Chapter 2: Part 1 Verses 1-12

Transcription

1 The Book of JOHN Chapter 2: Part 1 Verses 1-12 John's purpose in his Gospel was to produce faith in Jesus Christ, who could save people from their sins. (John 20:30-31) John presents seven carefully chosen signs designed to reveal that Jesus is indeed the Messiah. The signs presented in this Gospel were ones the people would have recognized as being attributed only to the Savior, the promised Anointed One. They were expressions of supernatural, divine power, and designed to show His unique relationship with God, as God. They also fulfilled Old Testament prophecies, so the people should have recognized Him. John is called The Book of Signs since they reveal the true identity of Jesus. In this chapter, there is a wedding at Cana, and the sign John tells us about where Jesus changes water into wine, reveals the Messiah s power over the natural world. It is the first of the seven signs. Notice that John always provides the geography, details and timing, so that we can follow Jesus ministry and carefully compare the details to the Old Testament scriptures. There are two such signs in this chapter of completely different nature. For that reason, and because there is so much to really understand in these two events, we will take them as separate lessons. 1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. Interesting it is the third day, which on the Jewish calendar is a Tuesday (Sunday, first day of the week). God blessed the 3rd day (Tuesday, on the weekly calendar) twice in Genesis (this is why many Jewish weddings are on Tuesdays). The "3rd day" is an important reference to the 3 days between the death and resurrection of Jesus. Cana was about 4 miles NE of Nazareth, and SW of the Sea of Galilee. Nathanael was from the city of Cana. Cana was nearby and could be seen from Nazareth. Jewish weddings could last a week or more. It was customary to have the bridegroom announce through the streets as he fetched his bride, then the people came back for a feast during the time the bride and groom were sequestered for 7 days (consummation) before the actual presentation of the bride. These Jewish customs play a big role in understanding the role of Jesus as Bridegroom. The feast was generally on the last day, when the bride and groom greeted their guests. Weddings symbolize the time of Messiah. "Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood. For your Maker is your husband-- the LORD Almighty is his name-- the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth." (Isaiah 54:4-5, time when God would again marry His bride Israel). Also looks to the Church, the Bride of Christ. Revelation 19:7-8 "Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." RockofAges.org 1 The Book of John, Chapter 2, Part 1: Verses 1-12

2 The mother of Jesus was at this wedding, and Jesus and His disciples had been invited. This was probably someone close to Jesus family. 3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, They have no wine. 4 Jesus said to her, Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come. 5 His mother said to the servants, Whatever He says to you, do it. Mary seems to have some responsibility here. Perhaps she is a friend of the family or helped plan the wedding festivities. Running out of wine was considered a great embarrassment to the host family. She is concerned for this family, and obviously wishes Jesus to do something here. Hospitality in the east was considered a sacred duty. If one failed to provide enough food and drink at such an event, it would have brought the family great humiliation. Some people say that Mary was probably related in some way to this family, or charged with helping the host family....woman, what does your concern have to do with Me?... Mary draws Jesus into this concern now. Jesus response is interesting. The term woman is not one of disrespect. In our language it sounds crude and disrespectful, but was common in that time. It is found in other writings from the time, and always used as a title of respect. Perhaps He was rebuking her for her anxiety over the wine running low, or that she might be wanting Jesus to prove Himself now, when in fact there was a God-planned agenda for this. We don t know. Mary knew full well what her son was capable of. She knew WHO He was. (She may very well have been the ONLY one who really knew this!) My hour has not yet come... Jesus knew that to do this miracle would be one of those signs, a manifestation of Himself as Messiah. He indicates that His hour had not come. What hour? The hour of great revelation that He is indeed the Messiah. We can be sure, however, that God had all of this under control. Jesus did not do something against His will here. Jesus makes this statement several times throughout the Gospels: Therefore Jesus told them, "The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right. (John 7:6) At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come. (John 7:30) He spoke these words while teaching in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his time had not yet come. (John 8:20) He replied, "Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, `The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.' "So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover. (Matthew 26:18-19) Returning the third time, he said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!" (Mark 14:41-42) Jesus time was at His crucifixion and resurrection. This is when He fulfilled His earthly ministry. He came for a very specific purpose, to save mankind through death on a cross, then to rise again and ascend back to heaven. His whole ministry was heading toward those moments. While it was not His time at this wedding, to be fully revealed, He did provide a sign and He did glorify Himself. Later, in chapter 12, Jesus said that NOW was His time or His hour. Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. (John 12:23-24) RockofAges.org 2 The Book of John, Chapter 2, Part 1: Verses 1-12

