Well I preached in NYC this Sunday at GALC-NYC. It was exciting to preach in Manhattan at this wonderful church. They have been supportive in my Journey and it was nice to share the message with these fine people.
It was great to have my folks come for the early service in the chapel before they made a trip up to New England for Bailey's piano recital. They made up a good part of my chapel service crowd (6 total I think)and I appreciated the effort to come see me.
The full service in the sanctuary was much better attended, with special guests of AT and Jen making the trip down from Dobbs to see me.
Next stop is a return to Dobbs Ferry Lutheran for my Birthday Service Sermon!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
Wine and Signs
Here is the text of the sermon I delivered at Dobbs Ferry (NY) Lutheran Church on January 17, 2010.
Lord,
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, for you are my Rock and my Redeemer. AMEN
I saw a report on the TODAY show two weeks ago about how to save money and be frugal in the New Year. One of the recommendations was for couples who are looking to get married is to consider a January wedding, instead of a spring or a summer wedding. The cost of reception halls are considerably cheaper in Mid January then say June or July, at the height of the wedding season. So I found it interesting, a sign maybe, that the today’s Gospel story is that of a wedding in Cana.
Who would have known that nearly two thousand years later that the lectionary’s lesson would be so appropriate, in the placement of one of the most famous wedding stories to be told in the middle of January?
The writer of John lets us be a witness to a wedding where Jesus begins his ministry by performing what is called his first miracle. We are brought to the wedding on its third day and we know that Mary, Jesus, and his disciples had been invited to share in this celebration.
Now, in biblical time life was simple, but weddings were not.
Weddings tended to be a week-long celebration and were an event for the entire community. So, this being the third day, we are reaching the half-way point. I guess in a modern wedding we are looking at the about the end of cocktail hour and the meal is about to be served, when the unthinkable happens; “Dude, we are running out of wine.”
Now it does not take a theologian to realize that this could be an issue. Today’s weddings typically involve wine and spirits. The free flowing of them tends to be a sign of good time and a successful celebration for the happy couple. In biblical time the water often was not safe to drink, so wine was the drink of choice. The wine would typically be diluted and would be the only liquid refreshments being served.
So running out of it would be a major fau pax.
If the wine did run out, it would definitely be the way THIS wedding would be remembered. The couple’s 50th wedding anniversary would still carry the shame of; “Remember when they ran out of Wine at their wedding?!?”
To go even further in ancient Near Eastern law there was an element of reciprocity. It was a legal responsibility or requirement to provide an appropriate wedding gift to a couple when attending these extravagant affairs.
So, in theory, the bride & groom might even be financially liable for not providing adequately for their guests during this week-long celebration. Running out of wine was just not an acceptable situation. This had the makings of a major issue for our couple.
The wedding was in Cana, about ten miles north of Nazareth. We are never told who was getting married, but we can gather from the fact that Mary and Jesus had been invited to this wedding, that it was probably a blood relative or very close friend of Mary and Jesus. Ten miles by foot is a big deal to travel in these times.
We are not told that Mary was actually involved in the organizing of the wedding, but we do get the feeling that she wants to make sure things are done right. So when she learns of the situation of limited vino, she looks for a solution. Turning to Jesus she tells him; “They have no more wine.”
Now, I know if my mom told me at my cousin’s wedding that there was no more liquor my first reaction would have been; “What do you expect me to do about it?”
It is not like Jesus owned the local vineyard and could have jugs or wine delivered. Or was it?
How often have we wished that we could order God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, to do what we want God to do? Mary, being the mother of Jesus, knew something. I guess those conversations with the arc angel and believing that God had great plans for her son did give her some insight into what Jesus was capable of doing. Yet Jesus seemed reluctant, and states that his time has not yet come.
But Mary, his mother, like many mothers, has faith in her son, and believes that Jesus will be able to address the situation and she instructs the servants to; “Do what he tells you.”
Mary shows us, as believers in Christ, that we need to have faith and confidence that Jesus has the power to act and react to the events and difficulties that we face in our lives.
Mary’s faith and confidence reminds us to give the Holy Spirit the freedom to act.
Mary’s faith and confidence reminds us that God can provide beyond our understanding.
We can trust God; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, We can trust in God’s remarkable ability to react to the events that affect our lives.
Now my wife Nicole can attest that if our sons Camden and Casey (and our daughter Caroline as well,) are told that the playroom is messy their typical response would be; “But Mom…”
Likewise, if they would begin cleaning the room without being told specifically what they were suppose to do we would consider this a miracle.
While they are children of God, they are still my sons, and like their dad, they do require … directions. Fortunately for Mary, the Son of God knew what needed to be done, and we witness, through the Gospel, how his ministry would begin.
The narrator of this Gospel tells us Jesus instructs the servants to fill 6 large jars with water. Now each of these jugs could hold about between 25 to 30 gallons, so we are talking about over 150 gallons of water that Jesus would turn into the finest of wines. This will be more than enough wine to satisfy the needs of the celebration.
Jesus then instructs one of the servants to fill a cup from the one of the jars and bring it to the person in charge to taste. Now wouldn’t you be worried being the waiter bringing a cup of what was just water to the person in charge to taste?!?
Our man in charge, who most likely was a prominate member of the family or the community, has no clue what was happening.
No clue that there was no more wine. No clue about the water that was in jugs. And, after tasting the cup brought to him, he now thinks that the Groom, who was responsible for supplying the wine, has no clue!
He questions our nameless groom why the best wine was being served after everyone has already had the lesser wine. It was customary for the best to be served first while the taste buds were freshest.
What is not custom is to have Jesus Christ being an impromptu wine steward at your wedding.
What is not custom is to be a witness to the first sign of Jesus giving all those who gather this new wine of grace, truth, and love that can come only from the Glory of God.
This first time only a select few were full witnesses of the Power of his Glory. Only a select few knew what had just happened.
Now, we look for miracles. Often in times of tragedy we look for them the most. A year ago Friday there was “The Miracle on The Hudson” when US Airways Flight 1549’s jet landed in the icy river without a loss of life. And today we continue to hold out hope of witnessing more miracles in Haiti as those who are missing may continue to be found among the rubble from the recent earthquake and aftershocks. We look for Miracles, but are they what we should be looking for?
This story is often referred to as a miracle; the turning of water into wine. The beloved King James Version’s 11th verse reads:
This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; (John 2:11 KJV)
As a Seminarian student I have been given the daunting task of looking at the original Greek text. The original text does not call it a miracle, the text uses the Greek word shmeiovn (sem-eion) which is translated as sign.
Look again at our text again. Verse 11 says:
Jesus did this, the first of his signs, (John 2:11 NRS)
Think about it, what are signs?
Signs direct us, and point us to things.
The signs themselves are not what are important. The wine is not what was important. The wine was consumed by those at the wedding who only recognized it for its superior quality not for its miraculous production. It is what Jesus is capable of doing that is what is important.
It is what the signs show us, what signs tell us, and what signs direct us to … that matter.
There are signs in our lives all the time. We follow them and recognize them many times without being conscious of what the signs are telling us.
But what if you miss a sign?
What if you miss the sign reminding you to exit here?
The sign telling you the speed limit is now 25 miles per hour?
Or that sign that said next rest area 56 miles?
It doesn’t have to be when we travel.
There are signs telling us of some great deal in our stores or that sign that was to remind us that the bank branch will be closed tomorrow in observance of Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday.
Then there are those subtle sign like a runny nose or a slight fever when we start to get sick. Or the signs that our friends and family give off when they need a hug or a kiss, or just need us to be with them.
When we miss a sign, we miss opportunities to be a witness to the Glory of God. Yet we are still graced with being able to partake in the drinking of the Wine of Abundance that Jesus Christ gives to all that attend the banquet of life.
Those at the wedding were not aware of the sign that had just appeared, yet they were able to share in the Glory that was the wine that Jesus had provided.
Likewise the children today witnessed signs earlier. They witnessed signs HERE pointing to the Glory of God, and like the guests at the wedding you may not have witnessed the sign, but you still graced with the message these signs are pointing us towards.
Chapters 2 thru 12 in the Gospel of John are often called the Books of Signs, because in them Jesus performs signs that reveal his Glory. Jesus will go on to heal the son of a Canaan city official, heal a sick man, feed five thousand people, walk on water, heal a blind man and raise Lazarus from the dead. All are signs pointing to the fact that he is the Son of God. All these signs are witnessed by many and points to the Glory of God that is in him, through him and from him. All the Glory of God is revealed to all that believe.
Yet this first sign, the turning of water into wine, was witnessed by a just a select few; his mother, the servants, his disciples, and us as witnesses of the Message.
We as believers in Christ get to witness through the scriptures all the signs of his Glory, from his birth, his baptism, and now we have witnessed the beginning of his ministry. As we move forward we will witness once again his suffering, his dying, his death, his resurrection, and all the signs of his everlasting life. As Christians we continue to look for the signs that remind us of the Glory of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen
Review of Bible Explorer 4.0
For my other JTerm Class I needed to review a Bible Software program. I thought it might be appreciated by those following this as well.
For my bible software review I looked at and began to get use to using Bible Explorer 4.0. This program in its basic form is a free download, and the free software was impressive in its function and amount of free documents included in the way of Bibles, Commentaries, Cross References, Devotionals, Study Tools and other items included in the library. Additional “books” are available for purchase on-line to be added on to the library and some additional research would be needed on those to give a good review of the possible library one could build, so you do not get everything for free!
The browser window within the program allows for multiple windows to be viewed at the same time. I found four documents to be viewed at a time on the screen about the most manageable, but while fooling around I was able to have 10 windows opened at once. So you could have multiple bible translations, commentaries and the built in word processing program all on the screen at once. The Bible translations and commentaries are synced automatically (it can be toggled off) so as you scroll one version the other windows continue to scroll as well which I found to be nice when comparing three versions at once. I liked being able to view Greek and English translation simultaneously and I will continue to fool around with this while doing some exegesis work in the coming months to get a real feel of things.
