05.11. The First Miracle!
The First Miracle!
"On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding." John 2:1-2 In a wild and desolate region of Galilee, the traveler comes upon a deserted village. Around about it the hunter follows the wild boar that finds a home in the neighboring thickets; within the village silence and desolation reign. There still remain indeed the ruins of its limestone dwellings, and some half-century ago a few inhabitants might have been found there — but relentless war and the inroads of Arab marauders have swept over it, and now Cana lies waste without a single living inhabitant.
Yet here is a spot, more sacred, more dear to Christians than the mightiest cities of antiquity. Here is a place to which myriads of hearts will ever turn in their day of hope and gladness. Here is Kana-el-Jelil — Cana of Galilee as it was called in days past, where our Lord first manifested His Divine power at a happy bridal feast. The mother of Jesus at this time was living at a distance of some seven or eight miles, and from the interest she took in providing for the necessities of the guests, we may infer that she was either a relation or an intimate acquaintance of one of the families. Something in connection with Nathanael, His new disciple, may have brought Jesus to Cana, since the former belonged to this place, and only three days previously Jesus was near the Jordan, some fifty miles distant from this village. But whatever may have brought Him into the neighborhood, we find Jesus and His disciples invited to the marriage feast. Nor does He refuse. That scene of cheerful festivity shall be hallowed by His presence. He who sheds unnumbered joys over the angelic intelligences in heavenly places, will now show forth His grace and love within a humble dwelling in a Galilean village. He who, as Creator in Paradise, instituted the holy ordinance of marriage — now comes near, as the Son of Man, to bless the ordinance which He had appointed.
Wine is lacking, possibly through the additional guests, and now there is fear lest the enjoyment of the day should be disturbed. The mother of Jesus names to Him the problem which has arisen. It may be that she looked to Him for counsel as to what had best be done, but it is more likely that He had given to her some previous intimation of what He purposed to do; so she places the matter before Him, saying, "They have no wine."
Bear in mind that Jesus cares not only for our greater needs, but also for our lesser needs. He can pity alike those that have a conscience sorely distressed by sin, and those that have been pained by some very small matter. So that in all cases we cannot do better than follow Mary’s example. "Whether we need bread or water or wine, necessities or comforts — where should we run, O Savior, but to that infinite munificence of Your which neither denies nor upbraids anything? Give us what You will — only give us contentment with what You give."
Yet there was in Mary’s words something not altogether pleasing to Christ. There was something of command, of dictation which He would not permit to pass unreproved. She had not that due reverence for Him which she ought, and therefore, while He purposes abundantly to grant her desire, He gently chides her: "What have I to do with you? My hour is not yet come."
He would thus remind her, that though she were His mother — yet they stood altogether on a different footing. From natural feelings she may be anxious about the needs of those present, but His chief work is to do the will of God. It was very much the counterpart of that question which eighteen years before He had put to her, when she found Him in the temple: "Don’t you know that I must be about my Father’s business?" And if there is not here any act or word that we could declare positively sinful — yet is there not enough to show that in many there remained at least the taint of our fallen humanity? Is there enough to manifest the folly of such a dogma as that of the Immaculate Conception? (that is, that Mary was born without sin.)
Very strange likewise is the error which places Mary so high in honor; which exalts her to the position of co-mediator with Christ, yes, which often confides more in her mercy, than in Jesus. Does He not place on a level with her, all those that do the will of God? "Whoever shall do the will of my Father who is in Heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." Does He not go even beyond this, and tell us that in His sight to hear the Word of God and do it, is a far higher honor, a far more blessed thing than to be His mother after the flesh? When one spoke to Him, "Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you," He answered, "Yes, rather, blessed are those who hear the Word of God and do it." Hence, Mary herself is far more to be honored, because by faith and love she enshrined her Divine Son within her heart — than because God had chosen her to be the instrument through whom Christ should become incarnate. But while Jesus gently reproves His mother, He lets fall an expression which may encourage her to look for a fulfillment of her request in due season: "My hour is not yet come." Delays are not denials. He who hears every prayer, and supplies every need — does so not always as we will, nor always when we will. He has all means and all time at His disposal, so that He chooses the best means and the best time of fulfilling the desires of those who fear Him.
