Light and Delight

Jesus' sign gave light to the disciples. They saw a glimpse of his coming glory. In his actions, Jesus proclaimed his message, the kingdom has come, it is near, and it provides where the old system ran out. It provides a better and abundant mercy.

The psalmist declares, "They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light."

Isaiah says,

"For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn, and her salvation like a burning torch. The nations shall see your vindication, and all the kings your glory; and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will give.... you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the LORD delights in you, and your land shall be married."

I am reminded of the Westminster Catechism: Man’s chief end is to glorify God,[1] and to enjoy him forever.[2] We shine his light as we delight in him as he delights in us, lavishing his gifts upon us like the over abundance of wine. We show his glory in using his gifts for the good of the body.

Common thread

Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee:

Today’s readings speak of the revelation of hidden glory breaking through and inviting celebration. Isaiah announces the coming glory of God’s vindicated people when they return to rebuild their shattered homeland. Paul describes the amazing results of spiritual gifts, given to all God’s people “for the common good.” Today’s gospel, the story of the wedding feast at Cana, relates the first “sign” of Jesus’ identity and ministry that “revealed his glory.”

Paul doesn't specifically speak of glory, but rather of the common Good. In function the Spirit brings glory to Christ.

The symbolic refreshment of the Christian wine is glorified in the Psalm. "...you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light."

Sign in Cana

“Plainly he records the miracle because he believes that it happened. But for him the Miracles are all ‘signs’: they point beyond themselves. This particular miracle signifies that there is a transforming power associated with Jesus. He changes the water of Judaism into the wine of Christianity, the water of Christlessness into the wine of the richness and the fullness of eternal life in Christ, the water of the law into the wine of the gospel.”

I’ve never thought before that this passage makes a partial parallel to the wine and wineskins of Luke. John’s use of signs, explaining the truth allegorically, like a live action parable is a little new to me. I guess I owe that to my fundamentalist background. Reading the church fathers, most recently Augustine, I begin to appreciate more the ancient exegesis of texts. I am less likely to see the significance of the miracle in that it happened, as a bit of historical information about the life of Christ. Rather I see the significance in the mystical and spiritual realities they present, these are completely independent of their historicity. Not that I believe them to not have happened (i.e. attempts to de-mystify Jesus) but rather I think it really doesn’t matter at all to the reading.

Happened-in-reality or not – not skin off our collective noses. It is real and true regardless. So I choose to believe it happened. Why not? What is far more important is: what is the reality and significance? What does it really tell us about Jesus?

Here we see the first glimpse of his glory in John. His time has not yet come to be glorified, but we see a sign (first of many) of what will culminate on the cross of glory.