The Marriage of John and Jesus?

John 2:1-11

          I recently read a piece that suggested the mere possibility that the wedding feast at Cana may have actually been the wedding feast of John and Jesus. A seemingly scandalous assertion but I do know that the paradigm of one man and one woman in relationship is not the uniform way it always was. That is pure revisionist history. The Bible itself points to a good number of same sex committed relationships that we might today be considered married. We simply cannot super impose our paradigms, thought patterns and modern knowledge onto any other time or culture. At some point I would love to delve into the texts and translations that might lead one to believe that Cana was the celebration of John and Jesus.

          It might seem easy to simply point to the 'water into wine thing' as the miraculous event and Jesus' first public miracle. Another miraculous event that this is pointing to, no matter who the married parties were, is the actual wedding. In the book of Genesis, a story from God that tells of the fundamentals of our existence and meaning, a major part is the creation and bond of Adam and Eve. As a symbolic story, which it surely is, it relates our human need for another, for companionship and wholeness through others. We are not solitary being by any means. We are communal creatures and at the heart of this is our relationship and commitment to another. It clearly is less important whether that is a man and woman, a man and a man or a woman and a woman. The message is clear, that two becoming one is a construct that God intended for mutual support, love and completion of our meaning in life. It is a goal we strive for and always have. It is an innate part of our being. 

             When you think about the myriad people in the world, the different races, personalities and makeups, is there really anything less miraculous than finding your soul mate? For some it is possible that their soul mate or completion can be in relationship totally with God as in 'married to Jesus' as many religious profess. I would suggest further that this may be the goal of all of us in life and even into death and into eternal life.  Who knows where each of us is on such a journey? I do know how wonderful and miraculous it is to find someone who 'completes you', who seems to have existed even in absentia to finally find each other and and find happiness. This is how I feel about my own husband. It offers life, meaning, wholeness, an opportunity for total love, selflessness and growth. These are all things God created us for.

            As for Jesus and John ( 'the beloved disciple' ) who knows what their relationship was. It merits interest and research for sure. I will say this, the preliminary evidence is there. To be singled out as 'the beloved disciple'. To be immortalized laying his head on Jesus' chest in scripture, paintings and lore. To have Jesus publicly hand John over to His mother at his crucifixion and to have Jesus tell his mother 'this is your son'. (John 19:26) Well, wow! What is the likelihood of a Jewish man of 33 being single during that time in history? Even today there would be talk. Thirty-three and single? Is he gay?   I spoke of Jesus being as sexual as any one of us, the possibility of being gay is just an extension of that. Note: being gay does not equal being primiscuous. 

        No matter what, the joining of two souls is a gift from God and to be lived and appreciated.  

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ Now standing there were six stone water-jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, ‘Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.’ So they took it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.’ Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him