His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you" (v5). Although spoken in a different context, it is a pretty solid teaching in 5 words. Jesus is our master and we are to be obedient to what he tells us.
The passage about Jesus clearing the temple is puzzling. I have had people tell me that it shows errors in the gospel accounts since it happens at the end of Jesus' life in the other gospels and here at the beginning. I don't know about that. If there were not 2 separate events, then the passage is placed here for emphasis, which leads to the question of what is being emphasized. I see a message of authority here. Jesus' actions in the temple were very authoritative and he is asked to "prove your authority to do all this". His answer is interesting: You will kill me and I will be raised from the dead on the third day. That is, God the Father gives Jesus the authority and the resurrection will be the proof. The sign of Jonah. The resurrection is not "man's testimony about man" (v25), it is God's testimony about God's actions.
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The wedding story of Cana has been one of my favorites since we attended a Marriage Encounter in the mid 1970's. We were taught that this confirms the goodness of marriage and proclaims that the sacrament of marriage has the capacity to be a sign of Christ's presence. Our catechism teaches that this is the sign of another feast - that of the wedding of the Lamb where he gives his body and blood at the request of the Church, his bride.
ReplyDeleteThis story was one of the few glimpses we get of Mary and her power to intercede for us. Only recently in my old Testament study did I realize the traditional role of "Queens". They were usually queen mother's. The kings of the old Testament had hundreds of wives and many concubines (wed as politcal ties to foreign countries) - often jockeying for power. The one the kings trusted and had as queen were usually queen mothers. You see the role of the queen mother who receives those wanting the king to grant them a favor. 1Kings 2 13-20, She listens and takes the requests to the king. As the teaching of the mother went, so did the fate of Judah. In 1 Kings we see how Judah turned from God. For example Naamah, the Ammonite wife of Solomon, was mother of Rehoboam. She was a foreigner with foreign gods 1 Kings 14:21 and 14:31 . She obviously did not "teach her children" in the ways of the Lord, so her son led Judah in ways that were evil. And on and on from there, numerous kings led Judah in sin. Notice how each story tells who the mother was - a foreigner who failed to teach the children.
Her fate is also linked to the kings. If he is killed, so is she. 2 Kings Ch. 9 shows how Jezebel, the mother of Ahaziah was treated.
I also love the stories of faithful women who God listened to when they were barren - Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel the unnamed mother of Samson and Elizabeth. For how few stores there are in the Bible, we are told about those who had a strong faith in him and their marital plight.
The temple scene: This story seems to reiterate that he is well aware of what is to come. It also reveals the divine penetration he had into the secret thoughts of human hearts. We will see this again, but right off the bat, John lets us know it. The timing of when it happened seems irrelevant. The Gospel of John is deep and jumps right into the meat of the message.
Love,
Mom
(v24) Jesus does not entrust Himself to the people because he knows our hearts. Yet this is exactly what He does today to spread the word about Himself. This is why it is so important that He make us a new creation when He comes into our lives(2 Corinth 5:17). He is still clearing out temples(1 Corinth 6:19).
ReplyDeleteI love the Mom's perspective!
ReplyDelete