Water in Wine

Why did John include a story about turning water into wine?”

The answer is found in Jn 2:11 (HCSB): “

11 Jesus performed this first sign sin Cana tof Galilee. He displayed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him. “

It was a sign. Lets look at the passage, keeping that this entire account is a sign that Jesus is the Son of God.

John 2:1–2 HCSB

1 On the third day a wedding took place in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and 2 Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding as well.

The fact that Jesusa hand his mother are both present leads many to believe that this was a family friend who was being married. Would Jesus have acted differently if it was for someone that he had not met before? That is beside the point. It is just helpful to remember that Jesus was a real person, with relationships, and we should keep that in mind as we read about his life and ministry.

Wedding celebrations would take place over the course of a week, with the financial burdern falling on the groom. Jewish culture was an honor culture, and so being able to supply the feast was the honorable thing to do. You would not want to begin your marriage with the shame of not being able to provide a proper feast.

John 2:3–4 HCSB

3 When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother told Him, “They don’t have any wine.” 4 “What has this concern of yours to do with Me, woman?” Jesus asked. “My hour has not yet come.”

Enter shame and embarassment. The groom has run out of resources. The wine is gone. Mary, the mother of Jesus goes to Jesus for help.

Do you think that Mary expected a miracle at this point? Or do her expectations flow from something else. There is biblical evidence that strongly suggests that Joseph had died some time ago. Jospeh was certainly around when Jesus was twelve years old, we read about the confusion between Joseph and Mary when Jesus remains at the Temple in Jerusalem while the travelling party heads home in Luke 2:(41-52).

After that point in time, we here of Jesus described as not only the carpenters son (Mt 13:55), but as the carpenter (Mk 6:3). (Carson - Pillar Bible Commentary).

Mary is a widow with a full family of children, Jesus is the oldest child who is a trained carpenter. It is reasonable to think that he has bee providing for the family. It is logical to think that Mary would depend on Jesus in this wedding feast situation, because Jesus had a history of being dependable for the family.

Jesus reply to Mary is very abrupt, but not particularly rude. It does make one point that is worthy noting. Not even Mary, who gave birth to Jesus, can command him to do her will. Jesus, is on the earth on a particular mission. And God’s will will be over any persons will. Jesus won’t be manipulated by anyone, even through a kind and heartfelt request by his mother.

That principle holds true today. Jesus is now on the throne, at the right hand of God, King of this world. No one, including each of us, is in position to make demands of Jesus. Do this miracle. Solve this problem. We can make requests, in fact Phil 4:6 states that we should make requests, but we cannot make demands of God.

Jesus chose to honor his mothers request, he chose to maintain the honor of the groom, but the purpose of this account is far more than mainting honor, it is to display his glory so that his disciples (and us) will believe that he is the Son of God.

John 2:5–7 HCSB

5 “Do whatever He tells you,” His mother told the servants. 6 Now six stone water jars had been set there for Jewish purification. Each contained 20 or 30 gallons. 7 “Fill the jars with water,” Jesus told them. So they filled them to the brim.

One train of thought that I discovered while studying was the significance of the empty stone ceremonial jars, the ones that had been set aside for purification. The jars were empty, although they could hold up to 120 litres. Are thes empty jars symbolic of anything. Remember, there purpose is to be used in the purification ceremony. It begs the question...

Was Judaism Barren?

What was the spiritual climate that Jesus entered into during the years of his public ministry?

You could describe the climate as being barren spiritually. Why?

The religious leaders were more interested in following rules than following God.

it was so extreme that they even held Jesus (who is God) to their rules that Jesus did not even agree with

The Temple, (area of worship) needed to be cleansed (on multiple occasions.) What was supposed to be a “House of Prayer for all nations” had been changed into a busy marketplace.

The people were being led by blind leaders, with no place to properly worship God.

The Old Testament has many Messianic promises that focus on abundant wine.

Isaiah 25:6 HCSB

6 The Lord of Hosts will prepare a feast for all the peoples on this mountain — a feast of aged wine, choice meat, finely aged wine.

Joel 3:18 HCSB

18 In that day the mountains will drip with sweet wine, and the hills will flow with milk. All the streams of Judah will flow with water, and a spring will issue from the Lord’s house, watering the Valley of Acacias.

This miracle that Jesus performs at the Wedding in Cana is a picture of what his life will accomplish.

Because of Jesus, there will be an abunance of life made possible. He will be emptied, so that we can be full.

God is a God of Abundance.

John 2:8–10 HCSB

8 Then He said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the chief servant.” And they did. 9 When the chief servant tasted the water (after it had become wine), he did not know where it came from—though the servants who had drawn the water knew. He called the groom 10 and told him, “Everyone sets out the fine wine first, then, after people have drunk freely, the inferior. But you have kept the fine wine until now.”

Its not like Jesus made just enough to get them through the situation. It wasn’t a close call, it was more than enough. It was the best. It was his way.

I’m not going to sell you on the prosperty gospel. The propersity gospel says that if you follow God, he will be indebted to make you prosperous.

But you can see that is not what Jesus is doing at the wedding. He is not there to make the people around him rich. In that specific situation, his miracle gives everyone an abundant experience, but the goal and the point of it all was to reveal the glory of Jesus.

When we live the abundant life, that is overflowing with God’s miraculous saiving work, we also reveal the glory of God.

Jesus offers us more than enough.

His ways are higher than our ways, and he lets us walk on them.

His thoughts are better than our thoughts, and he shares them with us.

His power is great than our abiliites, and he is generous with us.

hHis righteousness is far better than anything that we could ever do, and this righteousness is ours through faith in Jesus.

Why is God is so generous? It is because he loves us.

At the wedding, he stepped in and restored the honor of what was likely a family friend, saving them from the deep humiliation of a failed wedding feast.

He showed that abundnat life is found in Jesus, and not in a barren religious system that’s focus was on perfection but not on the three persons of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Why does he offers us new, restored life and hope? It is because he loves us. And when we walk in his way, it is a win-win situation.

We win, because we live a life that we don’t deserve, with the blessings and provisions of almighty God who loves us.

God wins because his glory is revealed, his children are restored to him, and his love is on display.

Jesus did far more than the bare minimum at the wedding, and more importantly on the cross.

Abundant life is ours through Jesus not because we demand it, but because he loves us and has redeemed us with his own life.