The Book of John - 13
Notes
Transcript
Introduction: We are move from the introduction of witnesses (Chapter 1) to the first of many signs recorded by John.
As we look at John chapter 2, we will see two very pointed moments presented to us.
In verses v1-12 we see a marriage festival.
In verses 13-25 we see the Lord in Jersualem for the Passover festival.
It will help for us on the onset of this chapter to understand these two events and the customs associated with them before we delve into the text verse by verse.
The first we find is the Marriage Feast.
There are several different components associated with a Jewish Marriage that have some similarities but also some stark differences to what you and I think about concerning engagement, marriage, and the marriage ceremony.
Before the Marriage Ceremony and Feast is - The Betrothal
“The biblical terms, betrothal and espousal, are almost synonymous with marriage and as binding.”
“In Jewish culture the groom’s father paid a bride price, or mohar, to the bride’s family in order to negotiate the betrothal and, in essence, “purchase” the bride. The groom would also give a gift to the bride called a mattan, which became a part of the property the bride would bring into the marriage. These gifts were not always monetary; they may have been property or even services provided to the bride’s family. A good father was expected to share the mohar with his daughter or give it over to her entirely. Those initiating the betrothal and witnesses to the event would likely sign a marriage contract called a ketubah. Therefore, if one or both parties wished to end the betrothal, they would be required to get a divorce.” - Gotquestions.org
“Between the betrothal and the marriage, some interval elapsed, varying from a few days, in the patriarchal age, Gen 24:55, to a full year, for virgins and a month, for widows, in later times.” - Smith’s Bible Dictionary
“The bride would not know the day or hour of her husband-to-be’s return, so the groom’s arrival was usually announced with a trumpet call and a shout so the bride had some forewarning.” - Gotquestions.org
The Marriage Ceremony
“Before the ceremony, which was attended by a select few (most likely family), the bride would take part in a ritual cleansing. After the ceremony, the couple would attend a wedding feast in their honor.”
The Marriage Feast (Marriage Festival)
“And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.” John 2:1-2
“A week-long event in the ancient world that involved meals, dancing, and religious rituals.”
“Revelation describes history as culminating in the messianic banquet, or “marriage feast of the Lamb” (Rev 19:7–9)- The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).
The Marriage feast “....was usually held at the house of the groom (Mt. 22:1–10; Jn. 2:9) and often at night (Mt. 22:13; 25:6).” As seen in Matthew 22 this is at the parent’s house of the groom.
“Many relatives and friends attended; so the wine might well run out (Jn. 2:3). A steward or friend supervised the feast (Jn. 2:9–10). To refuse an invitation to the wedding feast was an insult (Mt. 22:7). The guests were expected to wear festive clothes (Mt. 22:11–12).:”
According to JewsForJesus “... running out of wine would subject the host to ridicule. The women’s accommodations were near the storage area for the wine, and so it comes about that Jesus’ mother finds out about the depletion of the wine before the men do.”
“ In special circumstances the feast could be held in the bride’s home (Gn. 29:22)” -New Bible Dictionary (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 734
And so as we look at backdrop for the first sign presented by John, we will be able to have some understanding as to all that took place with the governor of the feast, those in attendance, the serving of the wine and the issue with running out of wine.
The second event that we have mentioned in this chapter is the Passover Festival.
The institution of the Passover is found Exodus 12:1-14
1 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. 3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: 4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: 6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. 7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. 8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. 10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. 11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord’s passover. 12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. 13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. 14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.
“The Passover was also called the feast of unleavened bread (Exod. 23:15; Deut. 16:16) because only unleavened bread was eaten during the seven days immediately following Passover (Exod. 12:15–20; 13:6–8; Deut. 16:3–8). Unleavened bread reflected the fact that the people had no time to put leaven in their bread before their hasty departure from Egypt. It was also apparently connected to the barley harvest (Lev. 23:4–14).” Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003), 567–568.
“Passover is a feast and festival that is still diligently observed by Jews today. Its significance is recognized by Christians as well, for Jesus Himself became our “Passover lamb.” The two greatest reforming kings in Judah, Hezekiah and Josiah, each held a great Passover to mark the return of Israel to faithful worship and recognition of their Lord and God (2 Chr. 30:1–2; 35:6). The Passover recalled and celebrated the creation of the nation of Israel when the Lord freed them from Egypt and brought them through the perils of the Red Sea and the desert to their new homeland—the land of Canaan. This great festival was to continue forever throughout the history of God’s people (Exod. 12:11–48) in memory of this salvation event. In addition to the great Passover feasts celebrated by Hezekiah and Josiah (2 Chr. 30:1–2; 35:1), a great Passover was held in the plains of Jericho after the Israelites returned from the Babylonian exile (Ezra 6:19–22). It was impossible for Israel to identify herself without this ritual depicting her salvation and deliverance from Egypt.”- Holman Treasury of Key Bible Words: 200 Greek and 200 Hebrew Words Defined and Explained (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 134.
“Passover (Heb. pesaḥ) comes from a verb meaning ‘to pass over’, in the sense of ‘to spare’ (Ex. 12:13, 27, etc.). Exodus 12:13 “13 “And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.”
This affords excellent sense; there is no need to jettison the time-honoured view that God literally passed over the blood-sprinkled Israelite houses, whilst smiting the Egyptian ones.”
“In NT times, all Israelite males were expected to appear in Jerusalem thrice annually, for the Feasts of Passover, of Weeks or Pentecost and of Tabernacles.”- New Bible Dictionary (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 872.
“What was once a family observance in the home is transformed into a national pilgrimage festival.” Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans, 2000), 1014.
Deuteronomy 16:6 “6 But at the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt.”
It is easy to see why we find these introductory words in John 2:13-14 “13 And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, 14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:”
As we read this chapter over the next many weeks I want us to think about the context of these two events the Marriage Feast as well as The Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread.