John 2.1-11 - (Second) First Sign

To this point, Jesus has shown up.  John the Witness told us Jesus is the [Lamb of God and the Son of God], that he saw the [Holy Spirit descend on Jesus] when he baptized Him.  Jesus has also been in the wilderness for 40 days w no food and tempted by the devil (not in John), and now He’s returned to Galilee, the region where He grew up [see a map?], AND a handful of guys are following Him.  Right after He gets back, He (and His new friends) are invited to a wedding - in Cana. [1-2].  Where John says Jesus does His first sign [11].  

Now, turning the water into wine, is kind of not the first sign/miracle from Jesus, that He is WAY more than just a normal person.  WE saw that last week, when Jesus sees [Nathanael under the fig tree] and KNOWS what he’s thinking.  But water-to-wine appears to be Jesus’ first PUBLIC miracle.  As far as we know, till now He hasn’t done any “miracle” outside of the inner circle of his friends and family (He must have done some other things around the house where he grew up.  Cuz Jesus’ MOTHER appears to have seen His ability to do the extra-ordinary, the supernatural.  Her words to Him are brief and full of expectation.  [3] “They have no wine.” [like my lovely wife saying to me, “I’m cold”, and she clearly is confident of my LESS-than-supernatural ability to do something about it!]).  But turning water into wine is different than knowing what someone is thinking.  [H2O --> C2H5OH - Jesus alters the very structure of water, introduces carbon OUT OF NOTHING!].  Here in Cana Jesus shows His power over the universe.  Over the elements themselves.  And this sign takes His disciples' faith to the next level.  Let’s take a look…

[4] Note Jesus’ reluctance: What to me and to you, woman?  There are multiple reasons why this sign maybe shouldn’t have happened.  1) [Cana] is out of the way.  Nothing else ever takes place in Cana in the Gospels.  2) One might say, well this is “just a wedding”, nothing life or death here.  3) Wine is not even a need.  They have “no wine”?  So?  Were they going to die of thirst?  Of course not.  Most of Jesus’ miracles address a point of need.  People are sick.  They’ve died.  They’re in danger.  They need food.  But, they have no wine? [more of a potential social disgrace for the host]   4) There appears to be a lack of relationship.  I think the relationship runs thru Jesus’ mom, the parents are close friends with Mary.  The host family doesn’t appear to notice or even know Jesus?  Mary really cares about the outcome of this reception.  5) But the biggest reason is, He says His hour is not yet come.  His hour is not yet come.  Which hour is that?  The hour of going public?  I think He knows that as soon as He DOES go public, His path proceeds straight to Calvary. [John 12:23 And Jesus answers them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”]  In the end, He doesn’t actually get much publicity out of this sign.  His disciples know.  Mary knows.  The servants know.  But nobody else knows.  So in a sense, Jesus is still mostly incognito.

A place out of time, out of the way: Why does Jesus go out of His way to this wedding, to help this party, these people who barely know Him, to meet a need that isn’t a need?  Not the time or place for His “coming out party”?  What to Me?  On the surface, not much?  But what to Mary?  Why does Jesus get involved?  Because Mary asks Him to.  Jesus cares about Mary AND He cares about what Mary cares about.  No matter how mundane.  Or seemingly unimportant, Jesus cares about the little things, cuz Jesus cares about you and me.  For her part, Mary knows to ask [Jn 16.24][Jam 4.2].  [5] “Whatever He says to you, do it.”  Notice Mary’s faith.  Her faith, AND her submission.  Mary didn’t know exactly what Jesus was going to do - but she clearly had learned that Jesus could do anything.  Jesus can do anything.  Whatever He says to you, do it.  The water becomes wine [6,7,9].  John tells it like it was no big deal.  Yeah, nothing much here - these [150 gallons] of water became wine.  But make no mistake, this was humanly impossible!  We're talking like ~2400 8oz glasses!

There is both quantity and quality to this miracle.  First, we see that Jesus’ power and provision are limitless.  Inexhaustible.  He has more power and provision in His little pinkie than there is in the entire universe.  In fact He literally doesn’t even have to lift a finger.  2400 glasses of wine, no sweat.  Nothing is too difficult for Him.  [Jer. 32:27 “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?”]  Um, no it is not.  What do YOU need Him to do?

But along with the inexhaustible quantity of His provision, there’s also unsurpassed quality.  [10] The steward of the dinner exclaims, the bridegroom has saved the best for last.  This second wine they brought out, JESUS’ wine, was SO good, it made the good wine that was served first, seem bad in comparison.  Jesus’ wine, His provision, is always better. 

