Jump Start # 852

John 2:1-2 “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.”

We are taking a look at weddings and marriages in our Jump Starts. Our passage today finds Jesus at a wedding. It is here that Jesus turns water into wine. This section ends with the statement, “The beginning of the signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee…”

There are several things to note in this story.

• Many assume that the groom was a relative of Mary. When they ran out of wine, Mary seems to take charge and asks Jesus to do something. Most guests would not do that. I’ve been to weddings where they ran out of food. I didn’t think it was my place to go find out why. I went home hungry. Weddings in the first century lasted days. Running out of anything was a huge embarrassment for the groom’s father. It was his job to feed the crowd. That’s changed in our culture. Now it’s the bride’s family that does that. Mary’s request for Jesus to do something would certainly save someone from shame. This is an assumption, that Mary was related to the groom. May have been, we don’t know that to be certain.

• Mary’s request for Jesus to do something did not imply a miracle. The text points to the fact that this was the beginning of Jesus’ signs. This was the first. Those stories about Jesus doing miracles as a child are just that, stories, with no evidence, nor Biblical authority behind them. Mary wanted Jesus to do something. Jesus and the disciples (meaning, the apostles) were together. They were invited to this wedding. Thirteen men. Surely, they could come up with a solution to running out of wine.

• Many use this passage to endorse and find approval for drinking booze. That is a major mishandling of this Scripture. First, it is not certain that the “wine” here was alcoholic. The word “wine” as it is used in the Bible can describe a grape still on the vine, the “blood of a grape” , grape juice, alcoholic wine,  or, strong drink. We miss that. When we see the word “wine” we think of “wine.” In the grocery store, wine is not beer and beer is not vodka, and vodka is not Kentucky bourbon. Be careful about using our definitions of words in a first century context. Also, this section states that Jesus turned six pots (containing 20-30 gallons each) into wine. Have you done the math on that? That means Jesus made 120-180 GALLONS of wine. That is a ton. If we are not careful, we turn Jesus into the beer man at the ball game. There is nothing in this passage that says we should go and drink alcohol. There are warnings in the O.T. about giving someone strong drink. Proverbs warns, “do not look upon the wine when it sparkles in the cup…” Yet, I’m to believe that my Holy Jesus made 120 gallons of this stuff? Be careful in reading what we want in a passage.

Those that want to justify drinking booze because Jesus turned water into wine, must wonder what are we to do with Jesus turning over the tables in the temple and driving the money changers out with whips? Does this endorse trashing those I disagree with?  If one can drink because Jesus made water into wine, then I suppose folks can go to churches they disagree with and turn over desks? The point is, we miss the point!

This was the beginning of Jesus’ signs. There would be hundreds that followed. He would show that He is God on earth. That is the point. It is not about you and I drinking alcohol. It is about Jesus, doing what no one else can and on a large scale. The wine for the wedding would not be put in those six water pots. It would be hard to afford that much wine. Jesus does the impossible and the unbelievable. He did that over and over. He didn’t want people to take from this that they should go home and drink wine until their eyes close. No. Open your eyes and see Jesus.

• This miracle showed that Jesus had the power to change substance (water into wine). When He multiplied the fish and loaves, He did not change the substance. Here He did. Not only did He change the substance, but He did that on a large scale. The quality was superb. The headwaiter was amazed how good the wine was. The best is served first. That allows everyone some. When they have had enough, the lesser quality is used for those who want more. What Jesus made was the best. It always is. This miracle was witnessed only by a few servants. Jesus did not do this before the wedding guests. It was done behind the scenes. The guests would not know where the wine came from. The servants knew. How interesting that the first miracle wasn’t something blazing across the skies, but something that only a few common laborers got to witness. Much like the resurrection of Jesus, the first to see Him, was not governors and kings, but a few simple women. The miracle didn’t involve a magic wand, special words, or some sideshow tricks. He told the servants to fill the six water pots. That must have taken some time. Then they poured some out and it was wine. Just like that. That simple, yet that special. He could do that, because He can do all things. He is God.

• It is interesting to see that Jesus and the disciples were invited to the wedding and that they WENT. They weren’t too good to go. They didn’t think, “we don’t want to hang out with sinners.” Not at all. We can have an image of Jesus that is stern, against fun and always lecturing people about how wrong they are. This is the concept that some have of church services. This is the way some conduct church services. Pointing fingers, frowning, and always talking about Hell. Not Jesus. Jesus enjoyed life. He was at a wedding. He associated. He was there.

If we are always hanging out with church members, then it will be hard to let our light shine and it will be hard to find ways to evangelize. Jesus was at a wedding. We need to go to weddings. We need to go to ballgames, movies and birthday parties, and anniversary celebrations. We need to go even if the rest of the people there do not go to our church. We need to go even if others there are not believers. We need to go. We need to enjoy, smile, laugh, share good stories and make memories. These things can be done without wrong taking place. These things can be done and good can come from them. The world needs to see Christians as being real. We do laugh. We do have fun. We do like and love all people. We say that, but then if we don’t show that, our talk is only talk.

Jesus at a wedding. I find it interesting, that Jesus is at most weddings. God joins a couple together. Remember, “What therefore God has joined together…” God must be there. He’s joining the couple together. The difference between marriage and sinful fornication, is God joining.

So, God is at the wedding. What a pleasant thought. What a wholesome thought. We do not refer to marriage as “Happy matrimony,” but “HOLY matrimony.” The Holy part, is God.

God at the wedding…what a thought!

Roger