Encore Post: Weddings are very joyful occasions. Everyone dresses their best. There is music, dancing and feasting. The bride and groom are excited because their life together will soon begin. Weddings in our culture, however, are very different than they were during the earthly life of Jesus.
Jewish weddings in first century Galilee were seven days long, most of it eating, drinking, dancing, reciting wedding poetry — and eating. On the first day, the bride and her wedding party would walk from her house to her groom’s house. They would say their vows in his house or under a tent that stood for the house. Then the party would begin.
Cana was a small town in Galilee, a few miles north of Nazareth. Mary, Jesus and his disciples were invited to attend a wedding there. It is likely Mary was a relative or a close friend of the groom’s parents. The family was likely well off. They were able to afford a large wedding feast, with lots of guests and servants to cater the event. They had six large stone jars to contain water to be used by the guests to remain ritually clean.
For one reason or another, the feast ran out of wine. Since the only drinks used in Galilee at the time were water and wine from the vineyards near Nazareth, this was a major problem. Hospitality was very important at weddings. The groom would have to be sure there was plenty to eat and drink. Running out of wine was a disaster in the making.
Jesus’ mother Mary asks him to take care of the problem. Jesus’ reply sounds cold in modern English, but was not cold or disrespectful in that day. It roughly means, “How is that our problem, Ma’am?” Yet Mary trusts Jesus will do what was necessary to solve the problem and told the servants to do what he told them to do.
By turning over 120 gallons of water into the finest wine, Jesus saved the couple a lot of embarrassment. More than that, He showed His mother and His disciples that He was God and cared for people in their everyday lives. The church believes the fact that Jesus attended this wedding blessed all marriages by making wine for the celebration. It is mentioned in every traditional wedding.
Rev. Robert E. Smith
Concordia Theological Seminary
Fort Wayne, Indiana
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