John describes the wedding at Cana of Galilee using the messianic wedding-feast symbolism traditional for his time. This symbolism has roots in deep antiquity. Even before the Babylonian captivity, among the pre-exilic prophets, especially Hosea, descriptions of God's relationship with His people began to appear using...
John describes the wedding at Cana of Galilee using the messianic wedding-feast symbolism traditional for his time. This symbolism has roots in deep antiquity. Even before the Babylonian captivity, among the pre-exilic prophets, especially Hosea, descriptions of God's relationship with His people began to appear using family and marital symbolism: God is the husband, Israel the faithful, or more often unfaithful, wife (the word "Israel" is feminine in Hebrew, so this image caused no surprise among those who heard the prophet). Later, with the development of the messianic tradition, the image of the wedding hall and solemn wedding feast appears, with the Messiah as the bridegroom. Here too Israel becomes the bride, and at the table are the chosen ones from the people of God, those whom the Messiah Himself chooses for His feast as invited, honored guests.
There are many parables in the Gospel that play in one form or another on the image of the messianic wedding feast. Jesus often used this image in conversations with His disciples and in public preaching. John, however, turns the familiar plot in an unconventional way. He treats an ordinary wedding in an ordinary Galilean house, where Jesus is present incognito, as a messianic feast. He does not announce His messiahship (just as He does not announce it aloud in other cases), and who He is is known only to those who trust Him and who have been initiated into His mystery at least to a small degree.
One of those initiated was His Mother. She always knew that Her Son was not an ordinary man, even when He had not yet manifested Himself in any way as the Messiah. She understood this when She turned to Him during the wedding feast at Cana of Galilee. Perhaps She thought that it would cost Her Son nothing to perform a miracle at any moment He Himself wished. But He answers Her: what is that to Me and to You, Woman? My hour has not yet come.
God has His own plan, and the life of the Kingdom has its own logic. The breath of the Kingdom is always near, but its action cannot be used by a person at any moment, as if by the wave of a magic wand. Jesus will nevertheless turn the water into wine. An ordinary wedding feast with His participation will become a messianic feast. But not when it is convenient for people; rather when the moment determined by Him Himself and by His Heavenly Father arrives. For it is His feast and His Kingdom.
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2:1 And the third day - After he had said this. In Cana of Galilee - There were two other towns of the same name, one in the tribe of Ephraim, the other in Caelosyria.
2:2 Jesus and his disciples were invited to the marriage - Christ does not take away human society, but sanctifies it. Water might have quenched thirst; yet our Lord allows wine; especially at a festival solemnity. Such was his facility in drawing his disciples at first, who were afterward to go through rougher ways.
2:3 And wine falling short - How many days the solemnity had lasted, and on which day our Lord came, or how many disciples might follow him, does not appear. His mother saith to him, They have not wine - Either she might mean, supply them by miracle; or, Go away, thatothers may go also, before the want appears.
2:4 Jesus saith to her, Woman - So our Lord speaks also, Joh 19:26. It is probable this was the constant appellationwhich he used to her. He regarded his Father above all, not knowing even his mother after the flesh. What is it to me and thee? A mild reproof of her inordinate concern and untimely interposal. Mine hour is not yet come - The time of my working this miracle, or of my going away. May we not learn hence, if his mother was rebuked for attemptingto direct him in the days of his flesh, how absurd it is to address her as if she had a right to command him, on the throne of his glory? Likewise how indecent it is for us to direct his supreme wisdom, as to the time or manner in which he shall appear for us in any of the exigencies of life!
2:5 His mother saith to the servants - Gathering from his answer he was about to do something extraordinary.
2:6 The purifying of the Jews - Who purified themselves by frequent washings particularly before eating.
2:9 The governor of the feast - The bridegroom generally procured some friend to order all things at the entertainment.
2:10 And saith - St. John barely relates the words he spoke, which does not imply his approving them. When they have well drunk - does not mean any more than toward the close of the entertainment.
2:11 And his disciples believed - More steadfastly.