3 Whatever He says to you, do it. Somehow Mary senses that Jesus may do something and grant her request of Him. She has no doubt He is capable of making more wine and instructs the servants to do exactly as Jesus says. Some people speculate that Mary is asking Jesus to perform a miracle to prove who He is, in order to convince all those gossipers that He truly was born of a virgin. Most people didn t believe this for a minute, and accused Mary of being a whore, and Jesus an illegitimate son. This is only speculation, however. Mary appears only two times in the Gospel of John. Here at the wedding, and at the foot of the cross in chapter 19. Other (extra-biblical, outside of the inspired Word of God) writings indicate that Mary was a sister of the bridegroom s mother, but scriptures don t tell us this. 6 Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. 7 Jesus said to them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He said to them, Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast. And they took it. Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews,... These waterpots were those normally kept on hand and used for the Jewish rituals of purification (see Mark 7:3-4). (It is important for the author to tell us what those pots were used for so we will understand their ultimate lesson.) In those days purification with water consisted of pouring water over the hands. Hands were held upright, water poured to the wrist then the hands were turned down so water ran off at finger tips. This was done one hand at a time, then the palm was cleaned by rubbing it with the fist of the other hand. (This was a Jewish tradition. It is not scriptural!) This is done before a meal, and also between every course! This ritual obviously required lots of water. These pots of water were also used for footwashing (sandals dirty!) The pots could hold about gallons each. Together, this was about gallons. These were no little pots. Not only did Jesus turn water into wine, but He did it in great abundance, so typical of God. This is an indication that no need will ever exhaust the grace and abundance of God. SEVEN is the number that means perfectly complete. SIX is unfinished and imperfect. (That is exactly what we are without Jesus, unfinished and imperfect.) Six is the number of man, the number of less than complete. It also represents man s inability to keep the Law, which was perfect. Jesus turned OUR IMPERFECTION OF THE LAW (inability of man to be keep it and be saved by it) TO THE PERFECTION OF GRACE. RockofAges.org 3 The Book of John, Chapter 2, Part 1: Verses 1-12

4 Also, some speculate that the number 6 can indicate that Jesus was not yet completely glorified His time had not yet been completely fulfilled. Jesus revealed His glory here, and His identity, but the work was incomplete until His death and resurrection. Note that these jars may have been used for purification, but they were EMPTY! There was no water there there is no purification of our sins through water, or through keeping the Law. This can be done ONLY by Jesus. To put it in a nutshell, the 6 empty waterpots signified the inability of man to keep the Law of God. God s solution is to fill the pots with the symbol (wine) of our redemption, the blood of Jesus. The water cannot cleanse us, but His blood can and does. Man tries, but falls far short, and always will. Only the ONE who is perfectly complete can meet the Law for us. Weddings and wine typically speak of the joy of spiritual life. Who else can we recall changed water into something else? Moses turned water into blood (Exodus 7:14-24) in judgment and warning. But here, at a joyful celebration, Jesus turned water into wine, a symbol of joy. Wine is also a symbol in scripture for the shed blood of Jesus, necessary for our atonement, which brings us joy instead of judgment. With this sign, Jesus is indicating that the New Covenant, spoken of by Jeremiah the prophet in the Old Testament, is being fulfilled. In the early portion of Jeremiah 31, the prophet says: They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion; they will rejoice in the bounty of the LORD-- the grain, the new wine and the oil, the young of the flocks and herds. They will be like a well-watered garden, and they will sorrow no more. Then maidens will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow. (31:12-14) The Law brought by Moses (given as part of the old covenant [the conditional Mosaic Covenant made at Mt. Sinai, broken by Israel]), who changed water into blood, brought only mourning and death. The New Covenant is being fulfilled by Jesus, who brings comfort and joy instead of sorrow. It is no coincidence that this sign happened at a wedding celebration. Later in chapter 31 of Jeremiah God sets forth this new covenant: "The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them," declares the LORD. (31:31) In the Old Testament, God pictures Himself as the Husband of an unfaithful wife, Israel. But the New Covenant will again celebrate the marriage covenant between God and Israel as He restores her to her place with Him. When Israel broke the Mosaic Covenant, God promised to restore her, but only after great trials. NOTE: it is important to understand the other party in the New Covenant. Note that God says I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah... This is not a covenant with the Church or with Gentiles. It is with Israel, with God s people the Jews. However, as Paul tells us, the Gentiles are grafted into this vine of Israel and thereby share in her covenant relationship with God (see Romans 11). We do not replace her, and we are not the original party with which God made these promises. This is very important for us to understand. Quite often today the Church has claimed ownership of what originally belonged to Israel, the covenant relationship with God beginning in the Old Testament. It was and is, and will always be Israel s. We are blessed to join in, not to take over!) RockofAges.org 4 The Book of John, Chapter 2, Part 1: Verses 1-12

