Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-01-14
WEDDING FEAST wine
FIRST MIRACLE OF JESUS CHRIsT IN
VILLAGE OF CANA.
Converted Water Into Wine at a We'd
dfng-Mary, the Mother, and Five
Disciples Were With Him
Lesson for January 16.

Is. Christ's First Miracle. John Hill
BY j. Z. Gilbert, d. u, LII. b SeSIes
tary of American Society of Religious
Education.
INTRODUCTION. In the last lesson We
learned that as Jesus was about to depart
from the region of the Jordan and enter
Galilee He gained a new disciple, named
Nathaniel, through the influence OF fhi-
ip John 1880. This mar exhipited e1-
ceIlenr qualities. He was less credulous
than the four who had previously accepted
Christ, evidently determined to accept moth
ing for the truth without the highest evil
dence. But his worth was recognized at
sight by Jesus, who openly commenced
him and in return received a noble con-
fession John i:49). Entering thu into the
fullest confidence Nathaniel Sailerwara
called Bartholomew had the hign honos
OF giving some direction to the proposed
journey OF his new Master. Tie RECORD
IS entirely silent concerning the route taken
and the events by the way. Mitn grest
lowers in Cana, Nathanaefs home Town
John xxi:2), fully eighty miles from the
scenes Of Johns ministry. after the ar
rival, so soon after that nothing Is men
toned before 1t. a marriage occurreo IN az nf
village. The history omits all menuon OF
attention to the invited guests verses l
and p. Mary, the mother OF Jesus. G G;ss
there. having come from NazaIetn: a e u
gests that she must have been a close
friend, il not a relative. And her son, 50
recently inducted by baptism mo .ae piit Pr,
Him the five disciples-John. Andrew.
Peter, Philip and Nathaniel. the Latter
only being a fellow townsman. a no.aDie
S @inIsary. nearly 5n one.hslf Of the prospect
i've college of apostles, the Savior OF the
world. the most honcred OF women. an
gathered at . wedding, and this at the
Opening of the Galileean ministry. What
does it all mean? What a strange pegln-
ming of a great enterprise! Who could ex-
AID SOUGHT. There is no evidence OF
any special design in the invitation OF
Jesus to this marriage. he appears TO
guest. But an unforeseen circumstance gave
color to the occasion and brought Him
into prominence. The wine gave out ". -
and Mary went to Him with a statement
of the fact. 1t is not probable that she
fully understood His power, for he hao
never displayed it, and yet 1t Is evident
that she expected His assistance to relieve
that He SO understood her. His reply was
in two part ". a.. He first declared that
the matter was nothing to either OF them.
that they were not expected to meet such
deficiencies. The form of words in Eng
lish does not express this nicely, but that
was all their meaning; and It was entirely
respectful and decidedly Oriental q. Sam.
xvi:10. He also said that His time for
ministerial service had not yet come. a
second objection to her request, and an adj
ditional reason for. the other statement.
He did not, in other words. consider this a
duty to the host or an opportunity for His
ministry.
said no more to her son.; There was no
need to multiply words. She had gone to
urge a service. He had refused the duty
and the opportunity. How many mothers
injure a good cause by pleasing even to
annoyance! 1t is vastly better to leave the
naked statement Of facts to make their
49, --rAfN, Ch- dnrfht1ncH fn1t that
notwithstanding the. nswer something
would be done, for she Immediately gave
instructions to the servants: 1t is a great
son whose mother SO confides in him that
she believes a reasonable request will not
be rejected. who turns away and provides
for the answer which she expects; Mary
o oss tunes to- gesu ah's nv ShH left 9 Him to Do % vhs T1 He
pleased ". 81. with only this additional
part that she told the servants to obey
rious directions-upon the place and. rela-
ton of Mary. upon her simplicity and con.
idence. upon the possible significance Of
changed from the place of a mere guest.
rejoicing. with other guests. to be the GUS
%EssELs sTgPFffI1Ep. Nothing could be
more appropriate than Mary's last words.
They left Jesus free to act, or not to act,
according to His wisdom. but supplied Him
with necessary help, so that His doings
might be witnessed and attested. Indeed the
very best conditions were provided for a
Tree HI lIIlpOTldHlO ttu, SUCH rs WAS dCI-
ually performed. To facilitate matters still
more there were standing near at the time
six stone waterpots: Their size cannot be
determined although the text says each
contained two or three firkins (verse g., but
. the measure is uncertain and unimportant
These vessels were a customary part of the
furniture for feast occasions, being useo
Jews. and especially the Pharfsees. were
careful to perform FREQUENT ablutions while
eating mark. vii:3), to avoid defilement, a
custom handed down by tradition Luke
xi:3s). So here stood ready for use by the
pose should He conclude to act.
ORDERS GIVEN. The details are omit.
ted from our narrative. Great turning
long a time elapsed after Mary's words
to the servants. what Jesus did and said,
what the servants did, how the guests be.
haved, we are not informed. After a lit
the Master. He had said that He was
under no obligation. and that His min
thing of Him. but in a short time He was
moved by a far different purpose. Fill
the waterpots." He said. and the. servants
knew i that W We ere and DsIm nothing sfdrse else (; Taes
into the stone jars. He did nothing but
command Draw out and bear unto the
next order. And He was obeyed. His hand
touched nothing. His word touched every.
thing Qsa. .lv:1D. There may have beer
some surprise expressed on the counter.
ances Of those who were near. Does this
Master propose to give cold water instead
of wine? Has there been temperance ad.
and they would have thought there wa.
an intended rebuke upon the social Gus
toms of the time.
SURPRISE SHOWN. Somewhere be
and the governors lips-in the bucket o
the servants. in the stone waterpots or ii
the silver goblets.-that water became wine
A miracle had been wrought, and Jesu
was the worker John iv:46). There coul'
have been no deception. for there was n
collusion. But was IT really wine? An in
'cident settled that point. The governor
whose duty II was to receive all article
first and then to pass them to other guests
VINO was chosen as an expert so that al
might be in proper form and suitable to TIL
occasion-this governor was entirely tx
rorant of what had TRANSFERRED. He di
not know that the wine a failed. nor tina
anySne's help had been solicited. nor tina
water had been provided. The servant
only knew the last point Verse 81. Blu
when the governor tasted this wine he wa
greatly surprised at its quality. Contrar,
TO custom. 1t was served last. thougl
really best. and he called the bridegroom
and congratulated him both upon the ex
toellent beverage and the good taste tina
had violated established usage Verse 10
Then II was wine and no counterfeit.
GboR DISPLAYED. What followed a
that wedding no one knows-ho one care
TO know. The end has been reached 70
which the narrative was introduced int
The Gospel story. It was not the marriag
spired writer. The center figure was no
the bride. or bridegroom. or Mary. blu
Jesus. Here in Cana He wrought His frs
miracle 10 supplement the provisions 70
a wedding feast. The great fact is tina
here He manifested His glory .(verse II
He possessed il before. even from eter
nifty CJohn xvii:5), but it was concealed I'm
der the drapery of His flesh, Hitherto
through infancy, youth and early man
hood the Divine nature had scarcely bee
known. Some had indeed believed it as
deduction from certain facts that had com
to them John i:4s).. But now 1t was dis