Miracle at Cana Wedding - Water into wine!

John 2:1-11

Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the water pots with water’. “There are no grapes, no vines, no seeds, no other seeds, no sunlight, no water, no earth. Nothing.  He created wine out of nothing-dramatic, right?” (John Macarthur).  The amazed head waiter did not know how the water for ceremonial washing had turned into wine of the highest quality.  The servants knew the author of this supernatural miracle to be Jesus.  At the moment when the wedding reception could have turned to embarrassment, if not disaster.  Jesus saved the day.  Surely the glory of God was here displayed.  “You have kept the good wine until now!” “This first sign might better be labelled ‘semi-public’, since only the servants and the disciples gained any knowledge of the source of the wine” (Carson). John specifies this as the first of Jesus’ signs, that it manifested His glory, and that his disciples believed in Him.

“A libation of wine was part of the ceremonial sacrifices at the Jewish Temple.  Metaphorically, wine represents the essence of goodness, joy, festivity, celebration, and abundant blessings.  The Torah, Jerusalem, Israel, the Messiah, the righteous – all are compared to wine.  When peace reigns every man rests “under his vine and his fir-tree” (1 Kings 4:25; Micah 4:4; Zechariah 3:10). Though as food, the fig is of greater importance than wine, it is “wine, which makes a human heart cheerful” (Psalm 104:15).  Bread as an indispensable food, and wine as a luxury represent two extremes; wine-drinking was generally accompanied by singing” (Jewish Encyclopedia). V 7 “So they filled up to the brim” (six water pots x 20-30 gallons each = !!). Oh, the liberality of Jesus!

            “He was in the world, and the world came into being through Him” (John 1:10). There in Cana, the party drank Creator-created wine.  There at a village social, the ceremonial washing water of the Old Testament was transformed into wine, orchestrated by the One bringing the New Testament.  Jesus would shed blood and institute the wine and bread, celebration and memorial at the Last Supper and Holy Communion! What was the impact on these three groups who drank the wine graciously, liberally given by the One who brought “Life to the party”: a) Jesus’ companions? b) party host and servants? c) Party guests?

“There are also many other things which Jesus did, which, if they were written in detail, I expect that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written” (John 21:25).

            P.S. John would describe the Marriage of the Lamb: “Let’s rejoice and be glad and give glory to Him, because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has prepared herself … 9 Then he said to me,

‘Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.’ And he said to me, ‘These are true words of God.’ Jesus is the Groom. His Bride is the Church.

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, “BE LOVED”

THE WAY OF MY GOD.

A Commentary Laurence Wed-Chung Wedderburn