“Marriage is an honorable estate instituted by God in the time of man’s innocence.… It was sanctioned and adorned by Christ’s presence at the marriage in Cana of Galilee; and it was likened by St. Paul to the mystical union which subsists between Christ and His church.” How familiar these words are to those who have the solemn privilege of performing a Christian marriage. Does Christ’s presence really adorn many of the so-called Christian marriages of today? Is He the Guest of honor or just one of those who “received an invitation”? Was He consulted when plans were being laid for the founding of this new home? If not, how can such a marriage be likened unto “the mystical union which subsists between Christ and His church”?
With questions such as these in mind, we turn again to the familiar account of the marriage in Cana of Galilee as given to us in John 2:1–11. The closing verses of the previous chapter may well serve as an inspired introduction to what we have here. I am persuaded that the arrangement is designed and therefore significant. Our Lord’s words to Nathanael clearly teach that there will be, in a day yet to come, a very definite connection between things on earth and things in heaven. But even here and now those whose citizenship is in heaven may anticipate that day by making their married life a living, loving illustration of that union which subsists between Christ and His church.
It is indeed a wonderful thing that the Lord Jesus should choose a humble home, in an obscure village, to manifest His glory. But such is His grace. And since it is His glory which is manifested we need not be surprised that it is not the bridegroom or the bride nor the governor of the feast, nor yet the mother of Jesus, who is prominent here. It is He who is God manifest in the flesh who is pre-eminent. And that is exactly as it should be. Previous to this our Lord had been baptized of John in Jordan. After that He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. But He did not, like John, remain in the wilderness. He was no recluse. As Son of man He moved about among the children of man even though they did refer to Him as “a man gluttonous and a winebibber,” a friend of publicans and sinners. In contrast to the lonely Baptist He could refer to Himself as the Bridegroom, and His disciples as “the children of the bridechamber” (Luke 5:34).
It was most appropriate, therefore, that He should mark the beginning of His works of power with a visit to a wedding feast. There was a sense in which this might serve as an illustration of the very thing He had come to proclaim. In one of His later parables He said that “the kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son” (Matt. 22:2). The application of that to Himself would come out later. It is through the Apostle Paul that we learn that “Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:25–27). Moreover, in so doing He set the pattern for every bridegroom. “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies.” But we may be quite sure that none of those present at that marriage in Cana were aware of the fact that the greatest of all bridegrooms was present that day.
This marriage in Cana of Galilee occurred on “the third day.” From the previous chapter we learn that there was a day when the Lord invited the disciples to come and see where He dwelt, and they “abode with him that day; for it was about the tenth hour” (John 1:39). That was really their first day with Him. Then, “the day following” He found Philip and said unto him, “Follow me.” Philip, in turn, found Nathanael whom the Lord described as “an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile.”
But when Nathanael discovered that the Lord knew him before Philip called him, he exclaimed, “Rabbi, thou are the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel.” In that statement he confessed at once the superiority, the deity, and the royalty of the Lord Jesus. But the Lord replied to this by telling him that he would see even greater things. With that solemn affirmation found so often in John’s Gospel He prophesied saying: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending upon the Son of man.” The fact that the Lord here used the plural instead of the singular in addressing Nathanael would seem to indicate that this prophecy was intended for others as well.
Inasmuch as the next scene that is presented to us is the marriage in Cana we may well ask, Is this one of the “greater things” referred to in John 1:50? We do know from Isaiah 62:5 that it was said to Jerusalem that “as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.” That is certainly one of the “greater things” still in store for that war-wearied city. But that awaits the day when Israel will say: “Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us; in the third day he will raise us up, and shall live in His sight” (Hos. 6:1–2).
Intriguing as the prophetic aspect of all this is, we believe that it has a present application as well. The future of Israel as a nation is bound to be of deep interest to the student of God’s Word. But nations are made up of homes and individuals. Not only was the mother of Jesus there, but “both Jesus was called and His disciples, to the marriage.” Happy are they who give Him the place of honor at their marriage so that their home may indeed be an illustration of that union which subsists between Him and His church, and they themselves “heirs together of the grace of life” (1 Pet. 3:7). Such a life could well be a continual spiritual feast.
How sadly different is the case of those who ignore Him and make money, sensual pleasure, vanity, or frivolity the prime objective when setting up their homes! The fact that thousands have done just that and have been sadly disappointed seems to mean little or nothing to them. Even worse is the case of those who deliberately choose the unequal yoke and expect, somehow, to make a success of it. It is a matter of record that some Christians take more care in choosing a business partner than they do in choosing a life partner. Apparently they think that marriage is nothing more than a legal contract requiring only the signatures of the contracting parties to make it binding. To others marriage seems to be nothing more than a holy farce, or a custom, the significance of which has been lost sight of in all of the confusion of these modern times. Then, too, we have met a few who look back upon their wedding day as the beginning of a bondage which only death will end. How different would all of these cases have been had Jesus been invited to the marriage in the first place!
