The Life of the Party - Part One
SCRIPTURE
John 2:1-11
On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. 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 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.” This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
LESSON
The event covered by this chapter centers about a wedding, a festive occasion in the city of Cana of Galilee. Cana was a small village about ten miles west of the Sea of Galilee where two of Jesus' miracles were performed-the healing of the nobleman's son (see John 4:46-54) and the turning of water into wine. (See John 2:1-11.) Cana was also the home of Nathanael. (See John 21:2.)
Two suggested sites may be identified with Cana of biblical times. One is Khirbet Kana, about eight miles north of Nazareth. (The word Khirbet means ruins.) The other possible site of ancient Cana is Kefr Kenna, much nearer Nazareth among the fertile hills on the main highway. This latter place is probably the true Cana. It has an ample water supply of springs, as well as shady fig trees, such as the one where Jesus first saw Nathanael. (See John 1:48.)
One of the important things we learn from this story is that our Lord was no recluse nor killjoy. We sometimes think of Him as only "the man of sorrows." He was that in the light of the incalculable burden He bore as the world's Redeemer. Yet, our Lord must also have been a popular dinner guest, who loved to mingle with people and enjoy their fellowship. That He was so often invited into homes, that young children seemed to love to be near Him, indicates His pleasant personality. He was no gloomy, morose person.
His presence at this wedding at Cana points to His warm, friendly humanity. For, although Jesus Christ was God, He was also man. Here we see Him as Lord of relaxation as well as Lord of work. John the Baptist and his disciples fasted, but Christ was accused of being "a man gluttonous, and a winebibber." (See Matt. 11:19.) It is but another example of the Word being made flesh and dwelling among us.
Writing about this very idea, someone has said, "Selfishness, bad in nature, is worse in religion. The dream of every religion but the Christian was monasticism. Even Christianity has relapsed into it literally, and also morally in the selfishness which marks out certain persons, phrases, recreations as signs of a world lying in wickedness. Far less difficult would Christian duty be if we might quit the world and have done with it, but we cannot and we dare not. This parable of our Master's life shows us this.
"Let the disciples now take the Master with them (into their social life, their business life, etc.). For some this may be irksome. They either go without Christ, or else stay away. The former is sinful, the latter faithless."
STUDY QUESTIONS
-
What does Jesus relational life tell us about His humanity? Was he a normal person?
-
Why is this important to our understanding of Christ?
-
How does a personal God fit into the mission Christ came to accomplish?
