Hi. Welcome to Redeem the Commute. I’m Ryan, your host of the daily challenges. Today is Tuesday, the day we study the Bible together. This week, as part of our series on the identity of Jesus, is about how Jesus is Helpful. We’re going to study a time when Jesus attended a wedding and the bride and groom needed help.
On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:1-5 ESV)
For the last thirty years, Jesus had been growing, learning, and quietly going about his life as a carpenter’s son in Nazareth.
His Baptism, then his temptation in the desert that we studied last week, marked beginning of his public ministry. He was now a travelling religious teacher, or rabbi. Rabbis needed disciples, so he gathered some followers from the shores of Lake Galilee, mostly fishermen. Nowhere in the Bible does it say he’s yet performed any miracles – he’s just getting started.
Then all that exciting team development paused, as he had to go to a family wedding, or at least the wedding of some family friends since his mother was there.
This would have been a seven day celebration, and the hosts would have been obsessively concerned with hospitality. Middle eastern cultures are known for their hospitality – there are many rules – written and unwritten – about how guests are to be treated with lavish generosity.
While Jesus and his mother are there, horror of horrors, the wine runs out.
This would have been a huge embarrassment for the hosts, so Jesus’ mother comes to him and says “They have no wine.”
This is Jesus’ mother, so this is a loaded statement. What she really means is, “come on, do something.” She knows who he really is, that he’s the son of God in human flesh, and she’s asking him to use his power and help. She’s clearly concerned for the hosts, and trying to show them compassion, but as you heard a few moments ago, Jesus responds, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” Now, this isn’t an insult, like it would be if I called someone, “Woman” or “Listen Lady”. It was actually more a term of endearment in his day – like “My dear”. He’s not insulting his mother, but still wants her to give him some space!
His mother could care less, and simply says to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Question: Why do you think Jesus refuses? What does he mean by “not my time”? What do you think he’ll do?
Meeting with a Group? Your discussion questions are in this week’s Group Study Guide