We get it in our heads that this other thing, something Jesus didn’t provide, this is pretty good.  It tastes good enough.  It gets the job done.  It slakes my thirst.  Really?  Does it?  Could it be that we’re settling for second best?  Or worse?  Settling for something far inferior?  Jesus’ wine is way better, and often we don’t even realize it until we taste it.  All these wedding guests, they had no idea.  The headwaiter, had no clue how much better Jesus wine was going to be - until they tasted it.  Yeah, this tastes just fine.  It’s doing the trick.  And they were missing out on the good stuff.  Jesus offers the good stuff.  You think you’re drinking the good stuff?  If it’s not from Jesus, it is second rate.  No WAY it’s the Good Stuff.  Whatever it is you’re looking for IT to do, whatever need or desire you’re looking to fulfill, if IT isn’t from Jesus, it may as well be [“made in Wuhan”].  It is not as good, it is not going to last.  And it MAY be harmful.  So often we settle for second rate.  It’s good enough.  But sometimes the good is the enemy of the best.  And we are missing out.  

His provision is better - and His work is better.  There’s nothing shoddy in the work that Jesus does.  [He could have brought it in weak, but no!]  Jesus works everything together for good, for sure.  Let’s not forget the goal here [Phil 1.6].  Remember how everything started out?  Back in the garden?  “VERY good”?  Yeah - in fact it was all perfect.  He is perfect.  His goal is perfection.  Excellence.  And note the servants fill the pots up to the brim - that's excellence [Col 1.29].  That's our goal too, in all we do - or should be...

Jesus goes “out of His way” here - but He WAS invited.  Jesus does show up everywhere He’s invited [Matt. 18:20 “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”].  You invite Him?  He’s there.  You invite Him into your life, He’s there [Rev 3.20 - I will come].  He goes out of His way when we invite Him - cuz WE are why He came in the first place.

That’s another thing I see here: Jesus is a trend-buster.  He’s not like everybody.  He’s not like anybody.  [10]  Every man does this - but YOU… I.e. Everybody else does this.  Everybody else thinks this.  But Jesus is like nobody else.  He doesn’t think that way.  He’s not going along w the crowd.  Not cutting corners, or settling for anything less than God’s best.  And now, if you’ve trusted in Him, He lives inside you.  And He wants to live thru you - if you’ll let Him.

In fact, let’s not miss what John says Jesus did here: He manifested His glory [11].  Shined a spotlight on it, made it clear and visible and front-and-center.  His breathtaking greatness and goodness.  This is what God’s been doing since the very creation of the universe, putting on a show of galactic greatness that we only need open our eyes to see.  What is He wanting to do in us? [1Cor 10.31]  Show off His glory.  Shine a spotlight on it.  In how many things to be glorified?  All things.  And sometimes, God Himself shines a HUGE spotlight on it.  That’s what John says happened here.  The Son of God revealed His glory.  First sign.  First glory.  And His disciples believed.  He is breathtakingly great!  Do you believe?

Some background...

The wedding ceremony is considered a serious religious event, while the wedding feast is considered a fun, lively celebration for the couple. It is expected and required for the guests to bring joy and festivities to the couple on their wedding day.  “One of the holiest days of a person’s life…”

Referenced verses:

John 16:24 “Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.

James 4:2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask.

Phil. 1:6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

1Cor. 10:31   Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Col. 1:29 For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.

1Cor. 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.

John 1:43-51 - First Disciples, First Sign?

Last time we met Jesus’ first “God•send”: Andrew, who went and told his brother Simon-Peter about Jesus (JTW told Andrew/John, they trusted him, but Jesus said to them, "Come and you will see" - 5 words and they were all in).  

Today we meet Jesus’ 2nd God•send: [43  The next day He purposed to go into Galilee, and He finds Philip. And Jesus says to him, “Follow Me.”][=walk the same road]  This appears to be Day 4 [cf v44].  In the Gospels, after P/A and J/J, Philip is always mentioned next.  The 5th apostle.  And Philip shows up several times in John’s book.  He is the first one (only one in John?) that Jesus “seeks out” [did He seek Andrew/John? Lk 19.10 - Jesus is always seeking each of us].  But why Philip?  What is it about Philip?  He probably knows Andrew and Peter.  When [the 5000] are hungry, Jesus turns to Philip.  But his biggest mention might be right here [45].  Philip is a God•send, just like Andrew.  Philip brings Nathanael to Jesus.  Philip hits the ground running, pointing people to Jesus.  Why?  “Come and see…” - Philip sees right away that Jesus is so good, so worth it.

