Water Made Wine: John 2:1-11

John 2:1‑11
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IT will be noticed that John, in his history of the Saviour, pursues a line altogether different from the other evangelists. The reason of this is that while Matthew, Mark and Luke present the Lord to us in various human characters―as Messiah, Servant, and Son of Man, John sets forth His essential Deity. In the course of his exposition of this marvelous theme, he gives us a set of seven miracles, rightly called in the Revised Version “Signs.” Four of them were performed in Galilee and three in Judea.
The first of these signs was wrought in Cana, soon after the Saviour emerged from the retirement of Nazareth, and before His first visit to Jerusalem as a Prophet. He had been invited with His disciples to a wedding feast, His mother being there also (John 2:1-111And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: 2And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. 3And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. 4Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. 5His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. 6And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. 7Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. 8And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. 9When 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, 10And 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. 11This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. (John 2:1‑11)). Unlike His herald, John the Baptist, our Lord was no ascetic (Luke 7:33-3433For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil. 34The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! (Luke 7:33‑34)). He was the most accessible and gracious of men. Marriage is a divine institution; He would signify His respect for it by His presence at its celebration when called. In a world of evil, marriage is an immense moral safeguard for men, and is “honorable in all” (Heb. 13:44Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. (Hebrews 13:4)). “Forbidding to marry” is one of the predicted marks of the apostasy (1 Tim. 4:33Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. (1 Timothy 4:3)). Amongst the notable first preachers of Christianity Paul seems to have been the only unmarried man. Peter and the other apostles took their wives with them on their missionary journeys (1 Cor. 9:55Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? (1 Corinthians 9:5)).
The wine ran out at Cana. Mary drew the Lord’s attention to the fact, evidently prompting Him to perform a miracle. It is noteworthy that He immediately rebuffed her. Only on two occasions do we find Mary intruding herself into the Lord’s matters of service, and on each occasion He set her aside. (Compare Matthew 12:46-5046While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. 47Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. 48But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? 49And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 50For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. (Matthew 12:46‑50); John 2:3-43And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. 4Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. (John 2:3‑4)). Intensely devoted to her though He was as son to mother, He would not stiffer a merely natural relationship to influence the course of sacred things. All who reverence the Scriptures will see in these records a warning given beforehand against the superstitious blunder, now widely prevalent, of attributing intercessory and mediatorial powers to Mary.
The feast-chamber at Cana was furnished with water-pots, but even they were empty, sadly suggestive of the emptiness of all earthly joy and delight. At the Saviour’s word the pots were filled with water, which became instantly transformed into wine of such excellent quality as to draw forth high praise from the master of the feast. “Every man at the beginning loth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.” What Christ gives is necessarily superior to anything this world can afford. We are hereby reminded in a typical way of the pure joy with which even earth will be filled in the day of Christ’s Kingdom. When He who now sits upon the Father’s throne is established upon His own throne in Zion, all earth’s woes will be brought to an end. He will fill the whole scene with peace and blessing.
Meanwhile the wine is suggestive of the profound truth that all blessing for men, whether now or in “the world to come” is founded upon redeeming blood. For the Saviour ere He went on high appointed a cup of wine as the abiding memorial of His own most precious blood (Matt. 26:2727And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; (Matthew 26:27)).