Jesus' First Miracle

Prelude

What was the first epiphany or miracle in your life? A Jewish wedding and fine wine entailed a surprise divine encounter. Purpose: Let’s encounter the kingdom of God pictured in God’s provision for a marriage. Plan: Let’s examine how a wedding at Cana portrays an epiphany of the kingdom of God in John 2:1-11.

A Jewish Wedding

“On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.” (John 2:1-2 NKJV)

Jesus and his disciples were invited to a marriage feast at Cana. Weddings then were family arrangements, not state or church weddings. The parents approved the marriage and the engagement was as binding as a marriage contract is today. Once agreed to, the groom may have taken a year to build a house or addition onto his parents’ home. Then he came for his bride. With great celebration they entered their new dwelling to consummate the marriage. Only then did the festivities begin, and lasted a week. The whole community celebrated. A large amount of food and wine was needed. That’s why Jesus’ first sign of turning water into wine needed to supply perhaps as much as 120-180 US gallons.

Wine

“And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, ‘They have no wine.’” (John 2:3 NKJV)

Abraham was blessed by Melchizedek, the priest of God, serving wine and bread (Genesis 14:17-19). Wine is a blessing (Genesis 27:28; Deuteronomy 33:28, Isaiah 36:17) from God (Deuteronomy 11:14), an offering (Exodus 29:40) which pleased God (Numbers 15:7), imbibed at festivals in his presence (Deuteronomy 14:23, 26, Proverbs 31:6). It gladdens the heart (Psalm 104:14-15) and life (Ecclesiastes 10:19). New wine ferments, needing new wineskins (Matthew 9:17). John abstained from wine, but Jesus did not (Luke 7:33-34), turning water to wine (John 2:3-9). Paul encouraged Timothy to take a little wine (I Timothy 5:23). Mountains dripping with sweet wine symbolize God’s kingdom (Amos 9:13-14).

What Hour?

“Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.’” (John 2:4 NKJV)

At Cana Jesus provided abundantly for a relatively trivial need. He reminded his mother that his hour had not yet come. What hour? Later, authorities could not arrest Jesus because his hour had not yet come (John 7:30; 8:20) and much later Jesus said that his hour to be glorified had come (John 12:20-24). It was his hour to leave this world (John 13:1). He prayed about that hour of great difficulty and yet also glory (John 12:27-28; 17:1). The wedding wine at Cana reminds us of the communion cup in remembrance of his death. This miracle reminds us how Jesus is able to do immeasurably more than we ask (Ephesians 3:20).

An Epiphany

“His mother said to the servants, ‘Whatever He says to you, do it.’ Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the waterpots with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, ‘Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.’ And they took it. When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, ‘Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!’ This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.” (John 2:5-11 NKJV)

The wedding at Cana was the first of Jesus’ signs. That sign was an epiphany, a revelation of who Jesus Christ was. Turning water into wine was the first sign through which he revealed his glory. The result was that the disciples believed. The water turned to wine is an epiphany of the waters of baptism turned into blessings that will appear when Jesus comes again to set up his kingdom. The water which was regularly used for symbolic purification and symbolizes our baptism, becomes a Christian ritual performed only once as Jesus’ sacrifice was once and for all. Like that water, the water of baptism is miraculously changed into the power of the Holy Spirit and fire of Pentecost.

Postlude

Jesus will drink wine with His disciples when the fullness of His kingdom comes. Cana is also our first miracle, a foretaste into the great wedding feast of the Bridegroom who comes for his Holy Bride, the Church. As Jesus provides wine for the feast, so does He provide us a kingdom with abundant and miraculous provision.