The first miracle that Jesus does, changing water to wine, seems to show his desire to celebrate life
Anyway, about the wedding feast ... when I read this, it's hard to think of anything but the movie I saw when I first became a christian, the first time I took the online retreat ... guess that was an impressionabel time for me ... I know it's not the scripture itself, just a movie, but here's how I shall always see that wedding feast story of John's ...
In the movie, Jesus and his mom attended the wedding of a relative. He took along his two new disciples as well. John was sold on Jesus, thought he was the messiah, but Andrew wasn't so sure and his misgivings weren't mitigated by the sight of Jesus dancing and generally partying like a normal guy. When Jesus took a break from dancing, he asked his disciples if they were having a good time, why they weren't dancing. Darkly, Andrew said he wouldn't "party" until Isreal was rid of Rome, implying, it seemed, that Jesus as the messiah had better things to do than dance. Perhaps he wasn't the right guy for the job, afterall.
Jesus was crestfallen. His mom, who had heard this exchange, came forward and mentioned to Jesus that there was no wine. He asked, distracted, what concern it was of theirs. She told him that this was the time to show Andrew he hadn't made the wrong choice in bexoming a disciple. Jesus reluctantly agreed, turned the water into wine, and brought some of it to Andrew, saying that the cup for which he had waited had arrived ... Jesus did this ... and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.
I don't know if this senario actually happened or if it was placed there by the writer of John for some purpose (as David said) but it speaks to me about Jesus, his relationship with his mom, his disciples, and his view of life as a wedding feast that should never end.
January 08, 2005
david's (kwakersaur's) thoughts
For me the key phrase here is this was the first of Jesus' signs: it was at Cana in Galilee. John is telling us how to read this story.
We sometimes get into tussles about historicity. The Jesus Seminar folks tell us this story never happened because we have not supporting documentation. The biblical inerrantists tell us every word of scripture is an historically accurate picture of actual events. But John says this: read this story as a sign. Signs point away from themselves to other things.
I'm reminded of a zen proverb. When the finger points to the moon, only dogs look at the finger.
So what does this pointing-finger story point to?
Three days later. It points to the resurrection. Transformation. A new creation.
Water into Wine. This is water meant for ablutions. Ritual washing of the outside. But this is good wine. Wine that changes us from the inside. Transformation and new creation yet again.
So what do we do with it?
We sometimes get into tussles about historicity. The Jesus Seminar folks tell us this story never happened because we have not supporting documentation. The biblical inerrantists tell us every word of scripture is an historically accurate picture of actual events. But John says this: read this story as a sign. Signs point away from themselves to other things.
I'm reminded of a zen proverb. When the finger points to the moon, only dogs look at the finger.
So what does this pointing-finger story point to?
Three days later. It points to the resurrection. Transformation. A new creation.
Water into Wine. This is water meant for ablutions. Ritual washing of the outside. But this is good wine. Wine that changes us from the inside. Transformation and new creation yet again.
So what do we do with it?
Wedding Feast at Cena
On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. The mother of Jesus was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited. And they ran out of wine, since the wine provided for the feast had all been used, and the mother of Jesus said to him, 'They have no wine.'
Jesus said, 'Woman, what do you want from me? My hour has not come yet.'
His mother said to the servants, 'Do whatever he tells you.'
There were six stone water jars standing there, meant for the ablutions that are customary among the Jews: each could hold twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, 'Fill the jars with water,' and they filled them to the brim. Then he said to them, 'Draw some out now and take it to the president of the feast.'
They did this; the president tasted the water, and it had turned into wine. Having no idea where it came from -- though the servants who had drawn the water knew -- the president of the feast called the bridegroom and said, 'Everyone serves good wine first and the worse wine when the guests are well wined; but you have kept the best wine till now.'
This was the first of Jesus' signs: it was at Cana in Galilee. He revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him. After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, but they stayed there only a few days.
Jesus said, 'Woman, what do you want from me? My hour has not come yet.'
His mother said to the servants, 'Do whatever he tells you.'
There were six stone water jars standing there, meant for the ablutions that are customary among the Jews: each could hold twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, 'Fill the jars with water,' and they filled them to the brim. Then he said to them, 'Draw some out now and take it to the president of the feast.'
They did this; the president tasted the water, and it had turned into wine. Having no idea where it came from -- though the servants who had drawn the water knew -- the president of the feast called the bridegroom and said, 'Everyone serves good wine first and the worse wine when the guests are well wined; but you have kept the best wine till now.'
