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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 2
more or less of an assurance that her son was indeed the Promised
One.
She had been very sorrowful for the past two months, for she had
been separated from her son, who had ever been faithful and obedient
to her wishes. The widowed mother had mourned over the sufferings
that Jesus had endured in his loneliness. His Messiahship had caused
her deep sorrow as well as joy. Yet strangely, as it appears to her, she
meets him at the marriage feast, the same tender, dutiful son, yet not the
same, for his countenance is changed; she sees the marks of his fierce
conflict in the wilderness of temptation, and the evidence of his high
mission in his holy expression and the gentle dignity of his presence.
She sees that he is accompanied by a number of young men who
address him with reverence, calling him Master. These companions
tell Mary of the wonderful things they have witnessed, not only at
the baptism, but upon numerous other occasions, and they conclude
by saying, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and the
prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, who is the long-looked-for
Messiah.”
The heart of Mary was made glad by this assurance that the cher-
ished hope of long years of anxious waiting was indeed true. It would
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have been strange enough if, mingled with this deep and holy joy,
there had not been a trace of the fond mother’s natural pride. But the
guests assembled and time passed on. At length an incident occurred
that caused much perplexity and regret. It was discovered that from
some cause the wine had failed. The wine used was the pure juice
of the grape, and it was impossible to provide it at that late hour. It
was unusual to dispense with it on these occasions; so the mother of
Christ, who, in her capacity of relative had a prominent part to perform
at the feast, spoke to her son, saying, “They have no wine.” In this
communication was a hidden request, or rather, suggestion, that He to
whom all things were possible would relieve their wants. But Jesus
answered, “Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet
come.”
His manner was respectful, yet firm; he designed to teach Mary
that the time for her to control him as a mother, was ended. His
mighty work now lay before him, and no one must direct concerning
the exercise of his divine power. There was danger that Mary would
presume upon her relationship to Christ, and feel that she had special