| Jesus' ministry was gaining
momentum. In Galilee and the surrounding areas He preached the
gospel, taught in synagogues, healed all kinds of sickness and
diseases, including casting out of demons. Jesus' popularity
spread quickly, not only around the area of Galilee, but
throughout all of Syria. But His time had not yet fully come
to show to the people His full power.
Note: KJV and NKJV are used in these stories.
Passages in blue italics are direct quotes from the
Scriptures.
Historical setting:
Time: About 27 A.D.
Place: Cana and Jerusalem
Persons:
Jesus, the Disciples, Mary, and people at the
temple
Scripture: John 2
The Twelve Apostles:
Matthew 10:2-4 – "Now the names of the twelve apostles are these:
first Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother;
James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and
Bartholomew (Nathanael); Thomas and Matthew the tax collector;
James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was
Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also
betrayed Him."
John 2:11 – "This
beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and
manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him."
A large family wedding was taking place in Cana, at
which Jesus' mother, Mary, was an important member of the
party. A wedding feast in the East often lasted a week. The
host of the feast had an important job to make sure that there
was enough food and wine, and also that enough water was
provided for the washing ceremonies that always accompanied
such occasions.
Jesus and His disciples had been invited to the wedding. A
couple of days into the feast the host realized that the wine
had run out. What an awkward situation! How embarrassed the
groom would be, should he realize this! Mary was one of the
organizers of the wedding party. She knew that there was no
money to buy more wine. She wrung her hands, pondering. What
should they to do?
But Mary did not wonder for long. Her Son, Jesus, was
there. She had not seen Him perform any miracles yet. But she
knew He could. After all, she was His mother. She had not
forgotten the events before and around His birth. All those
memories were stored in her heart. She thought back to just a
month or so ago when she stood at the shores of the Jordan
River and watched, as John had baptized Him. She witnessed the
Dove from heaven landing on Him. She heard the voice from
heaven declaring Him to be the Son of God. Oh yes! She knew
what she would do. She would go to Jesus. He would help. What
better time than now, for Him to reveal His Divinity, to show
to the crowd that He was more than Mary's Son, that He was the
Son of God?
Jesus and His disciples were mingling with the people, who
were not aware that this Man was anyone special. He was just
another of the guests of the wedding couple. Mary wormed her
way towards her Son. Tugging on His sleeve, she said in a soft
voice, "They have run out of wine."
Jesus looked at her. "Woman, what does
your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet
come."
The words might have sounded harsh to anyone who did not
know what a special bond existed between mother and Son. "Woman" was a term of endearment, and
Mary understood what Jesus meant when He said that His "hour has not yet come." Instead of
taking offence, or telling Him that He must help, Mary went to
the servants who had alerted her to the situation. She said to
them, "Whatever He says to you, do it."
Jesus had not told His mother that He would help.
She just took it for granted that He WOULD.
Jesus went quietly up to the servants who were gathered
around, wringing their hands, wondering what to do. Looking at
the six, thirty-gallon stone waterpots that were standing
empty, He commanded: "Fill the waterpots
with water."
The servants didn't question His command. At this point
their concern was that if they did not supply more wine to the
guests there would be trouble. Their jobs were on the line for
one thing, and their concern for the host and his plight, were
another. Quickly they went to the well and filled all six of
the pots with clean water. They went back to Jesus for further
instructions.
He simply said to them, "Draw some out
now, and take it to the master of the feast."
No doubt wondering, but without question, the servants did
as Jesus commanded. Mary had told them to do whatever her Son
told them to do, and they obeyed. They carried the first pot
of water to the master of the feast. He took the "testing"
drink, as was his duty, before taking it to the bridegroom.
His face, showing delighted surprise, was enough for the
servants. "Where did this wine come from?" he asked. It was
not the servants' place to answer. They knew where it had come
from, but they did not say. They just bowed and went to
deliver the other five waterpots to the master.
The master of the feast called the bridegroom. This was
unusual. He had hosted many wedding feasts in his day, but
never had this happened before. He spoke to the bridegroom.
"Usually a man puts out his best wine first, for his guests,
and when they have had several drinks of it and their taste
buds are dulled, then he brings out his cheaper wine. How is
it that you have left the best wine until now? This wine is
incredible. I have never tasted any better."
The shocked look on the face of the bridegroom, when he had
tasted the wine that the master had handed him, said it all.
He just smiled at the servants and told them, "Bring on the
wine! This will be a wedding feast that will long be
remembered. This wine cannot be beaten anywhere in the
land."
* * *
The Cleansing of the
Temple
"Every male Jew was required to go to
Jerusalem three times a year—for the Feast of Passover, the
Feast of Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacle.
(see Ex. 23:14-19; Lev. 23." NKJV notes)
Shortly after Jesus and His disciples left
the wedding in Cana, they travelled to Jerusalem to attend the
Feast of the Passover. Along the way Jesus talked to His
disciples about His purpose on earth. They listened intently
to His words, but understood little of the meaning. To them
Jesus was a great Prophet. Oh yes, with their minds they
understood that He was the promised Messiah. He had told them
that, but the true meaning of His words had not yet penetrated
their hearts. Jesus explained to them that He was the Lamb
that would ultimately be sacrificed, fulfilling the reason of
the Passover. He told them that the Temple where they would be
entering soon was a symbol of the Temple of His body, soon to
be destroyed and raised up again.
Soon their journey was over. They entered the Temple
grounds and passed through the doors. Jesus stopped. He looked
around Him. There was an auction going on. An auction! In
the temple! Oxen, sheep, doves and other livestock were
being auctioned off. Money was changing hands. Business for
profit was being done, right in the Holy Temple of Jerusalem!
Jesus was appalled and angered. This could not be happening!
How could they defile God's Holy Temple in such a manner?
Jesus grabbed a handful of bamboo and twisted it into a
whip. "Take these things away! Do not make
My Father's house a house of merchandise!" He said.
As the tables were being turned over, livestock scattered,
and money spilling all over the ground, the disciples looked
on in awe. Gazing at each other, they whispered among
themselves: "Now we understand what the scripture meant: 'Zeal for Your house has eaten Me
up.' (Psalm 69:9)"
But the religious leaders were not impressed by Jesus'
actions. It angered them. "Who does He think He is, throwing
His authority around like this? We have been doing these
things for years. Why now, is this Man coming in and ruining a
good thing?" They turned to Jesus and said, "What sign do You show to us, since You do these
things?"
Jesus answer was simple: "Destroy this
temple, and in three days I will raise it up."
"What are you talking about?" responded the Jewish leaders.
"It took forty-six years to build this
temple, and will You raise it up in three days?"
To this, Jesus did not answer. What was the point? These
Jews would not believe Him anyway. But the disciples, although
they did not ask further questions about it, stored away in
their minds Jesus' words about the temple being raised in
three days. They did not understand it, but they remembered
it. And at a future time the meaning would be clear to
them.
Jesus' ministry on earth had begun.
From this point on, wherever Jesus went, crowds followed.
People listened. Miracles happened: the sick were healed, the
lame walked, the blind received their sight, and people were
restored to life. And the religious leaders—the Pharisees and
Sadducees—the lawyers, and the scoffers among the crowd, daily
sought for excuses to criticize Him and accuse Him. They
sought for a way to get rid of Him.
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© Helen Dowd Continue
with Study 5
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