On line Bible Study - For the Week October 10-16, 2011

Lesson 514

John 2: ¹ On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, ² and 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 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” ⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

We must not leave John 2:1-11 without acknowledging the 'mother' question. In his commentary on this gospel, Father Raymond Brown writes: "Perhaps nowhere in John is the difference of theological predisposition between Catholic and Protestant more painfully evident than in the exegesis of 2:4." Father Brown admits much of the Catholic exegesis on this text is not much better than 'pious eisegesis'. ('Eisegesis' is interpreting a text by introducing one's own ideas into the meaning - making a text mean what you want it to mean...) Protestants, on the other hand, tend to simply pass over the text as if it weren't there.

What to do with Mary? Fr. Brown reminds us that from the earliest days of the church Mary was understood to be"both a symbol of the Church and the New Eve." She will make another appearance in the gospel. As Jesus is dying on the cross he acknowledges her presence and addresses her in the same manner there as here - Woman. In that text (John 19:26-27) Mary and the beloved disciple are given to each other as Mother and Son.

Jesus addresses his mother: Woman ... This is neither a rebuke nor does it suggest lack of respect. Jesus refers to other women he encounters in the same way. Brown suggests the possibility of some "symbolic import" here. He also acknowledges that he is unaware of any other time in either Hebrew or Greek where a son addresses his mother this way. Given the reminiscences of Genesis found in these opening chapters of John's gospel, the idea of the 'New Eve' is certainly not far-fetched.

Mary ... Woman ... Believer ... Mother ... Is it she that, together with the Spirit, bids us Come! (Revelation 22:17.) In the meantime, there is a temple that needs cleansing. That's for the next lesson.