Bible Reading
Jesus Changes Water Into Wine
2 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” 4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” 11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. 12 After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days.
Jesus Clears the Temple Courts
13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” 18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” 20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. 23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.
2 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” 4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” 11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. 12 After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days.
Jesus Clears the Temple Courts
13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” 18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” 20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. 23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.
Devotional
The second chapter of John begins with the first recorded miracle of Jesus - one that is often read and overlooked. The changing of water into wine is not as flashy as calming a storm, giving sight to a blind man or calling Lazarus from the grave, yet this simple miracle holds great significance if only we have the eyes to see it. The first thing to point out is that Jesus was invited to a wedding. I know it doesn’t seem that important but we can learn a lot about Jesus simply through this invitation. Jesus was always welcome among those having a good time. Jesus didn’t come to spoil or put an end to the good time, and in the Jewish culture of that day a wedding was the best party of all. Jesus not only gives his blessing to celebrations, but with His presence He blesses the wedding and symbol of marriage.
The fact that the wine had begun to prematurely run out was much more significant in Jewish culture in that day than if something similar happened today. Running out of wine would have been a great dishonor for the host and such an error of planning would have haunted the newly married couple all their lives. There was even a threat of legal action that could be taken against a host who failed to provide adequate gifts or hospitality. It was seen as a disrespectful slight against any guests in attendance. Rabbi’s of the day considered wine to be a symbol of Joy, so to run out of wine would also symbolize to those in attendance that the marriage was doomed for failure and misery. It was surely a stress-filled moment for the host to hear the dreaded news.
With that cultural context in mind, for Jesus to step in, though He declared it was not yet His time to reveal Himself, was truly a blessing to the host and the newly married couple. It’s interesting to note that Mary tells the servants to “Do whatever He tells you to do.” This shows that Mary knew and believed in the divine and supernatural nature of her son. The advice given by the mother of Jesus is wise advice that we too should follow.
Jesus could have simply produced wine with the snap of his fingers; he had that power, but He chooses to involve the servants in this miracle. It would be the servants who witnessed the changing of water into wine, something that no doubt would have a profound effect on the course of their lives from that day forward. Jesus tells them to fill the water pots with water. Jesus chose to use what items He had at hand in order to complete the miracle. This is something He does even now, using what is available to accomplish His will. The servants could have filled the pots up halfway. That would have been easier to carry, after-all, the water pots used in ceremonial cleansing were usually 20-30 gallons each and would be very heavy. But, scripture records that the water pots were filled to the brim – with no room to add any more – because Jesus wasn’t going to add something to the water; He was going to transform it. Jesus knew that if the servants shared in the work, then they also shared in the blessing. Keep in mind the servants did not do the miracle. Their efforts alone were completely insufficient. But because of their obedience to Jesus, they shared in the joy of the miracle. The servants were especially blessed because they obeyed without question, and to the fullest. This means that the miracle would be fulfilled in the greatest measure possible. If they were lazy and only filled the water pots half full, there would have been only half as much wine.
This is a pattern for our faith and obedience even today. Charles Spurgeon said it like this: “When you are bidden to believe in him, believe in him up to the brim. When you are told to love him, love him up to the brim. When you are commanded to serve him, serve him up to the brim.”
Finally, it’s important to point out that Jesus didn’t make cheap wine. He didn’t do the bare minimum and transform water into low quality wine barely more than grape juice. The master of the feast declared that this was the best wine of the highest quality…even better than the best the hosts had provided. This is who Jesus is. He provides the best; far better than we could ever do on our own. When we give to Jesus what we have, He will return it to us with His divine stamp.
“You have kept the good wine until now!” There is a principle behind these words; the principle that for the people of God, those who are in obedience to His son, the best is always yet to come.
The fact that the wine had begun to prematurely run out was much more significant in Jewish culture in that day than if something similar happened today. Running out of wine would have been a great dishonor for the host and such an error of planning would have haunted the newly married couple all their lives. There was even a threat of legal action that could be taken against a host who failed to provide adequate gifts or hospitality. It was seen as a disrespectful slight against any guests in attendance. Rabbi’s of the day considered wine to be a symbol of Joy, so to run out of wine would also symbolize to those in attendance that the marriage was doomed for failure and misery. It was surely a stress-filled moment for the host to hear the dreaded news.
With that cultural context in mind, for Jesus to step in, though He declared it was not yet His time to reveal Himself, was truly a blessing to the host and the newly married couple. It’s interesting to note that Mary tells the servants to “Do whatever He tells you to do.” This shows that Mary knew and believed in the divine and supernatural nature of her son. The advice given by the mother of Jesus is wise advice that we too should follow.
Jesus could have simply produced wine with the snap of his fingers; he had that power, but He chooses to involve the servants in this miracle. It would be the servants who witnessed the changing of water into wine, something that no doubt would have a profound effect on the course of their lives from that day forward. Jesus tells them to fill the water pots with water. Jesus chose to use what items He had at hand in order to complete the miracle. This is something He does even now, using what is available to accomplish His will. The servants could have filled the pots up halfway. That would have been easier to carry, after-all, the water pots used in ceremonial cleansing were usually 20-30 gallons each and would be very heavy. But, scripture records that the water pots were filled to the brim – with no room to add any more – because Jesus wasn’t going to add something to the water; He was going to transform it. Jesus knew that if the servants shared in the work, then they also shared in the blessing. Keep in mind the servants did not do the miracle. Their efforts alone were completely insufficient. But because of their obedience to Jesus, they shared in the joy of the miracle. The servants were especially blessed because they obeyed without question, and to the fullest. This means that the miracle would be fulfilled in the greatest measure possible. If they were lazy and only filled the water pots half full, there would have been only half as much wine.
This is a pattern for our faith and obedience even today. Charles Spurgeon said it like this: “When you are bidden to believe in him, believe in him up to the brim. When you are told to love him, love him up to the brim. When you are commanded to serve him, serve him up to the brim.”
Finally, it’s important to point out that Jesus didn’t make cheap wine. He didn’t do the bare minimum and transform water into low quality wine barely more than grape juice. The master of the feast declared that this was the best wine of the highest quality…even better than the best the hosts had provided. This is who Jesus is. He provides the best; far better than we could ever do on our own. When we give to Jesus what we have, He will return it to us with His divine stamp.
“You have kept the good wine until now!” There is a principle behind these words; the principle that for the people of God, those who are in obedience to His son, the best is always yet to come.