GOOD SHEPHERD CHURCH SEMINARY
MODULE 32
THE WEDDING AT CANA
Objectives; By the end of this Module you should;
- Know about the Wedding at Cana
- Have knowledge about Jesus' first public miracle
- Understand the importance of the miracle in the context of Jesus' public ministry
- Be able to preach about the Wedding at Cana
Contents;
1. Wedding at Cana
2. Mary knew of Jesus' Powers
3. The Mishnah
4. Plight of the couple
5. Quandary of Jesus
6. Mary's request
7. The first public miracle
8. Epic battle with satan had begun
1. Wedding at Cana
The wedding at Cana was the first of Jesus' miracles.
It was the first public sign of Jesus' divine ability to bend the rules of nature, to change the course of events.
Yet this miracle is somewhat strange, for a number of reasons.
Firstly, it was unplanned by Jesus Himself. Secondly, it had not been sanctioned by God the Ruler of Universe.
Thirdly, wine has the potential to make people inebriated.
The plan for the Messiah - despite the fact that a stable among animals and their droppings had been chosen as birth venue, and less than salubrious conditions had reigned during the family's flight into Egypt - surely was for a more dignified setting than a group of rowdy wedding goers tipsy with wine.
2. Mary knew of Jesus' Powers
It is obvious that Mary well knew that Jesus had miraculous powers.
This meant that she would have seen Him practise and demonstrate divine power.
We do not need the details, nor do we really need to know.
This eyewitness account of John Chapter 2, verses 1 to 12, [1] shows what we need to know - the awesome and inspiring Power of God let loose in our world to the dismay of satan.
The account further shows evidence of the immense love of Son for mother, of Jesus for Mary.
It highlights the deep love of God the Father for Mary His chosen, when He accepted the recommendation of a woman over His own own Divine Plan and Will.
3. The Mishnah
Jesus had been delighted at the thought of the wedding.
According to the Mishnah, [2] the wedding would take place on a Wednesday if the bride was getting married for the first time.
The wedding would be on a Thursday if the bride was a widow [Ket 1;1].
The bridegroom and his friends made their way in procession to the bride's house.
This was often done at night, when there would be a glowing torchlight procession.
It is probable that there were speeches and expressions of goodwill before both bride and groom went in procession to the groom's house, where the wedding banquet was held.
There had in all likelihood been a religious ceremony, but no details are written in John's account. The feast itself could last up to week.
4. Plight of the couple
Mary the mother of Jesus was very involved in the serving of meals and the refreshments.
This seems to show a close link with the family of either the bride or groom.
It is possible the wedding couple were not wealthy, and what had been hoped would be sufficient for the celebrations turned out to be woefully inadequate.
Mary was informed by the servants of the plight of the couple.
Perhaps the families hosting the wedding had already been told.
As anyone who has taken part in assisting with the arrangements for a wedding will know, dismay would have reigned behind the scenes.
Mary, a determined woman who had faced down pregnancy as a single mother until her marriage, life as a refugee in Egypt and the nurturing and parenting of her extraordinary Son Jesus, had no problem making a decision.
She spoke to Jesus, who was at the wedding in the company of His disciples.
At this point in the Messiah's ministry, there were possibly five disciples at this stage; Andrew, Simon Peter, Philip, Nathanael and John.
It appears that embarrassment at the lack of refreshment aside, some commentators inform us that the situation was more severe; litigation was possible in such circumstances.
Apparently the groom could be the recipient of a lawsuit from aggrieved relatives of the bride.
Mary spoke to Jesus, expecting Him to remedy the situation.
He clearly told her that His appointed time to declare His Messianic status to the public had not yet come.
Mary was not impressed. Anyone who knows that certain look that comes into a devoted mother's eye will realize that this Jewish gentlewoman knew Jesus could help - and expected Him to.
5. Quandary of Jesus
Jesus was in a quandary. He made clear to Mary the enormity of her request.
She was calling on His powers to assist humble people, and by doing so, setting the whole Plan of God as promised in the Garden of Eden in motion - prematurely, at the will of a human - not as the directive of God.
Jesus called Mary by the name God had used in the Garden when He made the promise of redemption to our ancestors at the Fall - He used the name 'woman'.
God had foretold that He would put enmity between satan and the woman - Mary - and between satan's offspring and hers - in other words, Jesus.
It was foretold that Jesus would crush satan's head, and satan would strike his heel. [Genesis 3;15]. [3]
And - down the line - so it happened. Satan struck the Messiah's heel with great force and hatred, bringing about His Suffering, Death and Resurrection.
And Jesus calmly crushed satan's head - symbolizing his demonic power over humanity, earth and the demonic forces.
Jesus further crushes satan's plan to condemn humanity to eternity in hell under satan's reign.
This Jesus did by means of the Resurrection, by transfusion of divine life by means of the Eucharist, and by mass evangelisation as directed by Jesus [Acts 1;8]. [4]
6. Mary's Request
Events in the then future aside, Mary asked her Son to show compassion to struggling humanity who, in their hope of a happy wedding, were to have their future blighted by litigation and resultant untoward increase in poverty and humiliation.
Jesus, having reminded her that His Time to proclaim Himself as Messiah had not yet been sanctioned by God the Father, bent to His mother's command to the servants to do whatever He told them.
He was well aware of the desperate need of the wedding couple.
He must have turned His thoughts to God the Father, Who ratified Mary's request.
For the Son of God Who spoke with Moses and Elijah and Whose Face was always turned to His Father, He was about to make a never to be forgotten entrance on the world stage.
He helped people at a celebration to get more tipsy than they already were.
7. The First Public Miracle
The first miracle of Jesus was done on extraordinary scale.
There were six stone water jars for purification, each able to hold twenty or thirty gallons.
That equals 120 to 180 gallons of water, or 453 to 680 liters.
The water the stone jars usually held was used for purification and the cleansing of utensils.
Jesus directed the servants to fill the stone jars with water, which they did.
He then told them to draw some out, and take it to the master of the feast.
When the master tasted the wine, he declared it the best of the wine of the evening.
And so Jesus' secret was out. He was not what many thought He seemed a Nazarene quietly going about His Life.
He was much more - He was destined to rip the fabric of the old way of doing things, and institute new ways of behaviour forever.
8. Epic battle with satan had begun
And, as they went home, Jesus must have realized that the epic battle with satan, the then prince of earth, had begun without his volition.
Perhaps Mary, knowing her Son, considered He needed a push to begin His public ministry.
It is probable that she did not realize that in so doing, she paved the way to the completion of the prophecy that Simeon had made when Jesus was still a babe in arms.
A sword was to pierce her soul, a suffering so great that God had given her forewarning through the prophet. [Luke 2;35]. [5]
As Jesus, Mary and the disciples trod down the streets after the banquet, heading for home, only Jesus might have fully understood the full import of His love for Mary, and compassion for the financially struggling wedding couple.
He walked to His Crucifixion years sooner than had been planned; God's Plan had to be revisited; the future had entirely changed.
Such is the power of a mother's love for her son; and for the son's love for his mother . . .
Rev Catherine
[1] John 2;1-12
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+2%3A1-12&version=ESV
[2] The Mishnah
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+2%3A1-12&version=ESV
[2] The Mishnah
[3] Genesis 3
[4] Acts 1
[5] Luke 2
With thanks to biblegateway.com, jewishhistory.org
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