CHAPTER 2

1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:
2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.
3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.
4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.
5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

Soon after Jesus' conversation with Nathanael, He (and his disciples) attended a wedding.
They ran out of wine at the feast, and Mary pointed it out to Jesus.

This was at the beginning of Jesus' public ministry.
He had not yet performed any miracle (save that of telling Nathanael of His presence during Nathanael's devotion and prayer time).

Mary showed her faith in Jesus.
Physically, He was her son.
Spiritually, He was her LORD!
To Him she presented the need and her desire.
But she left it totally to Him.

In our prayers, do we try to direct our LORD; or do we simply place our petition humbly, and leave it all to Him?

Jesus' address to Mary was "Woman;" not, as we would say, "Mother."
Was this a reproof?
I think not.
Again, she was ONLY His "mother" by His own design!
The term "Woman" was intended as respectful (See John 19:26).

The statement "What have I do do with thee?" showed Jesus had now placed a distinctive separation between Him and His physical family for the purpose of His spiritual ministry.
Further, Jesus said, "..mine hour is not yet come."
They may not have been completely OUT of wine.
Jesus probably wanted to wait until there was a definite NEED.
Jesus performs miracles not for our want, but for our need!

Despite the mild reproof, and the requirement to wait, Mary told the servants to watch Jesus and do whatever He said.
Her faith KNEW He would do something, and that something would be RIGHT!

When we are unable to supply our own need, we can rely upon Christ to do what is RIGHT!

6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.
7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.
8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.

Take note the "waterpots" were "after the manner of purifying of the Jews" and that they were "two or three firkins apiece."

The waterpots were used for washing hands before and after feast time!
The miracle of salvation by Jesus is that He can take our filthiness and make it clean and useful!

A "firkin" is from the Greek metretes and is considered to be about 9 gallons!
Six of these waterpots would contain in excess of FIFTY gallons!
God supplies not only our NEED, but His grace is "exceeding abundant" (1Timothy 1:14) in Christ Jesus!

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

When the servants carried the water to the "ruler of the feast," it "was made wine!"
Here is a miracle only God can perform! He changed water to wine!
Here is a fulfillment of prophecy (See Psalm 104:14-15).

God has allowed the usage of wine (See Hosea 2:8-9); but takes it away when misused.
God gives solemn warning about desiring wine (See Proverbs 23:31-32).

Make no mistake, this miracle of Jesus provided REAL wine.
The "ruler of the feast" remarked to the "bridegroom" that it was "good wine."
For there is a "time to every purpose under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
There is a time "to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;"
(Ecclesiastes 3:4).
However, let us not forget the adomonishment of God against desiring the things of the world in excess; and to only partake of them in "moderation" (See Philippians 4:5; Luke 21:34).

John tells us this was "the beginning of miracles" that Jesus did. It was the FIRST.
Many more would follow!
They would all be miracles only God could perform!

There were two main purposes for Jesus' miracles:
1. That "His glory" would be known as God come in flesh;
2. That "His disciples" would have unrestrained faith in Him.

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.
13 And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,
14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:
15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;
16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.
17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

Jesus moved to Capernaum from His home town of Nazareth (See Luke 4:16-31).

John points out Jesus did not stay in Capernaum very long, upon this first move.
The reason was that "the Jews' passover was at hand."
Jesus made the trip to Jerusalem.

When they arrived Jesus saw "in the temple" people selling animals and changing money for a fee!

Jewish males were required to attend certain feasts in Jerusalem (See Exodus 23:17; and Deuteronomy 16:16).
At these feasts, they were not to appear "empty."
They were to BRING sacrifices.
HOWEVER, they had long since dropped that practice in favor of purchasing their sacrifices "in the temple!"
Their action suggested an attitude that God was NOT WORTH THE TROUBLE!

Therefore, there were people who were making "merchandise" of the church!
The merchants were making profit from their sale of sacrificial animals and from exchanging money!

Jesus, with the austere performance of a prophet, chased the merchants from the temple.
The merchants KNEW they were wrong, therefore they did not resist.
Also, they were taught to respect the authority of the prophet.

The disciples remembered Psalm 69:9:
"For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me."
A desire for righteousness STANDS UP and SPEAKS OUT when God is "reproached!"

18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
21 But he spake of the temple of his body.
22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

Some of the Jews wanted to know WHY Jesus had done this.
They realized He assumed the position of a prophet, but wanted to know more about his authority to BE a prophet.

Jesus made the answer simple, yet enigmatic.
John informs us that Jesus was speaking of the temple as His "body" (see verse 21).
The body IS the "temple of the Holy Ghost." (See 1Corinthians 6:19).
Jesus' body is the eternal temple of the Holy Spirit (See Colossians 2:9).

He Who called matter from nothing; He Who flung the worlds in space by His Word; could He not rear a simple temple in three days?

They might destroy the "body," but He would "raise it up" again "in three days."
This is prophetic of some three years later, when Jesus would return and AGAIN cleanse the temple.
However, that time, they would crucify Him; and, He would be resurrected within three days!

23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.
24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,
25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.

At that time, on the first visit of His official ministry, "many believed in His Name!"
Many believed He was Messiah because of the miracles He performed.

Jesus knew the fickle nature of mankind.
He knew that this tremendous belief could soon turn to a riotous form.
Jesus also knew that there was yet more work to be done before time for Him to die.
Therefore, He did not "commit," or remain long in Jerusalem.

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