Changing Water into Wine
John's Gospel is the only one
which records the early Wedding Feast where John gives what he
refers to as Jesus' first miracle or the beginning of Jesus' miracles.
Why John only records this event may be for a number of reasons. This
is still very early and Jesus' ministry may not have 'offically' have
stated though he did have a following of committed deciples from the time
when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist and the Baptist bore his
witness of Jesus being he whose way John had prepared. Also it was likely
just those deciples who were of their own choosing and not yet those
who specifically chose himself to be his official apostles of the church.
Some like to question and speculate upon just whose wedding feat it was.
Some, consider that as a traditional requirement of a Rabbi, it may well
have been Jesus' own wedding feast. Certainly, Mary, Jesus' mother was
taking a serious concern as a host of sorts who was concerned that the
feast was running out of wine. Personally, though I do not dismiss Jesus
as a 'Rabbi' needing to be married in order to be so recognized in Jewish
tradition as a teacher and a likely part of his now being ready to seriously
embark upon his ministry, I do not think this to be Jesus' own wedding.
Perhaps it was a kinsman's wedding or even a younger sibling's wedding. To me
it would seem out of place for the 'bridegroom' to be troubled about the
provisions of wine. That would be rather an interested organizer of the feast.
Whether this was more of the women's roll, for Jesus father if still living
is not mentioned, I do not know. But Mary does appeal to Jesus if he would or
could to something to resolve the immediate problem. While John counts this
as Jesus' beginning of his miracles, perhaps only John and a few others were
so closely envolved to have noticed it happening. But it does seem that Mary
is relying upon her son from some prior knowledge and understanding that he
is well capable of coping with the situation and providing a ready solution.
It is well within the realm of likelihood that Mary has already observed some
of her son's estraordinary powers. Some traditional histories of lore account
it as being so, though their reliability on being just exactly what such
observations may have been are fairly highly in question.
John's account makes it clear that this 'new wine' provided by Jesus was a far
better wine than that which had first been provided. As wine was the common
drink of the day and not merely to become intoxicated by, it may well have
been that that wine provided by Jesus was pure grage juice unfirmented as such
'older wine' would have been so developing in some stages of advaning
firmintation. So I would suppose that it would depend upon whether the ruler
of the feast were a wine-biber or not as to just how please he actually was
over the fact that new fresh wine was being served late into the feast rahter
than the expected more firmented old wines.
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2:
1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:
2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.
3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.
4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.
5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.
7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.
8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.
9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,
10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.
11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
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From Cana, were the wedding feast was
held, Jesus and his following of disciples travel down in elevation
to Capernaum by the shore of the Sea of Galilee. This is the likely
current center of Jesus operation. It is were such as Peter and John
and their brothers and partners in being fishermen also resided and
fished from thence upon the Sea of Calilee. While the other gospls
give some drama to Jesus calling his deciples to 'Come follow me'
directly from their fish nets and labors, it likely not so unusual
and dramatic for Jesus and those men had a substancetual ongoing
aquaintance upon which to found such a happening to occur.
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2:
12 ¶ After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.
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