John Chapter Two
Wedding at Cana
2:1 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
John offers that last of his three “time stamps,” being the third day from when John the Baptist interacted with the Jewish leaders (see John 1:19-28). Jesus, His mother and His disciples were invited to a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Appearing only in the book of John, the town of Cana, whose actual location is unknown, is believed to be the current-day Khirbet Qana, an uninhabited ruin about nine miles north of Nazareth. During the celebration, they run out of wine. Perhaps being a friend of the family or was involved in the preparation or serving of the meal, Jesus’ mother (who is never identified as Mary in John’s account) hears that they had no more wine and tells this to her Son. The interaction between Jesus and Mary seems somewhat awkward as He, while still being polite, shows no intimacy in His response. This repartee raises several questions, for example: 1) How did Mary know that Jesus could provide more wine?; 2) Why did Jesus ask what does this situation have to do with Him?; 3) What did Jesus mean when He said, “My hour?”; and 4) Why did He perform this, His first recorded miracle, of changing the water into wine? These, and many other related questions have been pondered by theologians for years, since there is not sufficient information available to answer them, but we do know that the reference to “My hour,” likely refers to a day and time He will later arrange, known as the “Triumphal Entry” into Jerusalem, as Jesus will often say, “My hour has not yet come.”[1] But regardless of the awkward repartee Jesus does as His mother asked, and proceeds with His first sign of His power and authority.
2:6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.
John notes that Jesus used six water jars made of stone and further identifies them as jars that were normally employed in the Jewish rites of purification. Common in many Jewish homes, these jars were likely used to store the “water for impurity” (see Numbers 19:1-22), which would also be considered ceremonially clean vessels (see Leviticus 11:33). Each holding twenty to thirty gallons (Greek ‘metrētas’,[2] a measure of capacity, thought to be equivalent to 33-34 quarts or 8-9 gallons).
2:7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. 9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
Jesus instructs the servants to fill the jars with water and then to draw some of the contents out and take its the master of the feast. They did as they were told and the master of the feast was astonished by how good the wine was. Not knowing where it came from, he goes to the bridegroom and tells him that normally the acceptable practice in serving wine was to serve the better wine first and then after everyone had “drunk freely” (Greek ‘methysthōsin’,[3] to drink freely, without any reference to getting intoxicated) with their senses being dulled, bring out the less-expensive wine. But now, after everyone had been drinking, the better wine was served.
John notes that this was the first of Jesus’ miracles, His disciples saw what He did and began to believe in Him. Jesus’ ministry had begun, with the first of His glory being manifested, being tangible and visible evidence of supernatural events.
2:12 After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.
Jesus, along with His family and His disciples, traveled north to the town of Capernaum, located on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, a town that will later became the unofficial ’headquarters’ of His ministry while in the Galilee region.
Considerations
Don’t Let the Wine Intoxicate Your Thoughts
Many readers have difficulty in understanding why Jesus would agree to provide a potentially intoxicating drink for this wedding. The subject of alcohol is a sensitive subject for many Christians and Christian denominations. Thinking that the consumption of any alcoholic beverage is wrong, many attempt to 'edit' Scripture by saying that the wine mentioned was not alcohol and that any alcoholic beverage is bad. This presupposition would be incorrect, for example in this event we can see that the wine is clearly alcohol as the lesser quality of wine was typically served after the wedding attendees' senses were dulled. History also verifies the use of alcoholic wine in the ancient Near East, as the warm weather, along with having no way to refrigerate, juice would otherwise quickly ferment and spoil. The wine referenced in the Bible is indeed alcoholic and capable of causing someone to be inebriated.
It is important to note that the Bible does not forbid the drinking of wine (nor any other alcoholic beverage), in fact there are some passages that promote the opposite (for example, see Psalm 104:14-15; Proverbs 31:6-7; Ecclesiastes 10:19; Jeremiah 31:12; 1 Timothy 5:23). The Bible, however, does warn against the excessive drinking of alcohol, as it clearly denounces anyone being drunk (see Genesis 9:20; Proverbs 20:1; 23:29–35; Romans 13:13; 1 Corinthians 5:11; 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:18; 1 Timothy 3:2-3, 8; Titus 1:7; 2:3; 1 Peter 4:3). In his epistle to the church in Rome, the apostle Paul discusses how this subject can be misunderstood, especially by new believers. He wrote: “Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” (Romans 14:13-23) Paul is not saying that drinking alcohol is wrong, but to understand if in the presence of a new or less-mature Christian, to be sensitive and not do anything, including drinking in front of them, that could cause them to stumble in their faith, to question their beliefs, or be disillusioned.
