John 2:1-11
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it. 9 When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom 10 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.” 11 Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
Is the point of the story that Jesus wants to , as I read somewhere, “help individuals and make them happy”? Then why am I so d*** grumpy?
well, this is a sign, and it points to . . .
What does it point to?
• Surely, as the first miracle in John, it is a key sign that the values of the kingdom are different and unexpected. Here, the last is first. The good wine is served at the last. (lots of it too!)
Marcus Borg says it this way. . . "What is the gospel--the good news-–of Jesus about? John’s answer: It’s about a wedding banquet at which the wine never runs out, and where the best is saved for last."
• Here’s an interesting point: Jesus feels that the time is not right for him to perform any sign, and yet, his mom thinks otherwise. How often are we sure that we need to schedule things better, make some lists, get things organized, then we’ll be able to get things done the way we want to. We need to order our life better to reach our potential, and get the most out of life. Jesus is not so different. Jesus finds himself performing the first of his signs before his hour has come . . . hmmm
• From Wendell Berry
The miraculous is not extraordinary but the common mode of existence. It is our daily bread. Whoever really has considered the lilies of the field or the birds of the air and pondered the improbability of their existence in this warm world within the cold and empty stellar distances will hardly balk at the turning of water into wine - which was, after all, a very small miracle. We forget the greater and still continuing miracle by which water (with soil and sunlight) is turned into grapes. Source: "Sex, Economy, Freedom, and Community"
• I’ve saved this for last. . . an article - mostly of the absurdities of people claiming Jesus was a teetotaler concludes with this postscript:
"All the angels dancing on the head of this particular pin might be moot, since some historians think Jesus might actually have been a beer drinker. Wine was the drink of the Romanized elite in the Middle East of that era, while beer was the preferred drink of the common people. Historians have found it odd that the populist Jesus would have chosen the drink of the rich and powerful above the humble beer of the people."
• Could we suggest that it is not odd at all? That Jesus is subverting the whole system here, providing excellent wine to those whom many would deem unworthy?
3 comments:
In a bible study with some women, I was making a point that it was important Jesus used wine in this first sign. I was trying to talk about Communion. One woman, who no longer attends our church, really got huffy with me about that, claiming that Jesus could have used anything to prove the same point. Later, in another bible study, she also claimed God sent Hurricane Katrina because of all the voodoo in New Orleans. Whatever.
This is just to say that I think the wine bit is important. Wine was the life of the party. Wine tastes great! The wine was enabling this wedding party-- a kingdom of God metaphor. I'll take the Borg quote for $10.
I think some discussion about what the heck the kingdom of God is would be helpful. What is it? Where is it? What does the hearer have to do with it? And this discussion could lead to proclamation about how Christ transforms or strengthens us for participation in the kingdom.
A great movie about wine:"Sideways." A great podcast about wine: "3 Wine Guys" available through iTunes. Got iTunes Pay No Toll?
No I have no itunes today. The fact that wine is generally regarded as not being a necessity (by some but not by us no doubt)seems important to the whole thing. Jesus is over the top. This is not a miracle where somebody is rescued (an embarrassed host notwithstanding)or healed or saved or something. This is a huge amount of wine. Perhaps the sheer stunning magnitude of something so wonderful and so not necessesary speaks to the inviting, dizzying, wonder of God in our midst. Life seems filled with newness and joy. The party is transformed. Of course there will always be people at the party who refuse to have a good time. They refuse to dance. They refuse to believe it is a party. This is Capon's definition of hell. (but that may be another tangent) And, such joyous wonder is a little uncomfortable for many of us dour Nordics. Jesus is always outside the box, I guess. My box anyway. Box of wine.
Thanks for the great insight Pay No Toll. Helpful stuff to think of the over-the-topness of the kingdom. Or as they would say in "Spinal Tap"-- "Turn it up to 11. 11 is one higher than ten." Can you imagine that much wine!! I get a buzz thinking abou it.
Speaking of box of wine, have you guys tried Black Box Wine? Really good stuff.
I think I will try to preach this text in such a way that I get as much objection from the hearers as possible. Not that they'd say anything. . . But maybe they will this time.
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