Daily Devotions
John
The closure of an earthly mother-son relationship
Text: John 2:1-12
THE CLOSURE OF AN EARTHLY MOTHER-SON RELATIONSHIP
Would Mary fully understand the Mission of her beloved Son Jesus? For thirty years she had seen Him grow up before her eyes. She could never forget what the Angel Gabriel said to her when she was betrothed to Joseph.
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Highest will overshadow you;
therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born
will be called The Son of God.”
Luke 1:35
From time to time, Jesus would remind her that He was God’s Son. Mary must have remembered what Jesus said when He was found talking to the teachers of Israel. In anguish Mary spoke to Jesus and said,
“Son, why have you done this to us?
Look, your father and I have sought you anxiously.”
Luke 2:48
Jesus calmly replied and said,
“Why did you seek Me?
Did you not know that I
Must be about My Father’s business?
Luke 2:49
Did Mary and Joseph fully comprehend what Jesus said at that point of time? Apparently not, according to Luke.
“But they did not understand the statement
which He spoke to them.”
Luke 2:50
For the rest of the time, from this incident until He was revealed to be the Lamb of God, Jesus was subject to His parents.
“Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth,
and was subject to them,
but His mother kept all these things in her heart.
And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature,
And in favour with God and men.”
Luke 2:51-52
Jesus was now past thirty. He had fulfilled all His earthly obligations to His earthly family. He was going to embark on His public ministry. Mary must try and understand that He would no longer be able to help her resolve all the problems that she had always brought to Him.
Hence Jesus used formal language with her and said,
“Woman, what does your concern
have to do with Me?”
John 2:4
THE COMMENCEMENT OF A FORMAL RELATIONSHIP
Mary must understand that Jesus was no longer her Son. She had thirty years of a special family relationship with Jesus. She had been the privilege of being His earthly mother all this while. She must now let go of her Son. He no longer “belonged” to her. He was God’s special Son.
Was she still able to relate to Him? Yes! But no longer in the same familial way. What relationship would she be able to establish with Him? She would have to discover that along the way.
“MY HOUR HAS NOT YET COME” John 2:4
Whereas Jesus had fulfilled whatever was His duty as her earthly son, He was now to be completely obedient to His Father in Heaven.
Was this the hour of His glory? Jesus knew that that hour had not yet come! He would no longer live as He did, dwelling under the same roof as Mary. He would now live for that “hour” that had not yet come.
His Father would reveal to Him when that hour would be. He would have to stay absolutely focused. He would now go about His Father’s business fully. He would no longer be subject to His mother. Mary must try and comprehend this profound change of relationship. If Mary would have to take time to fully grasp what Jesus had said and meant, how much more difficult it must have been to have His siblings understand that Jesus wasn’t going home after the wedding feast. He was NEVER coming home again. He was going to serve His Father fully from here on. His siblings must look after Mary and each other from here onwards.
THE CLOSEST RELATIONSHIP EVER WITH HIS FATHER
Just a moment ago, Jesus had appeared to be unconcerned about the plight of the wedding couple. The wine was running out and quickly. Unless something was done, the wedding feast would be remembered as a failure.
What would Jesus do? What could He do? His disciples did not know what Jesus was going to do next. Mary knew that Jesus would do something, but none knew exactly what Jesus would do.
Did Jesus speak to His Father? Though not expressly stated, we know that the answer was “Yes”! Jesus would from hereon display the wondrous reality of the closest relationship that anyone could ever establish with the Father.
Would the Father approve of what Jesus wanted to do for the wedding couple? He would never do anything that would displease His Father. There would be close consultation always.. but not with Mary… only His Father in Heaven.