Cana Wedding Feast

 

Cana Wedding Feast

 

John 2:1-11『And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus said unto him, They had no wine. Jesus saith unto her Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. His mother His saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus said to them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he said unto them, draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, And said unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.』

Many church people think that the first miracle of Jesus was the demonstration of God's power. They talk about the faith of Jesus' mother Mary, and the obedience of the servants, etc. The first miracle of Jesus was the turning of water into wine. There are three places in the Bible about wedding feasts: the wedding feast at Cana, the wedding feast held by a king for his son in Matthew 22, and the wedding feast of the Lamb in the Book of Revelation. All three wedding feasts focus on the wedding feast of the Lamb.

The wedding feast of Cana is a model for the wedding feast of the Lamb. It explains what kind of condition must be met in order to enter the wedding feast. The fact that the wine ran out before the wedding feast was over tells us that the wedding feast was not complete. A wedding feast without Jesus Christ is not a complete wedding feast. The Bible explains what must happen in order to have a complete wedding feast.

It is said that there were six water jars in the banquet hall of the wedding feast according to the Jewish custom of purification. The Jews always had to wash with water when they went out because it was a desert area. This was a tradition of the elders. Water is the word of God. Wine is also the word of God. There is a difference between water and wine. Jesus said to fill six water jars with water. Water is the word of God before Jesus Christ was revealed. In other words, it refers to the law of the Old Testament. It means that when the law is filled before the gospel is revealed, this law becomes an elementary school teacher leading to Christ.

In John 5:39-40, it talks about eternal life. "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life." The Bible talks about Jesus Christ, and this scripture (law) leads to Jesus Christ, who is eternal life, but people do not find Jesus Christ. Eternal life means resurrection life.

There are six water jars, and 'the water was filled to the brim' means 'trying to keep the law completely'. In other words, if you try to keep the law completely, you will meet Christ. However, the Jews, while trying to keep the law, discovered that they were sinners and had to find Jesus Christ, but they did not find Him. The meaning of realizing that you are a sinner by keeping the law well and meeting Jesus Christ means that the water became wine. The water symbolizes the law of the Old Testament, but the wine symbolizes the blood of the New Covenant. In Luke 22:20, 'Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.'

At the last Passover, Jesus said, “The blood of the new covenant.” The new covenant is not the law, but the amazing new covenant of God that has the mystery of forgiveness of sins and being called righteous through Jesus Christ. It is said that the wedding feast cannot be perfect through the law, but the wedding feast through Jesus Christ, the new covenant, becomes a perfect wedding feast. In order to enter the wedding feast of the Lamb that God has promised, there must be a new covenant with Jesus Christ. The new covenant is, as in Romans 6:3, when sinners repent and become united with Jesus who died on the cross. Then, they become united with the resurrected Christ.

The phrase, “Woman, my hour has not yet come,” refers to a wedding feast without Jesus Christ. It is not a perfect wedding feast, but it is a wedding feast in which the water (law) is filled, so that sin is realized, Jesus Christ is discovered, and the wine (new covenant: death and resurrection of the cross), which symbolizes the blood of Jesus Christ, becomes a perfect wedding feast. Many people say, “In the faith of believing in Jesus Christ, we must keep the law completely with a holy heart and advance to the righteousness of God.” In the faith of believing in Jesus Christ, keeping the law itself is not established. Jesus died by the law. Those who are united with Jesus on the cross are also dead to the law.

In Galatians 3:22-23, it says, "But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe." If you do not realize that you are caught in the net of the law, you will become like the five foolish virgins.

The five foolish virgins woke up to the news that the bridegroom was coming, but they had no oil. When they asked the five wise virgins to lend them oil, they were refused, saying, “We have not enough oil.” Instead, they said, “Go to the seller and buy some.” So they went to buy some, but when they came back, the door was closed. When the five foolish virgins asked Jesus to open the door, Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, I do not know you.” The reason the five foolish virgins could not enter the wedding banquet was because “Jesus does not know.” The five foolish virgins know Jesus, but Jesus does not know them. In order to enter the kingdom of heaven, “It is not I who must know Jesus, but Jesus who must know me.”

The Israelites offered sacrifices and offerings to God in the wilderness for 40 years, but God rebuked them through the prophet Amos, saying, “We have never received them.” In Matthew 10:32-33, it says, “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, he will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, he will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” The five foolish virgins confessed Jesus in front of the people. But Jesus said, “I do not know.” The five virgins were just insisting. Therefore, Jesus knows whom He will take. The five foolish virgins do not know whom He will take. What the five foolish virgins are thinking and what Jesus says are not in focus. The five wise virgins believe in the present resurrection, while the five foolish virgins believe in the resurrection after the death of the body. That is why there is no life in heaven.