In The Footsteps Of The Master: The Life and Times of Jesus Christ

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In The Footsteps Of The MasterThe Life and
Times of Jesus Christ

• Jesus First Miracle
• November 23, 2008

www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info
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The Wedding Feast

• John 21-2
• 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.
• Jesus attends a weddingcelebration with
  HisMother, Mary
• Perhaps family or friendswere involved

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Cana

• Scholars today are unsure of the exact location
  of the village of Cana
• Four different locationshave been proposed,the
  most likely ofwhich is actually several miles
  northwestof the common site
• Known as Khirbet Kana
• 9 mi North of Nazareth

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A Typical Jewish Wedding

• Man and Woman were betrothed to each other for a
  year
• Required a divorce to break the betrothal
• On the appointed night, the bridegroom and
  friends went inprocession to brides home
• Bride and bridegroom thenreturned to
  bridegroomshome for a banquet
• Often lasted seven days

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A Problem Arises

• John 23-4
• 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.  
• A marriage celebration in Jesus day was an
  elaborate affair
• Ended with a banquet at the grooms house
• Yet at this feast, the wine ran out
• Could imply that the family was of meager means
  and could not afford a large feast

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What, No Wine?

• To run out of wine at a wedding feast was more
  than a simple disruption
• To improperly manage a such a feast was to bring
  about a slur upon the bridegroom
• Could possibly even invite legal action toward
  the bridegrooms family for not providing
  adequately for the bride
• Mary was concerned about the situation
• Perhaps it was a family event and she wanted to
  avoid embarrassment

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Mary Gets Involved

• Mary informs Jesus of the problem
• They have no wine
• Jesus addresses Mary as Woman
• The Greek is not as cold as the English
• Jesus uses the same word from the cross when He
  commends her to Johns care
• However, He does not address her as Mother
• Why would Jesus respond to Mary in this way?

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Jesus Response to Mary

• Things have changed
• The intimacy of private home life has given way
  to public ministry
• A new state of relationship now exists between
  Jesus and Mary
• Jesus makes it plain that He is no longer under
  her authority
• What does Jesus mean by saying What does that
  have to do with us?
• What does Jesus mean by My time is not yet
  come?

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Do What He Says

• John 25-8
• 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.

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Preparation

• Mary instructs the servants to do what Jesus
  tells them
• Jesus directs them to fill six nearby waterpots
  to the brim with water
• Pots were there for purification rituals
• Draw some of the water and take it to the head
  waiter

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Marys Motive?

• Mary knew Jesus
• She remembered the visitation by Gabriel
• She knew she was a virgin when Jesus was born
• She remembered the angels in the heavens at His
  birth
• She knew that He was different
• She knew that He had a mission
• Perhaps she also knew that He could correct this
  embarrassing situation

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Water to Wine

• John 29-11
• 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.

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The Normal Way

• In a situation like this, the host would serve
  some really good wine first, to get the guests
  in the spirit
• After they had a bit to drink, he would
  substitute wine of lesser quality and no one
  would notice
• However, THIS wine, served late in the banquet,
  was the best of all
• Should we find it at all surprising that
  something Jesus touched was the best of all?

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What Does This Mean?

• Note that verse 6 tells us that the water was
  there for ritualistic purification
• Jesus changed that water into wine
• He changed the old (the Jewish system and its
  rituals) into the new (the New Kingdom and its
  freedom)
• Rev 215
• And He who sits on the throne said, Behold, I
  am making all things new.

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The Result

• The result?
• His glory is manifested
• Those attending the banquet rejoice that the new
  is better than the old
• The disciples believe

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Fulfillment of Prophecy

• Jeremiah 3112
• They will come and shout for joy on the height
  of Zion, and they will be radiant over the bounty
  of the LORD Over the grain and the new wine and
  the oil, and over the young of the flock and the
  herd and their life will be like a watered
  garden, and they will never languish again.
• Joel 318
• And in that day the mountains will drip with
  sweet wine, and the hills will flow with milk,
  and all the brooks of Judah will flow with water
  and a spring will go out from the house of the
  LORD to water the valley of Shittim.

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Fulfillment of Prophecy

• Amos 913-14
• Behold, days are coming, declares the LORD,
  When the plowman will overtake the reaper and
  the treader of grapes him who sows seed when the
  mountains will drip sweet wine and all the hills
  will be dissolved. Also I will restore the
  captivity of My people Israel, and they will
  rebuild the ruined cities and live in them they
  will also plant vineyards and drink their wine,
  and make gardens and eat their fruit.

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A Few Additional Thoughts

• Jesus provided an abundance
• Six jars at 20-30 gallons each provided more than
  enough for the banquet
• The jars were filled to capacity
• In Jesus we have all that we can possibly need
  there is no room for another
• John 116
• For of His fullness we have all received, and
  grace upon grace.

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For Discussion

• Was Mary forcing Jesus hand?
• Did she pressure Him to begin His ministry before
  His time?
• What meaning do you find in this miraculous
  incident?
• What application can you draw from it?

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Next Week

• Jesus Clears the Temple

Questions?