Good Wine at the Right Time

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John 2:1–12 NASB95

1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; 2 and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” 6 Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He said to them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it to him. 9 When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom, 10 and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.

John establishes that Jesus did many signs, but these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing you would have life in His name (Jn 20:30-31).

One of the signs included this miracle, this means the recording of this miracle has a reason extending beyond sparing embarrassment at the wedding feast to something much deeper.

The “signs” tell us that the emphasis of the demonstration of God’s power is to teach or annouce a heavenly truth.

This one is no different. It is unique to John’s gospel, its setting is festive and joyous. This is a social event not the usual temple testings or synagogue showdowns. It is significant because it is the first of the signs.

What makes the recording of this miracle stand out is, it’s not preceded or followed by the usual discourses of Jesus. Which makes it difficult, therefore we have to consider the interpretive clues given in the details to determine the meaning of the sign. It is not impossible to get what Jesus is saying becasue the meaning is in the activity not the discourse. I.e. they are able to get the message based on what is seen/mentioned in this account.

And the clues point to one thing: that the bible is announcing Jesus is that Good wine that came at the right time.

John does a great job announcing Jesus

John 1:1 “1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

John 1:9 “9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.”

John 1:29 “29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

Here there is a announcement that Jesus is the Good Wine, new wine that flowed from the heavens, to change and transform man's terrible situation bringing abundant blessings to all.

He is that Good Wine for the Right Time

There are three interpretive clues that I would like to submit, to substantiate that point.

#1 The Wedding

Jesus did not show up here by accident, nor did John record this becasue he wanted to reach a word count. That Jesus does this sign at a wedding is designed to cause his audience and the reader to ponder the significance of the wedding scene and how it explains Jesus

OT Imagery of the wedding

Isa 62:1-5. Paints a picture of Zion’s restoration by God. Isaiah prophesies there is coming a time of restoration and joy for God’s people that I will not keep quiet about it. All nations shall see your glory. You will be called by a new name which God himself will give. You will be a crown of beauty.

Isaiah 62:4–5 (MSG)

4No more will anyone call you Rejected, and your country will no more be called Ruined. You’ll be called Hephzibah (My Delight), and your land Beulah (Married), Because GOD delights in you and your land will be like a wedding celebration.

5For as a young man marries his virgin bride, so your builder marries you, And as a bridegroom is happy in his bride, so your God is happy with you.

Whenever there is a picture of salvation being painted God uses a wedding. This picture is consistent with NT Imagery as well.

So it is not a coincidence that the first sign done by Jesus is in the middle of a wedding.

In Matthew 22:1-14, Jesus spoke a parable to the chief priests and Pharisees regarding their reluctance to accept him. He used the invitation to a wedding as an illustration in this lesson.

Paul in Eph 5:25-27 uses the marriage of a man and his wife to describe Christ and the Church.

This is too much to ignore, the wedding feast was a time of joy, when Jesus came into the world, the angel said Luke 2:10 “ I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;” - “Joy to the world, the Lord is come”

Romans 14:17 “17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

This wedding is an announcement of Who Jesus is

#2 The Waterpots

This too might seem insignificant or a space-filler but it is not. Like the wedding, it is symbolic of something connected to Jesus, this is evidenced by the statement Jesus made, “my hour has not yet come”. In the midst of wedding fiasco - this is what Jesus has on his mind. Jesus is not being rude but is confirming to all, I’m not functioning on your clock but my Father’s. I’m not here to do my will/your will, but My Father’s hence the statement “my hour has not yet come”

Mary’s response: “Do whatever he tells you” - That’s the shift from Mary to Jesus.

The tension in the text is that the wine ran out. This might be compared to being in a function/wedding today and food running out. It was an embarrassment, this was a major dilemma, a huge problem. Notice Mary - she turns to Jesus!

What makes this mention important is the fact that these are not regular pots, they are Jewish water pots, used for ritual washings. Jesus had enough power to refill their wine vats, make wine out of thin air, or do nothing at all. BUT, he said “fill the waterpots” - I’ll just turn that water into wine. The visual of moving the Jewish system out of the way for the works of Jesus to shine through is obvious.

He knew what these waterpots were and what they were used for. It became customary for the water to be called “living water”. They would be used to make one ceremonially/spiritually clean. And while turning their contents into wine saved the wedding, it was symbolic of Jesus and His kingdom making some changes.

There original use, is of no use in the presence of Jesus. This is not just power over material things, this is power exercised to usher in something new, something different to what was there before John 1:17 “17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.” Jacob gave us these wells, but Jesus gives Living water, John 4:21 “21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.” Moses gave us bread, but Jesus is the bread of Life “new wine can’t go in old wineskins”

The Good wine has come at the right time to take away the old and bring in the new

#3 The Wine

The changing of the water into the wine is also packed with much symbolism.

I’m not sure if they guessed what Jesus would do, but when they were told to fill it, John said, “they filled it to the brim” - it was ABUNDANT!

“draw it out and take it” - the faith to trust in God’s work is significant. While they were on the way, what was once water, had turned into good wine.

Like the wedding, fine has a certain OT imagery attached to it. Jeremiah 31:12 “12 “They will come and shout for joy on the height of Zion, And they will be radiant over the bounty of the Lord— Over the grain and the new wine and the oil, And over the young of the flock and the herd; And their life will be like a watered garden, And they will never languish again.” Amos 9:13 “13 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “When the plowman will overtake the reaper And the treader of grapes him who sows seed; When the mountains will drip sweet wine And all the hills will be dissolved.” - The one coming to do this is “branch of David” the “booth of David” - this will be fulfilled in Jesus.

Joel 3:18 “18 And in that day The mountains will drip with sweet wine, And the hills will flow with milk, And all the brooks of Judah will flow with water; And a spring will go out from the house of the Lord To water the valley of Shittim.”

This too is a signal for the joy and celebration that ensues when God brings His Christ into the world - So here comes Jesus, first miracle, in a wedding feast, taing Jewish waterpots and changing it into wine

Just to let us know “Good wine has come at the right time”

For the headwaiter good wine is supposed to come first, then you bring out the poor wine, but for God, He brings out the good wine last. Galatians 4:4–5 “4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”

This wine is new, it is abundant and it never runs out

#Bonus Point - “On the third day”

John 2:1 “1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there;”

God has a habit of doing big things on the third day

Genesis 22:4 “4 On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance.”

Jonah 1:17 “17 And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.”

Hosea 6:2 “2 “He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day, That we may live before Him.”

John 2:19 “19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.””

Matthew 12:40 “40 for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

Jesus is bringing in the New, because He is that Good wine, that new wine that came at the right time.

The true abundance experienced in a relationship with Jesus can never be overstated. The apostle presented Jesus as the one who will replace the old and be the giver of new things.

He told Nicodemus that a new birth must be experienced to enter the kingdom.

He told the woman at the well that a new place of worship will be the focus and not mountains she previously turned to.

He told His disciples they have a new command, which is a new character to possess as evidence of a relationship with God.

Jesus even alluded to Pilate that the nature of His kingdom was different, I dare say new since no kingdom of that day and age sheathed their swords to establish dominance but Jesus' kingdom did.

He was even buried in a neew tomb (Jn 19:41)

2 Corinthians 5:17 “17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”

Romans 6:4 “4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.”

God has made a new and living way through the flesh of Jesus. Take this new chance at a new life with a new hope

And if you are faithful

You’ll enter into a new heaven and a new earth, God will give you a new name written in the heavens, there’ll be a new song

Revelation 21:5 “5 And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.””