jesus is revealing Himself to the servants, likely slaves.  They seem an odd audience.

A slave in that day was really just someone who was bought and sold, but not because they were inferior in some way.  Usually they were just economically depressed.  So they would be of normal intelligence, and some expert slaves were above average in intelligence.  So, I suspect these servants were well aware of the problem, and rather suspect of the solution provided.  When they fill the jars, specifically, they fill them so full, it would be impossible to dip into them without spilling.  They over do their obedience.  The only voice they have here is passive aggressiveness.  They need wine, but they fill the jars with water.  Great idea!  Of course! Why didn’t the servants think of that?

They are then told to draw the water and take to the head waiter.  Sure, why not?  So, they do.  The expectation is that the head waiter will then become aware that there is no wine, so enjoy this water.  The surprise is that the water is now the best wine of the feast.  The servants who drew knew where the wine came from even though the head waiter hadn’t a clue.  It is interesting to me that John specifically records that the servants knew.  They cared about this, and they were confronted by who this person was.  Why the servants?  Why not just turn water into wine and have them go get it?

Why would Jesus make a point of fixing this problem in this way?  In fact, why was it His to fix at all?  He cares for what seems to be a poorer family (or at least poor planners), family friends, and is interested in their possible embarrassment in the community.  This is most likely a family much like His.  This family is another often missed character in the drama.  It seems the bridegroom is responsible for the “caterer” because the head waiter praises him.  So it would be the family of the groom who was on the brink of social disaster; a disaster that Jesus cared about.  But why did He care?

There really isn’t an answer given like an explanation of how He knew the family.  There isn’t some clue as to who this family was at all, or at least who the groom was.  The only interesting clue is the mother of Jesus.  It is interesting that Jesus’ mother gets involved.  It is interesting that she is commanding the servants.  It is interesting that she knows of the shortage before the head waiter.  Does anyone else besides these servants know?  As involved as families can be in each other’s business in that culture, it does not require some job or duty be associated with the mother of Jesus, it’s just interesting.  But it is very interesting.  Why her?  It could be that she was the first person to ask for wine after it had run out, it doesn’t have to be dramatic or a conspiracy.

I personally believe that this account reveals something of Jesus above and below the surface.  His mother knew who He was even though His brothers may not have.  When she encountered the problem, she goes to Jesus.  It’s not like she suspected Him of being able to buy more, she had to suspect more about Him.  I wonder how much more because later she goes to get Him once He’s out in His ministry.  She knows something, obviously He was not born normally, but she knows more than that.  The angel told her what He would do, but what did that mean?  How would He do it?  Still she knew.

And Jesus’ response to His mother has to be idiomatic, because it makes little literal sense.  “What to Me and you?”  It could be that “what” refers to the statement (not even a question) she makes to Him about the shortage.  She hands the problem to Him.  It sounds as if Jesus is asking why either of them should get involved.  But it could be the “what” refers to their relationship.  It doesn’t seem that initially, Mary is much involved in Jesus’ ministry.  She seems to be one of several Mary’s later on.  If it refers to their relationship, then Jesus might be asking why she would involve Him in this.

What I suspect is that at this early stage in Jesus’ ministry He is still trying to transition from some carpenter from Nazareth into the roving Rabbi role.  It’s hard to change the relationship ties, the assumptions of people, their expectations that support their disappointments, and the inherent derision that follows.  It could have been difficult for Him.  What did His mother think or tell the other kids when He left their home?  What did the neighbors think (remember the scandal He was born under)?  Was this family invitation His final goodbye to all that was His life in Nazareth?

So, in this possible setting, I see in the response of Jesus that compassion and creativity to use the situation anyway.  He didn’t have to do anything; it “wasn’t His time.”  But He did do something, and probably more than even Mary expected.  He didn’t even have to be there.  He had to know what was coming.  But He went anyway, bringing His disciples (interesting that the hosts indulged this element of His life by inviting His disciples).  Jesus moves through this part of His life with the same peaceful grace and power that marks the rest of His ministry.  I wonder was it also present in the wood shop?

I may not know what’s coming, but I can still have the confidence, in whatever transitions of life I go through, that my Master will use them for His glory.  I shouldn’t be concerned about the audience, it could be anyone.  I shouldn’t be concerned about the timing, that’s His problem to solve.  He asks me to obedient as He leads.  The relationships that change will adapt around where my Master leads.  My concern, the only concern that leads to peaceful grace and power, is unwavering focus on my Master.  That focus will be what sustains me through any transition.  As I remember, it was that focus that enabled the move out to Nevada to be a peaceful display of my Master’s grace and power.  Perhaps it makes a nice pattern for the other areas of my life as well.