There is also discussion groups connected to Bible Explorer as well. The free version does not included access to the groups, but with purchases of additional downloads you are granted access. According to many reviews on cnet.com these discussion groups might be something to avoid. I was not able to view the discussion group, but since the group is connected to the software publisher this does raise a potential concern. Overall I found the software a nice addition to my seminary tool box.
For my bible software review I looked at and began to get use to using Bible Explorer 4.0. This program in its basic form is a free download, and the free software was impressive in its function and amount of free documents included in the way of Bibles, Commentaries, Cross References, Devotionals, Study Tools and other items included in the library. Additional “books” are available for purchase on-line to be added on to the library and some additional research would be needed on those to give a good review of the possible library one could build, so you do not get everything for free!
The browser window within the program allows for multiple windows to be viewed at the same time. I found four documents to be viewed at a time on the screen about the most manageable, but while fooling around I was able to have 10 windows opened at once. So you could have multiple bible translations, commentaries and the built in word processing program all on the screen at once. The Bible translations and commentaries are synced automatically (it can be toggled off) so as you scroll one version the other windows continue to scroll as well which I found to be nice when comparing three versions at once. I liked being able to view Greek and English translation simultaneously and I will continue to fool around with this while doing some exegesis work in the coming months to get a real feel of things.
There is also discussion groups connected to Bible Explorer as well. The free version does not included access to the groups, but with purchases of additional downloads you are granted access. According to many reviews on cnet.com these discussion groups might be something to avoid. I was not able to view the discussion group, but since the group is connected to the software publisher this does raise a potential concern. Overall I found the software a nice addition to my seminary tool box.
Bible Gateway Review
For my other JTerm Class I needed to review an online Bible study source. I thought it might be appreciated by those following this as well.
The Bible Gateway is a website that can be used for reading and researching scripture online for free, no membership or registration required site I was impressed with the wide range of available Bible versions and translations.
The site was easy to navigate and I could see myself recommending this site to members of a congregation as place where a layperson could do some basic Bible study work without being intimidated with the process. The home page opens with a Quick Search box with clear directions to Enter the Bible passage (e.g. John 3:16), keyword (e.g. Jesus, prophet, etc.) or topic (e.g. salvation) you want to find. You can easily choose your version of the bible as well on this page.
The site offers a Verse of the Day that is posted under the Quick Search. Depending on the version of the bible chosen you can click through to an audible reading of the chapter and verse of the day.
There are some limited commentaries linked to the site as well for some basic exegesis work. The two commentaries found on the site are IVP New Testament Commentaries from InterVarsity Press and Matthew’s Henry Concise Commentary on the Bible. These commentaries are not too insightful, but do offer some commentary research that can be easily read by those who are interested in doing some biblical research beyond just reading the scriptures.
Bible Gateway offers other features such as a Verse of the Day widget that could be added to a personal website and a Bible Reading Plans, which offer five different reading plans developed by Central Presbyterian Church in Baltimore.
The Bible Gateway was first started in 1993 by Nick Hengeveld while attending Calvin College (Grand Rapids, MI). In 1995 Nick became the first webmaster at Gospel.com. He continues to run the Bible Gateway and adds new translations, languages, and functionality to the site.
The Bible Gateway is a website that can be used for reading and researching scripture online for free, no membership or registration required site I was impressed with the wide range of available Bible versions and translations.
The site was easy to navigate and I could see myself recommending this site to members of a congregation as place where a layperson could do some basic Bible study work without being intimidated with the process. The home page opens with a Quick Search box with clear directions to Enter the Bible passage (e.g. John 3:16), keyword (e.g. Jesus, prophet, etc.) or topic (e.g. salvation) you want to find. You can easily choose your version of the bible as well on this page.
The site offers a Verse of the Day that is posted under the Quick Search. Depending on the version of the bible chosen you can click through to an audible reading of the chapter and verse of the day.
There are some limited commentaries linked to the site as well for some basic exegesis work. The two commentaries found on the site are IVP New Testament Commentaries from InterVarsity Press and Matthew’s Henry Concise Commentary on the Bible. These commentaries are not too insightful, but do offer some commentary research that can be easily read by those who are interested in doing some biblical research beyond just reading the scriptures.
Bible Gateway offers other features such as a Verse of the Day widget that could be added to a personal website and a Bible Reading Plans, which offer five different reading plans developed by Central Presbyterian Church in Baltimore.
The Bible Gateway was first started in 1993 by Nick Hengeveld while attending Calvin College (Grand Rapids, MI). In 1995 Nick became the first webmaster at Gospel.com. He continues to run the Bible Gateway and adds new translations, languages, and functionality to the site.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Collation Project of BibTech Course
For my other J-Term class I am taking we are looking at Bible software and websites to be used in Bible studies and theological research such as preparing for sermons. Here is a portion of a project I am working on. The images do not show up within the blog like I had hoped. If anyone would like to get a WORD doc of this work in progress contact me and I can forward it, of try another method we are learning in class.
John 2.1-11: Wedding at Cana
BGT John 2:1 Καὶ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ γάμος ἐγένετο ἐν Κανὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας, καὶ ἦν ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐκεῖ•
KJG John 2:1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:
NAU John 2:1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there;
NET John 2:1 Now on the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there,
TNIV John 2:1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there,
NLT John 2:1 The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there,
NET Notes (John 2:1) –BibleWorks8-
2 sn Cana in Galilee was not a very well-known place. It is mentioned only here, in 4:46, and 21:2, and nowhere else in the NT. Josephus (Life 16 [86]) says he once had his quarters there. The probable location is present day Khirbet Cana, 8 mi (14 km) north of Nazareth, or Khirbet Kenna, 4 mi (7 km) northeast of Nazareth.
3 tn Grk "in Galilee, and Jesus' mother."
BGT John 2:2 ἐκλήθη δὲ καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν γάμον.
KJG John 2:2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.
NAU John 2:2 and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.
NET John 2:2 and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding.
TNIV John 2:2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.
NLT John 2:2 and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration.
NET Notes (John 2:2)
4 sn There is no clue to the identity of the bride and groom, but in all probability either relatives or friends of Jesus' family were involved, since Jesus' mother and both Jesus and his disciples were invited to the celebration. The attitude of Mary in approaching Jesus and asking him to do something when the wine ran out also suggests that familial obligations were involved.
KJG John 2:3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.
NAU John 2:3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine."
NET John 2:3 When the wine ran out, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no wine left."
TNIV John 2:3 When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."
NLT John 2:3 The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus' mother told him, "They have no more wine."
NET Notes (John 2:3)
5 tn The word "left" is not in the Greek text but is implied.
sn They have no wine left. On the backgrounds of this miracle J. D. M. Derrett pointed out among other things the strong element of reciprocity about weddings in the Ancient Near East. It was possible in certain circumstances to take legal action against the man who failed to provide an appropriate wedding gift. The bridegroom and family here might have been involved in a financial liability for failing to provide adequately for their guests ("Water into Wine," BZ 7 [1963]: 80-97). Was Mary asking for a miracle? There is no evidence that Jesus had worked any miracles prior to this (although this is an argument from silence). Some think Mary was only reporting the situation, or (as Calvin thought) asking Jesus to give some godly exhortations to the guests and thus relieve the bridegroom's embarrassment. But the words, and the reply of Jesus in v. 4, seem to imply more. It is not inconceivable that Mary, who had probably been witness to the events of the preceding days, or at least was aware of them, knew that her son's public career was beginning. She also knew the supernatural events surrounding his birth, and the prophetic words of the angel, and of Simeon and Anna in the temple at Jesus' dedication. In short, she had good reason to believe Jesus to be the Messiah, and now his public ministry had begun. In this kind of context, her request does seem more significant.
BGT John 2:4 [καὶ] λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς• τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί, γύναι; οὔπω ἥκει ἡ ὥρα μου.
KJG John 2:4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.
NAU John 2:4 And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come."
NET John 2:4 Jesus replied, "Woman, why are you saying this to me? My time has not yet come."
TNIV John 2:4 "Woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My hour has not yet come."
NLT John 2:4 "Dear woman, that's not our problem," Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come."
Verse 4. Woman. This term, as used here, seems to imply reproof, as if she was interfering in that which did not properly concern her; but it is evident that no such reproof or disrespect was intended by the use of the term woman instead of mother. It is the same term by which he tenderly addressed Mary Magdalene after his resurrection (John 20:15), and his mother when he was on the cross, John 19:26. Comp. also Matthew 15:28, John 4:21, 1 Corinthians 7:16.
—Barnes' Notes on the New Testament
BGT John 2:5 λέγει ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ τοῖς διακόνοις• ὅ τι ἂν λέγῃ ὑμῖν ποιήσατε.
KJG John 2:5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
NAU John 2:5 His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."
NET John 2:5 His mother told the servants, "Whatever he tells you, do it."
TNIV John 2:5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
NLT John 2:5 But his mother told the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
BGT John 2:6 ἦσαν δὲ ἐκεῖ λίθιναι ὑδρίαι ἓξ κατὰ τὸν καθαρισμὸν τῶν Ἰουδαίων κείμεναι, χωροῦσαι ἀνὰ μετρητὰς δύο ἢ τρεῖς.
KJG John 2:6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.
NAU John 2:6 Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each.
NET John 2:6 Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washing, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.
TNIV John 2:6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
NLT John 2:6 Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons.
NET Notes (John 2:6)
11 tn Grk "for the purification of the Jews."
12 tn Grk "holding two or three metretes" (about 75 to 115 liters). Each of the pots held 2 or 3 μετρηταί (metreÒtai). A μετρητῆς (metreÒteÒs) was about 9 gallons (40 liters); thus each jar held 18–27 gallons (80–120 liters) and the total volume of liquid involved was 108–162 gallons (480–720 liters).
sn Significantly, these jars held water for Jewish ceremonial washing (purification rituals). The water of Jewish ritual purification has become the wine of the new messianic age. The wine may also be, after the fashion of Johannine double meanings, a reference to the wine of the Lord's Supper. A number have suggested this, but there does not seem to be anything in the immediate context which compels this; it seems more related to how frequently a given interpreter sees references to the sacraments in John's Gospel as a whole.
