The Synoptics begin Jesus’ public ministry immediately following his temptation in the wilderness, not so the Gospel of John. Instead, his narrative has Jesus’ ministry beginning immediately following the marriage at Cana of Galilee. Why is this so, and is it significant? Nathanael, who is probably James, the son of Alphaeus,[1] one of the Twelve, was from the city of Cana (John 21:2), so it may be that it was his wedding that Jesus and his other disciples attended. A cursory reading of the Gospel narratives may lead one to believe Jesus’ miracles were spent on folks never heard of again, but I don’t think this is so. Indeed, it is logically probable (not dogmatically fixed, however) that the miracles were often done for the benefit of either one of the Twelve or a leading figure that arose in the book of Acts. So, the fact that Jesus and his disciples were invited to a marriage feast at Cana (John 2:2) probably alludes to the wedding being Nathanael’s (John 1:45-51). Nevertheless, just as the Lord often used his surroundings to bring forth a deep truth, so Nathanael’s wedding, with Jesus’ miracle done there, points to a deeper truth about Christ and his bride. What occurred in Cana held a particular significance to Jesus’ disciples (John 2:11), which, according to the text, numbered only five at this point in Jesus’ pubic ministry.
As we begin chapter two of the Gospel of John, we find Jesus in Galilee. Nevertheless, this was only about seven days after he had left John the Baptizer in Bethabara, which was in Perea on the other side of the Jordan (cp. John 1:28, 35-36, 43). We have noted in my previous study that this means Jesus’ forty-day temptation in the wilderness must be taken allegorically, or at least the wilderness part of it must be allegorical. [2]
Just after Jesus had chosen his three leading disciples (John 1:40-51), both he and his disciples were invited to a wedding that took place at Cana, and we are told that Jesus’ mother was there (John 2:1-2). What may be an interesting point is, her name isn’t mentioned, and this seems to introduce yet another allegory into the text. For example, Revelation 12:1-2, 5-6, 13-17 mentions a woman, a mother, who brought forth a man-child (Christ) who was to rule all nations. Nevertheless, this wasn’t Mary, Jesus’ literal mother. Rather, it was the mother of Christ who was to bring him forth out of the hearts and lives of believers. Paul speaks of her as Jerusalem, which is above (Galatians 4:6, cp. Revelation 21:1-3).
Notice that Jesus’ mother understands a problem exists. That is, they have no wine! (John 2:3). The text doesn’t say: ‘They have run out of wine!’ Instead, it states: They have no wine! But, what significance, if any, does this hold for the reader? In his first epistle, the Gospel narrator tells us that the Spirit is truth (1John 5:6), and Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians: “be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). The point being that, just as wine acts upon the flesh, so the Spirit acts upon men’s hearts and minds. Wine changes one’s behavior without our making an effort to do so. In other words, no human effort is required in the process of the change. Likewise, the Spirit changes our hearts and minds without our effort to change (cp. 2Corinthians 3:10-18). Paul puts it like this:
“I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwells no good thing. For to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I do not find” (Romans 7:18).
He goes on to ask how could he possibly be delivered from such a dilemma (Romans 7:24), but then he concludes with Jesus being the answer (Romans 7:25), for walking after the flesh leads to death, but to walk after the Spirit leads to life and peace (Romans 8:6).
Applying this to what occurred in Cana, Jesus’ reply was that his time had not yet come (John 2:4). In other words, he had not yet been crucified, raised from the dead and glorified, so how could men experience the new birth, whereby they could understand spiritual matters and behave accordingly (cp. 1Corinthians 2:6-13)? Before the time of Jesus’ glorification, that would be impossible. Nevertheless, the mother of Christ commanded the servants to obey Jesus (John 2:5-8).[3] John would later record Jesus saying of the Spirit: “he dwells with you and shall be in you” (John 14:17), after which, Jesus commanded his disciples to let his words abide in them and the desires of their hearts would be fulfilled (John 15:7).
The Lord knows the names of those who have chosen Zion, the city of God and mother of us all (cp. Galatians 4:6). Therefore, they will be established (Psalm 87:2-6), for it was promised in the last days that all nations would begin to flow into the mountain of the Lord (Zion) seeking to know him (Isaiah 2:2-3).
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[1] See my earlier study: The Calling of the Leading Apostles.
[2] See my previous study: When and Where Was Jesus 40 Day Temptation?
[3] In other words, obeying Jesus before Pentecost, was like obeying the Spirit after Pentecost.
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