Mothers and Sons

John 2 is an interesting chapter in John's account of Jesus' life. The first part of the chapter recounts the miracle of turning water into wine. That's what most people remember from this account. Not much else makes it through. But there is more there that I think bears consideration.

Mary, mother of Jesus, along with Jesus, his brothers and disciples, are at a wedding feast. Sounds like a great place to be! Everyone is having a pretty good time until the host discovers that the wine has run out. When Mary finds out, she tells Jesus. Notice, though, that it is that "expectant" kind of tell. Like, you-can-do-something-about-this kind of tell.

Mary knew something about Jesus that no one else knew. She knew he could do some remarkable things. She had first-hand knowledge of his abilities. No one else, apparently, knew this. Not his brothers, not his disciples, no one. Only his mother. And now she has found a useful outlet for those abilities.

Jesus, though, is reluctant. He tells her it is not yet his time. For whatever reason, he doesn't seem to want to make this public display of his special abilities at this event. He already had a following already, his disciples. They knew him as a gifted teacher. But they didn't know the whole extent of who he was or what he could do and that seemed to be the way he wanted to keep it.

Until mother beckoned. His protestation fell on deaf ears as she, I imagine looking over the top of her glasses at him, tells the wedding servers to do whatever Jesus tells them. And so it begins.

He tells the servers to fill the water pots with water, then to taste. And the water has turned to the best wine of the wedding feast. Thus are his disciples introduced to another aspect of who Jesus is. It is a minor miracle, really, compared to what he will do in the near future. But it is a prelude and introduction to where their lives are about to head.

Any practical lessons here? Let me suggest:


  • Sons, your mother knows you better than anyone. While that can sometimes be an aggravation, accept it and learn from it.
  • Acknowledge your mother, no matter what your age. Jesus was about 30 years old here, but he still responds to his mother.
  • Sometimes our loved ones, knowing us so well, can nudge us into doing things we might not otherwise do. That can be a good thing.

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