Expository Study on the Gospel of John: Chapter 2

Welcome everyone and begin w/ Prayer

John 2 sets the stage for Jesus’ very first miracle; however, John’s gospel varies from Matthew, Mark, and Luke because it starts out with the cleansing of the Temple. Here we see Jesus removing the money changers and those selling sacrifices within the Temple. You can somewhat think of those who sold sacrifices like this:

Imagine going into a college class to take a class and someone was selling the answers to the test. One day the professor found out about what was going on and as a result discontinued the cheating scandal.

In essence this is what the money changers and sacrifice salesmen were doing. They were cheating God’s process for sacrifice, which was laid out in Exodus and later reaffirmed in Deuteronomy.

Let us look into why Jesus’ first miracle had such great relevance

Jesus’ First Miracle - Turning Water Into Wine

John chapter 2

Jn 2:1-4 “And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.”

Can anyone tell me why Jesus said, “mine hour is not yet come”?

The Gospel according to John 1. The First Sign: Jesus Changes Water to Wine (2:1–11)

The reason Jesus gives for the distance he maintains between his mother and himself must be viewed in the light of the cross. My time has not yet come, he says: the word ‘time’, literally ‘hour’ (hōra), constantly refers to his death on the cross and the exaltation bound up with it

Let us look at the following Gospel motifs:

(John 7:30; 8:20; 12:23; 13:1; 17:1)

All of these passages have one thing in common, Jesus’ time had not yet come. God has control of time.

For some of us, this may shake our understanding of the world because either time goes by to fast, to slow, or not at our pace. Regardless, Christ new that his time was not yet. This had much to do with how close He was to the Father. For the Scripture says, “I and the Father are one” (Jn 10:30).

John 2:7-10 “Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.”

Interesting enough, think about the new wine…blood was considered the life source of animals if we look back at Lev 17

Jn 6:53-54 “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

- This passage would recollect our minds to Eucharist or Communion. Communion is done in remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice for all humanity. Revelation calls Jesus the lamb slain from the foundation of the earth (Rev 13:8)

Here, we see the first of Jesus’ seven signs in John’s Gospel. In the other gospels, we call these signs miracles. Let us look at John’s specific signs -

Walkthrough Johannine Miracle Slide

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

Jn 2:16-22 “And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body. When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.”

We must understand that the Jews were referring to the that had been re-established after the destruction of the Temple in 539 BCE. It took 46 years to rebuild that Temple.

The Jews were thinking of the physical, while Jesus most definitely could do that. Here we see something very important…the Temple of God was Jesus Christ’s body, not the Temple.

The New International Version Chapter 2

17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

Jn 2:17 .

Closing

Christ provided an initial sign, but was able to maintain the equilibrium of this world. He was able to be patient for His moment of glorification. Often, we must take on the characteristics of Christ by being patient for His timing in all things.

Maybe that’s a promotion, healing, a financial breakthrough. God has the ability to provide in his divine timing…we must also recall that we receive not because we ask not or amiss all together

Let us pray God’s will for our lives today and that we would have the courage to wait on his timing. Most importantly though, let us recall that His glorification enables us to be His light within the world!