History, Theology, and Symbol
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REV. ROBERT C. GARAFALO HISTORY, THEOLOGY, AND SYMBOL THE MOTHER OF JESUS IN THE CANA ~ARRATIVE (JOHN 2:1-12), 1950-2005 A DOCTORAL DISSERTATION IN SACRED THEOLOGY IN MARIAN STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE DOCTOR OF SACRED THEOLOGY DIRECTED BY REV. BERTRAND A. BUBY, S.M., S.T.D. INTERNATIONAL MARIAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON DAYTON, OHIO Aprill7, 2009 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION CHAPTER ONE: FOCUS ON THE MOTHER OF JESUS The Text in Context Framing the Question The Work ofF.-M. Braun A Reply to Braun by Christian Ceroke History, Theology, and Symbol in Braun and Ceroke An Attempt at Synthesis: J.-P. Michaud The Controversial Exchange The Use of"Woman" The "Hour" of Jesus A Symbolic Interpretation Mariological Symbolism Michaud, Ceroke, and Braun: A Review History, Theology, and Symbol An Abiding Portrait: Rene Laurentin An Ecclesiastical Portrait: Maria/is Cultus Reconstructing the Text: John McHugh McHugh and His Predecessors History, Theology, and Symbol Transitional Summary A Feminist Portrait: Leonardo Boff Miriam-Mary in the Fourth Gospel The Radical Feminine History, Theology, and Symbol 2 Toward a New Synthesis: Aristide Serra The Sign at Cana The Wine ofCana Individual Phrases The Mother of Jesus at Calvary History, Theology, and Symbol A Pneumatological Portrait: Cohen and Grassi Portrait of Mary as Perfect Disciple: P. Bearsley The Perfect Disciple at Cana The Perfect Disciple at Calvary History, Theology, and Symbol A New Ecclesiastical Portrait: Redemptoris Mater A Theological Portrait: Ignace de Ia Potterie The Cana Narrative Christological Significance Mariological Significance Spiritual Maternity Evaluation and Critique History, Theology, and Symbol Review of the Research: L. Chacon 3 CHAPTER TWO: FOCUS ON THE FOURTH GOSPEL The Johannine Puzzle: Bultmann, Schnackenburg, and Brown Bultmann' s Commentary Two Major Commentaries: Schnackenburg and Brown History, Theology, and Symbol Solving the Johannine Puzzle: Sources and Signs Source Criticism: Robert Fortna Stages and Levels: J. Louis Martyn Crisis and Response: Raymond Brown History, Theology, and Symbol Starting All Over Again: Mary in the New Testament An Ecumenical Portrait by a Catholic Scholar Mary in the New Testament: Raymond Brown, et. al. The Fourth Gospel Mary in the New Testament: Conclusions History, Theology, and Symbol Sacraments and Symbols: Vawter, Brown, etc. The Johannine Sacramentary: Bruce Vawter A Response by Raymond Brown Symbols and Wisdom: R. Dillon Symbols in Sequence: D. Clark Retreat from Symbolism: R. Collins History, Theology and Symbol Symbolic Consciousness: X. Leon-Dufour A Social Science Prespective: R. Williams History, Symbol, and Polemic: T. Martin The Fourth Gospel as Narrative: F.J. Moloney The Fourth Gospel as Drama: J. Brant The End of an Era; R. Brown and F.J. Moloney The Dichotomy Reconsidered 4 CHAPTER THREE: THE SYMBOLIC PRESENTATION OF JESUS' MOTHER AT CANA The Intention of the Evangelist Woman and Mother The Woman at the Well of Samaria Martha of Bethany Mary at Bethany Mary Magdalene The Mother of Jesus at Cana Ambiguous Exchanges Revisited The Awkward Exchange Between Galileans "They have no wine" "How does this concern of your involve me?'' "My hour has not yet come" "Do whatever he tells you" "You have kept the choice wine until now" The "third day" The Mother at Calvary Summary History, Theology, and Symbol Direct, Not Inverse Proportion Three Levels, One Narrative The Mother As Witness The Dichotomy Revisited Conclusion 5 CHAPTER FOUR: FROM CANA TO CANA The Approach to Cana The Reconstructed Narrative within the Reconstructed Gospel The Cana Narrative within the Fourth Gospel The Cana Narrative within the Johannine Corpus The Cana Narrative within the New Testament The Cana Narrative within the Old and New Testaments The Cana Narrative within Biblical and Extra-Biblical Sources The Cana Narrative within Scripture and the Social Sciences From Cana to Cana Cana and Cana The Structure of 4:46-54 Cana and Calvary Resurrection Faith History, Theology, and Symbol ENDNOTES BIBLIOGRAPHY 6 INTRODUCTION Strong winds of change have been sweeping across the Johannine landscape since 1950, shaping its surface now according to one intellectual current, now another, and making it one of the most dynamic periods in modern history for the understanding of Jesus' mother in the New Testament.' No less imposing have been the currents shaping the Marian landscape, which -- according to a tradition both ancient and venerable -- is thought to cross Johannine soil at several key points.2 