What close examination of the first sign at Cana, the clearing of the Temple and Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus, show how right at the beginning of the Gospel, Saint John has begun to develop one of the main themes which is the Jesus fulfills Ju

GCSE Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)

A level question on chapters 2&3

What close examination of the first sign at Cana, the clearing of the Temple and Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus, show how right at the beginning of the Gospel, Saint John has begun to develop one of the main themes which is the Jesus fulfills Judaism?

Through the incident at Cana, the clearing of the Temple and Jesus conversation with Nicodemus, Saint John has begun to develop the theme that Jesus fulfills Judaism.

In the first sign at Cana (beginning of chapter 2), Jesus performs the first of his miraculous signs when he turns six stone jars of water into wine at a wedding. There is a lot of symbolism in this sign which represents Jesus’ fulfillment of Judaism.

‘When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”’

In the beginning of this chapter, Jesus’ mother is used as a symbol of Judaism, and the Jews. When she informs Jesus that the wine has run out, not only is she reporting the situation but I think that Mary is also asking for Jesus’ help – to relieve the bridegroom’s embarrassments by supplying some more wine. However Jesus’ response to his mother is,

‘Dear woman, why do you involve me?….My time has not yet come’

I think that in this response, Jesus is implying that he has no need to help the Jews with every insignificant problem they may have. ‘My time has not yet come’ may simply mean that Jesus would rather not interfer and leave the bridegroom to solve his own minor problem alone. However, when Mary then says to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you’ ; it seems as thought this is her way of persevering the situation and implying that she thinks that Jesus’ aid is required in this situation. Jesus then immediately acts to the situation and creates the wine from the water.

This act symbolizes Jesus fulfillment of Judaism by the fact that he instinctively is the person who helps in this situation and when asked by his mother, he does not question why she is asking him for the aid, but just whether the aid is required or whether it is best to leave the bridegroom to deal with the situation alone. This in effect represents the fact that it is Jesus duty to help the Jews and by questioning whether his help was required in this situation, Jesus was thinking whether it would be more helpful to let the bridegroom solve the problem alone or not.

There is also symbolism in the fact that Jesus’ converts six jars of water into wine,

‘Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.

Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.’

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There is also symbolism in the fact that Jesus’ converts six jars of water into wine,

‘Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.

Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.’

Six in Judaism means incomplete, as seven is a pure and complete number (world created in seven days). Therefore by turning the six jars of water into wine, Jesus was possibly representing the completion he was going to make to the Jewish law (through his teachings). This in turn also represents the fact that by Jesus, Judaism (the plain water) was turned into the rich wine of Christianity. The six water jars may also have been used by Saint John to focus us on Jesus’ death. The sixth day of the week is a Friday – the day Jesus died. Saint John could therefore be reminding us of the fact that Jesus died for his people – to redeem the Jews of their sins which was all in aid to make Judaism a pure religion (i.e. an example of a way Jesus fulfilled Judaism).

Another example of symbolism referring to the completion Jesus was going to make to the Jewish law is in verse 7,

“Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

What is interesting about this quote is the fact that the pots were not full, and Jesus has them filled to the brim as they needed topping up. I think that this image is used by Saint John to represent the fact that Jesus was going to complete the Jewish law and the water was filled to the brim on the verge of overflowing, as in Christ’s grace.

Another significant idea brought up at the beginning of chapter 2 is the fact that Jesus not only replaced the water with wine, but choice wine (the best quality),

‘Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you saved the best till now.’

The fact that Jesus converted the water into the most expensive wine symbolizes Jesus’ devotion for his people – the fact that he always does the best he possibly can for his people. This idea may also be representing the idea of new being better than old – the new way of life that was going to be shown by Jesus (Christianity), is better then the present way of life!

The clearing of the temple (also mentioned in chapter 2) was when Jesus drove out some traders who were trading cattle in the Temple area.

‘To those who sold doves he said, “Get out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!”