BGT John 2:7 λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς• γεμίσατε τὰς ὑδρίας ὕδατος. καὶ ἐγέμισαν αὐτὰς ἕως ἄνω.
KJG John 2:7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.
NAU John 2:7 Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water." So they filled them up to the brim.
NET John 2:7 Jesus told the servants, "Fill the water jars with water." So they filled them up to the very top.
TNIV John 2:7 Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.
NLT John 2:7 Jesus told the servants, "Fill the jars with water." When the jars had been filled,
BGT John 2:8 καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς• ἀντλήσατε νῦν καὶ φέρετε τῷ ἀρχιτρικλίνῳ• οἱ δὲ ἤνεγκαν.
KJG John 2:8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.
NAU John 2:8 And He said to them, "Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter." So they took it to him.
NET John 2:8 Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the head steward," and they did.
TNIV John 2:8 Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so,
NLT John 2:8 he said, "Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies." So the servants followed his instructions.
BGT John 2:9 ὡς δὲ ἐγεύσατο ὁ ἀρχιτρίκλινος τὸ ὕδωρ οἶνον γεγενημένον καὶ οὐκ ᾔδει πόθεν ἐστίν, οἱ δὲ διάκονοι ᾔδεισαν οἱ ἠντληκότες τὸ ὕδωρ, φωνεῖ τὸν νυμφίον ὁ ἀρχιτρίκλινος
KJG John 2:9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,
NAU John 2:9 When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom,
NET John 2:9 When the head steward tasted the water that had been turned to wine, not knowing where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), he called the bridegroom
TNIV John 2:9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside
NLT John 2:9 When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over.
BGT John 2:10 καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ• πᾶς ἄνθρωπος πρῶτον τὸν καλὸν οἶνον τίθησιν καὶ ὅταν μεθυσθῶσιν τὸν ἐλάσσω• σὺ τετήρηκας τὸν καλὸν οἶνον ἕως ἄρτι.
KJG John 2:10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.
NAU John 2:10 and said to him, "Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now."
NET John 2:10 and said to him, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the cheaper wine when the guests are drunk. You have kept the good wine until now!"
TNIV John 2:10 and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."
NLT John 2:10 "A host always serves the best wine first," he said. "Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!"
BGT John 2:11 Ταύτην ἐποίησεν ἀρχὴν τῶν σημείων ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐν Κανὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας καὶ ἐφανέρωσεν τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ.
KJG John 2:11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
NAU John 2:11 This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.
NET John 2:11 Jesus did this as the first of his miraculous signs, in Cana of Galilee. In this way he revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.
TNIV John 2:11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples put their faith in him.
NLT John 2:11 This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
Verse 11
21 tn This sentence in Greek involves an object-complement construction. The force can be either “Jesus did this as,” or possibly “Jesus made this to be.” The latter translation accents not only Jesus' power but his sovereignty too. Cf. also 4:54 where the same construction occurs.
—NET Bible Notes - First Edition
Word Study:
σημείων (John 2:11 BGT)
• σημεῖον, ου, τό sign
• v11: σημείων noun genitive neuter plural common from σημεῖον
• Forms of σημείων appear 78 times in the NT, 17 times in the Gospel according to John:
Total Number of Verses in Version: 38279
Number of Hits in Version: 78
• From Louw-Nida Lexcion (cf 3.476-489 for more)
• 3.477 σημεῖον, ου n: an event which is regarded as having some special meaning - 'sign.' εἰπὲ ἡμῖν ... τί τὸ σημεῖον τῆς σῆς παρουσίας 'tell us ... what will be the sign of your coming' Mt 24.3. In translating σημεῖον in Mt 24.3, it may be necessary in some languages to say 'tell us what will happen that will show that you are coming' or 'tell us what we will see that will make us know that you are coming.'
σημεῖον as an event with special meaning was inevitably an unusual or even miraculous type of occurrence, and in a number of contexts σημεῖον may be rendered as 'miracle.' Certainly that is the referent of the term σημεῖον in Jn 2.23 (πολλοὶ ἐπίστευσαν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, θεωροῦντες αὐτοῦ τὰ σημεῖα ἃ ἐποίει 'many believed in him as they saw the signs he did'). For the Gospel of John, however, a σημεῖον is not simply a miraculous event but something which points to a reality with even greater significance. A strictly literal translation of σημεῖον as 'sign' might mean nothing more than a road sign or a sign on a building, and therefore in some languages σημεῖον in a context such as Jn 2.23 may be rendered as 'a miracle with great meaning.'
• English Translation according to Strong:
<4592> σημεῖον (semeion)
Meaning: a sign
Origin: from the same as 4591
Usage: distinguishing mark(1), miracle(m)(2), sign(35), signs(39).
Notes:
1 Or, attesting miracles; i.e., one which points to the supernatural power of God in redeeming grace
a Joh 2:23; Joh 3:2; Joh 4:54; Joh 6:2, Joh 6:14, 26, 30; Joh 7:31; Joh 9:16; Joh 10:41; Joh 11:47; Joh 12:18, Joh 12:37; Joh 20:30
b Joh 1:43
c Joh 1:14
• Unable to find an idiom
• Kai is often found in connection with this word, but that holds little significance.
• From www.biblestudytools.com
Sign [B]
A miracle to confirm faith
Matthew 12:38 ; 16:4 ; Matthew 24:3 Matthew 24:30 ; Mark 8:11 Mark 8:12 ; 13:4 ; John 2:11 ; 3:2 ; 4:48
Asked for by, and given to
o Abraham
Genesis 15:8-17
o Moses
Exodus 4:1-9
o Gideon
Judges 6:17 Judges 6:36-40
o Hezekiah
2 Kings 20:8
o Zacharias
Luke 1:18
Given to Jeroboam
1 Kings 13:3-5
A token of coming events
Matthew 16:3 Matthew 16:4 ; 24:3
See MIRACLES
________________________________________
[B] indicates this entry was also found in Baker's Evangelical Dictionary
________________________________________
Dictionary Bibliography Information
Nave, Orville J. "Entry for 'Sign'". "Nave's Topical Bible". . 1896.
• http://www.biblestudytools.com/concordances/naves-topical-bible/sign.html
Word Study:
τίθησιν (John 2:10 BGT)
• τίθημι and τιθέω—I. active and passive—1. put, place, lay—a. generally lay (away), set up, put (away) Mt 12:18; 27:60; Mk 16:6; Lk 11:33; 14:29; J 11:34; Ac 3:2; 13:29; Ro 9:33; 14:13; 2 Cor 3:13; 2 Pt 2:6.—b. special expressions—τιθέναι τὰ γόνατα bend the knee, kneel down Mk 15:19; Ac 7:60; 21:5.—Place before someone, serve J 2:10.—Put aside, store up, deposit Lk 19:21f; 1 Cor 16:2.—Take off, remove J 13:4. Give (up) 10:11, 15, 17f; 1 J 3:16.—θέτε ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις make up (your) minds Lk 21:14.—Present Mk 4:30.—2. make Lk 20:43; Ac 13:47; Ro 4:17; 1 Ti 2:7; Hb 1:2. Appoint J 15:16.—II. middle—1. put, place, lay—a. arrange, fix, establish, set Ac 1:7; 1 Cor 12:18; 2 Cor 5:19. Put Ac 5:18, 25.—b. ἔθεντο ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ they kept in mind Lk 1:66, but the same expression in the 2 sing. contrive in your mind Ac 5:4. Similarly resolve 19:21.—2. make Ac 20:28; 1 Cor 12:28. Reach Ac 27:12. Destine or appoint 1 Th 5:9; 1 Ti 1:12. [pg 199]
• v10: τίθησιν verb indicative present active 3rd person singular from τίθημι
• Forms of τίθημι appear 6 times in the NT, Three in Luke and Three in John
Total Number of Verses in Version: 38279
Number of Hits in Version: 6
• τίθημι
• From Louw-Nida Lexicon
[LN] τίθημι (pres 3 pl τιθέασιν ptc τιθείς impf 3 sg ἐτίθει 3 pl ἐτίθουν ἐτίθεσαν fut θήσω aor ἔθηκα subj θῶ impv 2 pl θέτε inf θεῖναι ptc θείς pf τέθεικα ptc τεθεικώς aor midd 2 sg ἔθου 3 pl ἔθεντο impv 2 pl θέσθε pf pass 3 sg τέθειται aor pass ἐτέθην subj τεθῶ inf τεθῆναι) (a) put 85.32 (b) appoint 37.96 (c) take off 49.21 (d) explain 33.151 (e) deposit 57.217 (f) cause to be 13.9 (g) cause to experience 90.86 (1) τίθημι βουλήν advise 33.296 (2) τίθημι τὰ γόνατα kneel (down) 17.19 (3) τὴν ψυχὴν τίθημι die willingly 23.113 (4) τίθημι ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ make up mind 30.76 (5) τίθεμαι ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ treasure up in mind 29.2 (6) τίθεμαι ἐν τῷ πνεύματι make up mind 30.76 (7) τίθεμαι εἰς τὰ ὦτα (a) listen carefully to 24.64 (b) remember well 29.5 τίθημι παρὰ / πρὸς οὺς πόδας turn over to 57.82
• English translation according to Strong:
<5087> τίθημι (tithemi)
Meaning: to place, lay, set
Origin: from a prim. root the
Usage: appointed(6), assign(2), committed(1), conceived(m)(1), destined(1), falling on(1),fixed(1), kept(1), kneeling*(1), kneeling down*(1), knelt down*(3), laid(23), laid aside(1), laid down(1), lay(4), lay down(10), laying(2), lays down(1), made(4), make(4), offer(1), placed(3), present(1), purposed(1), put(15), puts(2), puts away(1), putting(1), reached(1), serves(1), set down(2), sink(1).
