Blogging through the Book of John
Chapter 2
(John 2:1-3) The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.”
So, let's get the scene set. Back in the day, weddings (as with funerals) were at least a week long even. If you didn't go, it was a social disgrace. If you were hosting it and the wine ran out, well, it was bad.
Jesus and his disciples came to this wedding. Obviously, they knew the family. Some people think that maybe Mary was even hosting the wedding for the couple. Here is this happy occasion, but a typical one. People get married every day-- but not every wedding can say it hosted Jesus' first miracle.
Jesus and his disciples came to this wedding. Obviously, they knew the family. Some people think that maybe Mary was even hosting the wedding for the couple. Here is this happy occasion, but a typical one. People get married every day-- but not every wedding can say it hosted Jesus' first miracle.
(John 2:4)"Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”
The wine is gone, and Mary goes up to her son to tell him. You can take this two ways: One, she wanted him to preform a miracle, which isn't really likely or Two, with Joseph dead, he was the man of the house, and she wanted him to find a way to fix the situation.
In either case, Jesus told her that being without wine wasn't their problem. He knew his time hadn't come yet.
Anyway,
(John 2:5) But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Mary, for whatever reason, didn't take no from Jesus as an answer. Do we give up at the first no from Jesus?
(John 2:6-8) Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons.[b] 7 Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, 8 he said,“Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions.
Ok, here you are... a servant and this lady comes up to you and tells you to do exactly what her son says. Ok, fine... you're probably used to that being a servant and all. But what if the son tells you to fill up six 20-30 gallon water jugs up with water-- but not just for water-- for wine.
If someone told you to do that, you'd think they had lost their mind! But this servant (bless him) did exactly as he was instructed. As a servant, it was his job.
Our job is to be a servant of God... just like this guy. Do we do what He tell us to without question? Do we do it because our 'Heavenly Master' tells us to? Or do we fight it, question it, think it's nutty? What would have happened to Jesus' first miracle if the 'servant' did do what he was told? How many miracles don't happen because we don't?
(John 2:9) When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over.
The look... on that poor man's face... (He had no idea what was going on...). He just got married. He was in wedded bliss... wonder if he even knew the wine was gone?
So, here the groom is, talking the the master of ceremony. Wonder what he thought? Was he nervous? Was he irritated that the Master of Ceremonies took him away from his bride? Was he scared (social disgrace if anything went wrong, remember?)
(John 2:10) "A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!”
Little did he know, he was drinking what was originally water from old, nasty hand washing jugs--
Did you get the importance of that? Jesus didn't just make wine. I imagine turning dirty water into anything would be a miracle: grape juice, orange juice, clean water--
But Jesus didn't just make it wine and go on about his business. He blessed this groom and his family with the best wine last. He won't just bless you-- He will bless you more than you could ever imagine.
(John 2:11-12) This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
The wine is gone, and Mary goes up to her son to tell him. You can take this two ways: One, she wanted him to preform a miracle, which isn't really likely or Two, with Joseph dead, he was the man of the house, and she wanted him to find a way to fix the situation.
In either case, Jesus told her that being without wine wasn't their problem. He knew his time hadn't come yet.
I think we've covered before how much I love seeing Jesus' humanity. I think it really hits home what all he did for us-- YES he was/is God, but he also was very human. I think if we leave that part of his story out, it does it a disservice.
Anyway,
(John 2:5) But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Mary, for whatever reason, didn't take no from Jesus as an answer. Do we give up at the first no from Jesus?
(John 2:6-8) Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons.[b] 7 Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, 8 he said,“Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions.
Ok, here you are... a servant and this lady comes up to you and tells you to do exactly what her son says. Ok, fine... you're probably used to that being a servant and all. But what if the son tells you to fill up six 20-30 gallon water jugs up with water-- but not just for water-- for wine.
If someone told you to do that, you'd think they had lost their mind! But this servant (bless him) did exactly as he was instructed. As a servant, it was his job.
Our job is to be a servant of God... just like this guy. Do we do what He tell us to without question? Do we do it because our 'Heavenly Master' tells us to? Or do we fight it, question it, think it's nutty? What would have happened to Jesus' first miracle if the 'servant' did do what he was told? How many miracles don't happen because we don't?
(John 2:9) When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over.
The look... on that poor man's face... (He had no idea what was going on...). He just got married. He was in wedded bliss... wonder if he even knew the wine was gone?
So, here the groom is, talking the the master of ceremony. Wonder what he thought? Was he nervous? Was he irritated that the Master of Ceremonies took him away from his bride? Was he scared (social disgrace if anything went wrong, remember?)
(John 2:10) "A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!”
Little did he know, he was drinking what was originally water from old, nasty hand washing jugs--
Did you get the importance of that? Jesus didn't just make wine. I imagine turning dirty water into anything would be a miracle: grape juice, orange juice, clean water--
But Jesus didn't just make it wine and go on about his business. He blessed this groom and his family with the best wine last. He won't just bless you-- He will bless you more than you could ever imagine.
(John 2:11-12) This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
12 After the wedding he went to Capernaum for a few days with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples.
The disciples believed; but as we will learn in later chapters, they didn't always understand. We are the same way. We believe-- but how much do we believe?
