“Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” – John 2:4
A young Jewish man from an insignificant town of Nazareth in Roman occupied Galilee, though only thirty years old, begins to gain a following. He is unmarried and head of his family, consisting of a widowed mother and younger brothers. Disciples of this young likable rabbi, who had worked as a carpenter in his deceased father’s shop, joined Jesus at a nearby wedding in Cana.
Jesus had just begun to call disciples (or followers of a Rabbi/teacher) for His three-year earthly and eternal mission. A righteous man in everyone’s eyes, young Jesus is now called to a mission worthy of His Name.
John 1:
49 Nathanael answered him,“Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
Of course, Jesus’ mother knew well the divinity of Jesus. Mary knew from before conception that God alone was His Father!
In the great traditions of Jewish hospitality and celebration of the occasions and milestones of this earthly life, Jesus and His family (mother and brothers) accept the invitation to the wedding of a friend. Jesus and his family are guests just having a good time at this celebration. In addition to His family, Jesus had invited His new followers as well. Cana is a nearby small town. It was just a joyous, typical wedding celebration.
3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
The wedding, of course, is all about celebration. It is all about the joining of the bride and the groom in holy matrimony, a man and a woman pledged to each other for life. A father of the bride gives his beloved daughter to a man to have as his wife for the rest of their lives together. The father of the bride, the groomsmen, the hosts of the celebration are honored for their hosting of this grande wedding feast.
BUT, the wine ran out early. (Too many people.) What now? Dishonor? The widow Mary suggests to her friends that her son could help?
Jesus, his family and disciples are just invited guests. The celebration is not about them. In fact, it seems like just an interruption (a previous commitment, perhaps) to the beginning of our Lord’s mission. What to do?
6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them,“Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it.9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.”
11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
He seemed liked just a popular guest at the local wedding. He seemed to be a teacher gaining followers (like John the Baptizer). He seems like just the kindest friend or son or brother you could ever meet. Yet by this interruption to Jesus’ work and daily life and travels, our Lord began ministering to the needs of those He loved in a most perfect way.
To be continued…
