NONE OTHER NAME
John 2:1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: 2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. 3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. 4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. 5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. 6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. 7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. 9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, 10 And saith unto him, 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. 11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
When we read a wedding announcement in the newspaper, we are presented with the names of the parents of the bride, the bride and grooms names, his parents names, and the time and location of the wedding. But in the account listed above, we have absolutely none other name given to us except the name of Jesus! Even his mother is not named in this passage! We all know that her name is Mary. But we do not know that from this passage. Her identity is even given in her relationship to the Lord. For she is called, the mother of Jesus!
For this is not presented to us as a “wedding!” It is said to be a “marriage!” Weddings are religious ceremonies with candles to be lit and others to be blown out. There are flower petals strewn. The rice to be thrown has been changed to bird seed. There is specific music to be played, with the attenders to rise out of their seats at the proper loud notes from the organ or piano. Weddings are very money making events for the caterers, the photographers, the florists, and dress makers. So many today make Christ’s house a house of merchandise, rather than a house of prayer!
But this was a “marriage!” A marriage is a joining together of a man and a woman by God! The marriage is the picture of how Christ joins himself together with his Bride, the Church! Eph. 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Therefore the true issue in this passage is not the names of those involved in a “wedding!” But the true issue is that Christ’s Bride, (the church) have his glory revealed unto them! (v.11).
The Wine Is Not the Issue!
The purpose of wine is revealed unto us in Judges 9:13, which states, And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? This is also seen in Psalm 104:15. Their wine had failed. All they had was 6 stone, cold waterpots, reflective of a joyless religious system of man’s traditions! And after this event is over, they are left with 120 to 150 gallons of the best wine they had ever tasted!
The True Vine (John 15:1) stood among them, whom they knew not (John 1:26). And like as he instructed Lazarus’ sister, he IS the resurrection! She just needed to believe in Him, and not in the old ‘waterpot’ doctrine that could only receive the resurrection as a future event! For Christ is the True Vine, whose joy can cheer both the Father’s and the believer’s hearts!
Therefore the true issue in this passage is not the wine. But the true issue is the glory of Christ, the True Vine!
Absolute Submission to Christ
The mother of Jesus’ inordinate affection hindered the wine’s flow! She seems to be motivated by the host’s embarrassment, and not the glory of God! Verses 3 through 5 reveal the bringing down of her inordinate affections into submission to Christ’s will! Our motives must be for the glory of Christ alone! The wine was only to be drank for that purpose! 1Cor. 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. The victory over fleshly motivation comes to be seen by that which we read in verse five! 5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. Here is the place of the church’s joy! Complete submission to Christ’s will brings the fulness of joy to the soul!
John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
But have you ever attempted to obtain joy from God by absolute submission to His will? Everything you are and desire to have, is cast at his feet! This is the true religion! This is not the Harlot religion, which goes after what it wants, makes it happen and then says, “This was God’s will!”
Listen to one in the stress of wrestling with absolute submission to God. Jer. 15:15 O LORD, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke. 16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts. 17 I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation. 18 Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?
He first lists his faithfulness to God, and states that this is the very reason he is suffering persecution. He instructs God that God’s long suffering with these wicked persons is causing their persecutions to continue on him. Then he reminds God that his heart aches shall never be stopped unless God takes action against his persecutors. Then, with the continued delay of God’s acting, he is so stressed that he tells God that He is like a liar unto him! Wow! He acts like he has God’s best interests at heart, and seeks to help God with His reputation of being Truth, and being no lie! Seeking the wine of true fulfilling joy can even make one as if they were more just than God! Was this not the case with Job?
No wonder that Harlot religion seeks dead, cold waterpot joyless traditions! It is much easier to work up some emotional excitement and get happiness, than to wrestle with God’s absolute sovereignty and obtain spiritual joy!
The Worst First
Unless one has been born again to become a ‘new bottle,’ and has tasted to see that the Lord is good, they will always prefer the old wine of religion! Luke 5:39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better. But those of us who have been made new creatures in Christ, by Divine and Sovereign Grace are allowed to drink it new with him in this spiritual kingdom! Matt. 26:29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom. Psalm 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
Pastor Gene Breed
