Signs

 October 20, 2023

“This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.” —John 2:11 

Jesus’ first miracle, recorded here in John’s gospel, is the changing of the water into wine. A lot of people smarter and more knowledgeable than me have commented extensively on this event. My attention is drawn not to the miracle itself, but how it is described. John calls it a sign, an interesting choice of words, for signs are not the reality; they point to the reality. A street sign isn’t the street; it merely identifies the street. The signs that say, “Benny’s Garage,” or “Betty’s Salon” are not themselves the places, but identify the place. John is telling us here that the miracle of transforming the water into wine is not the thing itself, but points to something greater.

That greater something is the manifestation of Jesus’ glory. That word “glory” is interesting itself. We tend to think of something glorious as magnificent or praiseworthy. John uses the word to describe the inner reality made known. Jesus’ glory isn’t seen only in events like the Transfiguration or resurrection. It is seen in his concern for two newlyweds who stand to be embarrassed by the shortage of wine. It’s seen not in the hallowed sanctuary of rigid religion, but in the exuberant joy of a wedding.

And notice that this is the FIRST of his signs. It’s as if Jesus wants us to know what is really important. It’s not the pomp and ceremony of the temple, or the military might of Rome, or the political powerbrokers of the day. What is most important to Jesus is the joy of an ordinary couple gathered with friends for one of the most ordinary of celebrations.

Perhaps it was his topsy-turvy way of seeing life; maybe it was the miracle itself, but I suspect it was his challenge to the self-important people of his day that cause the first disciples to believe in him. That’s not the only, but it is a good reason to do as the disciples did: they believed in him. If we are to be his followers today, we should, too.