Two Ways In Which Jesus’ First Miracle Is Profound.
Why would Jesus turn water into wine for his first miracle? And why did he object when his mother asked him to do something about the empty wine jars? She said to him, “They have no more wine.” She was asking Jesus to fix the problem.
It’s important to understand the circumstances before attempting to answer these questions. Jesus and his disciples, along with Mary, had been invited to a wedding feast. These feasts lasted for days. It would be a terrible snafu for the bridegroom to not supply enough wine. To do so would reflect poorly on the bride’s father, also called the master of the banquet. Mary, who probably knew them both, was asking her son to do something to save her friends from humiliation.
But Jesus’ response confounds us: “Dear woman, why do you involve me? My time has not yet come.” What was Jesus saying?
Jesus knew that once he performed his first miracle, word would spread, and it would mark the beginning of many more miracles to come, all leading the chief priests to seek his death. He knew it would only be a matter of time after turning the water (from ceremonial Jewish water jars, reserved for weddings, by the way) into wine. He acquiesced and performed the miracle, to the delight of the host, who knew nothing of what Jesus had done, calling the bridegroom over to thank him for saving the best wine for last.
As to why it was his first miracle … he was putting a seal of approval, if you will, on God’s first created institution–marriage between a man and a woman.
What do you think?
My source is taken from Timothy Keller’s Encounters With Jesus. I highly recommend this book.
Michael, I agree with what you’ve written. I have heard similar explanations of Jesus’ first miracle. I’ve always found it interesting that apparently no one outside of Jesus’ mother and disciples knew of the miracle that he had performed. Did this miracle go public and is that because the ones closest to Jesus gossiped about it? I wish we knew!
“As to why it was his first miracle … he was putting a seal of approval, if you will, on God’s first created institution–marriage between a man and a woman.” –I had not thought of this, Michael. Even in the beginning with Adam and Eve, God was the first matchmaker. Great insight! I wonder when the tradition of marriage ceremonies began?