John 2:1-12 - Water to Wine

1 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman (dear Madam), what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it.

9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 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.” 

11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. 12 After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.

John 2:1-12

In chapter 2, Jesus demonstrates His God-authority over our basic human needs.

Wedding feasts typically lasted 7 days, and the entire town would be invited in a place as small as Cana. Mary, Jesus and His disciples were all at the wedding. Since Nathanael was from Cana, this may be why they were invited. Apparently Mary had some position of authority at the feast. Mary told Jesus there was a problem because the wine had run out. Culturally, this would have been an error which would haunt the wedding couple their entire lives. Jesus addresses His mother as “Woman” here. This is a term of respect in the culture (John 19:26). Jesus’ reference to the “hour” here refers to the first hour when He told the real reason for which He came (John 12:23). Mary’s response to the servants (“Do whatever He tells you”) revealed her submission to her Son. Even though she did not fully understand, she trusted Him. The water pots would each hold enough for about 2,000 glasses of wine.

Jesus told the servants to fill the pots with water and they did. At some point after the pots were filled, Jesus made the water into wine. No hand-waving or magic chants were used. The water simply became wine. Jesus then told the servants to draw some and take it to their headwaiter. The headwaiter did not know where the wine came from but the servants did. The headwaiter was surprised because it was the custom to serve the best wine first and then the poorer wine. But the best wine had been reserved for the end of the feast. Jesus always gives us His best. This was His first miracle. One of the purposes for this sign was so His new disciples would believe in Him. He showed them some of His glory and they responded with belief.

*Over what circumstance in your life has Jesus shown you He is in control?

John 1:35-51 Calling His Disciples

35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.

40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter). 

43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 

47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

John 1:34-51

Jesus now chose the men whom He would teach for the next 3 years, teach about Himself and the kingdom of God. Two of them were John’s disciples. As soon as they heard Jesus speak, they followed Jesus instead of John. One of the two was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. Andrew told his brother they had found the Messiah. When Andrew brought Simon to Jesus, Jesus immediately changed his name to Cephas, or Peter in the Greek. Peter means a rock. Jesus immediately knew Peter’s character and gave him a new name which represented his potential. Jesus knew Peter would be a rock-like man in the early church. On the following day, Jesus called Philip to Himself while in Galilee.

Philip invites Nathanael to come and meet Jesus. Philip described Jesus as the Messiah from the prophecies and as the son of Joseph from Nazareth. Jesus, having God’s knowledge, called Nathanael a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false (deceitful). This surprised Nathanael because Jesus had never met him and so He should not know such things. But Jesus said this is just the beginning. They would see the heavens opened and the angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man. Now Jesus would be the divine link between heaven and earth.

*Whom have you brought to Jesus?

John 1:24-34 - Who is Jesus?

24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) 25 They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. 29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

John 1:24-34

Those who asked John the Baptist who he was were sent by the Pharisees, religious leaders of the day. Since John was neither Messiah nor the prophet like Moses nor Elijah and so had no official title, they asked him why he was baptizing. John stated he did not profess to speak with ultimate authority. He was preaching repentance (Luke 3:3) and was calling for baptism as a confession of repentance in expectation of the greater person who was yet to appear. This One coming after John was so important he was not even worthy to undo the strap of His sandal.

When John saw Jesus the next day, he told his followers Jesus was the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world. Lamb of God was a reference to the Jewish requirements for forgiveness of sin. Only the blood of the spotless Lamb of God could take away sin completely and permanently (Hebrews 9:14, 9:22, 10:4). John knew the destiny of Jesus right from the beginning. John then said even though Jesus was younger, Jesus had a higher rank because He existed before John. This verse not only emphasizes Jesus’ eternal nature as God, it denies that humans existed in any form prior to their conception in the womb.

John came to Israel baptizing so he might recognize Jesus and be able to show Israel their Savior. He knew Him now because when he baptized Him, the Holy Spirit came upon Him in the form of a dove. God the Father had told John the One on whom the Holy Spirit came in the form of a dove and stayed with would be the One who would baptize with the Holy Spirit. He had seen this happen and he now testified Jesus was the Son of God.

 *How do you know Jesus is God?

John 1:15-23 - Who Was John the Baptist?

 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

John 1:15-23

The scene in John 1 shifts as we focus on the ministry of John the Baptist. John begins by telling the people that Jesus, who was born after John, had a far higher rank than John because He existed before John. This seeming contradiction is resolved when we realize Jesus existed even before the beginning (John 1:2). Because of the fullness of His grace, grace upon grace comes to Christians like waves continuing to come to the seashore. The greatness of the Old Testament was the giving of the Law by Moses. The glory of the Church is the revelation of God’s grace and truth by Jesus Christ. No one has seen God’s essence or true being at any time. His true being is revealed by Jesus Christ.

The ministry of John was so significant the authorities in Jerusalem decided to investigate him. John the apostle records what John says when the Jews asked him, “Who are you?” There were three people the Jews were expecting to come: Christ, a prophet like Moses, and Elijah. They were relying on Amos 3:7 where God promises to give His prophets and thus His people advance notice of His plans. John the Baptist had an Elijah-like ministry. He appeared on the scene suddenly and even dressed like Elijah. He wanted to turn people back to God as Elijah did in his day.

John told them he was not the Christ. In Daniel 9:25-26 God had given a specific prophecy of WHEN the Messiah would come. The timing for John’s ministry was the right time, so they could not understand why he refused to say he was the Messiah. John, however, remained true to his part in this great event – he was not Messiah, but he pointed them to the true Messiah – Jesus.

*Go deeper: Read the following verses and focus on the prophecies John fulfilled (from these scriptures) or what people thought he was fulfilling:

Deuteronomy 18:15-18  

Isaiah 40:3  

 Malachi 4:5-6  

John 1:1-14 - The Word

  

Lesson 1: John 1:1-14 - The Word

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.
8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.
11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.
12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The entire book of John will show us the truth of who Jesus really is. John 1:1 is perhaps both the greatest declaration and the greatest mystery in the Bible. From these first words in verse 1 we learn Jesus the man was at the same time God. A comparison with verse 14 tells us how this union of God and man came to be. It is a vital part of our salvation to accept the truth of Jesus being God, since only the blood of God could pay the price to redeem us from our sin.

As Creator-God, He is Life itself. He breathed the breath of life into Adam (Genesis 2:7). He is also our Light. This is the Light which shows us both our sin and our way (Psalm 119:105). But mankind is in darkness and cannot understand the Light God sent to us. So God sent John the Baptist to prepare the way for the Lord Jesus. His task was to be a witness to the Light so that all might believe in Him. He was to show others the Light but he himself was not the Light. Even though Jesus, the Creator and true Light, was in the world, the world did not recognize Him.

As Creator, all people were His, yet they refused to receive Him. They loved the darkness instead (John 3:19). But those who received Him were given the power and authority to become God’s children. These children are born from above by God the Father. God the Word lowered Himself to become a man. A babe in a poor family. Incredible, unbelievable, impossible yet gloriously true. We saw His glory.

The most amazing gift in the Bible is the grace of God made possible by the blood of Jesus Christ the God-man. We are saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). Without the grace of God, we are completely helpless in our sin. Someone defined grace as “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.” Christ paid the way for us to become the children of God. Praise His name!

*Who do you say Jesus is?