Christian, remember this word of Christ. Let it be your answer to every impatient murmur, to every unbelieving thought that may arise during a period of prolonged suspense: "Though it lingers, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay." Habakkuk 2:3
Every creature-hope and trust,
Every earthly prop or stay,
May lie prostrate in the dust,
May have failed or passed away;
Then, when darkest falls the night,
Jesus comes, and all is light.
Mary gives good counsel to the servants. She looks for Christ to manifest His gracious power, though she might not fully know in what manner and how soon He would do so. So she bids the servants mark His commands, and readily obey them. She says to them, "Whatever He says unto you, do it."
Learn here that whoever would receive blessings from Christ, must cheerfully perform whatever He requires. The path of unreserved obedience is the only one in which we can look for proofs of His love and power. Precepts and promises are knit together, and none may attempt to separate them. Every precept implies a promise; every promise calls for the fulfillment of some precept. Happy are those who strive and pray that they may carefully regard the very least command, and who rejoice in all the promises which Christ has given! "He who has my commandments and keeps them — he it is that loves Me; and he who loves Me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him." The command which Christ gives to the servants is a very simple one. There are set there six waterpots of stone containing altogether about a hundred and twenty gallons. Too much store, it may be, did that household place in these outward purifyings which cannot cleanse the soul. A deeper work did they need, and one that none other could perform for them but that Guest who then stood in their midst. Not the water in those waterpots, but that precious blood which He would shed — could remove those guilty stains which defile the inner man.
Jesus bids the servants fill the water-pots with water, and not doubting the wisdom of the command, they fill them up to the brim. In a moment the change is effected. He who in His ordinary providence makes the vine to give her clusters, and thus bestows the wine that makes glad the heart of man — now dispenses with the intermediate steps, and bestows by His miraculous power, the wine that was requisite. The servants are first conscious of what Christ has wrought, and bring of the new-made wine to the ruler of the feast. The ruler of the feast was one who presided for the purpose of maintaining order, and of relieving the bridegroom from unnecessary anxiety as to the due entertainment of those present. He tastes the fresh wine, and knowing not whence it is, bears a testimony to its excellence. In a tone of pleasant raillery he calls the bridegroom aside, and says, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now." John 2:10
Deferring to another chapter some thoughts that arise with reference to the glory of Christ as manifested in this miracle, let us from these last words lay to heart a lesson that has been drawn from them.
Christ and the world give in very different fashion. The latter gives at first its very best — but afterwards that which is worse. But Christ gives to his disciples first of all tribulation, and the bitter wine of a sorrow that works repentance — and afterward everlasting peace and glory. The lesson cannot better be taught than in the words of Jeremy Taylor: "The world presents us with fair language, promising hopes, convenient fortunes, pompous honors, and these are the outside of the bowl; but when it is swallowed, these dissolve in an instant, and there remains bitterness and malignity. Every sin smiles in the first address, and carries light in the face, and honey in the lips; but when we have well drunk, then ’that which is worse’ — a whip with six strings, fears and terrors of conscience, and shame and displeasure, and hopelessness in the day of death. But when, after the manner of the purifying of the Christians, we fill our waterpots with water, watering our couch with tears and moistening our cheeks with the perpetual distillations of repentance — then Christ turns our water into wine. First penitents, and then believers — first waters of sorrow, and then the wine of the chalice. For Jesus keeps the best wine to the last, not only because of the direct reservations of the highest joys until the nearer approaches of glory, but also because our relishes are higher after a long fruition than at the first essays, such being the nature of grace, that it increases in relish as it does in fruition, every part of grace being new duty and new reward."
"This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him." John 2:11
We see in our Lord changing the water into wine, His glory as the Creator of all things. In the first chapter of this Gospel it is written that "all things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made." It is plainly evident from this miracle, and also from that of the loaves and fish given in the sixth chapter, that the claim was a just one. It was no less a power than that which could create a world — which could thus change or multiply the elements. But look deeper into the purpose of this miracle. It manifests Christ not only as Creator, but Redeemer. It foreshadows something of the glory of His character and work as the Savior and the Friend of sinners.
