João 2

Water into wine

1 On the third day*Counting from when? 1:19-28 happened on one day; 1:29-34 happened the next (2nd) day; 1:35-42 happened the next (3rd) day; 1:43-51 happened the next (4th) day. So the third day here must count from the last day mentioned (1:43-51), although it could (and in Jewish thought probably did) include it. The wedding started that day, but such weddings often lasted several days (and the wine would run out toward the end, if it did). Jesus and His disciples (four?) probably had about an 80-mile walk, 55 miles up the Jordan valley (relatively smooth and straight) and 25 of rougher terrain. Since they did all their traveling on foot, and were therefore used to it, they could easily make the distance in two days. a wedding took place in Cana of Galilee, and Jesus' mother was there. 2 Now both Jesus and His disciples had been invited to the wedding.*The disciples had been invited in their own right, before they were disciples. 3 So when the wine had given out, Jesus' mother says to Him, "They don’t have any wine!" 4 Jesus says to her: "What is that to you and me, woman?*Jesus was not being disrespectful; this was a normal form of address. My time has not yet come."*I conclude from 1:43 that Jesus was at that wedding on purpose, and probably had an idea of what would happen. Perhaps He was testing His mother’s faith, and maybe her determination. However, as He declares, He was not yet ready to really go public—He would do that in Jerusalem, as recorded in 2:13-25. He would start with a bang, right in the Temple! 5 His mother says to the servants, "Do whatever He may tell you."*Mary was evidently in a position to issue orders, which leads me to suspect that she was the mother of the bride, which would also explain why Jesus made a special effort to get there. From verse 12 below, it appears that the whole family was there.

6 (Now there were six stone waterpots set there, according to the purification rites of the Jews, containing 20 or 30 gallons each.) 7 Jesus says to them, "Fill the pots with water." So they filled them to the brim.*That was a lot of water! If it was toward the end of the festivity, there would presumably be a great deal of wine left over. Such excellent wine would bring a good price; perhaps Jesus chose this way to give the new couple a financial boost. 8 So He says to them, "Now, draw some out and take it to the master of ceremonies." So they took it. 9 Well, when the master of ceremonies tasted the water*Wine has color and smell, as well as flavor—I wonder at what point the water took on those characteristics. Perhaps it was only as the servant handed the goblet to the master, so that the servants had drawn and carried ‘water’; they obeyed what seemed to them to be a strange order. that had become wine—he did not know where it came from, but the servants who had drawn the water knew—he calls the bridegroom 10 and says to him: "Everybody serves the good wine first, then, when people are intoxicated, the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!"

11 This, the first of the miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee and revealed His glory;*Jesus "revealed His glory". In what sense? As Jehovah the Son He was the Creator of this world. Transforming water into wine was an act of creation. The chemical components that distinguish wine from water had to be created on the spot, and mixed with the water. This "first miraculous sign" was simply tremendous—it revealed Jesus as Creator. However, although presumably all the guests drank of this new wine, being tipsy they may not have realized what went on. Only the disciples, the servants, and of course Mary, knew what had really happened. Apparently this miracle was not broadcast at that time—like Jesus said, not yet. (Neither Matthew, Mark nor Luke were there, but John, the author of this Gospel, probably was; in which case we have an eyewitness account [John and James were partners with Peter and Andrew; so since Peter and Andrew were invited they probably were too].) and His disciples believed into Him.