Jesus Turns Water into Wine – John 2

In John 2 we have the story of Jesus’ first miracle. It is no coincidence that John prefaces this story by saying it took place on the third day. The beginning of his ministry and the end of it will start with a period of three days. Also, the next time we will find Jesus’ mother in the gospel of John will be at the cross. Wine will also preface the cross as Jesus will celebrate the Passover with the disciples he called in chapter one. Last, Jesus says that his time “has not yet come.” That is a clear reference to the glorification that he will receive. It will ultimately come at the cross.

The most important detail of this miracle is the object lesson Jesus uses to make his point. He has six stone water jars used for ceremonial washing filled with water and as we are all familiar with he changes their contents from water to wine. These jars would have had to been filled with “living water,” which they defined as water from a moving source rather than stagnate water. That will tie in to the woman at the well in John 4. Jesus’ message is that a new thing is happening in which the old order of things will be changed. Transformation is a major part of Jesus’ ministry in John. When Jesus, the Word made flesh, comes on the scene, things will never be the same. The old order will be fulfilled and open up a door into what had been planned from the very beginning. This act and first of his seven miraculous signs points ahead to the wedding banquet we will participate in when the church is wedded to the bridegroom in heaven (Rev 21). There is also a note of compassion as Jesus saves this family from social disgrace.

What needs to be changed in your life? What still awaits transformation? Maybe we have put it off for so long that we need to realize, “the hour has come” for those things to be purified by God through Christ. Let him take the old from your life and make it new. What traditions are you still holding on to that need to be released to serve a new and fuller purpose?