The wedding with the choice wine (John 2a)

John 2:1-12
Key verse 2:11

One day when I was still a preschooler, my father took me to a wedding for the first time in my life. I saw one man and one woman standing in front of many people. The people blessed them. Then I learned that I too should do the same when I grew old, which scared me because I didn’t like to stand before people. But I have got married already for twenty-nine years and I have three grown-up children. Hallelujah! Marriage is God’s blessing so a wedding is a most joyful occasion in our life. Today I am going to talk about wedding – not my wedding but a very special wedding Jesus attended. The title of my message is “The wedding with the choice wine.”

Chapter 1 declares that Jesus is God and he came into the world in flesh and made known God to us. And John and Jesus’ disciples testified that this Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of God. Chapters 2-11 prove this Jesus by way of seven signs (20:30-31). Today we are going to talk about the wedding Jesus attends. The wedding is so special because Jesus reveals his first sign there. We will talk about the sign and also about its meaning and significance. I pray that Jesus may show the same sign to you also so that you may be filled with heavenly joy.

1 On the third day, a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.

To Jewish people, the third day referred to Tuesday, which was their favorite day for a wedding. But it can also refer to the third day after Jesus’ narration with Nathanael. As he rose from the dead on the third day, Jesus likely would do an amazing thing on the third day at the outset of his public ministry. Usually, Jewish wedding took place about one year after they were betrothed. A wedding is a most joyful occasion in our life. At my wedding day, I was nervous but also so excited and joyful. Many people came and congratulated me and my wife. I proudly marched with my wife before them. That day I felt that the whole world existed only for me and my wife. This kind of joy and excitement was much more expressed in the Jewish wedding. The bridegroom and groom were treated as king and queen. All their relatives and friends and all their neighbors were invited. It lasted a week. During the wedding week, people didn’t have to fast because it was the day God blessed.

Jesus’ mother was there and Jesus and his disciples were invited to the wedding. All the guests expected great food and wine and entertainment. But soon the wedding went awry. The wine was gone!

3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” 4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

The Jewish wine was made from grapes and was less intoxicated than beer today. Psalm 104:15 says that wine gladdens human hearts. So wine was essential at a wedding as it cheered people. Without wine, however, the wedding would turn out to be like a wedding reception with McDonald’s hamburgers only on the tables. The bridegroom, who hosted the wedding, would be greatly embarrassed and he could be even sued. Wedding should be a joyful occasion but this wedding could be ruined because the wine ran out. This was a serious problem.

Then, Jesus’ mother stepped in this matter. Perhaps, she was involved in the wedding in some way. When she found out that the wine was gone, she brought it up to Jesus, “They have no more wine.” It looked like that there was no way for her to get extra wine from somewhere. So she hoped that Jesus would do something about it since she knew who Jesus was. However, Jesus turned down her request, saying, “Woman, why do you involve me? My hour has not yet come.” It sounds impolite and cold to us today. But it was not. He politely expressed that he didn’t want to be involved in this matter. Why? It was because his hour had not come yet.

His hour in the book of John eventually referred to the time when Jesus would be glorified through his death and resurrection. But here it simply meant that the time for his self-manifestation as Messiah had not come yet. In chapter 1, Jesus revealed himself to the world through John but he had not engaged in his public ministry until he went to Capernaum as was seen in 2:12. Jesus had lived as a son to his mother so far but from now on he should live as the Son of God. He would work according to God’s will and time rather than his mother’s will and time or his own. That was why he politely turned down his mother’s request. However, his mother was not dejected. Rather, she respected Jesus as Messiah and then prepared the servants for him in hope that he would do something according to his will and time schedule. Anyway, she could not but depend on Jesus because there was no one else who could solve the problem. We should do the same as she did when we are helpless. Wait him and see how God works for you. 

6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so,

Then Jesus began to work. How did he solve the no-wine problem? Nearby stood six stone jars, which were used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants to fill the jars with water. What was he doing? What they needed was wine not water! Jesus did not explain to them why he needed water. It is very hard to do something that doesn’t make sense. Regardless, the servants obeyed Jesus, filling the jars to the brim, which showed that they did not just pretend to fill the jars but fully obeyed Jesus until the jars became full of water. Then Jesus told them to draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet. Still, Jesus did not say why. The master of the banquet was the one who made sure that the guests had enough to eat and drink. He would be mad, saying, “What are you doing? Are you kidding me?” But the servants did as Jesus said. What happened then?

9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

Amazingly, when the servants took the water to the master of the banquet, the water had already been turned into wine! The wine was so good that he praised the bridegroom. To save the wedding expenses, some hosts brought good wine first and then cheaper one later when guests got drunk and could not tell it. But the wine that was brought later was far better than the early one. It was super better than Domaine de la Romanee-Conti (DRC), which is the most expensive wine produced in Burgundy, France. After tasting the new wine Jesus produced, the master of the banquet was happy with the wine. “Wow, this is the best wine I have ever tasted!” He enjoyed the wine but did not know where it had come from. However, the servants who had drawn the water knew. They knew that Jesus changed the water into the wine by his divine power.

The difference between the master of the banquet and the servants was that one enjoyed only the wine but the others knew the source of the wine. Which one was more blessed? The servants! The wine would be gone anyway but their knowledge of and experience with Jesus would last long. Likewise, we should not just enjoy his blessing. The rue blessing is to know the source of the blessing, which is Jesus. To experience Jesus, we need to follow him and obey his word even if we do not understand it now. Then you will know later as the servants did.   

