John 2:1-5

MARY'S EXPECTATIONS REBUKED BY JESUS

Text 2:1-5

1

And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:

2

and Jesus also was bidden, and his disciples to the marriage.

3

And when the wine failed, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.

4

And Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come.

5

His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

Queries

a.

Why would Jesus go to a wedding?

b.

What was Mary expecting from Jesus?

c.

Did Jesus rebuke His mother?

Paraphrase

The third day after finding Philip and Nathanael, Jesus arrived in Cana of Galilee. There was a wedding feast in Cana, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, was attending the feast. Jesus and His disciples, having also been invited, were in attendance.

And when the wine was all gone, the mother of Jesus said to Him, The hosts have no more wine. Jesus replied, Woman, what have you to say about My work? This is not the proper hour for My public manifestation. His mother then said to the servants, Whatever He may say to you, do it!

Summary

Jesus, His disciples and His mother all attend a wedding feast in Cana of Galilee. Mary is anxious for Jesus to declare Himself. Jesus warns His mother that she is not to lead Him but to follow Him.

Comment

Cana was a small village about three or four miles northeast of Nazareth. The place is now called Kefr Kenna. J. W. McGarvey, author of Lands of the Bible, visited there in 1879 and inspected an ancient building which had been converted into a chapel. This building was alleged to have been the very place where Jesus made the water into wine. They even pointed out to Brother McGarvey two stone mortars containing water which were used to immerse infants. They were supposed to be the very jars used by the Lord in His miracle. The caretakers of this chapel seemed to be unaware that these two jars could hold only about six gallons apiece, whereas the scriptural water jars held approximately 20 gallons each.

By the third day John probably means it was the third day after Jesus decided to go into Galilee (John 1:43) that He finally arrived in Galilee. He went directly to Cana of Galilee where he had been invited to a wedding. Cana would be about 60 or 70 miles north of Bethany beyond Jordan (as located on Map 1, pp. 17). Contrary to the contention of some commentators, it would be possible for Jesus and His disciples to walk 70 miles in two full days and a part of a third. Besides, He could have been advancing north toward Galilee day by day as He gathered His first disciples.

Mary was probably there as one invited to assist, much as certain ones are invited today to attend to the festivities of the wedding reception of a relative or a friend. It is not certain why Jesus was invited. Perhaps the newlyweds were personal friends or relatives of His mother; maybe the invitation came through Nathanael whose home was here in Cana.

The point is that Jesus took His disciples to Cana that they might see His glory. There is also the possibility that He took this opportunity to show these former disciples of John the Baptist the contrast between His type of ministry and that of their former teacher. The Baptist's disciples came later and asked Jesus why His disciples did not fast (Matthew 9:14 ff), i.e., why His ministry differed from that of John the Baptist. Jesus was not eccentric and ascetic like John the Baptist, but neither was He a glutton and a wine-bibber (Matthew 11:19). As Trench points out, Jesus had a harder and a higher task than the Baptist. Jesus mingled with men in their daily living and sought to sanctify and purify their everyday activities (cf. Luke 14:7-14), while John withdrew from the common activities of men. Jesus gives divine sanction to the joyous activities of human existenceprofitable activities such as marriage, family life and etc. Our Lord never countenanced revelry or sensual gratification. His paramount emphasis was that of the Spirit (Matthew 6:33; John 6:63). Jesus gives sanction to the wholesome activities of this world only insofar as they constantly lead us to a higher and holier walk with God.

If Mary was there as one assisting in the affairs of the festivities, her concern was only natural when the wine began to fail. This would be very embarrassing according to the Eastern customs of hospitality, Just what Mary expected Jesus to do we are not expressly told. It may be safely inferred, however, from Jesus-' answer (John 2:4) that she desired something extraordinary from Him. For years Mary had observed such things as the astounding miracles surrounding her Son's birththe prophecies of Simeon and Anna, Jesus confounding the teachers in Jerusalemand she kept all these sayings in her heart (cf. Luke 2:51). She had probably been informed of the miracles surrounding His baptism. Now Jesus appears with six disciples, and it seems to her that He is ready to announce Himself to the world and make some drastic changes in the present social order. Mary has decided that this is His opportunity to do so, and she hints that He should avail Himself of this moment. Mary felt that the Lord needed some motherly advice on how to carry out His work.

In John 2:4 we see that Jesus understood Mary to be dictating the course of His ministry. A literal translation of His answer would read Woman, what to me and thee? As Lenski puts it, Jesus was saying, Woman, what is there in common for us in this matter? or, This is my affair, not thine. In the word Woman there is no rebuke or insult for He used the same word tenderly remanding her to the care of the beloved John (cf. John 19:26). But in the phrase what have I to do with thee there is a rebuke. He cannot allow even His mother to dictate His affairs. It was necessary for the Lord later to remind His family that they must not interfere with His ministry. When His friends thought Him beside Himself they seem to have reported to Mary and her sons (Mark 3:21). His family came seeking Him apparently to take Him home for a forced rest. But Jesus would not even walk through the crowds to talk to them. They came, it appears, to interrupt His work, and He was very explicit in showing that He was subject to the influence of no human, not even His mother (cf. Mark 3:31-35). Jesus is Lord of all! Everyone must depend upon Him as the only mediator (1 Timothy 2:5). Much earlier than the Cana incident, we remember, Jesus as a lad of twelve indicated to His mother and Joseph that he was not to be restricted by parental interference because he must be about his Father's business (Luke 2:48-50).

He informs His mother that His hour is not yet come. He has an hour set in the Father's economy for each task which has been given Him. When that hour comes, He acts, and not until then. Jesus never allows anyone to rush or hurry Him (cf. John 7:6; John 7:8; John 7:30; John 8:20; John 12:23; John 13:1; John 17:1).

It is inspiring to witness such immediate submission as was evinced in Mary's directions to the servants. Her decision to simply trust Jesus has now prepared her for a manifestation of His glory. It is not inconsistent, therefore, for Jesus to perform the miracle when He had previously rebuked Mary's impertinence. Mary's lesson can be applied to our lives today. James writes, Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may spend it in your pleasures (James 4:3). When we seek the Lord's blessings for carnal pleasure or vanity we receive not. But when we resign ourselves to His will (1 John 5:14-15) we receive exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.

Quiz

1.

Where is Cana?

2.

Explain how Jesus could have made the journey to Cana in three days.

3.

How did Jesus-' ministry differ from that of John the Baptist?

4.

Why do we think that Mary expected a miracle from Jesus?

5.

Name two incidents where Jesus rejected the intervention of His family into His affairs.

6.

What is the lesson for us in this section?