Who is this Man? – Day 10

A Jewish wedding is a sociable affair. It is not like most weddings here – most of the time in stiff suits, long tables and long speeches. The Jews simply celebrate for a whole week. John begins his report on Jesus’ work on earth with such a feast. On the last pages of the Bible, John says that history will also end with a feast.

At the wedding that Jesus attended, a small crisis developed. The people drank considerably and halfway through the wedding the wine ran out. In those times, the rabbis used to say that wine was the joy of a wedding. The master of ceremonies was in despair and the father of the bride was somewhat embarrassed. It was considered inhospitable if you did not have something to drink. What now? “No problem,” thought Mary, “Jesus is here of course.”

At face value, Jesus reacted bluntly to the question of his mother, whether He could do something about the problem. “Mom, what do I have to do with your problem? My time has not yet come.” Mary concerns herself with the wine, but Jesus concerns Himself with the deeper things of his Father. Mary did not grasp that.

There were six, big stone water jars that roughly could hold a 150 litres. Jesus changed the water into wine – excellent wine. John says that was the first sign that Jesus performed. Strikingly, John does not call it a miracle, but a sign. In the way that a wedding without wine is less pleasant, a life without God is superficial and without joy.