Notes:
1 Or, have become drunk
a Mat 24:49; Luk 12:45; Act 2:15; 1Co 11:21; Eph 5:18; 1Th 5:7; Rev 17:2, Rev 17:6
• N/A
• auvto,j appears 36 times within 3 words
WORDS: 3 before 2 before 1 before 1 after 2 after 3 after
o 3 5 4 X 16 0 8
• From Friberg Lexicon
[Fri] τίθημι impf. ἐτίθουν; fut. θήσω, mid. θήσομαι; 1aor. ἔθηκα; 2aor. subjunctive θῶ, second-person plural imperative θέτε, inf. θεῖναι, ptc. θείς, mid. ἐθέμην; pf. τέθεικα; pf. pass. τέθειμαι; 1aor. pass. ἐτέθην; a bland verb with a basic meaning put, place, lay and the sense often derived from its object and the context; I. active/passive; (1) generally in a local sense; lay (a foundation) (LU 14.29), lay out to be seen by someone passing by (MK 6.56), lay away, bury (MK 6.29); lay on (the hands) (MK 8.25); put, place (a light) (MK 4.21); (2) figuratively, of endowment with the Spirit put (MT 12.18); put down (enemies) (MT 22.44); economically invest, deposit (money) (LU 19.21); set aside, store up (money) (1C 16.2); (3) idiomatically τιθέναι τὰ γόνατα literally place the knees, i.e. bend the knees, kneel down (MK 15.19); τιθέναι ἐν καρδίᾳ literally place in the heart or mind, i.e. make up one's mind, decide, purpose (LU 21.14); τιθέναι ἐν τῷ πνεύματι literally place in the spirit, i.e. make up one's mind, resolve (AC 19.21); τιθέναι τὴν ψυχήν literally lay down one's life, i.e. die voluntarily (JN 10.11); etc.; (4) with a double accusative establish, appoint, make someone something, destine someone to or for something (AC 13.47; RO 4.17); II. middle, with same meanings but with more self-involvement; (1) especially of God's designed self-activity arrange, establish, fix, entrust (AC 1.7; 2C 5.19; 1T 1.12); (2) keep in mind, think of, resolve (LU 1.66; AC 5.4)
τίθημι VIPA--1S τίθημι
John 2.1-11: Wedding at Cana
BGT John 2:1 Καὶ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ γάμος ἐγένετο ἐν Κανὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας, καὶ ἦν ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐκεῖ•
KJG John 2:1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:
NAU John 2:1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there;
NET John 2:1 Now on the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there,
TNIV John 2:1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there,
NLT John 2:1 The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there,
NET Notes (John 2:1) –BibleWorks8-
2 sn Cana in Galilee was not a very well-known place. It is mentioned only here, in 4:46, and 21:2, and nowhere else in the NT. Josephus (Life 16 [86]) says he once had his quarters there. The probable location is present day Khirbet Cana, 8 mi (14 km) north of Nazareth, or Khirbet Kenna, 4 mi (7 km) northeast of Nazareth.
3 tn Grk "in Galilee, and Jesus' mother."
BGT John 2:2 ἐκλήθη δὲ καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν γάμον.
KJG John 2:2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.
NAU John 2:2 and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.
NET John 2:2 and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding.
TNIV John 2:2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.
NLT John 2:2 and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration.
NET Notes (John 2:2)
4 sn There is no clue to the identity of the bride and groom, but in all probability either relatives or friends of Jesus' family were involved, since Jesus' mother and both Jesus and his disciples were invited to the celebration. The attitude of Mary in approaching Jesus and asking him to do something when the wine ran out also suggests that familial obligations were involved.
KJG John 2:3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.
NAU John 2:3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine."
NET John 2:3 When the wine ran out, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no wine left."
TNIV John 2:3 When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."
NLT John 2:3 The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus' mother told him, "They have no more wine."
NET Notes (John 2:3)
5 tn The word "left" is not in the Greek text but is implied.
sn They have no wine left. On the backgrounds of this miracle J. D. M. Derrett pointed out among other things the strong element of reciprocity about weddings in the Ancient Near East. It was possible in certain circumstances to take legal action against the man who failed to provide an appropriate wedding gift. The bridegroom and family here might have been involved in a financial liability for failing to provide adequately for their guests ("Water into Wine," BZ 7 [1963]: 80-97). Was Mary asking for a miracle? There is no evidence that Jesus had worked any miracles prior to this (although this is an argument from silence). Some think Mary was only reporting the situation, or (as Calvin thought) asking Jesus to give some godly exhortations to the guests and thus relieve the bridegroom's embarrassment. But the words, and the reply of Jesus in v. 4, seem to imply more. It is not inconceivable that Mary, who had probably been witness to the events of the preceding days, or at least was aware of them, knew that her son's public career was beginning. She also knew the supernatural events surrounding his birth, and the prophetic words of the angel, and of Simeon and Anna in the temple at Jesus' dedication. In short, she had good reason to believe Jesus to be the Messiah, and now his public ministry had begun. In this kind of context, her request does seem more significant.
BGT John 2:4 [καὶ] λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς• τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί, γύναι; οὔπω ἥκει ἡ ὥρα μου.
KJG John 2:4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.
NAU John 2:4 And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come."
NET John 2:4 Jesus replied, "Woman, why are you saying this to me? My time has not yet come."
TNIV John 2:4 "Woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My hour has not yet come."
NLT John 2:4 "Dear woman, that's not our problem," Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come."
Verse 4. Woman. This term, as used here, seems to imply reproof, as if she was interfering in that which did not properly concern her; but it is evident that no such reproof or disrespect was intended by the use of the term woman instead of mother. It is the same term by which he tenderly addressed Mary Magdalene after his resurrection (John 20:15), and his mother when he was on the cross, John 19:26. Comp. also Matthew 15:28, John 4:21, 1 Corinthians 7:16.
—Barnes' Notes on the New Testament
BGT John 2:5 λέγει ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ τοῖς διακόνοις• ὅ τι ἂν λέγῃ ὑμῖν ποιήσατε.
KJG John 2:5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
NAU John 2:5 His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."
NET John 2:5 His mother told the servants, "Whatever he tells you, do it."
TNIV John 2:5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
NLT John 2:5 But his mother told the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
BGT John 2:6 ἦσαν δὲ ἐκεῖ λίθιναι ὑδρίαι ἓξ κατὰ τὸν καθαρισμὸν τῶν Ἰουδαίων κείμεναι, χωροῦσαι ἀνὰ μετρητὰς δύο ἢ τρεῖς.
KJG John 2:6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.
NAU John 2:6 Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each.
NET John 2:6 Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washing, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.
TNIV John 2:6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
NLT John 2:6 Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons.
NET Notes (John 2:6)
11 tn Grk "for the purification of the Jews."
12 tn Grk "holding two or three metretes" (about 75 to 115 liters). Each of the pots held 2 or 3 μετρηταί (metreÒtai). A μετρητῆς (metreÒteÒs) was about 9 gallons (40 liters); thus each jar held 18–27 gallons (80–120 liters) and the total volume of liquid involved was 108–162 gallons (480–720 liters).
sn Significantly, these jars held water for Jewish ceremonial washing (purification rituals). The water of Jewish ritual purification has become the wine of the new messianic age. The wine may also be, after the fashion of Johannine double meanings, a reference to the wine of the Lord's Supper. A number have suggested this, but there does not seem to be anything in the immediate context which compels this; it seems more related to how frequently a given interpreter sees references to the sacraments in John's Gospel as a whole.
BGT John 2:7 λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς• γεμίσατε τὰς ὑδρίας ὕδατος. καὶ ἐγέμισαν αὐτὰς ἕως ἄνω.
KJG John 2:7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.
NAU John 2:7 Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water." So they filled them up to the brim.
NET John 2:7 Jesus told the servants, "Fill the water jars with water." So they filled them up to the very top.
TNIV John 2:7 Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.
NLT John 2:7 Jesus told the servants, "Fill the jars with water." When the jars had been filled,
BGT John 2:8 καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς• ἀντλήσατε νῦν καὶ φέρετε τῷ ἀρχιτρικλίνῳ• οἱ δὲ ἤνεγκαν.
KJG John 2:8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.
NAU John 2:8 And He said to them, "Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter." So they took it to him.
NET John 2:8 Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the head steward," and they did.
TNIV John 2:8 Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so,
NLT John 2:8 he said, "Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies." So the servants followed his instructions.
BGT John 2:9 ὡς δὲ ἐγεύσατο ὁ ἀρχιτρίκλινος τὸ ὕδωρ οἶνον γεγενημένον καὶ οὐκ ᾔδει πόθεν ἐστίν, οἱ δὲ διάκονοι ᾔδεισαν οἱ ἠντληκότες τὸ ὕδωρ, φωνεῖ τὸν νυμφίον ὁ ἀρχιτρίκλινος
KJG John 2:9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,
NAU John 2:9 When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom,
NET John 2:9 When the head steward tasted the water that had been turned to wine, not knowing where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), he called the bridegroom
TNIV John 2:9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside
NLT John 2:9 When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over.
BGT John 2:10 καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ• πᾶς ἄνθρωπος πρῶτον τὸν καλὸν οἶνον τίθησιν καὶ ὅταν μεθυσθῶσιν τὸν ἐλάσσω• σὺ τετήρηκας τὸν καλὸν οἶνον ἕως ἄρτι.
KJG John 2:10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.
NAU John 2:10 and said to him, "Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now."
NET John 2:10 and said to him, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the cheaper wine when the guests are drunk. You have kept the good wine until now!"
TNIV John 2:10 and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."
NLT John 2:10 "A host always serves the best wine first," he said. "Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!"
BGT John 2:11 Ταύτην ἐποίησεν ἀρχὴν τῶν σημείων ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐν Κανὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας καὶ ἐφανέρωσεν τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ.
KJG John 2:11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
NAU John 2:11 This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.
NET John 2:11 Jesus did this as the first of his miraculous signs, in Cana of Galilee. In this way he revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.
TNIV John 2:11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples put their faith in him.
NLT John 2:11 This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
Verse 11
21 tn This sentence in Greek involves an object-complement construction. The force can be either “Jesus did this as,” or possibly “Jesus made this to be.” The latter translation accents not only Jesus' power but his sovereignty too. Cf. also 4:54 where the same construction occurs.