The simple fact that Jesus drove the traders out of the temple has great significance and demonstrates Saint John developing the idea that Jesus fulfills Judaism. Jesus drove out the traders because they were cheating their customers and often gambled. Jesus’ actions therefore demonstrate his respect for the Temple (the Holy Place) and show his determination and devotion to keep the Temple a sacred place solely for the Jews to worship in. This is therefore an example of Jesus fulfilling Judaism as he is trying to preserve their belief by keeping the Jews’ centre of worship (the Temple) a sacred and sin free place. Jesus’ actions in effect also show his respect for his Father as the Temple was a place where the Jews worshipped the Father.

The fact that Jesus forces out all traders from the Temple also symbolizes that Jesus is similar to the Temple. The way that Jesus came to the market in the temple courtyard and declared that all traders should get out (as they were sinning by cheating and gambling) represents the fact that through Jesus, the people’s sins can be removed. It signifies that Jesus is a substitute for the Jewish Temple as the Jews can come to God through him by asking God for forgiveness through him. The fact that Jesus drove traders who were trading cattle also symbolizes the idea that Jesus is an ultimate sacrifice as instead of sacrificing cattle to repent their sins, the Jews can do this through Jesus.

Saint John introduces this incident by mentioning that Jesus is making the customary pilgrimage to Jerusalem, as it is Passover time,

‘When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem’

I think that by this introduction to the incident, Saint John is trying to make the reader acknowledge the fact that Jesus’ reason for going to Jerusalem was in effect of the Jewish law to keep Passover a special and significant day. Saint John reminds readers of the fact that Passover (Pesach) remembers the time when the Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt and he emphasizes the fact that Jesus respected this incident and himself honors it by visiting the Temple. I therefore think that by this introduction, Saint John is implying that Jesus fulfills Judaism and also the fact that Jesus respects Judaism simply by mentioning that Jesus remembers the Passover. I do however think that Saint John was also indicating Jesus was not going to destroy the Temple or replace it, but fulfill it. I got this idea from the line which states,

“Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days”

Although this quote refers to Jesus’ resurrection, I think that it is also used to imply that the Jewish Temple is still significant and Jesus has not intention in letting it be destroyed. This is therefore another example of Jesus’ fulfillment of Judaism as he wants to preserve their main place of worship.

There is another significant point of the quote, ‘Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days’. This quote was in response to the Jews who, after being ordered to get out of the Temple, demanded,

“What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do this”

The significance of Jesus’ response to the Jews demand is that he reveals himself authoritatively in the Temple. The line Saint John follows Jesus’ response with is,

‘But the temple he had spoken of was his own body’

I think that through this line, Saint John is implying that Jesus’ own body; first destroyed and then raised from the dead, is the true temple. I therefore think that Saint John is also reinforcing Jewish belief in Jesus as the Messiah which is in effect fulfilling Judaism.

Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus (a member of the Sanhedrin) comes up in chapter 3 of Saint John’s gospel. This chapter begins by explaining who Nicodemus is,

‘Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council.

He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous sign you are doing if God were not with him.”’

A very significant factor mentioned in the second line is that Nicodemus came to Jesus ‘at night’. I think that this factor is supposed to symbolize Nicodemus coming to Jesus in spiritual darkness. A quote later on in this chapter is Jesus saying,

‘Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,

that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.’

The quote above is an example of Jesus talking about a key aspect of the Jewish faith (the belief in eternal life) and therefore he is in a sense preaching about Judaism to Nicodemus. I therefore think that Saint John uses this conversation to point out that Jesus’ main purpose was to bring people out of the darkness of unbelief and into the light of knowledge, in this case the person being Nicodemus. Jesus is therefore made to seem as though he is fulfilling Judaism as he is preaching about the faith.

A key topic which Jesus focuses on in his conversation with Nicodemus is baptism. Jesus talks about the significance of it,

“I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born again of water and the Spirit”.

By this quote, Jesus was implying that Jewish rituals and tradition would not lead to salvation and that rebirth in the spirit was necessary. Jesus is therefore fulfilling Judaism by the fact that he is telling Nicodemus (who represents the Jews) about what is required to be a true Jew and gain salvation. Jesus is hence steering the Jews into the right path towards salvation and giving them advice for their journey to salvation, which is surely a fulfillment of the Jews’ faith.