The First Miracle

Notes

Readings.

"Desire of Ages," pp. 144-153.

1. Cana, "the reedy place," so called from the thick jungles originally found in its immediate neighborhood, was situated on a hill which rises from the plain of El Battauf. It is supposed to have been nine miles north of Nazareth, the home of Jesus, which was the first objective point of the journey. Arriving there, and finding no one to receive them, Jesus and His disciples accepted an invitation to be present at the wedding, which from attending circumstances seems to have been that of some relative of Christ, judging from the prominent part His mother was acting in connection with it.

2. Fresh juice of the grape was considered indispensable at a Jewish wedding, while the fermented variety was forbidden. Prov. 20:1. See also "Desire of Ages," pp. 145, 149. It is not known how long the festivities had been going on before the wine gave out, but such a failure was a disgrace to those making a feast, and so the extremity on that occasion was one to be deplored.

3. He no longer calls her "mother," but uses a familiar Hebrew expression, the common form of address to all women. He wishes her to understand that she no longer controls Him, but that He is under the sole guidance of His Father above. Her interference in His work, on the ground of her fleshly relationship, was repudiated. There was danger of her forgetting His changed relation to her. While the address now seems harsh, it was not then so considered, as will be seen by His last tender words to her, when he was expiring on the cross. John 19:26. See "Desire of Ages," p. 146.

4. The hour is not Mine in which to be glorified; the time has not yet come for Me to be exalted. God fixes My hour and work; I must now glorify Him alone. See "Desire of Ages," pp. 146, 147.

5. The sanitary precautions of the Old Testament had been so distorted by the Jews of that day that before every meal each person must wash his hands. No one came from the market and neglected the prescribed ablution. Every guest must have his feet washed upon arrival, and leave his sandals outside of the door. For these purposes, and countless other washings, great stone jars were by the doorway. At this place there were six of these, each holding about ten gallons. This is the lowest estimate of their capacity made by any author. To fill all these with wine showed overflowing generosity, which is characteristic of the Lord in answering our requests for spiritual blessings.

6. This was a great miracle. As said by Milton, "The conscious water saw its God and blushed." The difference between this miracle and the regular operation of nature was only in the matter of time taken to obtain the result. In the operation, one is as much a miracle as the other, since it requires the power of God to accomplish the result in either case. The miracle did not break the order of nature's laws, but only hastened it.

7. Without doubt, as the guests remarked on the quality of the wine set before them, inquiries were raised as to where it was procured. The servants, of course, related the whole proceeding. Jesus was then sought for. Anticipating this, in His great modesty He retired, and this act on His part gave opportunity for His disciples to proclaim Him as the Son of God,—the Messiah. Quickly the news of the event spread until it reached even Judea, and so Christ sought retirement for a few days.