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On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” - John 2:1-5We are all probably very familiar with the story of Jesus turning the water into wine. But it's a story that has always perplexed me. We are told in the Scriptures that "this beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee". So we know that this was His first miracle. He had never performed one previously.
So why would His mother tell the servants "Whatever He says to you, do it"? Did she expect Him to perform a miracle? Did she expect Him to make wine appear in some way? If your answer to that is "yes", then I would have to ask you another question - Why? If he had never peformed a miracle before - why in the world would she even expect one? Did she somehow know that this was going to be the site of the first miracle of His ministry?
What do you think? I'd like to hear your comments.
I have just finished reading this account in John and wrote a question in the margin of my Bible: why did Mary talk to the disciples rather than Jesus. Even after Jesus' reply to her, it appears she "knew" because of her response to the men. We don't know if she responded to Jesus or only the disciples. Interesting.....
ReplyDeleteCan we even imagine what it must have been like, being the mother of the Messiah? Mary KNEW exactly who Jesus was, but so many times the "mother" in her came out and she found herself instructing Jesus, and I think it was in the presence of the people in attendance. In this verse, it seems that once she realized she was instructing GOD again, her comment to the disciples indicated that knew she was overstepping her bounds (in that day women weren't usually vocal over men) and she wanted to redirect the authority back to Jesus, where it belonged in the first place! Does that make sense to anyone?
ReplyDeleteMakes sense. Do you "think" at the time she really understood that a miracle would be performed that day? Did she think a miracle would be wrought in the form of water to wine? I know we don't know, but the question Derricke asked is a good one. In the end, an important question for myself is: Who is Jesus to me? What do I expect each day? Am I actively waiting on Him to do His business in my life and in the lives of others?
ReplyDeleteI believe Mary KNEW it was possible, but did she KNOW for certain that He was going to perform it? I don't think she did. I like the questions you posed too, Peggie, because we should all personalize the Word for ourselves.
ReplyDeleteLet's say for a moment that she was NOT expecting a miracle. Then what would have precipitated her comments?
ReplyDeleteWell, as children go and young men go, Jesus certainly would have been the most attentive, the most sensitive and the most resourceful human being who ever lived on the planet. And one can imagine that Jesus, perfect God in human flesh, even though He had not done anything miraculous, did everything well and fulfilled any opportunity for sensitivity or assistance, any opportunity for help, any opportunity to solve a problem - He was there and did it in perfection. This is what she knew Him to be.
If that is the case, then it would have been perfectly natural to turn to Him whenever a problem was encountered such as the embarassment of running out of wine at a wedding. She may not have been expecting a miracle, but certainly expecting him to 'solve' the problem.
Expecting Him to solve the problem is most likely the "right" thought process.
ReplyDeleteI like the comment wherein Peggie asked above "Who is Jesus to me?" I am reminded of Jesus asking Peter "Who do you say I am?" I also know that I need to make sure my expectations to be based on Scripture and make sure my motive is for the furtherance of the gospel and not to make life better for myself. I find that often because I know He can work the impossible that I really want Him to work so that my life will be better rather than for His Kingdom.
ReplyDeleteMary pondered on "these things" and kept them in her heart.
If I would but let Jesus be Jesus all the time and not let self be self....If I would but walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lust of the flesh...if I would but say to myself "whatever He says, do it" and then walk in obedience to what the Word says, I would be walking in victory. I find that "what I should do, I do not do and what I should not do, I do". I want those words of "whatever He says, do it" to rule in my life.
ReplyDeleteI like these comments.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more with Peggie's last comment.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Joseph has died. I think Mary was acting as *hostess* for the wedding party with the responsibilities of seeing that food & wine were provided for the guests. In Jewish culture the first-born assumed the duties as head of the household and the one the mother would automatically turn to for help. I think this is what she was doing. I doubt she was looking for a miracle; just for Jesus to help her solve a problem and she trusted Him to do it. So He did...as only God-in-the-flesh would do. :~)
ReplyDeleteI agree with Peggie's last comment-I thought at first that she was acting in obedience-sometimes a mother just knows.
ReplyDelete