John Chapter 2A

Quotes about the Gospel of John:

1. “Our plain duty is to commit our way unto the Lord and then leave Him to supply our need in His own good time and manner.” – A.W. Pink
2. “It is good to run short that we may be driven to the Lord by our necessity, for He will more than supply it” – Charles Spurgeon.
3. “It is a blessed need that makes room for Jesus to come in with miracles of love” – Charles Spurgeon.

First Miracle at the Wedding in Cana

Read John 2:1 – Ask yourself – Why does the writer of John start with “On the third day”? What day is it?  

• On the 3^rd day from the previous day mentioned in 1:43. The 3^rd day is really the 7^th day.
  • Day 1 – John 1:19 – The day before Jesus arrives from the Temptation. John the Baptizer meets with delegation from Jerusalem. They ask if he is Elijah. 
  • Day 2 – John 1:29 – Baptizer introduces Jesus to the crowd as “behold the Lamb of God”.
  • Day 3 – John 1:35 – Baptizer is still at Bethany across the Jordan baptizing and this is when he introduces Andrew and “another disciple” to Jesus and they follow.
  • Day 4 – John 1:43 – Peter finds Philp and brings him to Christ. Philp finds Nathanael and brings him to Christ.
  • Day 5 and 6 – They are traveling to Cana for the wedding. 2-day journey from Bethany across the Jordan River.

Read John 2:2-4 – Ask yourself – Was Jesus being disrespectful to His mother by saying, Woman, what does this have to do with me?”

• Jewish wedding feast sometimes lasted 7 days (Jacob and Leah Genesis 29 & Judges 14:17 Samson’s wedding). Inviting as many people as possible would bring honor to the family. Running out of wine would have brough shame to the family (Cultural Background Study Bible NIV).
  • In Jesus day the culture was an Honor and Shame culture. Bringing shame on a family could cause them to be ostracized from community.
  • Wine was an essential part of celebrating. The failure of having enough wine could show bad hospitality.
• Vs. 3 & 4 – Mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine”. And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me”?
  • Calling her “Woman” was NOT a sign of disrespect it is similar to the English word “Ma’am”. It is not what you would normally say to your mother.
  • “what does this have to do with me”. Some translations say, “with us”. This is a Hebrew idiom that literal can be translated “what to me and to you”. What does this have to do with us.
    • This idiom was used 6 times in the New Testament. Once here and the other 5 times by demons in Mathew. Mathew 8:29.
  • Jesus is indicating to His mother the shift that is happening. Jesus is differentiating Himself now between being her son to being the Son of God. His ministry has begun. This is a stumbling block for Catholics, because they believe the mother of Jesus is Holy, but Jesus is making it clear that is not the case. Good example of Jesus making sure everyone understands this look at Luke 11:27-28 and Mark 3:32-35.
  • It is worth pointing out that Catholics believe that the holy mother Mary is the intercessor between us and God. A mediator for us because we cannot approach a Holy Father. This is false teaching. Jesus is our mediator between us and our Holy Father. Because of Him we are able to approach without sacrifices or human intercessors. 1 Timothy 2:5. Last lesson talked about Jesus being the Stairway to Heaven.
• “My hour has not yet come”. It is not time to display His glory. All commentators say this is reference to His death. Ancient sources sometimes spoke of one’s appointed “hour” or “time” to die (Cultural Background Study Bible NIV).
• Vs. 5 – Mary tells the servants “do whatever he tells you”. This is exactly what we should do as well.

Read John 2:6 – Ask yourself – Why did the writer of the Gospel of John include 6 when referencing the stone jars?

• 6 is the number for man. Genesis 1:27. Imperfect. The stone jars represented the Law.

Read John 2:6 Ask yourself – What was the “Jewish rites of purification”?

• This was additions added to the Law given by God. No where in the Old Testament does God command to “wash your hands” To see all the Laws that God laid out for the Israelites you can find them in Leviticus chapters 11-15.
• The Jewish rites of purification can be seen in Mark 7:3-4.

Read John 2:7-10 Ask yourself who is the master of the feast?

• The master of the feast or some translations say master of the banquet was the head waiter like at a nice restaurant. It was an honorary office involved overseeing entertainment and distribution of wine.
• Vs. 9 – the master of the feast had just tasted the best wine he had ever had. As the wedding feast went on because some could last 7 days the wine would become watered down and ferment. The master of the feast knows good wine and he realized this was not watered down and was pure. God only serves the best and most perfect of anything.
• The water pots are for Old Covenant Jewish ritual cleaning. Jesus turns the water to new wine symbolizing the Old Covenant is passing a way. Jesus is the new full of grace and truth John1:16-17. Jesus is the new wine, the joy that has been missing. New Covenant full of liberty and free of the condemnation of sin. Mathew 9:16-17. Cannot change the Old. Old is replaced with New. The New Age. The Messianic Age.

Read John 2:11-12 – This water to wine was the first miracle Jesus performs and begins His ministry from there.

• At Cana, a small portion of the world understood that God was present. In a humble village wedding, with rough stone water jars, unobtrusively, God was there. Shortly after the first wedding mentioned in Genesis 2 the glory of God was lost. At Cana, the glory of God was back at a wedding again, a sign of a new beginning.
• Vs. 12 Jesus leaves with His mother and His brothers and His disciples, but there is not mention of His earthly Father. More than likely Joseph is dead.