—NET Bible Notes - First Edition
Word Study:
σημείων (John 2:11 BGT)
• σημεῖον, ου, τό sign
• v11: σημείων noun genitive neuter plural common from σημεῖον
• Forms of σημείων appear 78 times in the NT, 17 times in the Gospel according to John:
Total Number of Verses in Version: 38279
Number of Hits in Version: 78
• From Louw-Nida Lexcion (cf 3.476-489 for more)
• 3.477 σημεῖον, ου n: an event which is regarded as having some special meaning - 'sign.' εἰπὲ ἡμῖν ... τί τὸ σημεῖον τῆς σῆς παρουσίας 'tell us ... what will be the sign of your coming' Mt 24.3. In translating σημεῖον in Mt 24.3, it may be necessary in some languages to say 'tell us what will happen that will show that you are coming' or 'tell us what we will see that will make us know that you are coming.'
σημεῖον as an event with special meaning was inevitably an unusual or even miraculous type of occurrence, and in a number of contexts σημεῖον may be rendered as 'miracle.' Certainly that is the referent of the term σημεῖον in Jn 2.23 (πολλοὶ ἐπίστευσαν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, θεωροῦντες αὐτοῦ τὰ σημεῖα ἃ ἐποίει 'many believed in him as they saw the signs he did'). For the Gospel of John, however, a σημεῖον is not simply a miraculous event but something which points to a reality with even greater significance. A strictly literal translation of σημεῖον as 'sign' might mean nothing more than a road sign or a sign on a building, and therefore in some languages σημεῖον in a context such as Jn 2.23 may be rendered as 'a miracle with great meaning.'
• English Translation according to Strong:
<4592> σημεῖον (semeion)
Meaning: a sign
Origin: from the same as 4591
Usage: distinguishing mark(1), miracle(m)(2), sign(35), signs(39).
Notes:
1 Or, attesting miracles; i.e., one which points to the supernatural power of God in redeeming grace
a Joh 2:23; Joh 3:2; Joh 4:54; Joh 6:2, Joh 6:14, 26, 30; Joh 7:31; Joh 9:16; Joh 10:41; Joh 11:47; Joh 12:18, Joh 12:37; Joh 20:30
b Joh 1:43
c Joh 1:14
• Unable to find an idiom
• Kai is often found in connection with this word, but that holds little significance.
• From www.biblestudytools.com
Sign [B]
A miracle to confirm faith
Matthew 12:38 ; 16:4 ; Matthew 24:3 Matthew 24:30 ; Mark 8:11 Mark 8:12 ; 13:4 ; John 2:11 ; 3:2 ; 4:48
Asked for by, and given to
o Abraham
Genesis 15:8-17
o Moses
Exodus 4:1-9
o Gideon
Judges 6:17 Judges 6:36-40
o Hezekiah
2 Kings 20:8
o Zacharias
Luke 1:18
Given to Jeroboam
1 Kings 13:3-5
A token of coming events
Matthew 16:3 Matthew 16:4 ; 24:3
See MIRACLES
________________________________________
[B] indicates this entry was also found in Baker's Evangelical Dictionary
________________________________________
Dictionary Bibliography Information
Nave, Orville J. "Entry for 'Sign'". "Nave's Topical Bible". . 1896.
• http://www.biblestudytools.com/concordances/naves-topical-bible/sign.html
Word Study:
τίθησιν (John 2:10 BGT)
• τίθημι and τιθέω—I. active and passive—1. put, place, lay—a. generally lay (away), set up, put (away) Mt 12:18; 27:60; Mk 16:6; Lk 11:33; 14:29; J 11:34; Ac 3:2; 13:29; Ro 9:33; 14:13; 2 Cor 3:13; 2 Pt 2:6.—b. special expressions—τιθέναι τὰ γόνατα bend the knee, kneel down Mk 15:19; Ac 7:60; 21:5.—Place before someone, serve J 2:10.—Put aside, store up, deposit Lk 19:21f; 1 Cor 16:2.—Take off, remove J 13:4. Give (up) 10:11, 15, 17f; 1 J 3:16.—θέτε ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις make up (your) minds Lk 21:14.—Present Mk 4:30.—2. make Lk 20:43; Ac 13:47; Ro 4:17; 1 Ti 2:7; Hb 1:2. Appoint J 15:16.—II. middle—1. put, place, lay—a. arrange, fix, establish, set Ac 1:7; 1 Cor 12:18; 2 Cor 5:19. Put Ac 5:18, 25.—b. ἔθεντο ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ they kept in mind Lk 1:66, but the same expression in the 2 sing. contrive in your mind Ac 5:4. Similarly resolve 19:21.—2. make Ac 20:28; 1 Cor 12:28. Reach Ac 27:12. Destine or appoint 1 Th 5:9; 1 Ti 1:12. [pg 199]
• v10: τίθησιν verb indicative present active 3rd person singular from τίθημι
• Forms of τίθημι appear 6 times in the NT, Three in Luke and Three in John
Total Number of Verses in Version: 38279
Number of Hits in Version: 6
• τίθημι
• From Louw-Nida Lexicon
[LN] τίθημι (pres 3 pl τιθέασιν ptc τιθείς impf 3 sg ἐτίθει 3 pl ἐτίθουν ἐτίθεσαν fut θήσω aor ἔθηκα subj θῶ impv 2 pl θέτε inf θεῖναι ptc θείς pf τέθεικα ptc τεθεικώς aor midd 2 sg ἔθου 3 pl ἔθεντο impv 2 pl θέσθε pf pass 3 sg τέθειται aor pass ἐτέθην subj τεθῶ inf τεθῆναι) (a) put 85.32 (b) appoint 37.96 (c) take off 49.21 (d) explain 33.151 (e) deposit 57.217 (f) cause to be 13.9 (g) cause to experience 90.86 (1) τίθημι βουλήν advise 33.296 (2) τίθημι τὰ γόνατα kneel (down) 17.19 (3) τὴν ψυχὴν τίθημι die willingly 23.113 (4) τίθημι ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ make up mind 30.76 (5) τίθεμαι ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ treasure up in mind 29.2 (6) τίθεμαι ἐν τῷ πνεύματι make up mind 30.76 (7) τίθεμαι εἰς τὰ ὦτα (a) listen carefully to 24.64 (b) remember well 29.5 τίθημι παρὰ / πρὸς οὺς πόδας turn over to 57.82
• English translation according to Strong:
<5087> τίθημι (tithemi)
Meaning: to place, lay, set
Origin: from a prim. root the
Usage: appointed(6), assign(2), committed(1), conceived(m)(1), destined(1), falling on(1),fixed(1), kept(1), kneeling*(1), kneeling down*(1), knelt down*(3), laid(23), laid aside(1), laid down(1), lay(4), lay down(10), laying(2), lays down(1), made(4), make(4), offer(1), placed(3), present(1), purposed(1), put(15), puts(2), puts away(1), putting(1), reached(1), serves(1), set down(2), sink(1).
Notes:
1 Or, have become drunk
a Mat 24:49; Luk 12:45; Act 2:15; 1Co 11:21; Eph 5:18; 1Th 5:7; Rev 17:2, Rev 17:6
• N/A
• auvto,j appears 36 times within 3 words
WORDS: 3 before 2 before 1 before 1 after 2 after 3 after
o 3 5 4 X 16 0 8
• From Friberg Lexicon
[Fri] τίθημι impf. ἐτίθουν; fut. θήσω, mid. θήσομαι; 1aor. ἔθηκα; 2aor. subjunctive θῶ, second-person plural imperative θέτε, inf. θεῖναι, ptc. θείς, mid. ἐθέμην; pf. τέθεικα; pf. pass. τέθειμαι; 1aor. pass. ἐτέθην; a bland verb with a basic meaning put, place, lay and the sense often derived from its object and the context; I. active/passive; (1) generally in a local sense; lay (a foundation) (LU 14.29), lay out to be seen by someone passing by (MK 6.56), lay away, bury (MK 6.29); lay on (the hands) (MK 8.25); put, place (a light) (MK 4.21); (2) figuratively, of endowment with the Spirit put (MT 12.18); put down (enemies) (MT 22.44); economically invest, deposit (money) (LU 19.21); set aside, store up (money) (1C 16.2); (3) idiomatically τιθέναι τὰ γόνατα literally place the knees, i.e. bend the knees, kneel down (MK 15.19); τιθέναι ἐν καρδίᾳ literally place in the heart or mind, i.e. make up one's mind, decide, purpose (LU 21.14); τιθέναι ἐν τῷ πνεύματι literally place in the spirit, i.e. make up one's mind, resolve (AC 19.21); τιθέναι τὴν ψυχήν literally lay down one's life, i.e. die voluntarily (JN 10.11); etc.; (4) with a double accusative establish, appoint, make someone something, destine someone to or for something (AC 13.47; RO 4.17); II. middle, with same meanings but with more self-involvement; (1) especially of God's designed self-activity arrange, establish, fix, entrust (AC 1.7; 2C 5.19; 1T 1.12); (2) keep in mind, think of, resolve (LU 1.66; AC 5.4)
τίθημι VIPA--1S τίθημι
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Sermon as of 11:30 pm
Not sure who is going to take a gander at this before I get to share it with the class, but here is how my sermon is looking as the clock is getting closer to midnight...
As 20(twenty) 10(ten) has begun, and we as a country continue to deal with “economic difficulties”, there have been many news reports and stories about how to save money and be frugal in the New Year. One of the recommendations was for couples looking to get married to consider a January wedding, versus the traditional Spring Weddings. The cost of reception halls are suppose to be considerably cheaper in Mid January then say June at the height of the wedding season. So I found it interesting, a sign maybe, that the Revised Common Lectionary Gospel text for today is story of the wedding in Cana. Who would have known that nearly two thousand years later that the lectionary lesson would be modern, and appropriate, in its setting of one of the most famous wedding stories to be told in the middle of January?