What happened next after Jesus changed the water into the wine? Everyone at the wedding enjoyed the wine so much. The wine was the best and it was enough (120-180 gallons) for all the people there to drink for the rest of the wedding. No more wine problem! They were all happy with the wine Jesus produced. The people blessed the bridegroom and the groom, drinking the wine and dancing. “God bless you! God bless you!” The wedding could’ve been a disaster but it turned out to be the best wedding because of Jesus.

11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

The author said that this was the first sign Jesus performed. A miracle is something unnatural whereas a sign is a miracle that has a meaning in it. The author said that the sign revealed Jesus’ glory. This sign revealed who he is and what he came for.

First, he revealed his creation power by changing the water into the wine. The change from water to wine was a complete change. It was also a good change. The water in the jar was not helpful to solve the problem. But when it was changed, it became useful and helpful for the wedding. Who can change water into wine instantly and completely? It is possible only with God. This sign revealed that Jesus is the Creator God who made everything good in the beginning. This sign was Jesus’ demonstration of his power as God.

Secondly, this sign revealed that the Creation God came and dwelt among people. He was concerned about humans and their problems. He understood them and wanted to solve their problems. He did so by becoming a human. Jesus attended the wedding and blessed it. Years ago, a couple had a wedding at a golf course where the then President Obama happened to stop by to play golf. So their wedding was a little disrupted by the security service. Knowing this, Obama came to the couple and apologized to them and congratulated their marriage. Though this happened by accident, the couple felt honored to see Obama and happy. How much more with God who came on purpose and blessed us. Now, man could see God through Jesus. So, 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

As such, through this sign, Jesus revealed his glory among people as the Son of God (1:14).

Why then did Jesus show his first sign at the wedding? What did this sign signify to us?

It is very interesting that Jesus began his ministry at the wedding. The first thing God did for Adam in the Garden of Eden was marriage. Marriage was God’s best gift for Adam. So when Adam saw the woman, he was so happy and said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.” But Adam lost such joy when he sinned against God. As soon as he committed the sin, he complained to God about his wife. His relationship with his wife was not like before. Most of all, his relationship with God was broken and he was cursed. Since then humankind suffered from painful toil and death. No more joy in the life on earth.

In that sense, the wedding without wine represented humankind who sinned and lost life and joy. We humans live for a moment and go back to dust because we have no longer God’s life in us and thus no more joy. Though we try to be happy, we cannot have true joy. Apart from God who is the source of life, we have no life and no joy. And more sadly, there is no way for mankind to come back to God and live back in the Garden of Eden. By the way, the water in the jars for ceremonial washing represented the law. The law is good, but it cannot solve our sin problem as the water for ceremonial water could not solve the no-wine problem.

Yet, the light from God shines on humankind and the light is the life to them. It is Jesus. Amazingly, Jesus came into the world in flesh. At the wedding, he solved the no-wine problem by changing the water into the wine, which is grace upon grace. This indicated that he came into the world to restore the joy we humans had lost in the Garden of Eden.

By the way, to Jewish people, wine was the emblem of joy. And interestingly, Jesus compared wine to his blood. In Matt 26:7-28, at the Last Supper Jesus said, “27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’” By his blood, Jesus has restored joy we lost in the Garden of Eden. In other words, his first sign indicated the restoration of humans to God by Jesus’ blood, which would bring a great joy to us. This is amazing grace.

So 1:16-17 say, “16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”

The first sign was also the most important sign in that it shows what the following signs would be about. All the signs in the book of John eventually point to Jesus, teaching us who he is and what he has done for us. All these signs revealed Jesus as the Son of God so that we may believe in him and have life in him.

Through this sign, Jesus’ disciples believed in him. They saw the glory of the one and only Son of God and believed that Jesus came from God. In that way, the author stressed that this book was written for us to believe in Jesus and have life. He said in 20:20-31,

“30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

The Bible uses wine to express God’s blessing. For example in Joel 3:18 reads, God said about his blessing for Israel like this: “In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk;…” And his blessing eventually points to the wedding banquet in his kingdom. For example, Isaiah 25:6 reads, “On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine — the best of meats and the finest of wines.”

In Matt 26:29, Jesus promised his heavenly banquet to his disciples, “I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

Matt 22:2 also reads, “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.”

In that respect, Jesus’ first sign at the wedding was a shadow of what was yet to come. The choice wine Jesus produced referred to the heavenly banquet and the abundance of the wine meant that we will be full of joy with him in his kingdom.

12 After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days.

Now Jesus went to Capernaum where he began to engage in his public ministry.

In today’s passage, by changing the water into wine Jesus revealed his glory as the Creator God and as the Son of God who came to the world in flesh. This Jesus is the one who can restore joy that we lost due to our sin. He is the very Messiah, the Son of God. By his blood, he has saved us and is leading us to his wedding banquet in the kingdom of God where his people will drink the best wine together with him. Our joy comes from Jesus’ blood. The best wedding is the wedding with his blood, the best choice wine. Please do not forget to invite Jesus to your wedding and into your life. That is the greatest blessing. I pray that you may believe in this Jesus so God can restore life and joy to you. Praise God who has invited us to the wedding banquet in his kingdom!

By David Yun