5 In the New Testament, and under the New Covenant, Jesus the Messiah is pictured as the Bridegroom with an intended Bride, the Church. This Bride consists of the one new man that Paul wrote of in Ephesians 3. The Bride of Christ is the combined group of believers, both Jew and Gentile (grafted in to the vine!). This picture of the relationship of a husband and wife runs throughout the scriptures, Old and New Testaments, to help us understand the relationship God wishes to have with us one of completion, oneness, loyalty, faithfulness, and great undying and unfailing love. Here also is the fulfillment of the Deliverer ( The Prophet of Deuteronomy 18), Jesus, who brings mercy and grace. He turns sorrow and death into great joy and life. Moses was the first deliverer of the people. Jesus is the ultimate and final Deliverer. This is one of those important contrasts that John uses through his Gospel (Moses and Jesus, Law and Grace, Death and Life). And they filled them up to the brim.... Notice these servants did not question Jesus. They may have been thinking that this was a crazy man, but the scripture does not give us any indication of any questioning on their part. They just did it. And, they filled the pots to the brim. Those pots couldn t hold any more water. This is also an indication that He fills our lives to the brim. But we have to be empty first. All the stuff of the world has to be emptied out, so He can fill us all the way. Sometimes this takes a lifetime, through the sanctifying process of the Holy Spirit in us. 9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. 10 And he said to him, Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now! The master of the feast was the one responsible for all the food and wine and other logistics. He didn t know where this great wine came from, but the servants did. He took some to the bridegroom who congratulated the master of the feast. Diluted wine was a common beverage in those days. And, it was not normal to save the best for last at a wedding feast. They usually poured the best wine first, but as the guests drank more, they would not notice when the wine had been watered down a bit. Saving the best for last was unheard of. NOTE: This incident cannot justify over indulgence in alcohol as the Bible is filled with dangers of drinking to excess; however, Paul admonished Timothy to have a little wine for his stomach. Jesus drank at the feast. The Jewish Rabbis proclaimed that wine was essential to life, as they said without wine, there is no joy. Understanding the spiritual meaning of the wine makes this all the more true. This does not imply drunkenness, which was a great disgrace. In all things we must consider our example, and not condemn those who are free to drink in moderation, or those who believe they should not drink at all. It is our choice, and must be consistent with what we truly believe is right, or it is sin. (see Romans 14) A wedding feast was a very joyful time. And this first of Jesus signs was performed at a wedding in a little humble town in Galilee. It saved the host from terrible embarrassment and shame and was done by Jesus in sympathy and kindness both to His mother, and to this family. But that is not the only reason. Jesus provided the first sign of his identity as Messiah, and taught a valuable lesson about the purification only available through Him, not the Law. He did it in an environment of joy. This event represents another wedding that will happen one day soon, perhaps. The Bridegroom has come, and His Bride waits still for this day. RockofAges.org 5 The Book of John, Chapter 2, Part 1: Verses 1-12