Since the mother of Jesus appears only twice in the Fourth Gospel --in 2:1-12 and 19:25-27 --most Marian scholars have focused their investigations on these two texts, extending outward toward the larger context of the Gospel and the entire Johannine corpus as necessary.3 Such specifically Mariologicalliterature is to be read in light of the "well-nigh boundless" literature devoted to the Fourth Gospel as such, most of which treats the mother of Jesus as a minor character in the narrative, although the years following the Second Vatican Council (1962- 1965) saw interest in her nearly vanish in many circles.4 We may speak, then, of two general orientations within the literature we are about to examine: one focusing primarily on the portrait of Jesus' mother in the Fourth Gospel, and the other focusing primarily on the interpretation of the Gospel itself. While these two orientations are not mutually-exclusive -- a relatively small number of authors cross over, at least thematically-- they point to an expanding dichotomy within the literature relevant to the study of Jesus' mother in the Fourth Gospel. One purpose of this study is to examine these diverging orientations and to expose the contours of this expanding dichotomy. The first and second chapters are devoted to the exposition and analysis of these respective orientations. In the course of this investigation, it will be seen that this 'well-nigh boundless literature" may be grouped around three interrelated themes: history, theology, and symbol, according 7 to their authors' specific concerns in pursuing their research. Each of these authors will be seen to take at least an implicit position concerning the relationship of history, theology, and symbol in the interpretation of the Fourth Gospel and, a fortiori, in the portrait of Jesus' mother found therein. A second purpose of this study is to demonstrate that the interpretation of both the Gospel and the portrait of Jesus' mother hinges on one's understanding of the relationship between these three levels of meaning. Thus the title, "History, Theology, and Symbol: The Mother of Jesus in the Cana Narrative." It will also be seen that these two aforementioned orientations yield very different portraits of Jesus' mother in the Fourth Gospel, according to the methodological approach one brings to the task. The effort here will be to suggest a tertium quid, i.e., to examine the evangelist's apparently-deliberate association of Jesus' mother with certain specific symbols that have positive value in the narrative, and thereby to reveal his intention in painting an abiding portrait of her. In the third chapter, it will be seen that the Johannine portrayals of women/men, Galileans/Jews and stone/death/life suggest that the evangelist's intention must be understood to have been positive unless compelling evidence to the contrary can be provided. The fourth chapter presents an evaluation of exegetical approaches and theological orientations, as well as suggested areas for further development, and proposes the appropriate hermeneutical context for interpreting the role of Jesus' mother in the first Cana narrative. This study was originally presented to the Pontifical Faculty of the International Marian Research Institute at the University of Dayton, Ohio, in partial completion of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Sacred Theology. 8 CHAPTER ONE: FOCUS ON JESUS' MOTHER JOHN 2: 1-12 GREEK NEW TESTAMENT (NESTLE-ALAND) 1 1<W 'tli rliPQ 'tli -rphn ,.0!-10; ~ f» Kav6 11); r~ 1<W f1v ~ ~ mO lrpoG Eloi 2 ~ 8E: 1<W .6lrpoU; 1<W oi ~ aUroO d; i:N ,.O!JOV 3 1<W ~ oi'vuu li:ya ~ Jlf1trp wOlrpoG ~ a&tOv 4 ckv o6K: ~ 1<W li:ya alnfi 61rpoU; Li 4tci 1<W ooi y{Mn oUm:o i1m ~ ~ J.lOU 5 li:ya ~ ~ aUroO ui; o~ ou av A£rn u~ notfpm; 6 jlpuv 8E: tJoi ~ lXlpb ~ mr0 i:N ~ r&v lou&xkov KEi~ ~ Ova ~ OlKl ~ ~ 7 li:ya aUui; 6 lrpo{j; ~ -tO; ~ UOaro; KIXi ~ aUtO; fro; EMu 8 1<W li:ya aUui; 6vrJipm: vi:iv 1<W ~ ii> ~ oi 8E: fiveymv 9 W; 8E: ~ 6 ~ i:> L6rop ckv ~ 1<W oUK: fi8u 1iav tmiv oi 8E: ot6Kt:Mn fl8runv oi rivW1K6m; i:> L6rop <jlOJV5 i:N ~ 6 ~ 10 1<W li:ya aUu'j) n5; ~ 7qXi)rov i:N 1<f11Dv ckv ~ 1<W 0mv ~ i:Jv ~ oU ~ i:Jv 1<f1lDv ckv fro; 0pn II mUn,v 8roirpc.v 6Pilv rWv ~ 6 lrpo{j; f» Kail 11); r~ 1<W ~ i1v fiJ;p.v aUroO 1<W edcm:oouv Ei; aiJri:N oi ~ aUroO u ~ wt1ro ~ d; Kaqxxpwo~J11 aUtO; 1<W ~ ~ aUroO 1<W oi 6&Mpoi aUroO 1<W oi ~ aUroO 1<W Eloi ~ oU rrr.i>Jh; ~ JOHN 2: 1-12 (New American Bible) 1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." 4 (And) Jesus said to her, "Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come." 5 His mother said to the servers, "Do whatever he tells you." 6 Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons.