Moments to Ponder
Pondering is a lost practice today.
The idea that we might actually take a few moments to think deeply about anything seems indulgent in our busy, full schedules. Yet, our souls crave rest and space to breathe, process our lives, choices, and walk with Jesus. I invite you to join me fora few moments to take in Scripture and take away a few thoughts to ponder throughout your day.
Moments to Ponder
Episode 121: From son to Savior, Jesus' ministry begins (John 2)
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Imagine being at a wedding where the wine runs dry, and suddenly, the most unexpected guest performs a miracle that changes everything. What if this moment was the beginning of a profound journey, not just for those present, but for millions around the world?
Explore the complex emotions surrounding weddings and consider Mary's pivotal role in prompting Jesus to reveal his divine mission. Together, we'll uncover how this event marked the start of Jesus' transformation from a son into a Savior, deepening the faith of his followers and forever changing the course of history.
We'll also go beyond Cana, examining Jesus' cleansing of the temple—a powerful act symbolizing authority and transformation. Let's draw parallels between this act and the ongoing need for spiritual cleansing in our lives. Embrace the lessons from these pivotal moments in Jesus' ministry and find inspiration in the growth that comes from clearing out distractions and focusing on what truly matters.
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Hi friends, welcome to Moments to Ponder. This podcast is designed to help you spend a few moments in God's Word, gain fresh perspectives and find meaningful takeaways to ponder throughout your week. I'm Betsy Marvin and this is episode 121. Weddings I attend a lot of weddings and I love it the joy, the families, the dancing and laughter and, of course, the love. My daughter got married a few months ago and it is a day I'll never forget. We had so much fun, but I do have to say I'm glad it was just one day.
Speaker 1:I cannot imagine the scheduling, the food or the cost of putting on a multi-day wedding celebration, but in the days of Jesus, a traditional Jewish wedding lasted a week. Think about that Like. I'm not sure how many people this entailed, but I have a feeling it was a lot. Families and extended families traveled far and wide to celebrate the couple together. As we begin chapter two, we learn that Jesus and his disciples have been invited to a wedding in the village of Cana. His mother was there too, which tells us that it was a wedding of someone they knew. So, as we all do, they RSVP'd and attended. Cana is about five miles north of Nazareth, where Mary would have been coming from north of Nazareth, where Mary would have been coming from, and about 20 to 25 miles from Capernaum, where Jesus most likely was coming from with his disciples. So, for a little context, it would have taken Jesus and his group a good seven plus hours to walk to Cana for the wedding, and they most likely met up with others on their way there as well likely met up with others on their way there as well. So let's just imagine this for a moment. The sights, smells and sounds, even the people.
Speaker 1:It's day three of the wedding celebration. The courtyard and home are filled with family and friends, some sitting, some standing. They're all in a variety of different conversations as they catch up on children and work health, and we'll, of course, talk about how beautiful the bride looked. It's loud but joyous, as the occasional laughter rings out and there's little giggles of children coming from under the table, where they've hidden to watch what the adults do. There's servants and they're moving among the group with trays of finger foods and drinks while the mother of the bride asks her husband do you think everyone is having a good time? The group is nibbling their appetizers and you can smell the lamb and bread wafting through the air, making their mouths water in anticipation. It's just about time to eat.
Speaker 1:The musicians are setting up in preparation for the dancing to come after the meal and the head servant asks to speak to the mistress of ceremonies. He informs her the wine is running out. He apologizes for any miscalculation on his part and asks what should he do? This is no small thing. There are at least two more days, one of them a Shabbat, before the festivities are all done. Where would they find more wine and what would it cost? What will people think? This will hang over the parents' head, along with the bride and groom, for years to come. The disgrace and shame will follow them. Mary notices the concerned. Look on her friend, the mistress of ceremony's face as she tells Mary what's going on. Mary says let me talk to my son. With this in mind, here's chapter 2.
Speaker 1:The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus' mother told him they have no more wine. Dear woman, that's not our problem. Jesus replied my time has not yet come. But his mother told the servants Do whatever he tells you. Standing nearby were six stone water jars used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold 20 to 30 gallons. Jesus told the servants fill the jars with water. When the jars had been filled, he said now dip some out and take it to the master of ceremonies. So the servants followed his instructions. When the master of ceremonies tasted the water, that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from, though of course the servants knew he called the bridegroom over. A host always serves the best wine first, he said. Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine, but you have kept the best until now. This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory and his disciples believed in him. After the wedding, he went to Capernaum for a few days with his mother, his brothers and his disciples.
Speaker 1:You may have noticed a couple details. There is not a mention of Joseph here, which leads us to believe that he has already died, leaving the care of Mary to Jesus as the eldest son. We also notice near the end of this passage that Mary had other sons, which will come into play later in this book. But as Mary approaches Jesus about the wine, you wonder if she had a sense that there was change coming. She had seen the baptism by John with the words Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. She'd watched her son spend days in the wilderness and then moved to Capernaum and actually called disciples. She can see that Jesus is about to do something different. So, as he calls her woman which is actually a word used out of respect we see the shift as he moves from her son into his father's work.
Speaker 1:Although this story reads as if this all happened quickly, I think we can assume that it took some time. In fact, in John 5, 19,. Jesus says I tell you the truth, the son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the father doing. Whatever the father does, the son also does. So we get the impression that Jesus had someone else to talk to beside his mother before he could do anything. So, as Mary says, do whatever he tells you, which actually sounds a lot like the words of Pharaoh with Joseph. We need to read between the lines. Jesus makes it clear that Mary isn't the one who will start his ministry, although she may have been prompted by the Holy Spirit. Jesus must pray about it, knowing that only if his Father says so will he act. Now John calls this the first sign of Jesus and throughout his book he will share with us seven signs. This first act, one full of compassion for this family and so incredibly generous, is such a beautiful beginning.
Speaker 1:Jesus asked the servants to fill the ceremonial six jars, which means it would have held water they used for washing and for purification. They were large jars, 20 to 30 gallons each, which means he makes over 120 gallons of wine. For reference, it takes approximately six bottles of wine to make a gallon, so Jesus made 720 bottles of wine. Can you imagine the servants After hauling all this water? They had to have been wondering what in the world is this guy going to do? And then, as they follow Jesus' instructions, they see wine coming from their pitchers when they pour them. Now the guests don't know, but they do. Jesus has done something miraculous. No wonder the disciples believed this was more wine than the wedding would even need. This means the couple could have sold some to start their new life together. Some may have been sent home with guests.
Speaker 1:God is making a statement here. I can do more than you can even imagine. God does nothing without purpose. I think the fact that these are purification water jars is something to take note of. John is writing that we may believe. And this first miracle is one of transformation Jesus takes something used for purification and changes it, making the water into wine. And later Jesus will use wine as a symbol of what he will do to open the way to transform us all. The beginning foreshadowing the culmination to come.
Speaker 1:Okay, let's continue with verse 13. Okay, let's continue with verse 13. It says it was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. John continues to set up the context for us After some time in Capernaum with his family and disciples, it's time to head to Jerusalem for Passover.
Speaker 1:This would have been a yearly trip and it wasn't an easy one. It's somewhere around 80 miles. This means it took four days of travel, which would have taken them around Samaria and probably through Bethany. It was a trip taken by many families, so it wasn't a solitary walk. There'd be others that would join along the way, creating travel conversations and rest stops with campfire talks. It may have even meant staying at Lazarus' home as a part of their journey. Jesus would have attended Passover in Jerusalem all of his life. We know from Luke that he was 12 when he got hung up in Jerusalem after his parents left to go home and he gave them quite a scare. In Jerusalem, after his parents left to go home and he gave them quite a scare. John takes note of all three times they had to Jerusalem for Passover together, this being the first, and in it Jesus makes quite a statement. Here's verse 14 and following In the temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep and doves for sacrifices.
Speaker 1:He also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money. Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the temple. He drove off the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers' coins all over the floor and turned over the tables. Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them get these things out of here, stop turning my father's house into a marketplace. Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from scriptures Passion for God's house will consume me. But the Jewish leaders demanded what are you doing If God gave you authority to do this? Show us some miraculous sign to prove it All right. Jesus replied destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up. What they exclaimed. It has taken 46 years to build this temple and you can rebuild it in three days. But when Jesus said this temple, he meant his own body After he was raised from the dead. His disciples remembered he had said this and they believed both the scriptures and what Jesus had said.
Speaker 1:Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him. But Jesus didn't trust them because he knew all about people. No one needed to tell him about human nature, for he knew what was in each person's heart. One thing I didn't realize is that the area of the temple where the merchants would have set up their marketplace was the section that was set aside for Gentiles. Their stalls would have prevented the Gentiles from coming in to worship, which the leaders obviously didn't care about, but Jesus did. It may not have been that they were actually selling animals for sacrifice. Many would have needed these services, but it was where they were selling that corrupted the temple.
Speaker 1:John places this incident early in Jesus's ministry, while other writers place it later. Regardless, the point is made the temple is the house of God and should be treated as such. This is an act of cleansing. It's not so much violent as it speaks to the authority of Jesus. When the leaders ask him for a sign, jesus says Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up. The leaders had no clue what he was talking about. They knew that their temple had taken 46 years to build, which for us, as a reader, gives us a clue that it's probably around 27 AD when this occurs, and these leaders couldn't fathom a rebuilding in three days. But John knows that Jesus is referring to the resurrection of his body, that temple. John goes on to tell us that Jesus did more miraculous signs in Jerusalem during Passover, but he doesn't share them with us and it's probably because, well, they aren't the point.
Speaker 1:John is looking to bring us two important pieces here, two things that we can take from this. Jesus began his ministry with a miracle of transformation, followed by a cleansing of the temple. Now remember, jesus called his body a temple, which both Paul and Peter write about later, saying that we, as followers, have become the temple of the Holy Spirit. Transformation, then cleansing Our lives with Jesus, begin with his transformational work through salvation in our lives. The purification jars used in Cana represent the purification that he does in us as he transforms our lives, as our lives are poured out. We show his work in us and it's more than we can imagine, as he lavishly loves us.
Speaker 1:Yet there's also cleansing to be done. Our temples, our body and souls need to be cleared out of all the junk of our culture and world. We need to make room for worship and for growth. It's an ongoing process as we discover more and more of what it means to be his dwelling place. Oh, dear one, may our generous and compassionate God continue His transforming work in you as you grow in Him. And just as he gave the wedding couple more than they would ever know, he has more for you, more than you can even ask or imagine. Yes, there is cleansing and it can be hard. Yes, there is cleansing and it can be hard, but as we yield to his authority, the result is one of growth and peace. May you walk in a life transformed. You are loved, amen.