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John 2

* Commentary

John 2

V-1,

This third day speaks of the third day in Jesus' gathering of His disciples. It is interesting to note that Jesus' mother, Jesus, and the disciples would be invited to this type of wedding. This is obviously a Jewish wedding and sometimes they lasted seven to fourteen days. It was a very festive occasion. These have to be prominent people in the community to have this large of a wedding. The guests, as well, would be people who were upper-middle class to upper class as far as financial standing in the community went. Carpenters would fall into that category in those days and so would fishermen who owned their own boats. Both occupations were honorable. This is not a poverty stricken group at this wedding. Some would think, why would Jesus waste His time going to such an affair? Marriage, the Bible says, is honorable. This couple was following God's teaching in getting married. Jesus also loved people and this would show His concern for all things His people on earth are involved in. After Jesus became an adult, there is very little shown in contact with His mother, Mary. Perhaps this wedding was family or close friends. We are not told those details. Possibly, word had already travelled about Jesus' baptism. At any rate, Jesus and His disciples were invited to this wedding.

V-3,

This tells me that Mary knows that Jesus does miracles. This is the first recorded miracle, but that does not mean that Jesus had not done miracles earlier. I feel sure that when a crisis arose in their neighborhood, Mary had seen Jesus taking care of it. The Bible says if all the miracles that Jesus had done were written down, there would not be enough books in the world to hold them. For the exact Scripture read John 21:25. We know for sure that Mary expects Jesus to do something about this situation. This seems like such a trivial thing, but remember this host will be terribly embarrassed if they run out of wine. Jesus cares for our trivial needs, as well as our great big needs.

I do not believe Jesus is harsh to His mother here. I believe He is saying, "I am not quite ready to launch into the miracles at this time". It isn't time yet. There were stages in Jesus' life on earth. He had spent a time subject to His mother and Joseph. Now He is thirty years old, the time when Jewish men take on their spiritual responsibilities. He is old enough now and is on His own. Jesus possibly does not want this miracle at this large gathering at the wedding to thrust Him into Hi s period of popularity. He possibly would rather that would come a short time later from His sermons. Nevertheless, Jesus listens to Mary and has feelings for the host.

V-5,

This in itself is a giveaway that Mary knows about Jesus' miraculous ability. Now is no different than then. Miracles in our lives will not come until we are obedient to Jesus.

V-6,

A firkin is nine gallons. Each one of these waterpots had from eighteen to twenty-seven gallons each. The washings or ablutions had extended to such an extent that they were continuously washing for one reason or the other, and these six firkins of water were standing by for them to carry on these ceremonial washings with. There were somewhere between 108 gallons and 162 gallons of water here. This had to be for a large group of people.

V-7, "Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim."

Just as Mary had said, they did just as Jesus told them to do.

V-8, "And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it."

There is quite a bit of spiritual teaching here. The Lord tells us to draw from that well where the water will never grow dry. He is that never ending fountain. We see here that Jesus tells these servants to draw. Is this just plain old water and their thoughts changed to make them think it is wine, or is this a wonderful creative act on Jesus' part? I believe this water actually turned to wine. Jesus, you remember, is Creator God. Fruit of the vine will later symbolize Jesus' blood in the communion service. We will see that this is not just some ordinary wine, but the best there is. Again, I say this had to be a prominent wedding, because there is a governor of the feast. By there being over 100 gallons of wine, you know, also, that this is no small wedding. The servants' act of faith was to draw.

V-9, "When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom."

This indicates that this governor might be a guest, but I really believe he was handling the wedding. This home had servants and had to have a very large house to accommodate a party of this size. This governor was very impressed with this wine. It was remarkably different and better. There is another thing we must see in all of this. The servants knew that this wine was a miracle of God, but the world did not. Even those with great authority did not know, but it was revealed to the servants. We must see in this that God reveals to His servants the mysteries, but He does not reveal them to the world. This bridegroom had been the purchaser of the original wine. The governor wants an explanation of where this superior wine comes from.

V-10, "And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now."

This answers the question of whether it was alcoholic or not. It was, because after they had well drunk, their senses would have been dulled and they would have not known one wine from the other. This new wine was not of this world. This is like t he best was kept until last with God, also. He first sent His prophets and judges to bring the people to the knowledge of God, but the best was saved to last when He sent His only begotten Son. I believe this whole incident was kept quiet because Jesus was not ready to be exposed as Messiah at that moment. The servants knew, the disciples knew, Mary knew, and Jesus knew, but I find nowhere in this discourse where the crowd at the party or anyone in authority knew.

V-11, "This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him."

Part of the reason this miracle was done, was so the disciples who had just come with Jesus would know that Jesus could do miracles. It was to build their faith to follow Him. They also know now that their material needs are of no concern, Jesus ca n supply all their needs.

V-12, "After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days."

We have talked in some of the other lessons how they would go to Capernaum and probably stay in Peter's house while they were there. The area near Capernaum next to the Sea of Galilee is where most of Jesus' ministry took place. At this point, it seems His brothers in the flesh were with Him, and Mary, as well.

