
John 2:1-11
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to me and to you? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the person in charge of the banquet.” So they took it. 9 When the person in charge tasted the water that had become wine and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), that person called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee and revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.
A Wedding
The wedding at Cana in John 2:1-11 is a significant theological statement in the Reformed tradition. It highlights God’s grace, covenantal blessings, and Christ’s transformative power. The story unfolds during a joyous wedding but quickly turns into a divine revelation that reveals Jesus’ mission and identity as the Messiah.
The passage begins with Jesus and his disciples attending a wedding in Cana, a cultural and theological event. Weddings in ancient Jewish culture were communal celebrations symbolizing God’s creation of a covenant relationship. Jesus’ attendance emphasizes His affirmation of creation and life’s joys.
However, the party is suddenly interrupted. The crisis of running out of wine disrupts the celebration. In Jewish tradition, as with many modern celebrations, wine represents joy, abundance, and life. The depletion of wine could lead to social embarrassment and overshadow the joyous occasion. It would, at the very least, slow the party down.
The Theological Implications of the Miracle
When Mary informs Jesus about the lack of wine, it sparks a conversation that reveals much about Jesus’ relation to His mother and His mission. Jesus’ response, “Woman, what concern is that to me and to you? My hour has not yet come” (John 2:4), might initially seem dismissive; however, a deeper exploration reveals that Jesus is indicating the profound shift from familial ties to His heavenly mission. His “hour” refers to the time of His ultimate revelation in glory through His death and resurrection. This response emphasizes that Jesus prioritizes His divine mission over societal expectations or familial relationships. In Reformed thought, this is reflective of an essential tenet in that it posits God’s sovereignty over all aspects of life. (Calvin)[1]
The miracle itself—transforming six stone jars of water into wine—is laden with rich theological symbolism. The stone jars in this story are for Jewish rites of purification, pointing to the Old Covenant, which emphasized ritual cleansing and adherence to the Law (Exodus 30:18-21). In turning water, which symbolizes ritual purity, into wine, Jesus manifests the inauguration of a new covenant—a covenant of grace, and the wine represents his blood. The abundance of wine produced (approximately 120 to 180 gallons) emphasizes not only the generosity of God’s grace but also points to Christ as the fulfillment of the Old Testament sacrificial system (Hebrews 9:11-14)[2].
The act is reminiscent of the messianic banquet imagery prevalent in the Hebrew Scriptures (Isaiah 25:6-8), where joy and abundance would signify God’s blessing and restoration of His creation. Here, we see the inauguration of that eschatological hope: Jesus not only provides for the immediate need but also foreshadows the greater fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan through Himself.
The Response of Faith
The climax of the narrative culminates in the response of the disciples: “and his disciples believed in him” (John 2:11). This declaration underlines the sovereign action of God in evoking faith. Faith is a gift from God, rooted in the initiative of grace rather than human merit (Ephesians 2:8-9). The miracle signifies the revealing of Christ’s glory, which not only strengthens the faith of His disciples but also serves as a call to all believers to recognize Jesus as the ultimate source of joy and salvation. (Calvin)[3]
Conclusion: A Foretaste of Greater Glory
The wedding at Cana is more than a physical miracle; it embodies profound theological truths about Christ’s redemption for us; it showcases God’s sovereign grace, covenantal fulfillment, and the ultimate restoration of creation through Christ. Divine blessings, in this case, are symbolized by the good wine and, therefore, encouraged to partake and celebrate the joyous communal event of marriage. Those who come to believe are encouraged to participate in the joy and hope of knowing Christ, who transforms and redeems all aspects of life. This miracle foreshadows believers’ eschatological hope in Christ, who will restore all creation, culminating in a divine banquet where God’s people will rejoice in His eternal presence.
In the Gospel of John, “signs” emphasize Jesus’s actions’ deeper meaning and purpose. The term “sign” suggests indicators of a greater truth, revealing Jesus’s identity as the Son of God and divine authority. John focuses on the theological implications, emphasizing the signs’ role in illuminating Jesus’s mission and God’s kingdom. The signs provoke belief and faith in Jesus, as John highlights the reactions of faith they elicit. Unlike the Synoptic Gospels, John frames the signs as part of a deliberate revelation of Jesus’s glory and divine nature.
“Signs” emphasizes that these events are not just astonishing but carry profound meaning, urging the audience to recognize Jesus and respond in faith.[4]
Reflection for Contemplation
As we reflect on the wedding at Cana, look for the profound theological truths that underlie this miracle: God’s sovereign grace, covenantal fulfillment, and the ultimate restoration of creation through Christ. The miracle of turning water into wine is not just a physical act but a sign of the redemption that Christ brings to all aspects of life. It is a foreshadowing of the eschatological hope all Christians have in Christ.
In the face of this miracle, we are reminded that faith is a gift from God, rooted in the initiative of grace rather than human merit. We are called to respond in faith, to recognize Jesus as the ultimate source of joy and salvation. As we gaze upon the signs of Christ’s glory, we are urged to acknowledge Jesus and respond in faith, to trust in His sovereign power and gracious love. Will we respond to the signs of Christ’s glory with faith and obedience, or will we miss the profound meaning and purpose that underlies these events? The choice is ours, but the promise of redemption and restoration is clear: Christ is the ultimate source of joy and salvation, and His glory will be revealed to all.
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. AMEN.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bultmann, R. K. (1976). The Gospel of John: A Commentary. (Archive.org) Retrieved January 2025, from Archive.org: https://archive.org/details/gospelofjohnco00bult
Calvin, J. (n.d.). Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 1 and 2. In J. T. McNeill (Ed.), Institutes of the Christian Religion, (F. L. Battles, Trans., Vol. I). Philadephia: The Westminster Press.
NIV Study Bible. (2011). Grand rapids, MI: Zondervan.
NRSVue. (2022). NRSVue Holy Bible with Deuterocanonical/Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
[1] God’s Sovereignty: Jesus prioritizes His divine mission over societal expectations or familial relationships, citing Jesus’ response in John 2:4. This is reflective of the Reformed tradition’s emphasis on God’s sovereignty over all aspects of life (emphasis in the article). To support this claim, one can refer to Calvin’s Institutes (1559), specifically Book 1, Chapter 17, Points 1-3 (Calvin, 1559, 1.17.1-3).
[2] The New Covenant: The transformation of the stone jars of water into wine as a sign of the inauguration of a new covenant—a covenant of grace, where wine represents Christ’s blood. This thought is supported by Hebrews 9:11-14, which mentions the inauguration of a new covenant through the death of Christ. To further elaborate on this concept, one can consult the book of Hebrews, specifically chapters 8-10, which explore the contrast between the Old and New Covenants (Hebrews 8.7-13, 9.15-22, 10.1-18).
[3] Faith as a Gift: Faith is a gift from God, rooted in the initiative of grace rather than human merit (Ephesians 2:8-9). This concept is a central tenet of Reformed theology, and one can find further discussion in Calvin’s Institutes, specifically Book 3, Chapter 2, “Faith: Its Definition Set Forth, and Its Properties Explained” (Calvin, 1559, 3.2).
[4] Jesus’ Signs: In the Gospel of John, signs reveal Jesus’ identity as the Son of God and divine authority. This idea is also in line with the book’s emphasis on the signs of Christ’s glory (John 20:31, 21:25). To explore this concept further, one can consult Rudolf Bultmann’s book The Gospel of John (Bultmann, 1976). See bibliography for URL.
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