The third day, there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there. John 2:1 WEB
In chapter one of his gospel account, John gives a description of the divinity of Jesus and then moves to describe the Jewish leadership’s questioning of John the Baptist and his practice of baptizing. The practice to them seemed out of place because John did not claim to be a prophet or the Messiah.
The next day, upon seeing Jesus, John proclaims to his followers, “Look, the Lamb of God” in reference to Jesus as the Messiah. On the following day, Christ calls Phillip and Nathanael as disciples. These events give the context for interpreting John’s language describing a wedding in Cana. The wedding was held on the third day after the questioning of John the Baptist by the religious leadership.
You Will See Greater Things
Jesus first called Phillip and subsequently Phillip told Nathanael in John 1:45, “We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote: Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. WEB” When Jesus described Nathanael sitting under a fig tree before Phillip told him about his encounter with Jesus, Nathanael immediately believed in Christ, calling him the Son of God and the King of Israel. John 1:50 records the Lord’s response saying, “Jesus answered him, ‘Because I told you, ‘I saw you underneath the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these!’ WEB”
Cana was Nathanael’s hometown. True to his word, Jesus performs the first miracle described in the gospel of John at the wedding in Cana turning water into wine. With the wedding symbolism that reflects Christ as groom and the church as his bride along with the transformational power of Jesus indicated by his turning water into wine, the wedding in Cana gives insight into the life changing message of salvation to come through the divinity of Christ.
Do What Jesus Says
The passage mentions that Jesus’ mother was present at the wedding in Cana. At that time, wedding feasts often lasted for up to a week. People would travel in from distant places and arrive on different days to celebrate the union of the bride and groom. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was one of the invited guests. At the wedding, she directed the servants saying of Jesus, “Whatever he says to you, do it.”
After that, Jesus asked the servants to fill six water jars and then the Lord transformed the water to wine. The water may symbolize the cleansing of sins as in baptism. The wine is symbolic of the transformational power of Jesus and the joy of the new covenant achieved by the sacrificial blood of our Lord and Savior.
Prayer: “Father God, thank you for the joy you share with us through the truth of your holy word. Thank you for accepting me into your holy family. Help me to share the joy of Christ with the world. In Jesus’ name – Amen”
Yesterday’s Devotional: Receive the Corwn of Life
