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T HE K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S (Also 8 :20; 13:1.) Mary was wise and said: “W hatso ever He saith unto you, do it.” She,had the last word and it was a wise word and a word we should all h ea r and heed for it will assure His friendship (John 15:14) and also good results (Luke 5: 5, 6 ). (4) THE WONDER, v. 12, “F ill the w ater pots w ith w ater.” Jesus assumes au tho rity and the heavenly ligh t begins to shine. Notice the simplicity, “ fill,” “ draw .” This is not a creation, not a multiplying, hut a quickening of the ordinary process by which w ater, th rough the vine, is changed into grape juice and into wine. This is the beginning of His m iracles and a forerunner, and should he con trasted w th th e first m iracle of Moses in changing w ater into blood,— a judg m ent upon Egypt a s contrasted here w ith wine, a blessing. (Psa. 104:15.) “A n d w in e t h a t m a k e th g la d th e h e a r t o f m an , a n d o il to m a k e h is fa c e to sh in e , a n d b re a d w h ic h s tr e n g th e n e th m a n ’s h e a r t.” The law m inister^ death (2 Cor. 3: 6-9) bu t Jesus m inisters life. (John 1: 17.) The Jew ish dispensation closes as weak as w ater; th e new dispensation opens w ith streng th of th e Spirit-filled man. It was good wine. The governor did not know whence it came, bu t the ser vants did. The devil sets before men th e best first and the dregs last. God keeps the best un til th e last. Contrast th e old age of the sinner and th e old age of th e saint. The prospect of the golden age brightens w ith each closing day. Heaven is n earer and dearer and expec tation culm inates in being w ith Him and like Him. Wine is th e symbol of th e Spirit. W hat we are full of, we will pour out. “Be filled.” It pays to en tertain Jesus. (Isa. 61:3; 55.) The servants who served, assisted in
" F o r th is Is m y b lo o d o f th e n e w te s - la m e n t, w h ic h is sh e d f o r m a n y f o r th e re m iss io n o f sin s.” .What a sad confession, “They have no w in e;” nothing to make th e h eart glad. The lesson is a sweet one. Drive it home. Go and tell Him your needs and th e needs of others. (Psa. 34:10.) “T h e y o u n g lio n s do la c k , a n d su ffe r h u n g e r: b u t th e y t h a t s e e k th e L o rd s h a ll n o t w a n t a n y g o o d th in g .” When He is the Shepherd, the sheep shall not want. (3 ) THE WOMAN, vs. -4-5, “Woman, w hat have I to do w ith th e e?” Does th is seem h arsh com ing' from h e r son? Remember who He is. He is her loving son, b u t He is God in hum an form, and He is h er Creator. He is beginning H is earth ly m inistry and m ust begin to break the earth ly tie. She m ust learn th e lesson. He cannot now recognize her authority. There are two dangers in connection w ith our a ttitu d e toward Mary, the mo th e r of Jesus. F irst, th a t false and fatal a ttitu d e of th e Roman Church, in th eir worship of her, which is blasphemous and a direct violation of the first and g reat commandment. Second, th e fail u re to recognize h er as th e one to whom was given th e high honor of hearing th e Child Jesus. The angel Gabriel visited h er, and said: “Hail, thou th a t a rt highly favored, th e Lord is w ith thee: blessed a r t thou among women.” (Luke 1 :28.) Let us hold her in high es teem as th e honored of God to h ear and to mother for th irty years our Lord Jesus Christ. But Jesu s must b reak th is ear,thly tie, and we find him saying again in Matt. 12:50. “F o r w h o so e v e r s h a ll do th e w ill o f m y F a th e r w h ic h Is In h e a v e n , th e sa m e Is m y b ro th e r, a n d s is te r, a n d m o th e r.” And again on the cross He calls h er “woman” as he commends h er to John, th e beloved. (John 19:26-27.) His hou r was not yet come. (John 7:30.) “T h e n th e y s o u g h t to ta k e h im : b u t no m a n la id h a n d s o n h im , b e c a u se h is h o u r w a s n o t y e t com e.”
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