Week One
Water to Wine
In John chapter 2, verses 1-22, the miracle of Christ turning water into wine is shared. This miracle is a significant one to me, because of the principles that can be drawn from it. Principles are eternal truths, which we can glean from scripture (and other sources, such as counsel from Prophets and Apostles), and apply to our lives, in order to liken the scriptures unto ourselves. From this miracle, of Christ turning water into wine, I catch a glimpse of the ultimate power that our Savior can have, and has, in each of our lives. I studied the commentary from the New Testament Institute (Student) Manual for John 2:6, (which says that Christ turned six water pots containing two or three firkins of water apiece into wine) and discovered that a "firkin" equals about nine gallons. "Thus, each of the six water-pots
contained around 18 to 27 gallons of water, with the result that Jesus
then created between 100 to 150 gallons of wine—a miracle showing that
the wedding celebration was quite large" (The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ and His Apostles: Chapter 4). If Christ can take this element of water, and literally change it into something entirely different, think of what He can do with each of us. He has the power to change us; indeed, He has the power to make us into something entirely different, something entirely better. He held this power even before He sacrificed His life and atoned for us. He can and will help us change to become the person we're meant to be - the person we need to be.
Some find it interesting that Christ refers to His mother as "woman" in the account above. However, upon reading the commentary from the institute manual on this count, I discovered that there is actually endearment behind this referral. “… The noun of address, ‘Woman,’ as applied by a son to his mother may
sound to our ears somewhat harsh, if not disrespectful; but its use was
really an expression of opposite import. To every son the mother ought
to be preeminently the woman of women; she is the one woman in the world
to whom the son owes his earthly existence; and though the title
‘Mother’ belongs to every woman who has earned the honors of maternity,
yet to no child is there more than one woman whom by natural right he
can address by that title of respectful acknowledgment. When, in the
last dread scenes of His mortal existence, Christ hung in dying agony
upon the cross, He looked down upon the weeping Mary, His mother, and
commended her to the care of the beloved apostle John, with the words:
‘Woman, behold thy son!’ Can it be thought that in this supreme moment,
our Lord’s concern for the mother from whom He was about to be separated
by death was associated with any emotion other than that of honor,
tenderness and love?” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, pp. 144–45.)
Cleansing the Temple
In John 2:12-16, Christ goes up to Jerusalem and finds money changers in the temple, upon which he "[drives] them all out of the temple...and over[throws] the tables." He goes on to say, "...make not my Father's house an house of merchandise." What can be learned from this? In what ways are Jesus' actions symbolic of what He desires of each of us? I believe that the Savior has high expectations for each of us, and feels disappointment when we don't live up to those expectations; however, I also believe that He loves us unconditionally, and because of that love must sometimes chastise us for behavior that is less than what he desires. If we think about the connection between temple buildings and our bodies as holy temples, what should we be doing for our bodies, or lives, that correlates with what Christ did here? We must keep ourselves holy and pure, and sometimes do some "cleaning," in order to maintain the sacredness that should exist in temples, both buildings and body.
The Beatitudes
“In that matchless Sermon on the Mount, Jesus has given us eight
distinct ways by which we might receive this kind of joy. Each of his
declarations is begun by the word ‘Blessed.’ Blessedness is defined as
being higher than happiness. Happiness comes from without and is
dependent on circumstances; blessedness is an inward fountain of joy in
the soul itself, which no outward circumstances can seriously affect" (The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ and His Apostles: Chapter 8). The eight beatitudes are as follows:
Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit
Blessed Are They That Mourn
Blessed Are the Meek
Blessed Are They That Hunger and Thirst After Righteousness
Blessed Are the Pure in Heart
Blessed Are the Merciful
Blessed Are the Peacemakers
Blessed Are They Which Are Persecuted
Three of these beatitudes I'd like to expound on are the meek, pure in heart, and peacemakers.
What does it mean to be meek? “A meek man is defined as one who is not easily provoked or irritated
and forbearing under injury or annoyance. Meekness is not synonymous
with weakness. The meek man is the strong, the mighty, the man of
complete self-mastery. He is the one who has the courage of his moral
convictions, despite the pressure of the gang or the club” The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ and His Apostles: Chapter 8). I know that by living this beatitude, we can increase our happiness in the present as well as the future. Learning patience (not easily provoked) and self-mastery add to our ability to respond well to difficult, trying situations. Meekness can help us learn how to remain optimistic despite trials, and develop a quality that will increase our ability to live other beatitudes, including being a peacemaker and remaining pure in heart.
Who are the pure in heart? The definition of "pure" is "Having a homogeneous or uniform composition; not mixed. Free from adulterants or impurities." According to the institute manual, “If you would see God, you must be pure." If we learn to be pure in heart, we will gain deeper understanding of our Father in Heaven and His purposes, along with a stronger testimony that Christ is our Savior, and that He is the way and the life. If we keep our eye single to Him, (ye cannot serve God and Mammon), and obey His commandments, we will learn to be pure in heart, and find more happiness by doing so.
How can we become peacemakers? We must not be quarrelsome or contentious. Peacemakers seek for truth, and are called "The children of God." I know from personal experience the power of trying to be a peacemaker, and how much happiness it can bring into your life. Seeking for truth, and abstaining from arguing and contentiousness, brings an added measure of the Spirit into your life and home, and helps strengthen capabilities to remain peaceful and close to Heavenly Father.
I'm grateful for all the things I've learned this week in beginning my study of the four gospels.
~Tanisha