Now, what about Nathanael?  We’re not sure who he is.  None of the [other Gospels] mention a Nathanael.  Most think he’s Bartholomew [=son of Tolmai].  But it doesn’t matter, cuz Jesus knows.  HE knows who Nathanael is.  As we’re about to see, Jesus knows everything about Nathanael, even before Philip brings Nathanael to meet Jesus.  And Jesus knows everything about each of us.

The first thing we see about Nathanael is he’s a skeptic. Or perhaps simply a realist.  Philip says the Messiah they’ve found is from Nazareth.  And Nathanael is skeptical that ANY good thing could come out of Nazareth. [46]  For good reason.  Nazareth was generally despised.  Commentators variously mention that it was known for housing a Roman garrison - that’s strike 1.  Some say that the Jews in Nazareth were known for throwing garbage in the streets (forcing the Romans to march through garbage - but thus it was a city of garbage - [slime, filth, putrescence]). Nazareth also had a reputation of being immoral.  But so to call someone a Nazarene was a slam.  So for unbelievers, referring to Christians as the “sect of the Nazarenes” was likely more about disrespect than it was about identity or geography.  A good translation would be, Is it possible for any good thing to be out of Nazareth?  [BTW, Where are you from? What’s your place of origin?  What’s your backstory?  Are you skeptical that the Lord could make something good come from there, from that?]

Nathanael’s comment actually speaks to one of the bigger questions we have in the Gospels.  Matthew mentions that Messiah would be called a Nazarene [Matt. 2:23 …This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He shall be called a Nazarene.”].  But not ONE OT prophet mentions this.  The prophets do give us not a location but a description.  To call someone a Nazarene meant they were to be disrespected, rejected.  Matthew is saying, this is what the prophets [plural] say about Messiah [Is. 53:3  He was despised and forsaken of men.].  Can anything good come out of that forsaken place?  Nazarenes were despised. [still are] [But Philip's words echo: Come and see…!]

So, yeah, Nathanael is a skeptic - but to his credit, he is willing to come and see!  And he IS a spiritual person [47-48].  Where does Jesus see him?  “Under a fig tree”  What do people do under a [fig tree]?  Dodge falling figs?  Well in those days one thing people did under figs trees was to meditate.  But there’s more going on here…  Jesus first says, behold, an Israelite in whom is no guile/deceit.  Okay - for sure, Jesus would certainly know that about a person.  But Nathanael doesn’t know who this Nazarene is, so he’s like, how do you know me?  Literally, from where do you know me?  Have we met?  How would you even know anything about me?

And Jesus is like, before Philip called you, I saw you, you were sitting underneath that fig tree.  Jesus always sees us.  And right out of the gate Jesus has blown Nathanael’s mind.  Whoa.  [49] Look at his response: You ARE the Son of God.  You ARE the King of Israel.  Why such an EXTREME declaration?  Now, maybe someone would respond that way, just by Jesus saying, yeah, I saw you in that place.  But there’s something more amazing going on here.  Jesus begins by saying, behold, check it out - an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.  A son, a descendant of Israel.  UNLIKE Israel/Jacob himself, who started out as a notorious deceiver.  I think Jesus is saying, not only did I see you under that fig tree, meditating - I know what you were meditating on.  You were thinking about Jacob the Deceiver, and about the scene in [Gen. 28:12-14 (Jacob) had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it…].  Jesus uses the same exact phrase in [51], describing this ladder reaching up to heaven.  I think this is why Nathanael is so convinced of Jesus’ identity when Jesus describes him as having no deceit when He saw Nathanael under the fig tree.  Jesus knows what we’re thinking.

Just like the Lord did with Jacob, already Jesus has twice looked at people and looked beyond the surface, beyond their current reality, beyond their mess, beyond their past, and looked at the miracle God made them to be.  At the work of amazing transformation He wants to do in their life thru Christ.  Simon, you are rash and impulsive - but you are going to be like a rock.  Nathanael, you speak your mind - but God is going to take your honesty and make you a true heir of the promises of Israel.  And God wants to work His glorious transformation in us too!  “Seeing” Nathanael I think is the first REAL miracle from Jesus (unless you count the fulfilled prophecy(ies)?).  And THIS miracle turns Nathanael from skeptic [Nazareth?] to believer [Son of God/King of Israel - Ps 2].

