FLOWER MOUND, TX, November 15, 2011—Skeptics doubt miracles could ever happen, however, religious fundamentalists see miracles in every cloud, on a piece of toast and jelly, or in the sudden tears on the face of a statute of Jesus. The Bible has much to say about miracles and their purpose. Critics ponder if they were to make life better or if they were designed to convince believers to follow their master?
Jesus’ early miracles were designed to convince his disciples he was the Messiah. While he could have healed everyone, he chose to use his ministry of miracles for definite purposes. His first miracle is recorded in John 2:1-11.
1 The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. 3 The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.”
4 “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”
5 But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
6 Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, 8 he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions.
9 When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. 10 “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!”
11 This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
Mary, Jesus’ mother, was obviously the one person that need not be convinced of Jesus’ divine identity. She had brought him into the world, nursed him, fed him, and protected him from birth through childhood until he was an adult. Now that he was about 30 years old, she need not give her full attention to him and his ministry.
The news that John declared Jesus as the Lamb of God at his baptism in the Jordan River spread through the land at internet speed. The great controversy had begun: Who was this man called Jesus?
Almost immediately after Jesus was baptized, he began gathering his team to proclaim God’s message. John brought Andrew and his brother, Simon, into the fold. Jesus wasted no time in changing Simon’s name to “Peter.” The next day he chose Philip and Nathanael. Revealed later, Nathanael was the first of the disciples to accept Jesus as the Son of God. Once these men heard who Jesus was, they dropped everything and became his followers.
Let’s imagine Joseph (almost nothing is known of Joseph, Mark 6:3), Jesus’ skeptical brother, telling the story.
“I wasn’t anxious to be a disciple, but I heard about the big wedding feast at Cana. Weddings were always a joyful time for partying and seeing old friends. Since Jesus was going to be there I thought it would be a good time to see him in “action.”
“I was not disappointed, the wine flowed freely and the dancing was intoxicating. However, in the small village of Cana a wedding was a social event and everyone, even those of us from Capernaum were always invited. I knew I had to be there. My brother Jesus and his disciples had received special invitations.”
“I, along with other guests, was somewhat surprised to find there was a shortage of wine. Had the guest list gotten out of control, or were the invitees in a particularly jovial mood? Surely the caterers must have felt in a panic. No wedding party should be humiliated with an empty vat. That was inexcusable. My mother Mary boldly looked to Jesus for a solution. Aha, this is what I had hoped for when I knew Jesus would be there. After a minor rebuke, Jesus ordered the caterers to fill six jars with water.”
“No doubt they thought it a strange request, nevertheless, they complied immediately. To everyone’s surprise and delight the water is turned into the finest vintage wine. The headwaiter pronounced his utter delight at the high quality of the wine.”
“The miracle of changing the water into wine was simple enough, but its impact was huge. I wasn’t sure how to interpret what had just happened. Was it a trick? Or was it really Jesus in “action”?
While Joseph may have been confused, once the disciples saw this “simple” miracle, it could only be said, “His disciples believed in Him.” That was Jesus’ goal in performing miracles; not to be the life of the wedding party, but to gather together a group of men who believed and would impact the world.
There are several locations that have been suggested as the modern site of Cana, but two are the most likely: Khirbet Qana and Kefar Kenna. Most scholars prefer Khirbet Qana; but Kefar Kenna has late tradition support. Khirbet Cana (ruin of Cana) lays eight and one half miles north of Nazareth along the depression known as the plain of Bet Netufa and on the ancient road from Ptolemais to Magdala. Kefar Kenna (the village of Kenna) is just four miles northeast of Nazareth.
Donald L. Brake is the author of several books:
A Visual History of the English Bible: The Tumultuous Tale of The World’s Bestselling Book Baker Books, 2008 (a 2009 ECPA Christian Book Award finalist)
A Visual History of the King James Bible: The Dramatic Tale of the World’s Best-Known Translation, Baker Books, 2011
A Royal Monument of English Literature: The King James Bible 1611, Credo House Publishers, 2011 (http://www.credocommunications.net/KJV)
Read more by Donald Brake at http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/worlds-best-selling-book
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