Praying Together 19th January 2025

On the third day…

At the time, Jewish weddings typically could last for a week or so. Why does John specifically mention ‘The Third Day’? Did Jesus only arrive halfway through the celebration, having met Philip and Nathaniel in Bethsaida? Or was it because the wedding party had already drunk all the wine? Or does the ‘Third Day’ refer to the Day of Resurrection, when all things change?

…there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.

Well, some of them had – but given that Andrew, Peter, Philip, Nathaniel and at least one unnamed other had only just met Jesus, they would be welcomed with Him, but they probably wouldn’t have been on the original guest list.

When the wine gave out,

Perhaps these additional guests helped with emptying the wine vessels earlier than planned?

the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’

Clearly, the wedding was that of a relative, probably a close relative of Mary – why else would she have been so concerned about the disastrous social consequence of the wine running out?

And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman,

The slightly dismissal term ‘Woman’ does not have the same patronising tone that it has today – ‘Dear Mother’ would be a rather better translation

what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.’

It’s almost as if Jesus is deep in another conversation when Mary speaks to Him, and doesn’t yet fully appreciate the potential disgrace to the groom’s family

His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’

Mary doesn’t actually reply to Jesus – not in words, anyway – but I have the image in my mind of her giving Jesus an unmissable mother-to-son look. He doesn’t argue.

You don’t when you get one of those.

Now standing there were six stone water-jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim.

The servants don’t argue either – His instruction is obeyed, strengthening the impression that Jesus is a close relative.

He said to them, ‘Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.’
So they took it.

They trust His command – and a miracle happens.

When the steward tasted the water that had become wine…

Question: Does the whole jarful of water become wine, or does the water change to wine as it is drunk from the cup?

…and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew),

They were afraid that no-one would believe them or that they would look foolish, so they didn’t say anything

the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.’

‘What’s going on?’ said the steward. ‘Search me’, said the bridegroom. But Mary knew.

Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee,

It won’t be the last

and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

Jesus has demonstrated His authority and power. He takes something ordinary, and it becomes extraordinary. He turns water to wine. He heals the past and offers a new future. He changes his followers from sinner to saint.

For those who have seen Him, there is no turning back.