1) Jesus says, I see you, I know what you’re thinking, I know what you’re doing.  And wherever you are, I know what you’re going thru.  And you may be wondering, well then why doesn’t He do something about it?  He is.  He is.  But Jesus lives on Heaven Standard Time [clock vs hourglass][patience! 2Pet 3.9].  He is patiently working a greater weight of glory than you and I can even imagine.  [2Cor 4.17]

2) Jesus tells Nathanael, you think THIS is amazing?  Truly, truly, you are gonna see greater things than these.  John in his book gives us 25 double trulys from Jesus.  Verily-verily.  Truths to be believed even tho at first they sound incredible [Greek: Amen, Amen].  Amen is the Hebrew word for truth [Is. 65:16  “Because he who is blessed in the earth will be blessed by the God of truth; and he who swears in the earth will swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hidden from My sight!][In Hebrew: "God truth" = elohim amen].  This is the first time Jesus drops this "Truth Truth" phrase - [51].  Truth, truth, Nathanael - this is going to sound incredible, but this is SO true, so believe this: you are actually going to see angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man.  Jesus is certainly saying, stick with Me and you’re gonna see glory.  But He’s also saying, that [ladder] you were thinking about under that tree, the one that Jacob saw in his dream, even tho he was so deceitful?  Angels ascending and descending?  That stairway to heaven, so to speak?  Nathanael, you’re gonna see angels ascending and descending on ME.  Cuz in truth, I AM the Ladder.  I’m the (stairway)Way to Heaven.  Jacob the deceiver was given a glimpse of Me; I’m his Descendant in Whom all the families of the earth would be blessed.  Now you’ve seen Me in person.  And you’re in for glimpses of greatness…!  Jesus is the Way to Heaven - and the Way to glimpse greater things. This is Who John is showing us - the [Word Who was God], Who is the Life and Light of Men, the Lamb of God Who takes away all our sin, the one and only Son of God.  He is the Ladder - and if we want to see greater things, if we want to see Heaven - we look to Him.

Verses to reference:

2Cor. 4:17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.

Acts 1:13 Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.

Matt. 10:2-4  Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him.

Mark 3:16 And He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter), 17 and James, the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James (to them He gave the name Boanerges, which means, “Sons of Thunder”); 18 and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot; 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him.

Luke 6:14 Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James and John; and Philip and Bartholomew; 15 and Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot; 16 Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Summary ordered listings of the Apostles in the Gospels/Acts:

Matthew Mark Luke Acts

Simon Peter Simon Peter Simon Peter Peter

Andrew James bZ Andrew John

James bZ John James James

John Andrew John Andrew

Philip Philip Philip Philip

Bartholomew Bartholomew Bartholomew Thomas

Thomas Matthew Matthew Bartholomew

Matthew Thomas Thomas Matthew

James bA James bA James bA James bA

Thaddeus Thaddeus Simon Z Simon Z

Simon Z Simon Z Judas bJ Judas bJ

Judas I Judas I Judas I Judas I

John 1:38-42 - First Disciple(maker)s

Two guys have begun to follow Jesus.   John the Witness points them to Jesus.  Behold, the Lamb of God.  The Messiah.  The Son of God.  They defect, abandon John entirely and begin following Jesus, Who asks them, what are you seeking? [38]  What do you want?  Jesus’ first recorded words in John’s book.  What ARE you seeking?

They answer, where are You staying?  [39 He says to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they came and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.]  This is present tense.  Be coming.  Be constantly coming, coming to see where Jesus is.  It’s open invitation, to join up WITH Him and what He’s doing.  Pretty much He's giving them (and us!) a permanent open door.  There is no interrupting Jesus.  He’s NEVER too busy for us.  NEVER scrolling thru Twitter or Insta… You and I are never an interruption.  Come, and you will see.  Come whenever you’re ready.  Be coming.  Daily bread, remember?  Come right now in fact - what are you waiting for?  Come and you WILL see...

Note what time it is.  John tells us it was the tenth hour when Jesus invited them to come to the place where He was actually staying - we’re not sure where that was - but 10th hour means 4pm.  I.e. it was late in the day, so He basically invited them to stay with Him the rest of the day.  They came, didn’t know where He was staying exactly, probably camped out with Him that night.  Dinner and a sleepover - at the last minute!  You and I can never impose on Jesus.  “Well I don’t want to impose.”  You and I are never an imposition.  He came for you! [Matt. 11:28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.]  C’mon over!  Come and you will see.

[Heb. 11:1  Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.] Come first and THEN you see is not unusual when it comes to faith. [Heb. 11:8  By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.]  Go - I WILL show you when you get there.  What kind of sign or proof had these two seen at this point?  Nada.  All they had was the witness of John the Witness.  

