THE WITNESSES
FIRST SIGN
89
AND
Gospel, the evidence is complete, and since that moment heaven has
been silent.
In the record of the opening sign at Cana the first assertion is one
referring to time: `And the third day there was a marriage'. We have
already seen that John 1:19-51 gives the witness of four consecutive
days: 1st day (19-28); 2nd day (29-34); 3rd day (35-42); 4th day
(43-51); 7th day (i.e., third day after last event, 2:1). It was on the
seventh day of the creation week that the Lord rested and the day was
sanctified. On the seventh thousand year-day of earth's great week,
the sabbath-keeping for the children of God shall come (Heb. 4:9,
sabbatismos), and `The Marriage of the Lamb'. On the first day of his
testimony John the Baptist pointed out the Lord as `The Lamb of God';
only the apostle John uses this title.
Dr. Lightfoot gives a long list of laws and regulations regarding
marriage, as found in the Talmud and Rabbinical writings, but it is
only the last of these that has any bearing upon John 2. `The nuptial
festival was continued for the whole seven days'. We find Laban
saying to Jacob at the marriage of Leah, and also at his request for
Rachel, `Fulfil her week'.
As seems to have been the case at Cana, it will easily be
understood that at a festivity extending over a period of seven days, the
supply of wine might prematurely run out.
`And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto Him,
They have no wine' (John 2:3).
The way in which Mary speaks and acts in this passage makes it
fairly clear that she was a relative of the household, and the fact that
she told the Lord of the lack of wine indicates that she was in
expectation of some action on His part to remedy the fault, for she
knew of the baptism of John, the descent of the Spirit as a dove, and
the attestation of the Baptist and others. To our ears, the Saviour's
reply sounds rather abrupt, but we must remember that the use of the
word `woman' was a respectful form of address, as can be seen from
19:26 and 20:13,15. We must also understand that these words were
spoken exclusively for Mary's ear, and that we have nothing to
indicate the accompanying tone, inflection or look that so modify the
spoken word. On more than one occasion the Lord had to check the
intrusion of even His own mother, into that sphere which lay outside
all earthly relationships. At the age of twelve, when Mary, having