We may learn that Christ is the Friend who alone can sanctify and bless all home relationships. Within the family circle, there are wheels within wheels — various feelings, dispositions, desires. There are members of the household of peculiar tempers and organizations. And there are ever apt to occur trials and difficulties, little misunderstandings, petty annoyances, and the like, so that the various wheels are apt to clash or become entangled one with the other. Hence the oil of heavenly love is ever needed to make all things work smoothly together. And this Jesus imparts by His presence. He can knit and bind together husband and wife, brother and sister, parent and child. He can make men to be of one mind in a house. He can remove the causes of domestic disquietude and irritation. He can fill our dwellings with such a spirit of blessed and holy peace as testifies of the source whence it arises. But Cana also teaches that Christ is the One whom we should desire to abide with us in our day of earthly gladness. Would you imprison religion within the walls of a sick chamber? Would you forbid it access in season of life’s bright sunshine? Would you bid Christ to stand waiting at the door of your heart until some sore calamity fall upon you — or until the sands of life are nearly run out? Tell me, why should this be? Will you esteem Christ, as did the unprofitable servant — a hard man, an austere man, one who can have no sympathy with your joys? Will you in your inmost heart look upon Him as a thief who would rob you of your chief bliss? Would you reckon that some day it may be needful to make Him your Friend, but that now, while everything looks pleasant and hopeful — it is wiser to keep Him at a distance?
Ah, how you wrong Him, yes too, wrong your own soul! Surely you forget Cana, surely you forget that bridal feast, surely you forget that He who would not for His own necessity change stones into bread — changes water into wine to promote the enjoyment of the guests! Surely you forget that He delights in nothing more than in the true happiness and prosperity of His servants! Surely you forget, moreover, that you need His gracious keeping in the day of your gladness — as much as ever you need His heavenly consolations in the day of your sorrow. "In all time of our wealth, good Lord, deliver us!" And how instructive is it to place the eleventh chapter of this Gospel in close comparison with the narrative of the first miracle given to us in the second! It is the same lesson of the Savior’s sympathy, but under very opposite circumstances. In the one we have a wedding — in the other a funeral. In the one we have a company of cheerful guests — in the other a band of mourners. But Jesus is alike present at both! He increases the joy of Cana — and He lightens the grief of Bethany. He rejoices with those who do rejoice — and weeps with those who weep.
I would bid you, dear reader, ever think of Cana in your joys — and so likewise think of Bethany in your troubles. Think how wisely, how mightily He wrought to remove in due season, the bitter trial which His own love had appointed. Think how tender was His sympathy with the sorrowing ones while the trial lasted. Think of that agonizing groan! Think of that falling tear!
"Jesus wept!" these tears are over,
But His heart is still the same;
Kinsman, Friend, and Elder Brother,
Is His everlasting name.
Savior, who can love like Thee,
Gracious One of Bethany?
"Jesus wept!" that tear of sorrow
Is a legacy of love.
Yesterday, today, tomorrow,
He the same does ever prove.
You are all in all to me,
Living One of Bethany! But we may gain a further light from this miracle. We may discover something of a parable in those water-pots filled to the brim with wine of Christ’s providing. For does it not set Him before us as the bountiful Giver of heavenly grace? Very frequently is wine employed in Scripture as the emblem of spiritual blessings. We have Wisdom’s invitation in the book of Proverbs: "Come eat of my bread and drink of the wine which I have mixed." We have the voice of mercy in the Prophet Isaiah crying aloud to men to "buy wine and milk, without money and without price." So again have we the promise of Gospel days, that "the Lord Almighty will make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of wines on the lees well refined." Yes!
the grace and mercy of Jesus,
the pure joys that He gives,
the consolations of His love,
the fellowship of His Spirit,
are like this wine of Cana — the very best that can be found! Where beside can you obtain such true heart-gladness, where else can you find hopes, promises, satisfactions, that are untouched by earth’s woes, that abide when all else shall pass away? And there is no fear that the supply will ever fail. It was possibly to teach us this, that so abundant a provision was made of wine at the feast. Nor can we imagine for a moment, that one there would take too freely of Christ’s bounty, when the Master Himself was by. None could teach more plainly than He, the peril of that terrible sin which proves a downfall to multitudes, that is such a dark blot on our favored land. It was the very purpose of His advent to teach men "to live soberly, righteously, and godly." He warned His disciples lest at any time their hearts should be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness. It was through His Spirit, that the Apostle Paul exhorted the Ephesians that they should not be filled with wine wherein is excess, and declared to the Corinthian Church that no drunkard should inherit the kingdom of God. Will the reader permit me here to utter a kindly caution, which to many may be altogether needless, but which to others may be of the deepest importance? If there should be the very least danger of your falling into this deadly sin of drunkenness — beware before it is to late! The growth of such habits is very stealthy, and may become an iron chain around you before you are aware of it! Far better abstain altogether, if an enlightened conscience tell you that it is not easy for you to keep within the most careful limits. "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation." But there is no danger of partaking too freely of the new wine which Jesus bestows. "Drink abundantly, O beloved!" is His call. Myriads in days past, myriads in our time, have tasted its precious draughts — yet there is still an ample sufficiency for all.