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
2:13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
John, like many other writers in the New Testament, uses the reference, “The Passover,” as a metonym for the three spring festivals which include: Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of First Fruits. Since God’s law required all men that are capable of traveling to be in Jerusalem for the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Jesus and His disciples traveled south to Jerusalem.[4]
2:14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”
When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem and subsequently to the Temple, He noticed how the vendors and the money-changers on the Temple grounds were taking advantage of the people, especially out-of-town visitors. So Jesus improvised a whip of cords and drove them out of the Temple along with their animals. He apparently spilled their coins as He overturned their tables. When He got to those selling pigeons, He told them to take them away and to stop making His Father’s house a house of trade. This was the first of two events where Jesus cleared the Temple of these dishonest merchants. Only John records this incident, while each of the synoptic gospels record the second occurrence shortly before His crucifixion (see Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-18; Luke 19:45-48). It is important to note that both money-changing and sacrificial animal purchasing were necessary at the Temple as money had to be offered in the Temple in the proper ’Temple’ currency and the animals, including pigeons, had to be without blemish (plus traveling with an animal would have been difficult). Jesus was not upset with their presence, but with them taking advantage of the people.[5]
John further notes that they, Jesus’ disciples, remembered at that time, Psalm 69:9 “For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.”
2:18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
Not knowing who Jesus was, or by what authority He had to do what He did, they ask Him to give them proof, a sign from God, that He had a legitimate reason to do what He did. He told them that “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” They immediately criticized Him with the comment that it is has taken forty-six years to build the Temple and then attempted to belittle Jesus with the question, “And will you raise it up in three days?” John does not record any additional dialog between Jesus and the people, but does offers clarification that He was speaking about the temple of His body and that later, after He had been raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this and believed what was written in the Scriptures and the words spoken by Jesus. The people also remembered what He said as this statement was used against Him during His trials almost three years later (see Matthew 25:61; Mark 14:58) and also to mock Him while on the cross (see Matthew 27:40; Mark 15:29).
Considerations
Prophetic Text Overview No. 26
John makes a special notation that the disciples connect Psalm 69:9 to the event of Jesus cleansing the Temple. This Messianic verse contains two relevant passages, the first, “For zeal for your house has consumed me,” here relates to Jesus’ ‘zeal’ (Hebrew ‘qin·’ǎṯ’,[6] an intense fervor) for the Temple. The second half of the verse, “and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me,” while not quoted here, is cited in Romans 15:3 which is found in the middle of a lesson about serving others, pointing out that Jesus didn’t come for Himself as He endured many a rebuke, reproach, and insult for our sake (see Romans 15:1-13).
Jesus Knows Each Man's Heart
2:23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.
John offers a unique perspective regarding their time in Jerusalem during Passover and the other spring feasts. He notes that many people began to believe Jesus as they were able to see Him perform many miracles. But then John records that Jesus did not trust the people because He knew human nature, that no one needed to tell Jesus about man, as He knew what was on each man’s heart. Was this an observation of John’s or did he hear it from Jesus? It was clear that He knew the heart of Nathanael (see John 1:47-48), so the answer may be some of both. But understanding that the human heart is not trustworthy, not even to the person themselves, is a fundamental truth to understand regarding how serious the problem of sin is. Which is an excellent way to launch a story about Jesus, the Redeemer and Savior. The lack of trust in the heart is not necessarily a reflection of the person, it is a fact of human life. Remember what God said to the prophet Jeremiah, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9) Why is it sick? Because of sin!
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[1] See Considerations under Matthew 21:6-11 “The Hour Has Come.”
[2] Strong’s Greek 3355.
[3] Strong’s Greek 3184.
[4] See Considerations under Matthew 21:14-17 "Required Pilgrimage" regarding using the term Passover as a metonym. See also commentary under Matthew 26:17-19.
[5] See commentary under Matthew 21:12-13 and Considerations under Matthew 21:14-17 "Not in the Temple Proper."
[6] Strong’s Hebrew 7068.