06
The Men Attend a Wedding
John 2:1-11
Simon is very excited. Jesus told them that He had received an invitation to a wedding and that He wanted to take them along. Simon knows, of course, that a wedding could be a long, drawn-out affair lasting up to a week. It would be a very welcome break after all the hard work of recent times - he is quite exhausted! At first, he wants to say to Jesus, “Lord, there is no time for such everyday trivialities - we have so much to do!” But then he reconsiders.
That morning, Simon puts on his best clothes - a wedding is, after all, a grand occasion! But getting there is not so easy, because as far as they walk, people recognise Jesus, causing many delays. Hours pass, and Simon grows restless. That wedding must have started ages ago, and they have surely missed the best part. But his Master is in no hurry. To Simon, this is utterly frustrating!
Eventually, they do arrive. From a distance, they can already hear the music, laughter, and joyful celebrations. It is a lively affair - people dancing, singing, and rejoicing exuberantly. Simon secretly wonders why his Master concerns Himself with such merriment. Is a Rabbi not supposed to be occupied with much more serious matters?
Jesus looks around at the crowd of joyful faces. Then He spots a woman at one of the tables - Mary, Jesus’s mother. She has been here since early on and had started to worry about how long He was taking to arrive. The tables groan under the weight of all the food, and the atmosphere is one of great festivity.
But all is not quite in order - the one thing so characteristic of a wedding, a good red wine, is conspicuously absent. Simon wonders about this - what kind of wedding is this without its wine? Then he sees Mary leaning towards Jesus - she looks concerned. Simon strains to hear her over the noise. “The wine has run out,” is all he can make out. Yes, he could have seen that for himself! It is a disaster! What will Jesus do? Then Simon shakes his head and almost bursts out laughing. “What a ridiculous thought! Surely, the Master will not trouble Himself with something as trivial as running out of wine!”
To his great surprise, Simon sees Jesus at first refuse, but then He nods in agreement. “So, He is going to do something after all!” Simon cannot hide his astonishment.
Jesus signals something to Mary, and she disappears. The next moment, the servants start carrying water to the large stone jars used for purification rituals. All six are filled to the brim. Now Simon is bursting with curiosity - what is his Master planning? He notices the servants scratching their heads, as if unable to understand what is happening inside those jars. Wide-eyed, they signal to each other about something inside them. Then Jesus instructs them to draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.
Simon clearly sees the man’s face light up as he tastes the “water.” Then he hears him scolding the poor bridegroom: “Why have you kept the best wine until now?” Simon’s jaw drops. His Master has turned water into wine!? How is this even possible?! When the servant brings them some of the wine, Simon has to admit - it is delicious! A full 600 litres of the finest wine he has ever tasted! Simon looks at the other disciples - they are all in awe! Now they know that their choice to follow Jesus was the right one.
Jesus had a purpose in coming to this wedding - it was not just to pass the time! Symbolically, He took on the duties of the bridegroom by providing the wine. Many years later, in Revelation 19:5-10, John writes about the “wedding feast of the Lamb,” where Jesus is described as the ultimate Bridegroom. And as the perfect Bridegroom, He provides in abundance - who would ever drink 600 litres of wine at a wedding?
But there is more: In Amos 9:13-14, the famous prophet writes about the wine that would flow in abundance with the coming of the Messiah, cascading down from the mountains.
But why did Jesus specifically choose to make His wine in purification jars? Could there have been a reason for this? Those jars were used to hold water for the Jewish purification rituals required by the law. In other words, they symbolised the law. What does Jesus do? He transforms them into something used for celebration - the law jars become feast jars! Because Jesus, the Bridegroom, is here, we are no longer bound by the law but can celebrate with Him!
How do you and I see Jesus? We tend to seek Him in the supernatural. Perhaps we should open our eyes and look for Him in the ordinary, everyday moments of life - even in something as simple as a wedding! To recognise Jesus, I must be willing to notice the small miracles that happen in my life every day and to acknowledge Him in them with faith. But then I must also do the right thing and give Him all the glory for them. Praise Him with all your heart!
Prayer:
Lord
Jesus, You are God and King - thank You for all the wonders I can
experience every day!