The Wedding at Cana: Experiencing the Glory and Kingdom

By V.M. Liew

It seems that the glory of Christ has departed from the mind and hearts of many Christians. Today the word glory, or phrases such as glory of God and glorifying God, are commonly used by Christians, and thus have evolved into clichs. They have lost their originally intended meanings. Christians are not experiencing the glory of Christ and the Kingdom of God that is here and now.

Are you experiencing the glory and the kingdom in your life? If not, this book has the answers for you.

Like John 2: 1--11, this book is a foretaste of glory divine. It all overflows here: faith, glory, kingdom, meaning, celebration, blessing, joy, salvation, Jesus the Lord, and us who receive newness of life! The author, V. M. Liew, is an adroit semiotician, a grand interpreter of signs--especially this first sign in John 2 by which Jesus revealed his Messianic glory--and so much more. Im greatly encouraged by this book, and you will be too. Its a must read!
--Dr. David Naugle, distinguished professor and chair and professor of philosophy, Dallas Baptist University, and author of Reordered Love, Reordered Lives: Learning the Deep Meaning of Happiness (Eerdmans, 2008)

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Aug 4, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490842547

V.M. Liew

V. M. Liew is the pastor of the Chinese Baptist Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He earned his Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and later his PhD in Biblical and Theological Studies from Trinity Southwest University. Before entering into full-time ministry, V. M. was a practicing engineer for fifteen years. He holds BS and MEngSc degrees in Civil Engineering.

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Copyright © 2014 V. M. Liew.

Cover design: by Hannah Liew using a photograph provided by C. G. Nelson.

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Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission. NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks of Biblica, Inc. Use of either trademark for the offering of goods or services requires the prior written consent of Biblica US, Inc.

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-4253-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-4254-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014911743

WestBow Press rev. date: 7/31/2014

CONTENTS

Dedication

Preface

Introduction

I.    The Wedding At Cana Is Christological And Prophetic Of The End Times When The Glory Of Christ Will Be Revealed

a.   The Meaning of Sign and Symbols

b.   The Meaning of Wine and New Wine

c.   The Meaning of Marriage and the Wedding Banquet

II.    The Concept Of The Kingdom Of God In The Wedding At Cana

a.   The Prophetic Hope in the Old Testament

b.   The Fulfillment in the New Testament

III.    The Glory Of Christ

a.   The Meaning of Glory

b.   The Glory of Christ in the Writings of John

c.   The Glory of Christ in the Wedding at Cana – Already and Not Yet

IV.    Experiencing The Coming Glory And Kingdom

a.   Conforming to the Glory-Image of Christ

b.   Glory and Faith

c.   Present Reign of Christ’s Glory

V.    Conclusion

The Building Blocks

a.   Statement of the Problem

b.   Research Methodology

c.   Focus Literature Review

Bibliography

DEDICATION

To all the pastors and the flocks that they faithfully shepherd.

"Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen." (I Peter 5:1-11 NASB)

PREFACE

This book is based on the dissertation of a PhD degree in Biblical and Theological Studies awarded by Trinity Southwest University in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The content of the dissertation has been slightly modified and the chapters of the dissertation reorganized for ease of reading and understanding. At the end of the book are the building blocks of my research, and they serve as the foundation for the dissertation. For readers to understand the content of this book, it is imperative that they read and understand the chapter titled, The Building Blocks.

The focus of my dissertation is on the Wedding at Cana. The studies of the wedding feast began in 2003 when I was enrolled in the ThM program at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. In a course that I took, the Gospel of John, I wrote a research paper related to the Gospel of John using the wedding narrative passage of John 2:1-11. That was the beginning of my long journey and in-depth study on the narrative of the wedding at Cana.

After completing all the course work of the ThM program, I was left with a thesis to complete. To embark on the work of the thesis, I decided to use my paper on the wedding narrative as a stepping stone to carry out my research on this particular passage. I spent a great amount of time in the seminary library researching materials pertaining to the wedding at Cana and collected many scholarly journal articles on the wedding narrative. These articles were found to be very useful and of great value in the work for my dissertation later on.

In 2005, I was called to a pastoral ministry in Albuquerque and left the seminary without completing the thesis. However, my desire to study the Scripture in depth did not diminish. In 2007, I enrolled in a PhD program at Trinity Southwest University. Having a pastoral ministry and being engaged in PhD studies at the same time, carrying out research for the dissertation was an especially challenging task. It took me more than five years to complete the degree. Because of the research I did early on at Southwestern Baptist Seminary, I was able to finish the program in this time frame.

The in-depth studies on the wedding narrative helped me to look at Scripture with a new perspective. Most importantly, it deepened my understanding of the Bible. I have never found so much treasure embedded in the Word of God until I dug deep into it. The wedding narrative, a seemingly ordinary passage, has given me insight and meaning that I never saw before. It brought my understanding of the Word of God and my relationship with God to a higher level.

It is my prayer that this book will benefit readers and create a desire in them to live a life under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, the KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS! Experience today the coming glory of Christ and His Kingdom!