6 COMMENTARY: Remember that John was writing seventy years after Jesus was crucified. For seventy years he had thought and meditated and remembered, until he saw meanings and significances that he had not seen at the time. When John told this story he was remembering what life with Jesus was like; and he said, Wherever Jesus went and whenever he came into life it was like water turning into wine. This story is John saying to us: If you want the new exhilaration, become a follower of Jesus Christ, and there will come a change in your life which will be like water turning into wine. The Greeks worshipped Dionysus as the god of wine. They believed this god changed the juice of the grape supernaturally into wine somehow. It is interesting to see how God uses the known culture to reach people who might understand and better apply what is happening here. John is writing to multiple audiences in this Gospel. To the Jews, this event is intended to indicate that the Messiah has come to change our imperfection of keeping the law into the perfection of grace. To the Greeks (Gentiles) he says Jesus is the One who can truly do things they only dreamed the gods could do. Jesus is real, the Greek gods were fakes. Notice that only the servants and the disciples (and Mary and perhaps a handful of others) were completely aware of this supernatural event. The guests did not know, even the bride and groom did not know where this excellent wine came from. This miracle was not performed for attention or personal glory for Jesus, it was intended as a sign for the disciples. It is likely that later as the servants talked that word would get around, but initially it was only to be a sign. 11 This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him. This beginning of signs... John presents seven signs of the identification of the Messiah in His Gospel. He uses the Greek word semeion (sign) which literally means something that points beyond itself to something greater. Some translations use the English word miracle here which is a supernatural event. This word, however, is used to indicate this supernatural event is a sign of something else. The changing of water into wine is the first of these signs that points to Jesus as being the Messiah. This is also the beginning of Jesus ministry, as John records it. What a profound sign to provide at this point! This was the first sign the disciples witnessed, and they believed Him to be Messiah as a result. Many other signs would follow. Thirty-five (35) miracles of Jesus are recorded in the Gospels. Some are repeated in the various gospels, but this wine making miracle is only recorded in John, and is intended to be a major sign (not just a miracle) of the identity of Jesus as Messiah. In the other gospels, the word miracle or mighty work is used. John is the only one who uses sign ( semeion ) which points to the One doing the miracle. This Gospel differs much from the others. It can be considered the Book of Signs of the Messiah, events that reveal the true identity of Jesus. Throughout the presentation of these signs, John also shows how they give us new meaning and understanding about our salvation. This is the whole purpose of John s Gospel. He writes in chapter 20: Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (20:30-31) Note the progression here. Know the signs, believe on the One they point to, and by so doing, receive everlasting life in His Name. RockofAges.org 6 The Book of John, Chapter 2, Part 1: Verses 1-12

7 12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days. The town of Cana was just a little north of Jesus hometown of Nazareth, in the interior of Israel, probably why He and His mother were at the wedding (most likely friends or relatives). Capernaum was in the northern shores of the Sea of Galilee (Lake Tiberius as the Romans called it). It is helpful to have a little mental image of the layout of the lands as we track Jesus ministry. John frequently provides these geographic indicators of where Jesus is at what time. It helps us put the pieces together a little better, and trace His paths that lead to the cross. Jesus ministry is picking up here. His family often followed Him, but not always. Capernaum became Jesus homebase of ministry. From this point on, He seems to leave his family and his old neighborhood of Nazareth behind, as He takes His Good News throughout the land. We are going to be trekking all over Galilee, Samaria, Judea, and even east of the Jordan River into the territory of the pagans as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus during His ministry. Hopefully we can keep track of where He goes, but most importantly what He does and says. This first sign of Jesus as the Messiah shared by John should reveal many things to us, not just the fact that He IS the Messiah, and that by His blood (not water) we are made clean. 1) It reveals that He can change things. If He can change water into wine, can He also not change sadness into joy, trials into victories, sickness into health? 2) It reveals that He has power over nature. We will see many other examples of Jesus power over the creation. He created it, and as the author He has power over it. The weather obeys Him. Food multiplies at His command. What does this say to us as we consider how we pray? Are we trusting and believing that He is in command of...everything? What do we need changed in our lives today? Do we believe He has the power to do it? Do we ask Him to do it? Do we trust that He will? Do we pray knowing that our prayers are heard by the Sovereign, Most High God? Do we believe that He is still in the business of providing miracles? He never changes. Do we believe this and pray this way? RockofAges.org 7 The Book of John, Chapter 2, Part 1: Verses 1-12