In today’s lesson the writer of John lets us be a witness to a wedding where Jesus performs the first of his miracles. We are brought to the wedding on its third day and we know that Mary, Jesus and his disciples had been invited to share in this celebration. In biblical time life was simple, but weddings were not. Weddings at this time tended to be a week-long event and were a community celebration. So, this being the third day, we have a reference that we are only reaching the half-way point. I guess in a modern wedding we are looking at the about the end of cocktail hour and the meal is about to be served, when the unthinkable happens; “Dude, we are running out of wine.”
Now it does not take a theologian to realize that this could be an issue. Today’s weddings typically involve wine and spirits and the free flowing of them tend to be a sign of good time and a successful celebration for the happy couple. In biblical time water often was not safe to drink, so wine was the drink of choice. The wine in question would typically be diluted and would be the only drink being served. So running out of it early in the event would be a major fau pax. If the wine did run out, THIS would definitely be the way THIS wedding would be remembered by the entire community. The couple’s 50th wedding anniversary would carry the shame of “Remember when they ran out of Wine at their wedding!”
To go even further in ancient Near Eastern law there was a strong element of reciprocity about providing an appropriate wedding gift to a couple when attending these extravagant affairs, so in theory the bridegroom and family might even be financially liable for not providing adequately for their guests during this week-long celebration. This had the making of a major issue for our couple.
So when Mary finds out about this situation she looks for a solution. We are never told who was getting married, but we can gather from the fact that Mary and Jesus had been invited to a wedding not in their native Nazareth, but ten miles or so away in Cana, that it was probably a relative or close friend of Mary and Jesus. We do not know if Mary was actually in involved in the organizing of the wedding, but we do get the feeling that she wants to make sure things are done right. So when she learns of the situation of limited vino, she looks for a solution. Turning to Jesus she tells him; “They have no more wine.”
Now I know if my mom told me at my cousins wedding in Wyoming twelve years ago that there was no more liquor my first reaction would have been; “What do you expect me to do about it?” It is not like Jesus owned the local vineyard and could have jugs or wine delivered. Or was it?
How often have we wished that we could order God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, to do what we want God to do? Mary, being the mother of Jesus, knew something. I guess those conversations with the arc angels and believing that God had great plans for her son did give her some insight into what Jesus was capable of doing. Yet Jesus seemed reluctant, and states that his time has not yet come.
But Mary, his mother, like all mothers, knew that Jesus would be able to address the situation and she instructs the servants to; “Do what he tells you.”
Mary shows us, as believers in Christ that we need to have faith and confidence that Jesus has the power to act, and also to give Jesus the freedom to act however Jesus deems best.
Now my wife Nicole could attest that if our sons Camden or Casey are told that the playroom is a mess their typical response would be; “But Mom…” Likewise, if they would begin cleaning the room without being told specifically what they were to do… we would consider this a miracle. While they are children of God, they are still my sons, and like their dad, they do require directions. Fortunately for Mary, the Son of God knew what needed to be done, and we witness how his ministry has begun.
The narrator of this Gospel tells us Jesus instructs the servants to fill these 6 large jars with water. Now each of these jugs could hold about 25 gallons, so we are talking about 150 gallons of water that Jesus would turn into the equivalent of 170 bottles of the finest wines. Jesus then instructs one of the servants to fill a cup from the one of the jars and bring it to the person in charge to taste. Now wouldn’t you be worried being the waiter bringing a cup of water to the person in charge to taste?!? The man in charge, who most likely was a prominate member of the community, had no clue what was happening. No clue that there was no more wine, No clue about the water in jugs, and after tasting the cup brought to him, he now thinks that the Groom, who was responsible for supplying the wine, has no clue! He questions our nameless groom why the best wine was being served after everyone has already had the lesser wine. It was customary for the best to be served first while the taste buds were freshest. What is not custom is to have Jesus Christ being an impromptu wine steward at your wedding. What is not custom is be a witnesses to the first sign of Jesus giving all who gather the new wine of grace, truth, and love that can come only from the Glory of God. This was a sign from Jesus showing those who knew the full situation that he would shared the Glory. This first time only a select few were full witnesses of the Power of his Glory.
This story is often referred to as a miracle; the turning of water into wine, but the original Greek text uses the word shmeiovn (sem-eion) which means sign. Signs direct us, and point us to things. Signs in and of themselves are not what are important. The wine was not what was important it is what Jesus had done that was important. It is what the signs show us, tell us, and direct us to that matter. There are signs in our lives all the time. We follow them and recognize them many times without being conscious of what the signs are telling us. But what if you miss a sign? What if you miss the sign reminding you to exit here? The sign telling you the speed limit is now 25 miles per hour? Or the sign telling you it is slippery when wet? Or that sign that said next rest area 56 miles? It doesn’t have to be when we travel.
There are signs telling us of some great deal in stores or those subtle sign like a runny nose or a slight fever when we start to get sick. Or the signs that our friends and family give off when they need a hug or a kiss, or just need us to be with them. When we miss a sign, we miss opportunities. Those at the wedding were not aware of the sign that had just appeared, yet they were able to share in the Glory that was the wine that Jesus had provided.
Chapters 2 thru 12 in the Gospel of John are often called the Books of Signs, because in them Jesus performs signs that reveal his glory. Jesus would go on to heal the son of a Canaan city official, heal a sick man, feed five thousand people, walk on water, heal a blind man and raise Lazarus from the dead. All were signs pointing to the fact that he is the Son of God. All these signs were witnessed by many and pointed to the Glory of God that in him, through him and with him all the Glory of God is revealed to all that believe.
Yet this first sign, the turning of water into wine, was witnessed by a just a select few; his mother, the servants, his disciples, and us as witnesses of the Message. This first sign was to preserve the honor of those who we never learn the identity of and there was no need to know whom was this fortunate couple. We as believers in Christ get to witness through the scriptures all the signs of his Glory, from his birth, his baptism, now his ministry, as we move forward his suffering, his dying, his death, his resurrection, and all the signs of his everlasting life. As Christians we continue to look for the signs that remind us of the Glory of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. Amen
As 20(twenty) 10(ten) has begun, and we as a country continue to deal with “economic difficulties”, there have been many news reports and stories about how to save money and be frugal in the New Year. One of the recommendations was for couples looking to get married to consider a January wedding, versus the traditional Spring Weddings. The cost of reception halls are suppose to be considerably cheaper in Mid January then say June at the height of the wedding season. So I found it interesting, a sign maybe, that the Revised Common Lectionary Gospel text for today is story of the wedding in Cana. Who would have known that nearly two thousand years later that the lectionary lesson would be modern, and appropriate, in its setting of one of the most famous wedding stories to be told in the middle of January?
In today’s lesson the writer of John lets us be a witness to a wedding where Jesus performs the first of his miracles. We are brought to the wedding on its third day and we know that Mary, Jesus and his disciples had been invited to share in this celebration. In biblical time life was simple, but weddings were not. Weddings at this time tended to be a week-long event and were a community celebration. So, this being the third day, we have a reference that we are only reaching the half-way point. I guess in a modern wedding we are looking at the about the end of cocktail hour and the meal is about to be served, when the unthinkable happens; “Dude, we are running out of wine.”
Now it does not take a theologian to realize that this could be an issue. Today’s weddings typically involve wine and spirits and the free flowing of them tend to be a sign of good time and a successful celebration for the happy couple. In biblical time water often was not safe to drink, so wine was the drink of choice. The wine in question would typically be diluted and would be the only drink being served. So running out of it early in the event would be a major fau pax. If the wine did run out, THIS would definitely be the way THIS wedding would be remembered by the entire community. The couple’s 50th wedding anniversary would carry the shame of “Remember when they ran out of Wine at their wedding!”
To go even further in ancient Near Eastern law there was a strong element of reciprocity about providing an appropriate wedding gift to a couple when attending these extravagant affairs, so in theory the bridegroom and family might even be financially liable for not providing adequately for their guests during this week-long celebration. This had the making of a major issue for our couple.
So when Mary finds out about this situation she looks for a solution. We are never told who was getting married, but we can gather from the fact that Mary and Jesus had been invited to a wedding not in their native Nazareth, but ten miles or so away in Cana, that it was probably a relative or close friend of Mary and Jesus. We do not know if Mary was actually in involved in the organizing of the wedding, but we do get the feeling that she wants to make sure things are done right. So when she learns of the situation of limited vino, she looks for a solution. Turning to Jesus she tells him; “They have no more wine.”
Now I know if my mom told me at my cousins wedding in Wyoming twelve years ago that there was no more liquor my first reaction would have been; “What do you expect me to do about it?” It is not like Jesus owned the local vineyard and could have jugs or wine delivered. Or was it?
How often have we wished that we could order God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, to do what we want God to do? Mary, being the mother of Jesus, knew something. I guess those conversations with the arc angels and believing that God had great plans for her son did give her some insight into what Jesus was capable of doing. Yet Jesus seemed reluctant, and states that his time has not yet come.
But Mary, his mother, like all mothers, knew that Jesus would be able to address the situation and she instructs the servants to; “Do what he tells you.”
Mary shows us, as believers in Christ that we need to have faith and confidence that Jesus has the power to act, and also to give Jesus the freedom to act however Jesus deems best.
Now my wife Nicole could attest that if our sons Camden or Casey are told that the playroom is a mess their typical response would be; “But Mom…” Likewise, if they would begin cleaning the room without being told specifically what they were to do… we would consider this a miracle. While they are children of God, they are still my sons, and like their dad, they do require directions. Fortunately for Mary, the Son of God knew what needed to be done, and we witness how his ministry has begun.
The narrator of this Gospel tells us Jesus instructs the servants to fill these 6 large jars with water. Now each of these jugs could hold about 25 gallons, so we are talking about 150 gallons of water that Jesus would turn into the equivalent of 170 bottles of the finest wines. Jesus then instructs one of the servants to fill a cup from the one of the jars and bring it to the person in charge to taste. Now wouldn’t you be worried being the waiter bringing a cup of water to the person in charge to taste?!? The man in charge, who most likely was a prominate member of the community, had no clue what was happening. No clue that there was no more wine, No clue about the water in jugs, and after tasting the cup brought to him, he now thinks that the Groom, who was responsible for supplying the wine, has no clue! He questions our nameless groom why the best wine was being served after everyone has already had the lesser wine. It was customary for the best to be served first while the taste buds were freshest. What is not custom is to have Jesus Christ being an impromptu wine steward at your wedding. What is not custom is be a witnesses to the first sign of Jesus giving all who gather the new wine of grace, truth, and love that can come only from the Glory of God. This was a sign from Jesus showing those who knew the full situation that he would shared the Glory. This first time only a select few were full witnesses of the Power of his Glory.
