Epiphany 2 (2025)

Definition an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure.

A character in a movie might have an Epiphany that moves the plot forward. I grew up watching Murder she wrote and Matlock and both of them would have epiphanies that would allow them to get the bad guy.

Todays Epiphany text Is more along the lines of Jesus is going to reveal his mission and his capability. To be honest this miracle baffled me for a long time. Pre-Cana, sanctifying weddings.

Then my Colleague father Jeff Hubbard gave me an epiphany as to what some of the deeper meanings.

Jesus is going to show sign that he is the Messiah bringing a new age.

So lets look at the text

On the 3rd Day, This could just be accurate storytelling or John is going to show us what 3rd Day, Resurrection life is all about. They are at a wedding. Let us remember that weddings play a role in the description God’s relationship to his bride the church.

Jesus and his Disciples are there. Prolly some family of Mary’s.

They run out of wine. Jesus is not just a random attendee he is there in a Rabbinic fashion. Rabbis where people of some importance. Mary asks Jesus to help. I think a big part of this in not that she had seen miracles from him. This is after all the first Miracle of Jesus. It is instead the rabbi with his entarage might be able to help.

Jesus offers Mary a mild rebuke. Romans on Mary (she is the intercessor), Others on Mary (Jesus rebuke liberates him from her). We would be wise to take that middle path.

Mary tells the staff to do what Jesus says to do .

They fill the jars, (probably 100 gallons). And he has them take some to the master of ceremony.

Jesus does not touch the water or ask the intersession of God. He by his own power changes the water into wine.

The response showing that the wine Jesus made was of highest quality.

HIs first Sign. John has very few miracles or signs.

After this we get a bit of a travel log.

So what are the ways in which we should ponder this miracle.

Marriage in the life of the church: There are what are called dominical sacraments and then lesser sacraments in our paradigm.

So Lutherans and Methodist would call Baptism and Communion the only two. We say they are the only two that convey saving grace.

Catholics and EO say there are 7 sacraments, Baptism, Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Confession, and Anointing of the sick. But they seem to run into two problems. First only Baptism and Communion have the command of Christ and the instruction of how to. And if marriage is a saving Grace, why is it withheld from those in the churches highest office?

Marriage is set aside as Holy and grace is conveyed it is the metaphors of the end of all things. . Jesus in helping the wedding with wine stamps his approval on it. At the same time we cannot over state any part of this.

Second, Jesus changes the water to wine. In the same way we are going from an old Covenant sealed by the water of the red sea to a covenant sealed by the blood of Christ. This miracle points us to God doing this new thing. Not only that, it is a better covenant, perfect, like the wine.

Third: We have an Epiphany of Christ…

Applications:

Celebration is part of the Christian Journey. We are not meant to be in constant Melancholy or sadness.

You are apart of the New thing God is doing, We transcend the Old Covenant and are brought into the new.

This new covenant is signaled to be sealed with the Blood of Christ, we participate in the Cup of Christ.