Now, ONE of these first two disciples of Jesus was Andrew.  [40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.]. Andrew is one of the Bar-Jonas brothers [Simon bar-Jonas].  Andrew’s brother Simon-Peter is better known to John’s readers, so John identifies Andrew as Simon-Peter’s brother.  My lovely wife is called Coach Bug by the swim team - and since they know her much better than they know me, they get to calling me "Mr. Bug."  Comes with the territory, right?  Peter's brother.  

What else do we know about Andrew?  Well he really only appears two other times after this - once when some Greeks ask to see Jesus, and then at the feeding of the 5000: Andrew is the one who brings forward the boy with the 5 loaves and the 2 fishes (chapter 6!).  But a few things here:

First, what about the second guy who leaves John the Witness to follow Jesus [40]?  Author John never tells us who he is.  Most commentators suggest that the 2nd guy is actually author John himself.  I agree.  John shows up unnamed in his book repeatedly.

But Andrew should be noted for one thing: [41 He finds first his own brother Simon and says to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ).  He brought him to Jesus…] - he went and told his brother Peter, hey, we (John & I) found The Messiah.  What does that tell us about Andrew?  Andrew is a God•send.  He points his brother to Jesus. He is the first disciple-making disciple of Jesus!  In fact, if we each just found one other disciple for Jesus each year, we could actually disciple the whole world in 33yrs!

And these guys are all in as disciple(makers) cuz they’re convinced that they found the Messiah.  How are Andrew (and John) SO persuaded that Jesus is The One?  How much proof do they have?  Not one sign.  And to this point, Jesus has only spoken 5 words (in the Greek).  Andrew and John believed the Witness… John the Witness told what HE knew about Jesus.  He didn’t know everything, he didn’t have all the answers.  He just told what he knew - and that was enough.  He told what he knew, and people believed that.  We are to tell what we know - and that is enough.  Yes we keep learning, but we don’t wait to be a God•send!  Blessed to be a blessing! 

John tells us that Andrew went FIRST and told his brother.  First before John, or first thing?  NOTE: He didn’t even need the Great Commission…!  John’s brother James does begin to follow Jesus, but for some reason John never tells us when or how that happens.  Probably John did go and tell James, brought his brother to Jesus.  Then in Acts James winds up being the first martyr.  He’s the first one who is killed because they’re following Jesus.  Do you think John has any regrets about being the one responsible? [no regrets, Phil 1.22-24]  Probably John - who doesn’t like the limelight - is not likely to want to take credit for going and telling his brother about Jesus.

Now, look what happens when Andrew brings his brother to Jesus: [42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).]  Simon gets a new name!  [The Rock]  What is Jesus saying? 

Simon you are rash and impulsive.  There is a form of strength associated with that - but it’s not under My control.  I am going to take this raw strength I’ve given you and refine it, transform it - into firmness and steadiness.  IF you let Me.  I’m going to make you [like a rock].  Like a piece of [granite].  Someone people can count on/look to.  Simon-now-Peter will in fact become the de-facto leader and spokesperson for the disciples after Jesus ascends back to heaven.  Now we may not all get a new name when we believe in Jesus, but with Jesus, we all get a new heart, a new start [2Cor. 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.]. 

One thing that stands out for me with Peter is that He will be the one who breaks the race barrier.  He will be the one God uses, the first Jew to bring the Good News to the filthy Gentiles.  Jews were supposed to bless the nations, but they had twisted their religion to where they avoided the nations.  Peter becomes the first cross-cultural missionary! (altho the Lord DID have to twist his arm quite a bit?)  Talk about a God•send!  And talk about being a rock.  He’s the one w “the stones” to cross the street to the other side of the tracks, to go to someone very different.  [Granted God maybe didn’t give him much choice.  But he could have done a Jonah…]

The Lord wants to do something similar with each one of us.  He has given every one of us unique and special gifts.  Strengths.  And apart from Him, apart from His power and guidance, those strengths can be liabilities.  Our strengths tempt us to trust in ourselves.  To be self-sufficient.  They can actually hold us back, get us into trouble.  But in the hands of the Potter, we are molded into something heavenly.  Someone He can use.  [Metamorphosis].  Transformation.  Someone through whom He can display His glory.  His breathtaking goodness.  God’s also given you a story, and like He did for Peter-the-piece-of-the-Rock, He will give you the stones to tell it.  You & I tell what we know, and that will be enough.  The Lord can and will and wants to use your unique God-given story and gifts to show His glory in and thru you in ways that help point people to Jesus - and others through them.  He wants to make us each a disciple-maker!  A God•send.  Like Jesus.  It’s hard work - but not for Jesus!  Will you let Him do that…?

Relevant verses:

Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Rev. 2:17 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.’