This story is often referred to as a miracle; the turning of water into wine, but the original Greek text uses the word shmeiovn (sem-eion) which means sign. Signs direct us, and point us to things. Signs in and of themselves are not what are important. The wine was not what was important it is what Jesus had done that was important. It is what the signs show us, tell us, and direct us to that matter. There are signs in our lives all the time. We follow them and recognize them many times without being conscious of what the signs are telling us. But what if you miss a sign? What if you miss the sign reminding you to exit here? The sign telling you the speed limit is now 25 miles per hour? Or the sign telling you it is slippery when wet? Or that sign that said next rest area 56 miles? It doesn’t have to be when we travel.
There are signs telling us of some great deal in stores or those subtle sign like a runny nose or a slight fever when we start to get sick. Or the signs that our friends and family give off when they need a hug or a kiss, or just need us to be with them. When we miss a sign, we miss opportunities. Those at the wedding were not aware of the sign that had just appeared, yet they were able to share in the Glory that was the wine that Jesus had provided.
Chapters 2 thru 12 in the Gospel of John are often called the Books of Signs, because in them Jesus performs signs that reveal his glory. Jesus would go on to heal the son of a Canaan city official, heal a sick man, feed five thousand people, walk on water, heal a blind man and raise Lazarus from the dead. All were signs pointing to the fact that he is the Son of God. All these signs were witnessed by many and pointed to the Glory of God that in him, through him and with him all the Glory of God is revealed to all that believe.
Yet this first sign, the turning of water into wine, was witnessed by a just a select few; his mother, the servants, his disciples, and us as witnesses of the Message. This first sign was to preserve the honor of those who we never learn the identity of and there was no need to know whom was this fortunate couple. We as believers in Christ get to witness through the scriptures all the signs of his Glory, from his birth, his baptism, now his ministry, as we move forward his suffering, his dying, his death, his resurrection, and all the signs of his everlasting life. As Christians we continue to look for the signs that remind us of the Glory of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. Amen
Pixeling Thoughts for the day...
Some questions to consider...
In Chapter 9 "Soul Stealing" Hipps writes about pictures, how people are uncomfortable in being in them, and in how advertisers has gotten in to the habit of enhancing them, to improve their appearance, thus creating a false sense of what is normal. How do you react when you see pictures or video of yourself? Are you comfortable with it?
In Chapter 11 "Our Nomadic Life" Hipps begins with a story about a women waiting to see pictures of her best friends new baby and final calls her to see when they would arrive. Her friends response was; "Oh, they are on my Facebook page." Have we become so accustom to Social Networking sites that we forget that there are some people who are not a part of the digital community?
In Chapter 9 "Soul Stealing" Hipps writes about pictures, how people are uncomfortable in being in them, and in how advertisers has gotten in to the habit of enhancing them, to improve their appearance, thus creating a false sense of what is normal. How do you react when you see pictures or video of yourself? Are you comfortable with it?
In Chapter 11 "Our Nomadic Life" Hipps begins with a story about a women waiting to see pictures of her best friends new baby and final calls her to see when they would arrive. Her friends response was; "Oh, they are on my Facebook page." Have we become so accustom to Social Networking sites that we forget that there are some people who are not a part of the digital community?
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Some more thoughts on the Text
Well I blogged last night about my first thoughts and ideas regarding the text of John 2:1-11, so today is to look a little deeper.
I thank JDB for his comment on the abundance of wine to my earlier entry, I will be looking at the importance of wine, or the lack thereof, a little bit I think, thanks for some insight.
I also have looked at some internet sites of related commentary. One that caught my attention was Sermons from Seattle:
http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_c_the_marriage_at_cana_GA.htm
On this site there was two interesting paragraphs regarding miracles being called signs:
In the gospel of John, the miracles are always called “signs.” The miracles are never called miracles but signs. For example, if you drive out of the parking lot of our church, you will see all kinds of signs at the nearest intersection. You will see one particular sign painted red, with white paint. The sign simply says, “Stop.” It is a stop sign. You never think that this is a piece of metal with red and white paint on it. You don’t examine the ingredients of the metal or the paint. You simply read the message. “Stop.” You ask the question, “What is the message of this sign?” So it is with the signs in the Gospel of John. You ask, “What is the message in this sign?” The signs in John’s Gospel have messages and you focus on the message more than the sign itself.
What is the message of this sign of water into wine? The message of the sign is that Jesus took 180 gallons of Jewish laws, the rituals of purification, and transformed them into 180 gallons of grace. Jesus took 180 gallons of guilt, 180 gallons of laws, laws and more laws, 180 gallons of “don’t do this and don’t do that,” 180 gallons of laws that numbered more than 600 regulations. Jesus then transformed these religious regulations into a new religion, a new wine that would burst old wine skins. Jesus transformed the old religion into the new religion. The miracle was a sign. The miracle had a message and you have to get the message. You stop at the intersection outside of church and see red and white paint painted on metal. You better get the message. “Stop.” It is the message that is important.
I like the miracles being called signs angle a lot. I think for many people the meaning of miracle of Christ is lost when it is just looked at for what has happened, not for what it means. To look at these as signs, with a purpose to show us the power of Jesus and his ability to do things beyond comprehension is an interesting take.
I also like how it discusses the transformation, from water to wine is like the transformation of laws and regulations into grace. How this first miracle is the beginning of Jesus’ transformation of the old religion into a new religion.
-"Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now." In this particular gospel story, Jesus brings the good wine. The new wine of Jesus’ grace, truth and love replace the inferior wine of the Old Testament rules, regulations and rituals. The old wine is the Law; the new and good wine is the Gospel.
The good wine in this story is similar to the “living water” in the story about the woman at the well, which we will study shortly.
In the first three gospels (Mark 2:9 and parallels, page 43 in our textbook), we find Jesus using “the symbolism of new wine in old wineskins in order to compare his new teaching with the customs of the Pharisees. Note that this incident occurs at the beginning of the Synoptic account of the ministry just as Cana is at the beginning of the Johannine account.” (Brown, JOHN, V. 1, p. 105)
So I can see some further connection with the symbolism of wine is something to continue to look at as well.
I am also interested in looking at Mary’s insight and role in this story. First why she was so concerned about the running low of wine, there has to be a reason why this is of some concern to her. I am guessing this must be a family wedding, and she is concerned about her family’s reputation, because running out of wine would be a major problem. I also want to look at why she says something to Jesus, it is not like he is known to be a wine distributor or something, Jesus is a guest not a vineyard owner! So what did Mary expect from Jesus…. A miracle?!?!? Just something to still look at I think…
I thank JDB for his comment on the abundance of wine to my earlier entry, I will be looking at the importance of wine, or the lack thereof, a little bit I think, thanks for some insight.
I also have looked at some internet sites of related commentary. One that caught my attention was Sermons from Seattle:
http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_c_the_marriage_at_cana_GA.htm
On this site there was two interesting paragraphs regarding miracles being called signs:
In the gospel of John, the miracles are always called “signs.” The miracles are never called miracles but signs. For example, if you drive out of the parking lot of our church, you will see all kinds of signs at the nearest intersection. You will see one particular sign painted red, with white paint. The sign simply says, “Stop.” It is a stop sign. You never think that this is a piece of metal with red and white paint on it. You don’t examine the ingredients of the metal or the paint. You simply read the message. “Stop.” You ask the question, “What is the message of this sign?” So it is with the signs in the Gospel of John. You ask, “What is the message in this sign?” The signs in John’s Gospel have messages and you focus on the message more than the sign itself.
What is the message of this sign of water into wine? The message of the sign is that Jesus took 180 gallons of Jewish laws, the rituals of purification, and transformed them into 180 gallons of grace. Jesus took 180 gallons of guilt, 180 gallons of laws, laws and more laws, 180 gallons of “don’t do this and don’t do that,” 180 gallons of laws that numbered more than 600 regulations. Jesus then transformed these religious regulations into a new religion, a new wine that would burst old wine skins. Jesus transformed the old religion into the new religion. The miracle was a sign. The miracle had a message and you have to get the message. You stop at the intersection outside of church and see red and white paint painted on metal. You better get the message. “Stop.” It is the message that is important.
I like the miracles being called signs angle a lot. I think for many people the meaning of miracle of Christ is lost when it is just looked at for what has happened, not for what it means. To look at these as signs, with a purpose to show us the power of Jesus and his ability to do things beyond comprehension is an interesting take.
I also like how it discusses the transformation, from water to wine is like the transformation of laws and regulations into grace. How this first miracle is the beginning of Jesus’ transformation of the old religion into a new religion.
-"Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now." In this particular gospel story, Jesus brings the good wine. The new wine of Jesus’ grace, truth and love replace the inferior wine of the Old Testament rules, regulations and rituals. The old wine is the Law; the new and good wine is the Gospel.
The good wine in this story is similar to the “living water” in the story about the woman at the well, which we will study shortly.
In the first three gospels (Mark 2:9 and parallels, page 43 in our textbook), we find Jesus using “the symbolism of new wine in old wineskins in order to compare his new teaching with the customs of the Pharisees. Note that this incident occurs at the beginning of the Synoptic account of the ministry just as Cana is at the beginning of the Johannine account.” (Brown, JOHN, V. 1, p. 105)
So I can see some further connection with the symbolism of wine is something to continue to look at as well.
I am also interested in looking at Mary’s insight and role in this story. First why she was so concerned about the running low of wine, there has to be a reason why this is of some concern to her. I am guessing this must be a family wedding, and she is concerned about her family’s reputation, because running out of wine would be a major problem. I also want to look at why she says something to Jesus, it is not like he is known to be a wine distributor or something, Jesus is a guest not a vineyard owner! So what did Mary expect from Jesus…. A miracle?!?!? Just something to still look at I think…
Sermon Text John 2: 1-11
Just for easier reference, here is the text that I will be preaching on...
