Water Changed Into Wine
John Chapter 2 v1-11
This event took place on the third day from the start to Galilee, when Philip Was found (chapter 1:43), seven days since John the Baptist was interrogated by the messengers from the Jews (chapter 1: 19).
Weddings in those days involved week-long festivals. Banquets would be prepared for many guests, and the week would be spent celebrating the new life of the married couple. Often the whole town was invited, and everybody would come, for it was considered an insult to refuse an invitation to a wedding.
Cana of Galilee was the home town of Nathanael (chapter 21:2), and is only mentioned again when the Lord was met there by a nobleman who implored Him to heal his Son (chapter 4:46).
Joseph was probably already dead. Mary the mother of Jesus (never mentioned by name in this gospel), may have been a relative of the family where the wedding took place, clearly an intimate friend. Jesus was also invited because of her presence, possibly at her suggestion, and his disciples, probably all acquaintances of the family. This group of six form the nucleus of the great host of learners through the ages who will follow Christ as Teacher and Lord and Saviour. The term disciple is sometimes restricted to the twelve apostles, but more often has a wider circle in view (e.g. chapters 6:61, 66; and 20:30).
When the wine failed, a staple article of diet in those days, there was an embarrassment, especially to Mary, if partly due to the arrival of the seven guests. The statement of the fact to Jesus could have been a gentle hint for Him and His disciples to depart, but was more likely a request. Mary must have felt some kind of responsibility and relied on her eldest son to solve the problem for her, although it is most unlikely that she expected a supernatural intervention by Him; she was simply hoping that He would find some wine for them.
In His answer he used the word woman instead of Mother: there is no idea of censure (see also chapter 19:26), but it does show her she can no longer exercise maternal authority over Him, and not at all in his Messianic work. He follows by saying what literally means What is it to me and to you (or to us)?
This phrase "My hour has not yet come" marks a crisis whenever it occurs, especially that of his death (chapters 7:30; 8:20; 12:23; 13: 1; 17:1). Here apparently it means the hour for public manifestation of the Messiahship, though a narrower sense would be for Christ's intervention about the failure of the wine. This Gospel is written on the plane of eternity (W. M. Ramsay) and that standpoint exists here in this first sign of the Messiah. Jesus' answer to Mary is difficult to understand, but maybe that is the point. Although Mary did not understand what Jesus was going to do, she trusted Him to do what was right. Those who believe in Jesus but run into situations they cannot understand must continue to trust that He will work in the best way.
Mary took comfort in the "not yet" and recognised the right of Jesus as Messiah to independence of her, but evidently expected Him to ultimately carry out her suggestion, as He did. This mother knew her Son was more than a human son: he was the Son of God, and therefore she submitted to His way of doing things. Her words to the servants "Whatever He says to you, do it" indicates total trust in Him. These are the last words recorded in the Bible, spoken by her.
Water pots of stone full of water were kept handy, particularly at feasts, for ceremonial cleansing of the hands (2 Kings 3:11; Mark 7:3). According to the Jews' ceremonial law, people became symbolically unclean by touching objects of everyday life. Before eating, the Jews would pour water over their hands to cleanse themselves of any bad influences associated with what they had touched. The Jews' manner of purifying raised a controversy with disciples of John because of his baptising (chapter 3:25).
Jesus told the servants to fill them up to the top with water: no room was left for anything else. Then He told them to draw some out and take it to the master of the feast. Apparently the water was still water when it came out of the jars (verse 9), but was changed to wine before reaching the master of the feast and the guests. The water in the jars remained water, and the servants apparently did not know at first that they bore wine.
The master of the feast was originally the superintendent of the dining-room who arranged the couches and tasted the food. He knew nothing of the miracle, whereas the servants knew the source of the water, but not the power that made the wine. He called the bridegroom, who was apparently responsible for the supply of the wine, and stated his surprise that the best wine had been kept till last (contrary to what happens now, the new wine, pure grape juice low in alcohol content, was regarded as better than old wine, which had to be heated or diluted in water before drinking). It was customary to serve the more expensive new wine first, and the cheaper, diluted type after the guests already had had plenty (the verb drunk does not mean that these guests are now drunk!).
A spiritual lesson can be learned here: the Lord uses us as water pots today, filling us with the Word of God. When we ladle it out, it becomes the wine of joy through the working of the Holy Spirit. We are told, "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18). The Holy Spirit takes that water and performs a miracle in the life of an individual who is saved through faith in the Word, the Lord Jesus himself.
Jesus did this as a beginning of his signs, passing now from the witness of John the Baptist to the witness of His own works, and so manifesting His glory (chapter 1:14). There are seven signs, or miracles described in this Gospel, by which to prove the deity of Christ (John 20:30) of which this is the first. Christ began His ministry on this earth at a wedding. He will conclude it, as far as the church is concerned, with a wedding. At the marriage supper of the Lamb the church will be presented to Him as a bride. Moses' first miracle was turning water into blood, but Christ's first miracle was turning water into wine. The Law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. What a contrast!
These first six disciples (learners) had already believed in Jesus as the Messiah (John 1:35-51), and now their faith was greatly strengthened. The Lord would increasingly reveal Himself, while the disciples grew in knowledge and trust, and the Jews became increasingly hostile, till the culmination. The signs were not merely supernatural events, but they demonstrated the Lord's power over nature for almost every one was a renewal of fallen creation: restoration of health, sight, mobility, even life to the dead. Capernaum became Jesus' home base during His ministry in Galilee. Located on a major trade route, it was an important city in the region, with a Roman garrison and a customs station. At Capernaum, Matthew was called to he a disciple (Matthew 9:9). The city was also the home of several other disciples (Matthew 4:13-19) and a high-ranking government official (John 4:46). It had at least one major synagogue. Jesus made this city his base of operations in Galilee, but he condemned it for the people's unbelief (Matthew 11:23; Luke 10:15).
The Lord Jesus was on the greatest mission in the history of mankind, yet He took time to attend a wedding and to take part in its festivities. Our mission can also often be accomplished in joyous times of celebration with others.
R David Jones
1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.
3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine."
4 Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come."
5 His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."
6 Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece.
7 Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water." And they filled them up to the brim.
8 And He said to them, "Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast." And they took it.
9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom.
10 And he said to him, "Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!"
11 This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.