Family Matters

Throughout history, the presence of large amounts of free alcohol have meant that weddings have often been occasions when people drink a lot. It was the same in first-century Palestine.

At this particular wedding, the party was about to take a turn for the worse: the hosts had run out of wine. Then, as now, this would have been embarrassing and Jesus' mother appears to want him to do something about it.

 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, ‘They have no more wine.’
‘Woman, why do you involve me?’ Jesus replied. ‘My hour has not yet come.’
His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’

 At first sight, Jesus' answer seems a bit rude. First, he addresses his mother as "Woman." Then, he seems to shrug off her request with the seemingly off-hand phrase, "Why do you involve me?"

In fact, Jesus is not being rude but purposeful. In addressing Mary as "woman", Jesus is signalling that he has broken away from being only her child; he has his own identity and sense of purpose in life. The term "woman" would have sounded a bit more respectful in the Aramaic language spoken by Jesus and his family than it does in modern English. Although as we shall see later, Jesus continues to respect his mother, he wants Mary to understand that their relationship has changed.

By saying, "My hour has not yet come", Jesus seems to want Mary to understand that she should not expect him to instantly respond to requests for help. Jesus appears to be aware of a sense of calling upon his life that is greater than his duty to family and friends. His life belonged to God, and each action in response to God's call upon him had its appropriate time and place.

Mary seems to understand what is happening here.  She doesn't nag Jesus about the wine. She appears to sense that he is about to act but respects his own agency in the matter. Her words to the servants at the wedding were as wise now as they were then: "Do whatever he tells you."

Throughout history, people have tried to co-opt Jesus to their cause. Politicians have tried to align him to their manifestos, social movements attempt to claim him as a supporter. Emperors have militarised Jesus, hippies have dropped out with him, parents have tried to domesticate him.

In all such attempts, Jesus continues to remain unique. He does not serve our human agendas but has his own life, his own message and his own calling - to do the will of the God he calls "Father." In one sense, he did not adapt himself to the norms of others; he expected others to adapt their lives to his teaching.

What do you make of a man who acts and thinks like this? What surprises or concerns you about this?

You can read the whole story we have looked at today, including the outcome of the wine crisis at the wedding here.