This was the first of Jesus' signs: it was at Cana in Galilee. He revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him. After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, but they stayed there only a few days.
--John 2:1-12 (New Jerusalem Bible)
January 06, 2005
Marjorie on John 1:19-34
John the Baptist's witness
I love verse 23 -- the voice crying out in the wilderness... Who has not been this? Can you hear the anguish and loneliness and pain? Can we just shout back "I am here, with you"?
John the Baptist is exhorting them to 'make straight the way of the Lord.' In one discussion, I learned how John was expecting fire and brimstone and judgment from Jesus, he was so surprised by what he got he had to send messengers from prison to inquire whether Jesus was the one to come or whether there would be another (Luke 7:18-20; Matthew 11:2-3). We cry out, we try to prepare ourselves and others but we have no idea what to expect. When we think we know what to expect, we're often wrong. Even those of us sent by God with a specific task (v.33 the one who sent me).
I suppose it makes sense that this passage follows the questions of the Pharisee's as to the identity of John the Baptist. Everyone is looking for God but no one has any idea what he will look like.
I find it interesting that John's clue as to the Messiah will be the one on whom the Spirit descends and remains. What does this mean? We may have moments of feeling the Spirit, but they are fleeting? That certainly resonates with me as I struggle along, trying to hold onto the gift of the Spirit for longer and longer each time and feeling like a failure each time it departs.
I love verse 23 -- the voice crying out in the wilderness... Who has not been this? Can you hear the anguish and loneliness and pain? Can we just shout back "I am here, with you"?
John the Baptist is exhorting them to 'make straight the way of the Lord.' In one discussion, I learned how John was expecting fire and brimstone and judgment from Jesus, he was so surprised by what he got he had to send messengers from prison to inquire whether Jesus was the one to come or whether there would be another (Luke 7:18-20; Matthew 11:2-3). We cry out, we try to prepare ourselves and others but we have no idea what to expect. When we think we know what to expect, we're often wrong. Even those of us sent by God with a specific task (v.33 the one who sent me).
I suppose it makes sense that this passage follows the questions of the Pharisee's as to the identity of John the Baptist. Everyone is looking for God but no one has any idea what he will look like.
I find it interesting that John's clue as to the Messiah will be the one on whom the Spirit descends and remains. What does this mean? We may have moments of feeling the Spirit, but they are fleeting? That certainly resonates with me as I struggle along, trying to hold onto the gift of the Spirit for longer and longer each time and feeling like a failure each time it departs.
Marjorie on the Prologue
Whoops, I'm behind...
I was struck by v. 9 -- Jesus being the true light that enlightens everyone. No requirement of belief for this enlightenment, its there, through Jesus. Now verse 12 gets into belief -- to all who received and believed in his name he gives the power to become children of God. This comes not 'of the will of the flesh or the will of man.' This strikes me as you can't force yourself, or anyone, to believe; belief is not accomplished through the will. Kind of makes the Crusades seem a bit misguided. It cannot be willed and everyone is enlightened.
Why do we haggle over creeds? Weren't they just supposed to jell the belief set of a certain sect? It seems like a useful tool to the extent that it offers a definition for members. But then it would exclude those who don't have the same set of beliefs. But shouldn't those people go searching for a place that has beliefs that align with their own, instead of struggling with misalignment? Shouldn't this be easy? I guess it spins out to tribalism, but whats so wrong with worshipping with your tribe, so long as you accept that its only a construct to help you and not to exclude or judge others?
Why can I not get out of my head the final line from a children's book -- "You are loved, but so are they"?
I was struck by v. 9 -- Jesus being the true light that enlightens everyone. No requirement of belief for this enlightenment, its there, through Jesus. Now verse 12 gets into belief -- to all who received and believed in his name he gives the power to become children of God. This comes not 'of the will of the flesh or the will of man.' This strikes me as you can't force yourself, or anyone, to believe; belief is not accomplished through the will. Kind of makes the Crusades seem a bit misguided. It cannot be willed and everyone is enlightened.
Why do we haggle over creeds? Weren't they just supposed to jell the belief set of a certain sect? It seems like a useful tool to the extent that it offers a definition for members. But then it would exclude those who don't have the same set of beliefs. But shouldn't those people go searching for a place that has beliefs that align with their own, instead of struggling with misalignment? Shouldn't this be easy? I guess it spins out to tribalism, but whats so wrong with worshipping with your tribe, so long as you accept that its only a construct to help you and not to exclude or judge others?
Why can I not get out of my head the final line from a children's book -- "You are loved, but so are they"?
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