Daily Devotions
John
A glimpse of what Mary was like as a mother
Text: John 2:1-12
A GLIMPSE OF WHAT MARY WAS LIKE AS A MOTHER
Mary was not upset with the words of Jesus, no matter how formally they may have been stated. This was after all her son, whom she had nurtured and cared for all His life. She did not always understand her Son. (Which mother ever fully understood their children?)
One cannot bring up a Child like Jesus and not recognize that He was different from the rest of her other children. Jesus could never be rude to her intentionally. That would be out of character for Him.
She knew her Son to be deep and sometimes cryptic in His language. Few would understand the complexity of the relationship that she sustained with her Son. On the one hand, she knew that Jesus was most dutiful as far as earthly relationships went. On the other hand, Jesus was who He was. The angel Gabriel’s word to her was not to be forgotten. He would be God’s own Son!
The practical problem was still there. It had not been resolved yet. The wine supply remained perilously low. Would Jesus help? Yes, she was sure of that, perhaps not as her Son, but He would respond because she knew her Son well. He would help because of His nature. He cared. He had compassion. How He would help, she had no idea. But help He would. Thus she said to the servants on duty,
“Whatever He says to you, do it.”
John 2:5
Mary had grown up well. She understood Jesus. She must let Him go. He belonged to the world. She would no longer see the face of Jesus first thing in the morning. She would not have the talks that they must have had as a family. He belonged to God. The Divine Call had come for her Son, as she knew it would, one day. She must not grieve that she could no longer have her Son in her home. To desire that would be wrong. She understood the words of Jesus. He was addressing her as He should. He called her with due respect the way He would address all the women folk who would come to Him for help. He would address them politely, formally and He would bring their requests to His Father, and wait upon Him for His reply. Yes, Mary understood her beloved Son, Jesus. With both joy and perhaps some pain, she let Him go.
SIX STONE WATERPOTS
How would Jesus help the family in this social distress? His mother watched. So did His disciples. None said a word to Him. What word could they offer Him anyway?
All were in for a surprise. Jesus went up to the servants and asked them to fill up the waterpots. These vessels were used to store water used for the washing of the feet! What could Jesus mean to do? Servants in those days were trained to obey.
Jesus said to them,
“Fill the waterpots with water.”
John 2:7
The servants obeyed,
“And they filled them up to the brim.”
John 2:7
The servants must have been puzzled as to why Jesus ordered them to fill the waterpots. They must have been nonplussed when Jesus gave them the next order.
“Draw some out now, and take it
to the master of the feast.”
John 2:8
What registered on the faces of the servants when they were given this order? They had been told to obey Jesus, whatever He said to them. But this order? What could this order mean?
THE VERDICT OF THE MASTER OF CEREMONY
The servants must have been mystified when they brought the water-turned-to-wine to the master of ceremony. They must have watched the face of the master of the feast carefully. They knew exactly where the water-turned-to-wine came from. John noted,
“When the master of the feast had tasted the water
that was made wine, and did not know where it came from
(but the servants who had drawn the water knew),
the master of the feast called the bridegroom.
And he said to him,
‘Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine,
and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior.
You have kept the good wine until now!'”
John 2:9-10
What had happened? How could this be? The servants were very sure that they had poured only water into the waterpots! What else do you pour into waterpots? They could hardly believe their ears when they heard what the master of the feast had said! The water-turned-to-wine had been so outstanding that the master of the feat complimented the bridegroom, who had no clue as to what that compliment was supposed to mean!
THE DISCIPLES WITNESSED THE FIRST MIRACLE!
John must have been there. The very style of writing was that of an astonished eyewitness. The description of the six stone waterpots. The amount each of the waterpots contained. The bewilderment of the master of the feast. These could only have been captured by one who had been there.
What was the response of this small band of disciples? John happily noted,
“This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee,
and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.”
John 2:11