John 2:1-11 (Water to Wine)

4TH and 1
Part 5: Water to Wine

1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” 4 “Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

1. 1st century Jewish weddings often involved the whole village and the whole week. In that culture, to run out of wine was a dreadful embarrassment.
2. The wine was not mere grape juice, but it was diluted with water (a bit less strong than American beer).
3. This story marks a transition in the relationship between Jesus & Mary. Jesus had submitted to his parents (Luke 2:51), but now it was time for Mary to submit to Jesus.
4. This story prepares/focuses the reader on the yet future (from the perspective of chapter 2) time/hour that Jesus here refers to.

6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”;

1. Six, most commonly in Scripture, represents imperfection and incompletion.
2. The story symbolizes that the Jewish religion was imperfect (the water jars were sitting empty) and incomplete (only 6 water Jars).


so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

1. That the water jars were filled to the brim anticipates the miracle. The abundance of wine was an indicator that ultimate joy and salvation had arrived.
2. The story reveals that Jesus is the source of that anticipated abundance. He is what Israel had been waiting for.

11 This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.

1. The 4th Gospel is routinely divided into two main sections: The Book of Signs (1:19-12:50) Book of Glory (13:1-20:31). The Book of Signs contains 7 ‘Sign’ Miracles.

1. Water to Wine (2:1-11)
2. The Sick Son (4:43-54)
3. Healing at the Pool (5:1-15)
4. Feeding the 5,000 (6:1-15)
5. Walking on Water (6:16-24)
6. The Man Born Blind (9:1-12)
7. Raising of Lazarus (11:38-44)


Next Week: Jesus at the Temple (John 2:12-25)