NIRV John 2:1 On the third day there was a wedding. It took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there. 2 Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine." 4 "Dear woman, why do you bring me into this?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come." 5 His mother said to the servants, "Do what he tells you." 6 Six stone water jars stood nearby. The Jews used water from that kind of jar for special washings to make themselves pure. Each jar could hold 20 to 30 gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water." So they filled them to the top. 8 Then he told them, "Now dip some out. Take it to the person in charge of the dinner." They did what he said. 9 The person in charge tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He didn't realize where it had come from. But the servants who had brought the water knew. Then the person in charge called the groom to one side. 10 He said to him, "Everyone brings out the best wine first. They bring out the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink. But you have saved the best until now." 11 That was the first of Jesus' miraculous signs. He did it at Cana in Galilee. Jesus showed his glory by doing it. And his disciples put their faith in him. (John 2:1-11 NIRV)
NIRV John 2:1 On the third day there was a wedding. It took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there. 2 Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine." 4 "Dear woman, why do you bring me into this?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come." 5 His mother said to the servants, "Do what he tells you." 6 Six stone water jars stood nearby. The Jews used water from that kind of jar for special washings to make themselves pure. Each jar could hold 20 to 30 gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water." So they filled them to the top. 8 Then he told them, "Now dip some out. Take it to the person in charge of the dinner." They did what he said. 9 The person in charge tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He didn't realize where it had come from. But the servants who had brought the water knew. Then the person in charge called the groom to one side. 10 He said to him, "Everyone brings out the best wine first. They bring out the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink. But you have saved the best until now." 11 That was the first of Jesus' miraculous signs. He did it at Cana in Galilee. Jesus showed his glory by doing it. And his disciples put their faith in him. (John 2:1-11 NIRV)
Thoughts in today's Reading
Flickering Pixels by Shane Hipps has been a very interesting read for this course I am taking. Hipps, before becoming a Pastor, had a career in advertising and his insight into the way people think and view religion is very eye opening.
In the second chapter Hipps discussed the impact of the print medium and how the power of print made the writings available to the masses as important to the Protestant Reformation. As a seminary student this was not a “new fact” to me, but his explanation of how print has continued to reshape the gospel into an efficiently compressed linear sequential formula: Apologize for your sins + Believe Jesus = Go to Heaven was interesting. Prior to the printed word people relied upon the oral teachings and stain-glass windows to tell the story of the gospels, the story was vast and at times vague and hard to get a grasp on, but with the use of the printed word and could become my compact.
The Printed word also allowed for more complex thoughts to be shared as well. The Apostle Paul’s letters were seldom taught because of their complex if-then reasoning which could not be captured in stained-glass or illustrated prayer books. The iconic stories of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection could be captured in pictures, but reasoning of our faith as presented in Paul’s letters required the printed word to explain and share.
Hipps goes on to write about how the printed word also has led to many relying too much on linear reasoning, and how that can affect our faith.
The Power of Pictures
In a later chapter Hipps displayed the power of pictures. He describes how words and images are fundamentally different modes of communication. He illustrates this by putting in bold type the following statement:
In the second chapter Hipps discussed the impact of the print medium and how the power of print made the writings available to the masses as important to the Protestant Reformation. As a seminary student this was not a “new fact” to me, but his explanation of how print has continued to reshape the gospel into an efficiently compressed linear sequential formula: Apologize for your sins + Believe Jesus = Go to Heaven was interesting. Prior to the printed word people relied upon the oral teachings and stain-glass windows to tell the story of the gospels, the story was vast and at times vague and hard to get a grasp on, but with the use of the printed word and could become my compact.
The Printed word also allowed for more complex thoughts to be shared as well. The Apostle Paul’s letters were seldom taught because of their complex if-then reasoning which could not be captured in stained-glass or illustrated prayer books. The iconic stories of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection could be captured in pictures, but reasoning of our faith as presented in Paul’s letters required the printed word to explain and share.
Hipps goes on to write about how the printed word also has led to many relying too much on linear reasoning, and how that can affect our faith.
The Power of Pictures
In a later chapter Hipps displayed the power of pictures. He describes how words and images are fundamentally different modes of communication. He illustrates this by putting in bold type the following statement:
THE BOY IS SAD.
Then asks what effect does the statement have on the reader? He states that for most people the statement conveys an idea of devoid of any real emotional significance. Then on the following page there is a photo similar to the one at the top of this post:
And asks does the image affect you differently?
The content of both the statement and the photo are the same, but the impact for most people is radically different.
Hipps claims that images initially make us feel rather than think. Which is very true, think about the stories you see on television, the most impactfully ones are those with video and pictures. Think of the video of the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers those feels are ingrained into our memory. Yet when there are stories without pictures they seem to affect us less on an emotional level.
Take for example the two space shuttle accidents. The Challenger exploding on liftoff and that video of it exploding and the two rocket boosters veering off in different directions is burned into my memory, yet when the Shuttle Columbia exploded during re-entry and there is no significant video of that loss it I do not think has the same emotional connection with people. Each are equally tragic, yet the lack of the visual makes the Columbia loss more abstract and does not heighten our emotion in the same way.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Looking at the Text... John 2:1-11
This blog is suppose to follow my preparation for an upcoming sermon, so now is the time that I will start looking over the text that I will be preaching on. I have looked over the text of the day and I think I will be going with the gospel lesson. I am going to be preaching at my “home church” and figure that sticking with the gospel lesson, especially since it is one that is well known it will be a good one to bring back to the home congregation.
- The text I will be preaching on is John 2:1-11, the wedding at Cana. It is the first recorded miracle that Jesus performed. I figure I will jot down some quick thoughts about the reading…
- This story is only told in the Gospel according to John.
- There is mention that the wedding is on the 3rd day, not sure if the day of the week is significant or not
- The wedding was in Cana, in Galilee, again there might be significant in the location, or this just might be information Mary, Jesus and his disciples are invited to the wedding, but we are not given any hint of who is getting married, and why Mary and Jesus (and all his disciples) have been invited. Are we to assume this is a family wedding? Or is this a friend’s wedding?
- There is no mention of Joseph, Jesus’ father either. We are not sure of Joseph’s role in the family at this time, or is he no longer in the picture? (Not too sure if it really has much to do with the story anyway)
- Mary seems concerned about the shortage of wine. Seems to be more than just a typical guests concern, leads me to wonder if it is Mary’s family involved in the wedding in some way.
- Mary tells Jesus about the running out of wine, and it implies she expects him to do something. But Jesus has yet to have performed any miracles, or so we are lead to believe…
- Why does Mary have such confidence that Jesus will be able to “Do something?”
- I think there is some deeper digging that can be done around this…
- Jesus says “My time has not come.” What is he referring to?
- The Jars are huge, 20 to 30 gallons, far larger than typical wine jugs?
- Jesus has the servant take the cup to the “Person in charge of the dinner” to taste.
- Significance of the best wine being held back. Typically the good stuff is served first, so the water that Jesus has turned to wine is suppose to be the best, better than what was served before.
- Who all is aware of what has happened? Mary, and the servants, and the disciples, but has anyone else been made aware of what had happened?
Well those are just a few things that jumped out at me as I did my initial reading. What did you think when you read this passage?
Is Technology value-neutral?
The article we read by J.M. van der Laan titled "How the Internet Shapes Religious Life, or the Medium Is Itself the Message" discussed how the use of the Internet, and the resources found on it has effected the way preachers are preparing what they preach from the pulpit. There was much written on what resources are currently available on the web, and some discussion on if what is available has much in the way of value.
I have found that like any form of resource there is value in what is made available to those looking to use it. I think calling technology as "value-neutral" is not the best term. There are many tools such as; bible software, websites with preaching commentaries, web based discussion groups, and just the basic word processor that add value to the preaching, and writing experience that we as 21st century preachers should become comfortable with.
That being said, technology alone cannot, and should not be the end all when it comes to preparing to preach. Relying only on what can be found on a computer is not a way to prepare for a sermon, just like relying on a computer is not the only way you should find a new car or a mortgage. It may seem easy to type in a google search on a Text and be given a multitude of search results, but volume does not ensure the relevant and theological basis to what God is expecting you to share in the proclamation of the Word.
Like all tools, the good work that the technology we are presented is reliant on the ability of those who operate the tools. You can give hammer and a chisel to a monkey, but that does not mean that a sculpture will be created, it takes a skilled scultpor to make something of value. Such is true with today's technology. It takes some skills of the sermon writer to be able to surf the web, and determine what is worthy and what is nonsense, what has meaning and purpose to the message being presented to an audience and what might not bring any value to a message that is being presented. Search engines can be powerful, it is up to the preachers to be able to share what is important to our congregations.
I have found that like any form of resource there is value in what is made available to those looking to use it. I think calling technology as "value-neutral" is not the best term. There are many tools such as; bible software, websites with preaching commentaries, web based discussion groups, and just the basic word processor that add value to the preaching, and writing experience that we as 21st century preachers should become comfortable with.
That being said, technology alone cannot, and should not be the end all when it comes to preparing to preach. Relying only on what can be found on a computer is not a way to prepare for a sermon, just like relying on a computer is not the only way you should find a new car or a mortgage. It may seem easy to type in a google search on a Text and be given a multitude of search results, but volume does not ensure the relevant and theological basis to what God is expecting you to share in the proclamation of the Word.
Like all tools, the good work that the technology we are presented is reliant on the ability of those who operate the tools. You can give hammer and a chisel to a monkey, but that does not mean that a sculpture will be created, it takes a skilled scultpor to make something of value. Such is true with today's technology. It takes some skills of the sermon writer to be able to surf the web, and determine what is worthy and what is nonsense, what has meaning and purpose to the message being presented to an audience and what might not bring any value to a message that is being presented. Search engines can be powerful, it is up to the preachers to be able to share what is important to our congregations.
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