V-13, "And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,"

Passover is not a celebration for the whole world, but is a celebration of remembrance. As we said in a previous lesson, it was to remember the night in Egypt when God sent death to all the first born of Egypt. The only people who did not have their first born die, were those who put the blood of the lamb over the door posts. The spirit of death passed over all houses that had the blood of the lamb. It did not enter. Passover remembers that time. The house of Israel is to remember forever. Jesus is of this house; He goes to Jerusalem to remember.

Source: Lesson by Louise Haney - lovethelord.com

* Discussion

John Chapter 2

The beginning of the Book of Signs

BACKGROUND

• Wedding festivities usually lasted a week, and may have depended in part in the donations from guests for wine.1

• The expression Jesus responds with to his Mother in v. 4 literally means, “what to me and to you”. It is found in various places in the OT (e.g. Hos 14:8) and was not necessarily rude, meaning in cases like this “that is your business; how am I involved?” Neither was it rude in Jesus’ day to address one’s mother as “woman.”

• According to Josephus, the prices for sacrificial animals in the Temple were inflated to 3-4 times normal prices.

• Fun fact: Since the improvements to the Temple are said to have taken 46 years to build (v. 20), and is known to have been begun by Herod in 19 B.C., the cleansing of the Temple must have taken place in 28 A.D.2

WARM-UP QUESTIONS

1. When does the wedding at Cana occur (see v. 1)? “The opening events of the gospel therefore are contained within one week almost every day of which is noticed; it culminates in the manifestation of Christ’s glory.”2 2. What time does Jesus refer to in v. 4? See 12:23, 27. 3. What effect did the miracle at Cana have on Jesus’ disciples? What did they think about Jesus before? (See 1:41.) DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 4. According to Helyer3, John’s Gospel, in narrating Jesus’ miracle of changing water to wine, mentions that the water was stored in six large jars, each holding some twenty to thirty gallons of water. These stone water jars – stone was less likely to convey impurity than clay – were probably employed for the ritual washing of the guests’ hands and perhaps for various vessels used in the preparation of food (Jn 2:6). a) Read Mk 7:1-11. What was Jesus’ perspective on ritual washing? Was Jesus’ view a new one? (Note that the size of the Law grew dramatically from Isaiah’s time to Jesus’.) b) John describes eight major “signs” of Jesus that were more than simple demonstrations of power and were meant to point the way, or

1 Raymond Brown, The Anchor Bible Commentary on John. 2 Jerusalem Bible footnote. 3 Larry R. Helyer, Exploring Jewish Literature of the Second Temple Period (IVP:Downer’s Grove) 2002, p. 473. convey a message. What does the sign of the water being changed into wine point to? After this miracle, what would the people at the wedding have done when they needed water for ritual cleansing? 5. Celebration, as at the Cana wedding feast, is practiced by many key figures in the Bible – e.g. Miriam (Ex 15:20), Deborah (Judg. 5), and David (2 Sam 6:12-16) and is encouraged (e.g. Eccl 5:18-20). In The Spirit of the Disciplines, Dallas Willard writes, [Celebration] is one of the most important disciplines of engagement, yet most overlooked and misunderstood. It is the completion of worship, for it dwells on the greatness of God as shown in his goodness to us. We engage in celebration when we enjoy ourselves, our life, our world, in conjunction with our faith and confidence in God’s greatness, beauty, and goodness. We concentrate on our life and world as God’s work and as God’s gift to us. Typically this means that we come together with others who know God to eat and drink, to sing and dance, and to relate stories of God’s action for our lives and our people. What role has and does this discipline play in your life? Extra credit: How many spiritual disciplines can you name?4 6. What does Jesus say to the merchants he drives out of the Temple? a) What sins are being condemned in Jer 7:9-15, Zech 14:20-21, Mal 3:1- 5? What was Jesus condemning? b) Read 2 Sam 7:2,7; 1 Kings 8:27-29, Is 66:1. How attached was God to the first Temple? c) What is the meaning of “temple” (or “house”) in each of the following: 1 Pet 2:4-5, 1 Cor 6:19, Heb 9:11-12. What was Jesus’ meaning? What does this imply about the use of a Temple in the new covenant? d) Read Jn 4:21-24, Acts 7:48. Given the role of the Temple in the new covenant, what would be a modern prophetic warning equivalent to Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple? (Extra credit: Explain how Ezekiel’s prophecy in Ezek 40-46 meshes with the Temple in the new covenant.) 7. John describes eight miraculous signs in chapters 2-11, and many more additional miracles. His response to his Mother makes it sound like he doesn’t want to perform miracles yet. Do you agree? Why would Jesus say this, when he performs many public miracles before his “hour?” Is it possible that Jesus knows something at the end of his conversation with Mary that he didn’t at the beginning?

4 The list from Willard’s book includes solitude, silence, fasting, frugality, chastity, secrecy, sacrifice, study, worship, celebration, service, prayer, fellowship, confession and submission

* Questions