Come, you who have believed, but are yet feeble in grace and feeble in service, come yet again and again; take larger and larger supplies. Is Jesus tired of giving? Is the Spirit of God straightened? Nay, you have been remiss in desiring, and slow in asking — hence you receive less than you might. Bring yet more vessels, expect yet more than you have done heretofore; open your mouth wide, and He will fill it.
Come, you who are wretched and undone, tired of earth’s joys — and yet ignorant of that which is better. You who know the sting of an accusing conscience, and the aching of a weary or fearful heart — come, try the Savior’s love! Come, taste and see that the Lord is good! Come, receive the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.
Ah, sinner, if you drink not here, remember there is another cup, there is other wine of which you must drink. "For the LORD holds a cup in his hand that is full of foaming wine mixed with spices. He pours out the wine in judgment, and all the wicked must drink it, draining it to the dregs!" Psalms 75:8
Yes, the man who refuses the gift of life and salvation, "shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God!" Oh, choose the better part! Take the cup of love, the cup of blessing, the cup in which is found every element of everlasting peace and joy. In another respect we may behold in this miracle, the glory of the Redeemer. Since the fall, everything has been marred and corrupted by sin. With its deadly touch, sin has pervaded the whole creation. In the beginning all things were made very good — but now they have become very evil. Everywhere may we trace the slime of the old serpent. But Christ is here manifested as the mighty Alchemist, transforming, changing, restoring all things. By His power the water — comparatively but little worth, is changed into the wine — exceedingly precious and costly. Thus does Christ ever work. He changes the vile into that which is of highest value. "He makes all things new."
Into every "Marah" fountain, into every affliction and trial — He is ever ready to cast a branch of the tree of life, thus making the bitter waters sweet. In other words, He waits to turn that which in itself is grievous and painful — into a means of increased holiness and heightened joy. In place of this old world, groaning beneath the burden of woe that lies upon it — He will make "new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness." In place of Jerusalem that once was — He will create the New Jerusalem which shall come down from above, as a bride prepared for the bridegroom. In place of this corruptible body — He shall give a body glorious and immortal, fashioned like unto His own. Yes, He changes the heart and spirit of man — turning the vile sinner, into the holy saint. He changes the fallen one, into the holy child of God, according as it is written, "If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature — old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new." The fierce demoniac, a terror to all around — He changes into the meek and obedient disciple, "sitting at his feet, clothed and in his right mind."
"The woman who had lived a very sinful life" — He so changes, that she becomes an example to all for the great love which she bestows upon Him. The dying malefactor — He changes into an heir of paradise.
Saul, the persecuting Pharisee — He changes into Paul, the very chief of Apostles. The jailer, hardened in his sin — He changes into the rejoicing believer. The Corinthians, aforetime drunkards, thieves, adulterers, prostitutes, homosexuals, and the like — He changes into holy Christians — washed, sanctified, and justified in His name, and by the Spirit of our God. The Ephesians, dead in trespasses and sins, having no hope and without God in the world — He changes into "fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God." And ever since His exaltation to the right hand of the Father, He has ever been carrying out the same gracious design:
destroying in men, the works of the devil,
lifting them up from the degradation and bondage of sin,
adorning them with all heavenly graces and virtues,
making them partakers of the Divine holiness!
Reader, has this work in any measure been wrought in you? Search and see; for without it, there can be no sitting down with Christ at the marriage feast above, where Jesus is the Bridegroom and His Church the Bride. If it has not been hitherto — then plead with Christ in fervent prayer that it may be so now. Plead with Him . . .
that all which is dark — He would illuminate with His heavenly light;
that all that is hard and unfeeling — He would soften and subdue;
that all that is defiling — He would purify;
that all that is weak — He would strengthen;
that all that is base and of earth — He would elevate;
that all that is crooked — He would make straight;
that all that is of vanity and self and the flesh — He would cast out;
that your heart, once by nature full to the brim of evil, as those water-pots of water — may henceforth by His grace be full to overflowing of the new wine of peace, holiness, and love!