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Returning from the wedding in Cana of Galilee

Text: John 2:13-25

RETURNING FROM THE WEDDING IN CANA OF GALILEE

The wedding had turned out well. The newly married couple could not have asked for a more perfect wedding. They had the greatest Guest they could have invited. He had given them a wedding gift that money could not purchase! Jesus had turned water into wine for them, when the supply of wine had run out.

It was time now to leave Cana of Galilee, and so Jesus, His family members and His disciples left together for Capernaum.

“After this He went down to Capernaum,
He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples;
And they did not stay there many days.”
John 2:12

Philip was not incorrect to say that Jesus came from Nazareth. His birthplace was Bethlehem, but He grew up in Nazareth. Why then did John mention Capernaum as the city that He, His mother and brothers returned to, after the wedding?

Matthew in his Gospel tells us that Jesus had dwelt in Capernaum, and virtually made it His “headquarters” while He ministered in Galilee.

“Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison,
He departed to Galilee.
And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum,
Which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphthali,
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah
The prophet saying:

‘The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphthali,
By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles:
The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light.
And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death
Light has dawned.'”
Matthew 4:12-16

The wedding at Cana of Galilee was the last family function Jesus attended with His mother and brothers. He would no longer be with them as Mary’s son. He would now be revealed to the world as the Son of God.

THE DECISION TO CELEBRATE THE PASSOVER AT JERUSALEM

The celebration of the Passover was usually observed as a family. If Jesus wanted to go to Jerusalem to celebrate it, it would have been most natural to have His family members with Him. Jesus had gone to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover with His earthly parents. He was twelve years of age then. Luke recorded this particular trip to Jerusalem.

“His parents went up to Jerusalem every year
at the Feast of the Passover.
And when He was twelve years old, they went to Jerusalem
According to the custom of the feast.”
Luke 2:41-42

We are probably familiar with this particular story of how Mary and Joseph had lost Jesus on their way back to Nazareth. They searched frantically for Him, and finally found Him at the Temple, listening to the Teachers and asking them questions (Cf. Luke 2:43-50).

Jesus returned to His home in Nazareth with His parents. There He stayed with them and practised submission to them as a dutiful son. But Jesus had grown up since then. He would make that trip to Jerusalem on His own. His disciples followed Him, perhaps thinking of the Passover celebration. They had never celebrated the Passover with Jesus before. What would the celebration of the Passover be like when one is in the company of the Messiah Himself? The Disciples probably hadn’t the faintest idea. They had been surprised by Jesus before, and they probably thought that it would be best not to try and second-guess what Jesus would do next.

JERUSALEM – IN PROPHETIC PROMISE

Jerusalem was held in the highest esteem by all Jews. Their love for this city bordered on fanaticism! The reasons why this is the case may be traced all the way back to the time of Moses!

God Himself had told Moses that one day He would give to Israel a special place where they could worship Him. Long before David chose Jerusalem as the holy city, where the Temple of the Lord would be built, the Lord had already made plans for it.

“But you shall seek The Place
where the Lord your God chooses,
out of all the tribes, to put His Name
for His dwelling place; and there you shall go.

Then there will be The Place
Where the Lord your God chooses
To make His Name abide.
There you shall bring all that I command you:
Your burnt offerings, your sacrifices,
Your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand,
And all your choice offerings, which you vow to the Lord.”
Deuteronomy 12:5, 11

God Himself promised that He would give to Israel a special place they could worship Him in. The children of Israel had to content themselves with worshipping God at the Tabernacle that was especially constructed to house the Ark of the Covenant. How Israel rejoiced when a permanent place was finally established!