When we arrived in the valley, we soon reached a Galilean village. Many of those Galileans who had been at the feast in Jerusalem when I cleansed the temple lived there. Not very much time had passed since that event in Jerusalem, and everything was still fresh in their memory.
When these Galileans saw Me walking through their village, they immediately came out of all the houses into the street, greeted Me most warmly, and could not praise Me enough for what they considered My exceedingly daring deed in the temple. Their joy at seeing Me again was all the greater because almost all had thought that the Pharisees in Jerusalem might have secretly sent Me out of this world. For these Galileans still knew little more about Me than that I was the son of the devout Joseph and that God was with Me as with Joseph. I had to remain with My company among them throughout the day and, in the end, the whole night as well. They entertained us as well as they could; there was much questioning and discussion, and the question of the Messiah also arose, for many saw and recognized Him in Me.
They said, ‘Anyone who shows such courage in the temple before many thousands of people must be conscious of a great power given to him from above. For if an ordinary person did this, such an undertaking would turn out badly for him; nor would he have accomplished anything against the rusty abuses that have long been common practice in the temple. But with You it was different: as if a most violent storm had swept among them, they all ran out of the temple, and since then no market has been held in the temple, for its end has drawn near!’
The Galileans were astonished at this and answer, ‘If that is so, things will go badly for us! What, then, of the everlasting rule of David’s descendants, which the Messiah is to restore according to the promise through the prophets?’
I say, ‘He will indeed establish a new and everlasting kingdom for the true children and descendants of David, and thereby for all people, but not on this earth: above the earth, in heaven! Whoever interprets the prophets otherwise will walk in darkness.’
At these words several leave, for they believed in an earthly Messiah; but many ask Me for further instruction.
But I say, ‘You must also see signs, or you do not believe. Therefore follow Me to Cana and from there through the surrounding region; there you shall receive teaching and signs.’
There were many from Cana in My company who had accompanied Me most faithfully throughout this teaching journey since the wedding. They wanted to begin telling of all the teachings and signs they had heard and seen from Me.
But I say, ‘For these people the time has not yet come. Let them follow us to Cana; there we will mention some of these things, and they shall see and experience more for themselves. So let us continue our journey! But no one is to say anything along the way, for there are Pharisaic ambushers here!’
When I remarked on this, the Galileans agreed with Me and themselves told how Pharisaic spies were now lurking everywhere, stopping travelers on the road and questioning them about all sorts of things, sometimes also asking whether a certain Jesus of Nazareth was staying somewhere and teaching among them. And I said, ‘Precisely for that reason, let us walk in complete silence as far as Cana; they will know better than to question our numerous company!’