Even a desire for that which is lovely is not enough in a matter as solemn as this. The merely esthetic is no substitute for purity of heart. One’s home may be furnished in the best of taste, but if the will of those who live there is not in harmony with the will of God there can be no true joy there. A truly happy home is characterized by something more than “peaceful coexistence.” It is a place where people live for each other as well as with each other. Material things may not always be in full supply. But it is still true that “a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth” (Luke 12:15).
There was a deficiency in Cana. We read that “they wanted (or, lacked) wine.” Indeed, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” Deficiencies may be excused when men are taken unawares. But such should not have been the case here. They must have known about how many guests would be present. “The governor of the feast” should have made ample provision for all. For some reason or other he did not. No explanation is given. There was a deficiency and it had to be met. This deficiency may be typical of any one of a number of deficiencies that plague the lives of so many even in times of material prosperity.
“The mother of Jesus” did not ask Him to meet the need. She merely told Him about it. She did not tell Him what to do, nor yet how to do it. But her remark evidently had implications as we may gather from our Lord’s reply to her. His hour had not yet come. That our Lord had more in mind than the present circumstance is no doubt true. But we must not on that account deny its reference to this circumstance. In this, as in so many other things, the Master is teaching His own to “trust in the Lord and wait patiently for Him.” Would that we always knew how to do that! The lesson of patience is not easily learned. The costly mistakes which mar the lives of many are frequently due to impatience. We can no more accelerate the purposes of God than we can speed up the sun or the moon. Our heavenly Father is never in a hurry. It is equally true that He is never late. When His hour comes He will act with precision and with power.
The Lord’s word to Mary was not a refusal, it was a promise. Mary evidently understood it that way. Therefore she said to the servants, “Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.” She would have them be directly obedient to Him who knows just what to do and when to do it. She does not even offer to pass on any orders that He may have to give. He alone must be in command. Whatever is done must be done for His glory, and His alone. And what Mary said to the servants on that occasion may well serve as a motto for every Christian home: “Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.” Where lives are ordered according to his will and according to His time there is sure to be blessing.
Our Lord’s use of the ordinary to accomplish the extraordinary is aptly illustrated in that which follows here. We read: “And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.” We may be reasonably certain that there were other vessels there as well. Just why the Lord chose to use these has stirred the imagination of not a few commentators. It has been suggested that they may represent hollow forms such as even the best of our religious ceremonies may become. Evidently these vessels were not in use at the time. But they are about to serve a purpose they have never served before.
With the voice of command, “Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water.” Those hollow forms must not remain empty. We recall that it was an empty house that made it possible for the enemy to return and take possession with sevenfold greater power than before (Matt. 12:44–45). Likewise, an empty life is an invitation to the enemy of our soul to come in and take possession. The result is moral catastrophe. It is the unoccupied part of one’s life which gives room for the devil to come in and effect spiritual ruin.
The divine preventive is so simple and so effective. “Fill the waterpots with water.” Since these waterpots had to do with purification it is perfectly in order for us to draw a spiritual lesson from this detail. It is in direct connection with his instruction to husbands and wives that St. Paul tells us that “Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word” (Eph. 5:25–26). To this agree the words of the Psalmist who said: “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Ps. 119:9). In similar vein our Lord Himself said: “Ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” (John 15:3). From these Scriptures it is clear that water may be used as a symbol of the word of God. By letting that word dwell in us richly in all wisdom we shall experience the joy of singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord (cf. Col. 3:16).
Completely obedient to the Lord the servants filled the waterpots “up to the brim.” What next? “Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.” It was at this point that the miracle took place. As of old, “He spake, and it was done” (Ps. 33:9). By His transforming power that which is ordinary becomes extraordinary; the symbol of purification becomes the symbol of joy; the natural gives way to that which is spiritual, and that which is mundane to that which is sublime.
Not even the ruler of the feast who presumably was a judge of good wine knew whence this was. It was superior to anything he had ever tried before. It was entirely different. According to universal custom: “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.” And since “worse” is the comparative of “bad” we may see in this a tacit confession that even to begin with man’s best is no good. How different the “good wine,” not kept, but specially prepared for the occasion. And there is no deterioration here. It is the best, which is superlative.
Thus did the Lord Jesus manifest His glory. No wonder that “His disciples believed on him.” This beginning of miracles, or signs, gave fresh meaning and impetus to their faith. Indeed, that was the very purpose of all of the signs which the Lord Jesus wrought. It was that they might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing they might have life through His name (John 20:31).
The young couple whose home furnished the stage on which the Lord manifested His glory are not named. But what took place there was recorded for our learning so that we, like them, might know the unspeakable joy of having Him as the Guest of honor not only on our wedding day, but all the days of our lives. Such hospitality will be abundantly rewarded both here and hereafter. The solemn privilege of making our lives an illustration of that union which subsists between Christ and His church will be exceeded only by the joy of sharing His heavenly home forever. If such be our hope through His grace what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God.
Armerding, C. (1961). The Marriage in Cana. Bibliotheca Sacra, 118, 320–326.
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