*John 2:1-25
At a wedding in Cana of Galilee, Jesus performs his first miracle by turning water into wine and reveals his divine power.
- Wedding at Cana:
- The passage begins with Jesus, His disciples, and His mother attending a wedding in Cana of Galilee.
- During the festivities, the host runs out of wine, which would have been a significant social embarrassment.
- Mary’s Request:
- Mary approaches Jesus and informs Him of the situation, saying, “They have no wine.”
- Miracle of Water into Wine:
- Although initially hesitant, Jesus instructs the servants to fill six stone jars with water, each holding twenty to thirty gallons.
- After they fill the jars, Jesus commands them to draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.
- When the master tastes the water that has become wine, he is amazed at its quality and praises the bridegroom for saving the best wine until last.
- Significance of the Miracle:
- This miraculous sign in Cana is the first recorded in John’s Gospel and reveals Jesus’ power over nature and His ability to bring joy and abundance.
- Jewish Leaders’ Demand for a Sign:
- After the wedding, Jesus and His disciples go to Capernaum for a few days.
- Later, Jesus goes up to Jerusalem for the Passover feast.
- Cleansing of the Temple:
- In Jerusalem, Jesus finds the temple courts filled with merchants selling oxen, sheep, and doves, and moneychangers exchanging currency.
- He makes a whip of cords and drives out the animals and people, overturning the tables of the moneychangers.
- Jesus’ Authority Challenged:
- When the Jewish leaders demand a sign to justify Jesus’ actions, He cryptically responds, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
- Misunderstanding of Jesus’ Words:
- The leaders misunderstand Jesus, thinking He is referring to the physical temple, not realizing He is speaking of His own body.
- Belief of Jesus’ Disciples:
- Despite the confusion, Jesus’ disciples remember His words after His resurrection and believe in Him.
John 2:1-25 shows us that Jesus cares about our everyday lives and has the power to transform them. At a wedding, He turned water into wine, showing that He can take the ordinary and make it extraordinary. When He cleared the temple, He reminded us to honor God with pure hearts. This teaches us to trust Jesus with our needs, invite Him into every part of our lives, and make sure our hearts and actions reflect true worship.
John 2:1-25 (WEB)
2:1 The third day, there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there. 2 Jesus also was invited, with his disciples, to the wedding. 3 When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no wine.”4 Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with you and me? 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 water pots of stone set there after the Jews’ way of purifying, containing two or three metretes apiece. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the water pots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim. 8 He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the ruler of the feast.” So they took it. 9 When the ruler of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and didn’t know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the ruler of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when the guests have drunk freely, then that which is worse. You have kept the good wine until now!” 11 This beginning of his signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.12 After this, he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; and they stayed there a few days.13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 He found in the temple those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, and the changers of money sitting. 15 He made a whip of cords and drove all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the changers’ money and overthrew their tables. 16 To those who sold the doves, he said, “Take these things out of here! Don’t make my Father’s house a marketplace!” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will eat me up.”18 The Jews therefore answered him, “What sign do you show us, seeing that you do these things?”19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”20 The Jews therefore said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple! Will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he spoke of the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in his name, observing his signs which he did. 24 But Jesus didn’t entrust himself to them, because he knew everyone, 25 and because he didn’t need for anyone to testify concerning man; for he himself knew what was in man.