A Quick, Compelling Bible Study Vol. 87: Why the Wedding at Cana was Christ’s First Miracle

Author’s Note: Interested readers can find all previous volumes of this series here. News Flash: The first 56 volumes are compiled into a book titled, “Bible Study For Those Who Don’t Read The Bible.” More details at the end. Now back to our regular programming.

Thanks for joining us today as we study Jesus Christ’s first miracle when He turned water into wine during the wedding feast at Cana. The story is recorded in only one of the four gospels — John 2:1-11. I will try to explain all the symbolism packed into these 11 verses as we read along.

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

Chronologically, “the third day” refers to after Jesus met the disciple Nathanael, also known as Bartholomew. However, theologically and symbolically, the third day is associated with Christ’s Resurrection — when He came into His glory. Now, as He is about to perform the first miracle of His earthly ministry, Jesus begins to manifest His glory “on the third day,” establishing a miraculous circular connection. Continuing:

"When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, ‘They have no more wine.’ ‘Woman, why do you involve me?’ Jesus replied. ‘My hour has not yet come'" (Verse 3-4). It was then (and is now) an embarrassment to run out of wine during weddings, so Mary intervened. And although it sounds like Jesus was being harsh to His mother, Mary, calling her “woman,” back then, the term was a sign of respect.

But most important is when Jesus said, “My hour has not yet come,” proving He knew when, where, why, and how He would be killed. Although His initial response might have indicated He was not yet ready to begin his ministry, Jesus went ahead and showed His divinity, honoring Mary’s request.

In John’s gospel, there is a progression of verses (John 7:6, 8, 30, – 8:20 – 12:23, 27 –13:1 –16:32) moving Jesus toward His “hour” — the time when He willingly sacrifices Himself on the cross. And, in His last “hour” reference praying before being arrested, He said, “‘Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you’” (John 17:1). Continuing the passage:

“His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you’”(Verse 5). These profound words are the last direct quote from Mother Mary in the New Testament.

“Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water’; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, ‘Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.’ They did so, 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 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.’” (Verse 6 – 10).

Mary and Jesus saved the wedding celebration, but there is a deeper reason why wine is central to His first miracle. In the Old and New Testament, wine is connected to favorable activities such as blessings, celebrations, harvest, and restoration. But also unfavorable behaviors such as drunkenness. For more details see Vol. 65, “What the Old Testament Says About Wine,” and what the New Testament says in Vol. 66.

In Vol. 66, I quoted my colleague Russ Breault, who has written about the first miracle explaining, “Transformation is the key. Changing water into wine is a metaphor for what Jesus desires to do in the life of every believer. His first miracle reveals the core mission of His ministry – the Gospel message has the power to transform. Jesus later calls it being ‘born again.’” Russ also reemphasizes the real reason for the miracle, which happens to be the last verse:

“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” (Verse 11). Furthermore, there is an Old and New Testament connection with the Lord “revealing his glory” when Moses performed his first miraculous sign of Transformation:

“The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt—over the streams and canals, over the ponds and all the reservoirs—and they will turn to blood.’ Blood will be everywhere in Egypt, even in vessels of wood and stone’” (Exodus: 7-19).

God “revealed His glory” to the Israelites through Moses, turning water into blood, the first of the ten plagues that led to the Exodus from Egypt. Second, Jesus turned water into wine at Cana revealing His glory. And third, at the Last Supper when Jesus said the wine is “my blood”:

“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, [of wine] and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 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’”(Matthew 26:17-29).

Thanks for reading this far, and now you know that the wedding feast at Cana represents a progression of Eternal Glory from the Father to the Son — water to blood, water to wine, wine to blood — and why it was Jesus Christ’s first miracle. Amen to that!

Wrongo.

John 1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ... He was with God in the beginning. ... Through him all things were made; ...

Was taught that 5he wine Jesus created was very good wine. Usually during wedding feasts, the good wine was served first, then, as people got a bit tipsy, the less good wine woild be served because by then people didn’t care.

But not so the wine that Jesus created. It was very good wine, after the guests were all on their way to feeling good, according the the Bible scholar who taught about the wedding feast.

John 2 10

“A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!”

the second day begins at 1:29;

the third day begins at 1:35; and

the fourth day begins at 1:43.

That makes "the third day" of 2:1 really the third day from the fourth day -- i.e., the seventh day -- meaning that in addition to the allusion to the Resurrection on the third day, there is a further allusion to the consummation of all creation on the seventh day.

In addition to the allusions to the Resurrection on the third day and the consummation of creation on the seventh day, there is something further to consider in John's narrative.

Numbers 19:11-13 begin the Laws concerning the Dead. Defilement by touching a corpse wasn't a moral thing under the Mosaic Law -- after all it was necessary to move and bury the dead, so God made provision by saying that after touching a dead person, one had to be cleansed on the third and seventh day.

Jn 2:6 specifies that the water in the jars was for the Jewish rites of purification. So there's something in the mix here regarding the guests at the wedding being purified by water empowered with the blood of Christ.

The enumeration of the days in John's narrative of the wedding feast at Cana has several layers. There's much more going on here than just a simple story of Jesus the miracle worker saving the day at a couple's wedding reception.

“Water to blood, water to wine and wine to blood.” Wow! As a mere protestant spectator to the ongoing verbal battles between catholics and protestants; the above quote from the end of the lesson sounds an awful lot like transsubstantiation. I have no problem with God doing it through Moses or through His Son Jesus. But does it also happen whenever one of us believers participates in taking Communion?

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