Spirituality vs Tradition

And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meant this?

Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.

Acts 2: 12-13

This scene was on what the Bible calls “the day of Pentecost.” This day in the Jewish tradition was also known as the feast of Harvest. It was a time to bring the first fruits of the wheat harvest as a dedication to God. Pentecost was traditionally held 50 days after Easter. It was a time for “devout men, out of every nation under heaven” to convene in Jerusalem to celebrate this day and feast.

This particular “day of Pentecost” became a most significant day in Christendom in that it was the day that God would pour out his Holy Spirit on his obedient servants who were tarrying in Jerusalem, as Jesus had told them to do (Acts 2: 1-4). They were “all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak in tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” The scene was truly miraculous. The significance of “speaking in tongues” is summarized in verse 11 of the same book of Acts:

… we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

Acts 2: 11

The onlookers were truly amazed. Not only did they see the spectacle with their own eyes, they also heard them speak in their various native tongues and understood. There was amazement and there was doubt at the same time. They could not believe what they were experiencing. There were those that could only relate through their own experiences and likened these that were filled with the Spirit as being men “full of new wine.” Their understanding was limited because they were not seeing through spiritual eyes. On the contrary, their traditional way of thinking could only lead them to surmise that the experience was not supernatural but a natural occurrence that was caused by drunkenness.

Peter, being in the midst of them, had to stand up and explain to those that were witnessing this occurrence that “these are not drunken” as they had surmised. But what they all saw was actually the fulfillment of prophecy spoken by Joel. He was redirecting their “eyesight” back to the word of God. He was taking them from their traditional knowledge and understanding to a place that was completely new to them. However, it was the beginning of a “New Testament” experience that Jesus had already laid down his life for (Acts 2: 14-41).

Spiritual Eyes

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

John 3: 3

When Nicodemus came to Jesus “by night,” he was seeking to gain understanding. He had either heard of or may have even witnessed the miracles that Jesus had performed. Those miracles stirred something up in him to seek Jesus out. Jesus, in turn, did not rebuff this Pharisee, but rather gave him instruction on how he, too, could truly see and understand what the Father was trying to accomplish in that day through his Son. Jesus proclaimed that “except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” In other words, the things that pertain to the Spirit could only be seen through a born again relationship. Nicodemus, still “seeing” things through the traditions of religion could not quite grasp what Jesus was teaching. He could comprehend birth but not re-birth. Jesus goes on to explain that “except a man be born of water and Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Jesus explains the born again relationship, in simple terms, to Nicodemus. Natural and spiritual baptism initiated by repentance is the only way to Jesus Christ. The water in this instance is not only literal but more importantly figurative of the washing away of sins.

Those that do not go through this born again experience cannot neither see God’s kingdom or even enter into God’s kingdom. This is why some people respond when faced with spiritual issues, “I just don’t see it or I just don’t see it that way.” That is true … because they have not been born again! Therefore their religion becomes based in tradition with literal understanding of the scriptures … much like Nicodemus was.

Wedding at Cana: Where Spirituality and Tradition Meet

And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:

And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.

And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.

John 2: 1-3

What is more traditional than a wedding. Weddings provide the best examples of traditions in various cultures. Depending on the culture, the traditions vary but the end results are the same; it is the union of man and woman to become husband and wife and to start a new journey together in unity. On this particular day, Jesus, his mother and his disciples were all invited and they all attended. At some point in the festivities, there was a need for wine. Jesus’ mother turns to him with a simple statement, “They have no wine.” Thus begins the very first miracle of Jesus’ ministry. This is the miracle where Jesus turns the water into wine.

There are those that would look at this miracle and say, “see the Jewish tradition was to have wine at the wedding and Jesus turned the water into wine so therefore He must condone wine at weddings.” He was in attendance and he performed the miracle so therefore wine is acceptable as part of the marriage tradition. Others have said that that was a different type of wine than what we have today. He actually turned the water into nothing more than grape juice and therefore that justifies what He did and His attendance. Both conclusions are not seeing the significant of the event through spiritual eyes.

Jesus DID turn the water into actual wine. However, what Jesus was doing was actually foreshadowing things to come through this first miracle. After his exchange with his mother (verse 4-5), Jesus called those that were their to fill six waterpots of stone “after the manner of the purifying of the Jews.” In other words these waterpots were, traditionally, used as a means to cleanse the body. They filled the waterpots to the very brim. Then he told them to draw out what was on the inside and “bear unto the governor of the feast.” They did as Jesus said and there was joy amongst those that partook of this “new wine” (John 2: 6-11).

If you focus on the debate of the acceptability of wine in this passage, you miss the true message. The Bible has several passages that warn against the drinking of wine (Proverbs 20:1; Proverbs 21:17; Proverbs 23:30-32; Proverbs 31:4-7; Isaiah 5: 11; Isaiah 28: 1-7; Hosea 4: 11; Habakkuk 2:5; Ephesians 5:18). There is also a distinction between wine and strong drink which is never acceptable. However, the focus should actually be on the vessels that Jesus filled and the product that was produced. II Corinthians 4: 7 states:

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

On the day of Pentecost, God took earthen vessels and baptized or filled them with the Holy Ghost (Born again). What was produced were new creatures that appeared to be filled with “new wine.” Those that were filled with this new wine began to act differently. They were under the influence of the Holy Ghost and completely “filled” to the top. Their filling began to have an immediate affect on all those that were in attendance at the feast. The end result was true joy! Jesus was not condoning the partaking of wine at the wedding feast. His first miracle was actually foretelling what God was about to do with a people who were obedient to Him. Jesus used the traditional setting of the wedding (which he uses throughout the New Testament to describe His relationship to His people) to begin to reveal his spiritual plan.