In 2010
Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayer was speaking at Fordham University Law
School when she said that seeing the 1957 movie 12 Angry Men influenced her to pursue a career in law. She noted
that juror 11’s monologue (no names are used until the last three minutes of
the film) on his reverence for the American justice system inspired her. She
told the audience of law students that, as a lower court judge, she would
sometimes instruct juries to learn from the film. Over the last 62 years 12 Angry Men has been used throughout
the corporate world to school executives and decision-makers on group dynamics,
consensus-building, and effective listening.
But the
reason I cite it is because of the early scene when Henry Fonda (juror #8) says
excitedly, “Okay, let’s take two pieces of testimony and put them together!”
Now he’s talking about the sound of the passing L Train and the sound of a body
of a dead man hitting the floor. But the two pieces of testimony that fascinate
me are the ones John gives at the opening and closing of Jesus’ earthly
ministry. Amazingly, he is alone among the gospel writers in giving us these crucial
pieces of testimony.
The first
piece of testimony comes in John 2 where Jesus, His mother, and His disciples
are at a week-long wedding feast in Cana. It’s apparent from the account that
Mary has some connection with the bridal party, because when the wine runs out
she hurries to Jesus to urge Him to fix the problem. Remember what He says to
her? Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” Then,
like many mothers I know, she ignores His biting retort. Instead, she turns to
the servants and says, “Do whatever He tells you to do.” Now there are a number
of reasons why John includes this miracle in his gospel. It’s the first miracle
Jesus performs. Wine to the Jews was a symbol of joy. The Jews used to say,
“Without wine there is no joy, and without joy there is no life.” So what John’s
telling us is that Israel was out of both. Their religion was dry, empty, and
lifeless. They were trusting in everything but God and His work. So what’s
Jesus do? He turns the water in the foot bathing troughs into the best wine
they’ve tasted all week.
The second
piece of testimony is found in John 19:25. Here John says, “but standing by the
cross of Jesus was his mother…” Now John is the only one to tell us this. Why?
There are several reasons: 1) it’s the fulfillment of Simeon’s prophecy in Luke
2:35; 2) while nearly everyone else runs from the cross, she stands; 3) Jesus
establishes His spiritual family (the church) as more important than His
biological family, etc.
But there
are many more profound reasons than all of those when you take the two pieces
of Johannian testimony and put it together. Think of it. 1) It’s the end of His
earthly ministry; 2) He’s already established that wine is the symbol of His
own blood; 3) the miracle at the cross is not turning water into wine as a
source of joy for the remainder of a party, but He’s shedding His own blood to
gain life and joy for billions of people for all eternity.
There is so much in this third word from the
cross! How appropriate that we will be digging into all of it on Mother’s Day.
In
preparation for Sunday’s message entitled, “Woman, Behold Your Son,” you may
wish to consider the following:
1. How would
you describe Mary’s life as the mother of Jesus? Rosy or troubled?
2. The gospels
refer to Mary only occasionally. What is similar in these instances? Hint: The
first five are: The Annunciation, the visit to Elizabeth, the birth, the flight
into Egypt, the presentation of Jesus in the temple.
3. How does
this third word from the cross show Jesus as the perfect Son?
4. What is so
baffling about John’s inclusion of this word?
5. What does
this word say to us about Jesus’ ability to meet every need?
6. How is Jesus
here the greater Adam?
7. How does His
attention to the needs of His mother reveal a perfect portrait of His
sinlessness?
8. How does
John 19:26-27 prove the truth of Mary’s declaration in Luke 1:47?
9. How does
this third word prove that Jesus alone can meet our deepest human need?
10. What can you
conclude when you compare John 19:27 to John 20:10?
See you on
Mother’s Day!
