Old Testament: Nehemiah 7 & 8
Poetry: Psalm 22
*New Testament: John 2
First impressions are important. What someone thinks of you or what you think of them the first time you meet can set a trajectory for the future of the relationship. After watching the pilot episode of a show, you should come away with some kind of clue as to what direction it will take. Are you going to continue watching the show, or have they not gripped your attention enough?
In John 2, we are given the first impressions or the pilot episode of Jesus’ public ministry, at least according to John’s gospel. Jesus breaks out onto the public scene with the wedding at Cana miracle and the temple cleansing showdown. What is the significance of these events, and how do they foreshadow or help establish a rhythm for the rest of Jesus’ ministry?
The wedding at Cana is only mentioned in John’s gospel. That is not to say that the author made it up. The other gospel writers may not have heard the story or for whatever reason didn’t include it. On the surface, it does seem odd that the first of Jesus’ miracles appears to do nothing more than enable some celebratory characters to get even more drunk than they were before. I’ve never been quite sure how to make sense of that (but hey, welcome to the bible).
What is being accomplished or communicated with this event? For one, Jesus is providing a clear sign for his disciples that he is the real deal. After seeing the miracle, the disciples have no doubt that Jesus is who he says he is, and that he has the authority from God he claims to have. Another thing being shown is that God is a God of abundance, generosity, and quality. Jesus not only provided very good wine for the party, but provided way more than was needed. Also, by not letting the celebration stop short, Jesus affirms that the good things in life are worth celebrating. That is not a green light on abuse of alcohol, though. Celebration can happen without the aid of recreational substances.
Perhaps most significantly, Jesus is using this miracle to symbolize and foreshadow the transformative work that is about to happen through his ministry, death, and resurrection. Those giant old jars that were used to hold water for purification rites were now going to hold the good stuff. Something was happening that was going to blow the doors off their old, dusty religion. There was a new order, a new reign of God rising up among them. God was really up to something! For some, it was just an epic party (if they even remembered), but for others, it was the night they realized that Jesus was going to change the course of history.
The next event we hear about is the cleansing of the temple. The observant may note that this event happens later in other gospels, much closer to his crucifixion. There are a couple of ways to deal with this. One opinion is that there were two temple cleansing events. John happened to tell us about the earlier one and not the later one, while the other gospel writers told us about the later one and not the earlier one. Another way to deal with it is to say there was really just one event, but John decided to chronologically place it near the beginning of Jesus’ ministry and the other gospel writers placed it near the end. Don’t lose any sleep over it. Whether it was one or two events, there is significance in John’s choice to share an early account of the temple cleansing.
To understand the context, we should try to make sense of why Jesus was so upset about the money changers. It appears they were providing a legitimate and needed service for those visiting the temple. What could be the harm in that? There is a strong possibility that their businesses had started to exploit people. When you have a corner on the market, what’s to stop you from jacking up prices or treating your customers unfairly? The customers have nowhere else to go. Another reason Jesus may have been upset is that the temple is supposed to be a sacred place. When you turn a sacred place into a marketplace, you are distorting its purpose. It appears that Jesus was taking a stand for the purity and integrity of the temple and worship practices.
This event helps set the stage for the tension Jesus will have with the religious leaders throughout his ministry. This tension will spawn many conflicts that will eventually cost Jesus his life. Late spoiler alert. Another thing being communicated is that Jesus is asserting his authority as the true temple. He says in verse 19, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” He said this in reference to his own death and resurrection, but like so many other times in John’s gospel, his words were misunderstood.
Jesus made his first public impressions by powerfully establishing his identity, authority, and mission, and by giving everyone a taste of the transformation that was about to take place. There is something captivating about the character of Jesus. I’m biased when saying that, but I like to think if I had known nothing about Jesus and only read this chapter of John, I would be wanting to see what he did next and where this whole thing was going. In other words, I would totally binge this show.
-Jay Laurent
Reflection Questions:
1. What kinds of transformative work has Jesus done in your life?
2. Jesus caused a scene in the temple over concerns about the integrity of worship practices. What should worship look like?
3. In verse 4, it appears that Jesus is a little reluctant to begin his ministry. Why might that be? Is there something you feel called to do, but don’t feel quite ready for?
Seek Grow Love 