This next bit is some of my favorite parts of the Book of John-- Jesus. Gets. Mad (how very human of him :) )
(John 2:13-16) It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; he also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money. Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor, and turned over their tables. Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!”
Oh SNAP! Jesus was mad! Not losing all control of his body mad-- but passionate mad. We can be passionately mad about something like Jesus was.
There is a difference in doing what Jesus did and doing what some people do: judging. It's ok for us to get mad, but we aren't Jesus. It's not up to us to judge people for anything we do (if you want to do that-- here's your stone). Some people take this to the extreme: taunting, beating, murdering people who don't believe or behave like they do. It's not our job to 'clear the temple'. We see here that the disciples didn't do the clearing-- JESUS did. JESUS still does. And when he does it will be JUST and RIGHT, NOT out of anything but passion and love. He loved his Daddy so much, he ran the people out of the temple.
There are other parts in the Bible when Jesus got mad. I, personally, like those parts. But we can't excuse our behavior on the fact that Jesus got mad. When Jesus got mad, he didn't stay mad for long. He never hurt anyone when he was mad. He never said anything he wished he could take back. His anger was controlled... something we need to work on.
(John 2:17-19) When his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Passion for God’s house will consume me.”
The disciples believed; but as we will learn in later chapters, they didn't always understand. We are the same way. We believe-- but how much do we believe?
This next bit is some of my favorite parts of the Book of John-- Jesus. Gets. Mad (how very human of him :) )
(John 2:13-16) It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; he also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money. Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor, and turned over their tables. Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!”
Oh SNAP! Jesus was mad! Not losing all control of his body mad-- but passionate mad. We can be passionately mad about something like Jesus was.
There is a difference in doing what Jesus did and doing what some people do: judging. It's ok for us to get mad, but we aren't Jesus. It's not up to us to judge people for anything we do (if you want to do that-- here's your stone). Some people take this to the extreme: taunting, beating, murdering people who don't believe or behave like they do. It's not our job to 'clear the temple'. We see here that the disciples didn't do the clearing-- JESUS did. JESUS still does. And when he does it will be JUST and RIGHT, NOT out of anything but passion and love. He loved his Daddy so much, he ran the people out of the temple.
There are other parts in the Bible when Jesus got mad. I, personally, like those parts. But we can't excuse our behavior on the fact that Jesus got mad. When Jesus got mad, he didn't stay mad for long. He never hurt anyone when he was mad. He never said anything he wished he could take back. His anger was controlled... something we need to work on.
(John 2:17-19) When his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Passion for God’s house will consume me.”
But the Jewish leaders demanded, “What are you doing? If God gave you authority to do this, show us a miraculous sign to prove it.”
“All right,” Jesus replied. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
The Jewish leaders (the higher ups as it were) weren't very happy about what this 'carpenter' was doing. Truth be told, their pockets were getting pretty nicely stretched out from the profits coming in from the sales going on at the temple entrance. And on top of that, they were the most powerful people in the land (sans the Romans). They let power get to their head. Power, fear, and not thinking clearly will do that to you.
Jesus said (basically), "Fine! You want a miracle. Tear this down (kill me) and I'll raise it (me) up again in three days!"
It had taken over 46 years to build the temple in its current state. Not only was this 'Jesus' a nuisance--- he was also insane!
But there was something about him, something they couldn't shake. Something they knew they had to 'get rid of'.
(John 2:20-21)What!” they exclaimed. “It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple, and you can rebuild it in three days?” But when Jesus said “this temple,” he meant his own body. (I love how John writes. He tells us exactly what he means.)
(John 2:22) After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered he had said this, and they believed both the Scriptures and what Jesus had said.
How many things do we see as miracles in hindsight? It is 20/20 after all. My husband bought a CD a few years ago. He's never sang it. Actually, I don't think I've ever heard him listen to it. Tonight, I'm not going to lie, we kinda got into it. I went to take a bath and when I came out, he was singing this song in the living room. Let me tell you, it was EXACTLY what I needed to hear. I can't think of the name of it, but it was about how we try to be good, but we can't be all the time. And how Jesus saves us every day-- because we need it.
(John 2:23-25) Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him. But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew human nature. No one needed to tell him what mankind is really like.
Oh yes, I bolded, underlined, AND italics the last verse. No one had to tell Jesus about mankind. He knew about us all too well. He understands hurt (he cried when Lazarus died), joy (dancing at the wedding), anger (throwing the people out of the temple), love (for his mother, brothers, sister and his followers), fear (in the Garden praying before he died), pain (have you ever hung on a cross?), betrayal (Judus... a friend), etc. Name a feeling, he understands it.
He knows what mankind is like with all of our imperfections and human bodies/thoughts/feelings-- and guess what? He died for us anyway. He died so we can live our life, KNOWING that it would have gossip, soap operas (my vice), bad programming, ill-attitudes, etc. In it.
Chapter 3 tomorrow :)
Imperfectly Yours,
~Kelly
Miss a day?
John Chapter 1
Jesus is no awesome! With my son's upcoming wedding, I invited Jesus to attend!
ReplyDeleteI mean SO awesome! (Sorry Jesus!)
ReplyDelete