The Failure of Judaism..

As I noted in an earlier blog, the account of Jesus' first miracle in Cana of Galilee speaks volumes to the diligent student. Typical, prophetic and practical truths gloriously collide in this small collection of verses. The density is quite mesmerizing! One such aspect of truth that is presented before us is the utter failure of Judaism. Observe:

Let us realize that John chapter 2 opens with the word "and", which indicates that its contents are directly related to what has just gone before in chapter one: namely, the failure of Judaism, and the turning away from it to Christ Jesus. Such a failure (seen in the ignorance of the Sanhedrin) is made plainly evident by the sending of the priests and Levites from Jerusalem to enquire of John who he was (1:9). This is made even further evident by the sad statement of John the Baptist: "I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not" (1:26). These harsh words are but an amplification of the tragic Jewish state found earlier in the chapter: "He came unto his own, and his own received him not" (1:11). So blind and deceived were the religious leaders of Israel, that they neither knew Christ Jesus standing in their midst, nor did they properly recognize His forerunner to whom the Old Testament revelation bore explicit witness!

As another has formally noted, "Judaism, at this point, was but a dead husk, the heart and life of it were gone". Only one thing remained, and that was the bringing in "of a better hope" (Heb 7:19). Similarly, in Galatians 4:4 we read, "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son..." Indeed, the fullness of God's time had come; the hour was ripe for Jesus to be revealed; the world's need for Him had been fully demonstrated! Judaism, therefore, must be set aside! And so we see such an instance typically demonstrated by Jesus' first miracle...

Suddenly, in John two, a marriage feast is presented before us. The primary plot of this occurrence was that the wine had given out! Friends, the figure presented here is not complicated.. "Wine" Scripturally speaks of the Holy Spirit, and of His joy (Ps 104:15; Jdg 9:13; Song 1:2; 4:10; Isa 25:6; 55:1-2; etc). How striking then, is what we see here present in John two! How accurate the portrayal! Judaism still existed as a religious system, but it ministered no comfort, joy, or power to the heart. It had degenerated into a cold, mechanical routine, utterly destitute of any real life. Israel had lost the joy of her espousals (Jer 2:2). Her wine had run out!

Remarkably, the type continues to speak: "And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews" (Jn 2:6). What a portrait of Judaism! Six is the number of man (Rev 13:8; Gen 1:26; 31). Yes, there were six waterpots sitting there, not seven: the perfect number. All that was left of Judaism was of the flesh; God was no longer in it. Sadly, as we read later in this Gospel, the "feasts of the Lord" (Lev 23:2) had now become only the "feasts of the Jews" (Jn 2:13).

Observe too, that these waterpots were made of "stone", not silver which speaks of redemption, nor of gold which tells of Divine glory. As we read in Isaiah 1:22, "Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water". And again the Bible says, "How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed!" (Lam 4:1). Yes, they were stone; stone and empty! Again, what a sadly vivid portrayal of Israel's condition at that time! No wonder the wine had given out! It was making room for Jesus; it's absence greatly supplied His neccesitation! Therefore, our chapter immediately directs attention to Him as the One who alone can provide that which speaks of real joy in God.

Likewise, Mary also revealed this same dreaded Jewish state. We saw yesterday of her typical significance as a lukewarm believer, and here we see a similar glimpse.. In this instance, she is not called by her natural name (as she is in Acts 1:4) but by her prominent title, and is therefore to be considered as a representative character: she figures the nation of Israel. Like Israel, the mother of Jesus exhibited a woeful lack of spiritual discernment. It seems as if she presumed so far as to order Jesus to work a miracle. In short, Mary wanted the Savior to openly display His power and glory, and accordingly, she too is a true representative of the Jewish nation. Israel (and Mary, at that time) had no thought for a suffering Messiah. What they desired was One who would immediately set up His kingdom here on earth.

Thank God that Jesus had other plans, even the bringing in of a better hope!

"Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Gal 3:24-29). Amen!