1The third day, there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there. 2Jesus also was invited, with his disciples, to the wedding. 3When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no wine.”
4Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with you and me? My hour has not yet come.”
5His mother said to the servants, “Whatever he says to you, do it.”
6Now there were six water pots of stone set there after the Jews’ way of purifying, containing two or three metretes apiece. 7Jesus said to them, “Fill the water pots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim. 8He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the ruler of the feast.” So they took it. 9When the ruler of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and didn’t know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the ruler of the feast called the bridegroom 10and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when the guests have drunk freely, then that which is worse. You have kept the good wine until now!” 11This beginning of his signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
12After this, he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; and they stayed there a few days.
13The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14He found in the temple those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, and the changers of money sitting. 15He made a whip of cords and drove all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the changers’ money and overthrew their tables. 16To those who sold the doves, he said, “Take these things out of here! Don’t make my Father’s house a marketplace!” 17His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will eat me up.”
18The Jews therefore answered him, “What sign do you show us, seeing that you do these things?”
19Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
20The Jews therefore said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple! Will you raise it up in three days?” 21But he spoke of the temple of his body. 22When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.
23Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in his name, observing his signs which he did. 24But Jesus didn’t entrust himself to them, because he knew everyone, 25and because he didn’t need for anyone to testify concerning man; for he himself knew what was in man.
Jesus Saw a Need and Filled It
Jesus Saw a Need and He Met It
9 When the ruler of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and didn’t know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the ruler of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when the guests have drunk freely, then that which is worse. You have kept the good wine until now!” 11 This beginning of his signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
There is much to say about the Wedding in Cana. This was the first miracle of Jesus’ ministry. That’s a big deal. It tells us that marriage and our joy are important to God. Marriage was instituted in the Garden of Eden because it was not good for man to be alone, and God created Eve, a suitable helper for Adam. There in the Garden, God performed the first wedding ceremony when He said, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24 NKJV) In entering into marriage, a man and a woman become “one flesh.” The man must selflessly leave part of who he is behind. The woman does likewise. It is the most intimate, selfless human act as two persons naked before each other become “one”. God loves commitment. God loves selflessness. God loves marriage. And, human beings need one another. Marriage is the backbone of human existence.
There at the wedding, the wine ran out. The exchange between Mother Mary and Jesus is odd. The dialogue seems strange and harsh. We’ve heard it preached in a dozen different ways. I think the important takeaway is that Jesus saw a need and He met it. He was concerned about the joy of the wedding banquet. Jesus turned the water into wine only in the presence of the servants. They knew what had happened. No one else saw it. They had seen God at work. When the ruler of the feast was brought the wine to taste, he was drinking wine that God had instantly made, and it was probably the best wine that he had ever drunk in his life. His comment was that the “good stuff” is usually brought out first so that those drinking can’t tell the difference when the lower quality stuff is brought out later. Jesus saw a need. Jesus filled the need. Jesus filled the need beyond anyone’s expectation. And, He does the same thing in our lives.
God began his spiritual walk with men and women at a wedding in the Garden of Eden. In the fullness of time, He chose to be born as a man and entered His human ministry to mankind at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. God met every need that Adam and Eve had. They then rebelled, and sin entered the world. In the fullness of time, God sent His Son, Jesus, who came and met our need for redemption. The first interaction with men and women was in the Garden of Eden, and then, thousands of years later, at the wedding in Cana. Scripture tells us that the Church, the worldwide Body of Believers, is and will be the bride of the Messiah forever. It will be an intimate relationship of commitment between God and His people. And we will all dine together again at the great Marriage Feast of the Lamb.