David Bahn – Reflections

John 2:6-11

Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. ⁷Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. [See the remainder of this story below.]

The plane was going down. The passengers were in a panic. Someone yelled out, “You’re a pastor – do something religious!” So the pastor took up an offering. [Rim shot here!]

Few of Jesus’ recorded actions were religious in that sense of the term; he did pray, teach, and call people to faith. Once he even made provision for Peter to pay the temple tax (cf. Matthew 17:24-27). But Jesus spent much time with people in everyday life situations: dinners, walking along the road, and even here in John 2, at a wedding.

When the wine was gone and Jesus was called on to act, he seemed to be initiating some sort of religious action: jars used for Jewish purification rites were to be filled with water. I wonder if some thought that he was about to baptize the wedding feast, or purify the bride and groom.

But no such religious activity was in Jesus’ plan here. He intended to provide wine for the wedding feast. Lots of wine! Good wine! Rather than doing a religious thing, Jesus did a gracious thing. He entered into the celebration of marriage. He gladdened the hearts of the people there at Cana.

Here Jesus “manifested his glory,” says John. The greatest part of that manifestation was no doubt turning water into wine. But no little part of Jesus’ glory is seen in his entrance fully into the lives and affairs of people.

The glory of Jesus is to show us that God is to be part not only of religious moments and events, but in all of life. He is not just religious; he is God in the flesh; in our world. Where would he be with you today? What part of your life needs the presence of Jesus and his glory?

John 2:6-11

Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. ⁷Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. ⁸And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. ⁹When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom ¹⁰and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” ¹¹This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.