Cana of Galilee
"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." 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 2:10-11)
Cana means "place of reeds" suggesting something
of the beautiful countryside of lower Galilee. It is distinguished from the other
biblical Cana in Lebanon mentioned in Joshua 19:28, by the designation "Cana
of Galilee". Cana survives today as a small town on the tourist road between
Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee, just as it was when Jesus took his mother and
family and friends 'down' to the lakeside at Capernaum, perhaps for a few day's
rest (John 2:12).
Cana was the home of Nathanael, one of the Apostles
(John 21:2). Although Cana is only mentioned in John's gospel, it is remembered
above all as the place where Jesus performed his first great miraculous 'sign'
(John 2:1-11). On another occasion Jesus visited the town, and encountered a royal
official desperate for Jesus to heal his son who was dying. Although Jesus rebukes
the people for seeking 'miraculous signs and wonders' (John 4:48), in compassion
and simply by the spoken word, he performs a second miracle in Cana and the boy
is healed instantaneously even though he is many miles away in Capernaum.
How appropriate that the divine 'Bridegroom'
(Isaiah 62:5; John 3:29; Matthew 9:15), should reveal his glory at a humble wedding.
In the days of Jesus, the bridegroom would walk to the house of his bride and
they would walk back together to his house followed by their families. The whole
town was involved in the procession. When the couple arrived at the groom's house,
the reception would take place with plenty of food and wine. Usually the party
would last for several days. That is why it was always possible to run out of
food or wine. Jesus turned the water into wine, not just to save the couple from
embarrassment. It was a sign of what Jesus had come to do for us all.
Jesus blessed the couple and their community
in three specific ways. First, Jesus blessed them with his presence but first
he needed to be invited. Second, Jesus blessed them with his provision. The six
stone water jars held between 120 and 180 gallons which is a lot of wine and very
good wine at that. Jesus blessed them with quantity and quality but Mary had to
ask him. Third, Jesus blessed them with his power for this was not simply an act
of compassion or generosity. It was a supernatural miracle and John points out
that as a consequence, 'his disciples put their faith
in him'. I wonder about the bride and groom.
They must have also known where the wine had come from. Perhaps they too became
disciples of Christ, at least after the honeymoon.
Jesus' power to turn water into wine, is a
picture of His work in us, the Church, his 'Bride'. Jesus has the power to change
our ordinary lives into something special by his presence, his provision and power.
The Bible uses the word "metamorphosis" to describe this amazing transformation
(Romans 12:1-2). The 'sign' miracles of Jesus, and this was the first, were not
performed to trick or entertain, but to prove that God had come in the person
of Jesus to share his joy and love and enable us to know him as our friend and
Saviour.