INTRODUCTION

The miraculous sign of the wedding at Cana points to a deeper meaning beyond the miracle itself. Scholars generally associate the numerous images and symbols in John 2:1-11 with the end-time prophecy and fulfillment of these events at the future coming of Jesus the Messiah. Thus, a common understanding of the narrative focuses on prophetic imagery of the glory of Christ that will be revealed in the future Kingdom. However, this book ascertains that the account of the wedding goes beyond its future prophetic symbolism by using the same images to explain how to experience the coming glory and Kingdom in our lives today.

In the narrative, several symbols such as water, wedding, and wine are associated with end time events. Water represents purification, which is required for entry into God’s presence in the future Kingdom of Heaven. Wedding and wine are symbols with end-time significance; this is described in the Hebrew Scriptures where a Jewish wedding symbolizes the messianic Kingdom (Isa. 54:1-8; 62:1-5). Jesus Himself uses both a wedding and a banquet to portray His second coming (Matt. 8:11; 22:1-4; Luke 13:29; 14:15-24). In the apocalyptic writings of John, we again see the wedding as a symbol that portrays the messianic fulfillment at Christ’s second advent (Rev. 19:9).

However, the presence of Jesus at the marriage festivities in Cana lucidly portrays not only the future Kingdom but also a realized eschatological vision whereby the future permeates the present. The Kingdom is here and now. The concept of already and not yet is distinctly visible.

A primary focus of the miraculous sign at Cana is certainly to reveal Jesus as Christ, the divine Son of God, and the promised Messiah of the Hebrew Scriptures. Nevertheless, the wedding at Cana has even greater significance than the revelation of who Jesus is, the prophetic fulfillment of the messianic Kingdom in the future, and the realized eschatological vision; it is also a symbol of the revelation of the glory of Christ that brought about faith for those who saw the glory. John 2:11 explains, This, the first of His miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed His glory, and His disciples put their faith in Him.¹ The miraculous sign gave the disciples a realized preview of the glory and blessings that will be fully revealed when the Kingdom of God is consummated. The wedding guests received a realized foretaste of the glory that will be theirs in the Messiah’s Kingdom. This book will demonstrate not only that the wedding narrative offers a foretaste of the coming glory and Kingdom but also the capability for God’s people to experience the glory and Kingdom in their lives today.

Thus, eternal life does not merely exist in the future; it begins now by receiving the life that is in Christ. The eternal life that Jesus offers is a new life filled with abundant joy and a foretaste of the coming glory that can be experienced now (John 10:10b). Eternal life for the disciples began when they put their faith in Christ, and will be consummated at His return. This book will demonstrate that what the disciples of Jesus had and experienced can be ours as well.

We are living in between the beginning and the end of the Kingdom of God. During this interim period, believers in Christ are called to live life as in the future Kingdom by submitting to the lordship and reign of the Lord Jesus Christ. By their knowledge of the future and through the gift of the Holy Spirit, they can celebrate as a present reality the coming consummation of the heavenly reign of Christ. When they respond to this call, a true Christian community will emerge. The glory of Christ will be on display, bringing about a community of the highest order – reconciled people, a restored creation in the presence of the King, and the present experience of the coming glory and Kingdom that Jesus promises.

In essence, the wedding at Cana provides a glimpse of the glory of Christ and serves as a prelude to the glory, which will be revealed in the future Kingdom. Additionally, it also shows us how to experience the coming glory and Kingdom in our lives today. We, as believers in Christ, can experience the glory and Kingdom now if we choose to live a life under the lordship of Jesus Christ.

— I —

THE WEDDING AT CANA IS CHRISTOLOGICAL AND PROPHETIC OF THE END TIMES WHEN THE GLORY OF CHRIST WILL BE REVEALED

The wedding at Cana may appear ordinary to the casual reader; however, it carries a profound meaning and significance. The wedding, besides being Christological, is also prophetic of the end times when the glory of Christ will be revealed. It communicates to the readers who Jesus is and at the same time, foretells events to take place in the future Kingdom. More importantly, it also shows us how to experience the Kingdom and the glory of Christ in our lives.

The narrative is laden with sign, symbols, and metaphors, which convey meaning that point to Christ and the end times. In order to have a deeper understanding of the narrative, it is imperative to know the meaning of this miraculous sign at Cana and the key symbols in this sign.

a) The Meaning of Sign and Symbols

Sign

According to Webster’s Dictionary, the word sign is defined as something material or external that stands for or signifies something spiritual.² In the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament, the word sign is expressed as ot in Hebrew and semeion in Greek. Sign in its original language occurs seventy-eight times in the Hebrew Scriptures and seventy-seven times in the New Testament. The word sign in the Bible carries different meanings depending on the context of each occurrence. Nevertheless, the basic idea of pointing to an idea or event is always present. The action or event is either exclusively or primarily visual: a sign is something one sees. It refers to an act of God that points to something beyond itself. A sign is often, but not always, characterized by the miraculous and serves a purpose or function to demonstrate the power of God and to reveal His glory.³

In the Hebrew Scriptures, the purpose of signs is to bring about the knowledge of God (Ex. 7:3; Dt. 4:34), instill and confirm faith in God (Nu.