In his gospel, John mentions the Lady twice. Or rather, on the two occasions when he mentions the mother of Jesus, he does so in a curious way which could indicate that he is not merely referring to the woman who bore and raised him, named elsewhere as Mary. At the wedding feast in Cana, Jesus’ first public appearance after calling his disciples, John says that the mother of Jesus was there but he does not name her. It is possible to read this as implying the presence of the Lady whom Jesus as first resists and tries to deny. According to the story, the Lady inspires the servants to do as Jesus tells them. And so they fill the six huge stone jars with water, Jesus changes the water into wine, and this shows his glory (John 2.1-11 [John 1:8]). This was a sign that he was a priest of the order of Melchizedek, who represented the old royal priesthood. The kings of Judah before the exile in Babylon were priests of the order of Melchizedek (Ps.110.4 [Ps. 110]). Melchizedek priests were an eternal priesthood, based on the belief that each one was already resurrected and so could not die, as opposed to the Aaron priests who were temporal and changed as each son inherited from his father. In the Genesis story (Gen.14.17-24 [Gen. 7:13-16]), Melchizedek offered wine to Abraham when he was expecting water, and so the miracle at Cana was a sign of Melchizedek.
John also mentions the mother of Jesus at the crucifixion. He describes the women standing by the cross, but there is a problem with punctuation, and it is not certain how many women were there. The first mentioned is the mother of Jesus, but she is not named. This may be because her name was well known, but there may be something more. John may be implying the presence of the Lady. The other gospels do not mention the Virgin Mary at the cross; like John, they name Mary Magdalene, another Mary, and a third woman. John has the mysterious fourth woman with no name. We are told that Jesus entrusts his Mother to John, and he entrusts John to his Mother, which may mean no more than Jesus making provision for his Mother. But there is another possibility: that John became the son of Jesus’ heavenly Mother, another child of Wisdom, because John was the one to whom Jesus revealed his visions and his secret teaching.
The Wedding at Cana: Water to Wine
At a wedding the wine runs out, and at his mother’s word Jesus turns water into wine: “the beginning of miracles,” the first sign by which he manifested forth his glory and his disciples’ faith was strengthened.
Note. This first sign is preserved in John alone.
? How to read this edition
The reading is the Joseph Smith Translation, in the text of the Covenant Christian Edition, carried beside each Gospel and set against the King James baseline. Headers give both numbering systems: the CCE chapter and verse, and the traditional KJV reference.
1And on the third day of the week, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2And Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. 3And when they lacked wine, his mother said unto him, They have no wine. 4Jesus said unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? what will you have me to do for you? That will I do, for my hour has not yet come. 5His mother said unto the servants, Whatever he says unto you, see that you do it. 6There were set there six waterpots of stone after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. 7Jesus said unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. 8And he saith unto them said, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bore it unto him. 9When the governor of the feast had tasted the water which was made wine (he knew not from where it was, but the servants who drew the water knew), the governor of the feast called the bridegroom 10and said unto him, Every man at the beginning does set forth good wine, and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse. But you have kept the good wine until now. 11This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. the faith of his disciples was strengthened in him.
Water to Wine: A Sign of Melchizedek
Barker reads the first sign as a Melchizedek sign. As Melchizedek brought out wine to Abraham, so Jesus, a priest of the old royal order, turns water to wine and shows his glory.
Ellipses mark omissions within Barker’s own sentences.