Jesus turns water into wine (John 2:1-25):

•“On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.”

The “third day” was not the third day of the week, but is believed to refer to the third day after Nathaniel became a follower of Jesus.

Most scholars believe Khirbet Kana, over eight miles from Nazareth, to be the location of “Cana.”

Water Into Wine

•“Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples.”

Weddings were weeklong festivals with banquets with many distinguished guests and prominent teachers.

The source of invitation cannot be known. Evidently, John considered it enough to know that Jesus and His disciples, and His mother were invited and that they attended.

•“When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”

Many times the whole town would attend weddings. It was considered an insult to refuse and invitation.

This required careful planning. The host was to provide enough wine to last for seven days. To run out of wine at a wedding would have been a social blunder — a source of embarrassment to the family for years.

Jesus’ mother, knowing He could perform the miracle of creating wine out of nothing, apparently hoped her remark would enlist His aid.

•“And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”

“Woman” was a respectful address and was used much the same as “ma’am” today. However, it was not a customary term for one’s mother. Most believe Jesus’ statement was intended to establish a polite distance.

Nevertheless, a mild and respectful reproof of his mother cannot be separated from this.

Jesus’ reference to “My hour” is a reference to the cross. Jesus was saying He would begin doing miracles when He began His journey to the cross.

•“His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’”

Mary left the outcome in Jesus’ hands and at the same time, did not take “no” for an answer. She was confident Jesus would handle the situation in the best possible manner.

Many ancient Bible teachers used Mary’s act of confidence as a demonstration of strong faith.

•“Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.

Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.”

The six stone water jars, holding 20 to 30 gallons each, were being reserved for ritual purposes and would have been enough to fill a Jewish immersion pool used for ceremonial purification.

•“And he said to them, ‘Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.’

“So they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from, the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.”

The miracle of turning water into wine is a a lite creative act of God incarnate.