This a wedding story… An ancient wedding story… It is a Jewish wedding story of epic proportion.
Jewish weddings in the first century of the Common Era were gala occasions, festive events and grand parties. Jewish wedding celebrations typically lasted for many days, sometimes lasting as many as seven days in duration.
Jewish weddings would begin usually on a Tuesday evening…the groom and his groomsmen would go to the bride’s house at night.
On the way there, they would be swinging their olive-oil lamps to and fro they would be joking, laughing and having a good time. It was to be “an extremely important moment.” Excitement filled the air!
The men would gather together in front of the bride’s house and she would come out.
Now for the first time in her “adult life” she could remove her veil and show how really beautiful and gorgeous she was…
This was a “special moment in time.” It was “big stuff.” The “removal of the veil” was the stuff of poetry and literature. It was the stuff of fantasy.
Then, the groom and the groomsmen would go to the groom’s house, once more swinging their lamps and having “a good time all along the way.” The “anticipation” was over. They saw her. All the guys saw her. She was absolutely beautiful and stunning. He was a fortunate and blessed man, indeed!
It was then, and there, at the groom’s house that the many day party would begin.
During those many days the whole village or town would show up. With them, they would bring their “hot dishes,” their “wedding gifts” for the bridal couple and their “good humor and their best wishes” for the bridal couple. It was in fact, a community event.
And Jesus and his disciples were present. Jesus took part in all the reverie, as did his disciples…
It was during “this reception” that unfortunately and embarrassingly, that the wine ran out. There was no more. The last of it was being consumed. It was a crisis of huge proportion. And it was only day three of a multi-day wedding celebration. For the hosts, the groom and his father and his entire family this was something that should never have happened or occurred.
Because Mary intervenes, it has been thought that she too was family. This was a “family celebration” and Jesus and Mary were believed to be a part of “the family.”
As a matter of fact, the church has often taught Mary and Jesus were most likely “related by bloodline” to the bridal party.
If nothing else, Mary was an “extremely close friend.” Thus, no invitation was required or necessary.
Mary’s primary role would have been to assist in the hosting of the wedding, carrying out tasks and duties for the bridal party. Therefore, she would have also instructed the servants about what they needed to do.
Like so many mothers, Mary seems to ignore her son and speaks directly to the servant, “Do what he tells you!”
We can only guess “the look” on Jesus’ face. Jesus “knowing his mother” and perhaps even “rolling his eyes” – said to the servant, “Fill those big jugs out there with water.”
Jesus then tells the servant to take the water become wine to the Maitre’D to see what it tastes like…
“Holy smokes, this is good stuff!” “Awesome, sauce!” The best ever…
The maitre’d looked at the six barrels filled to the brim with wine and said, Dude, that’s enough for the whole village and the next village, too!
We’ve got wine, let the party continue…and not only wine, but the best wine, ever! Epic wine… Great wine… Top Shelf stuff… No nasty cheap stuff here!
You’all have saved the best for the last…cool, totally unheard of…let the party roll…
Someone has noted this was 180 gallons of “pure grace.” Jesus did not have to do this. He wasn’t really coerced although he seemingly was a little bit “reluctant or hesitant,” at first.
John the Evangelist, John the gospel writer comments that this was Jesus’ “first sign,” his “first miracle!”
Jesus is obviously capable of the miraculous. He is capable of stepping up and saving the day. If he is capable “of this,” what else is he capable of doing?
This was a party, it was a feast, it was a blast…and Jesus and the twelve are active participants of all that is going on…
It was important that the twelve be there, this was but the beginning of their education. Jesus could talk, he could teach, people listened to him, he could heal the sick…but how in the heck did he make 180 gallons of wine, from some old barrels of water…?
I am sure the disciples were scratching their heads!
Amen.