The Miracle at the Wedding Feast John 2:1-12 Review John’s purpose in writing is to produce faith –John 20:30-31 He has told us of the faith of... –John.

The Miracle at the Wedding Feast

John 2:1-12

Review• John’s purpose in writing is to produce faith

– John 20:30-31

• He has told us of the faith of . . .– John the Baptizer

• By the fulfillment of a prophecy

– Andrew, Philip, and Peter• By time spent with Jesus

– Nathanael• By Jesus’ miraculous knowledge

• Now we move to a more public opportunity for Jesus to demonstrate who He is

The Setting• John 2:1-2

• In Cana of Galilee– About 4 miles from Nazareth– Home of Nathanael (Jn 21:2)

• The third day . . .– The 3rd day after speaking to

Nathanael– The 3rd day since Jesus and

disciples arrived in Galilee– The 3rd day since they left

Judea– The 3rd day of the wedding

feast (typically 7 days long)

The Wedding Feast• Jesus and his disciples were invited

• Jesus’ mother, Mary, was also invited– Interestingly, John never names Mary

• Perhaps there was already a tendency toward worshiping Mary when John wrote

– Some suppose the marriage must have been of a relative of Mary’s for her to be there

• The feast would typically last 7 days– The activities, foods, drink, etc were managed

by “the governor of the feast”• Not the couple, their family, or other celebrants

• Similar to a “wedding planner”

Wine?• John 2:3

– They ran out of “wine”• Were they drinking wine?

– The Grk word oinos refers “to all products of grape juice” (New Testament Beverages)

» Alcoholic content is not necessary» Could be juice, vinegar, or wine

– Like Hebrew, there were specific words for many kinds of drink, but this is a general word

Wine?• What kind of drink would they be serving?

– Many think it had to be alcoholic because they had no way to prevent fermentation• If fermentation is not controlled, the result is

vinegar, not wine (“How to Make Vinegar”, Vinegar Connoisseurs International)

• Columella, 1st century writer, said it was common in both Italy and Greece to boil oinos.

• Pliny (62 - 113 AD) wrote that Opimiam oinos had the consistency of honey

– This particular product had been in production for more than two centuries

• Virgil (70 – 19 BC) instructed his readers to boil the juice of grapes down to or 1/3 of its original volume to make oinos keep

Wine?• What kind of drink would they be serving?

– Would boiling the juice keep it from fermenting?• "By boiling, the juice of the richest grapes loses

all its aptitude for fermentation, and may afterwards be preserved for years without undergoing any further change." (Herman Boerhave,

Elements of Chemistry, page 81) • The syrup would be mixed with water before

being served – The governor of the feast would be responsible for

making sure the mixture tasted right

– Other ways used in ancient times to prevent fermentation were filtration and refrigeration• For refrigeration sealed containers were stored in

cool caves or sunk in wells

The problem• John 2:3

– They ran out of oinos• Why did this concern Mary?

– Perhaps she was helping rather a celebrant– Perhaps she was a friend or relative of those who

were in charge of providing the food/drink

– Why did she bring the problem to Jesus?• Some suppose Jesus had never done a miracle

before this (based on Jn 2:12)– But Jn 1:48-49, show Jesus doing a miracle– This was Jesus first public sign

• It seems Mary knew Jesus could do something, and it must have been based on previous events

The response• Jn 2:4

– “Woman” – not a disrespectful term, but a common form of address

– What does it have to do with Me?• Jesus was not the one responsible

• Running out of drink might embarrass someone, but hardly a crisis situation

– My hour has not yet come• Perhaps Mary wanted a display of Jesus’

miraculous power so others would know

• Jesus said it was not yet time for such a sign

The solution• Jn 2:5-8

– Mary understands Jesus to be willing to help, but unwilling to perform a large-scale sign• Directs servants to do whatever Jesus says

– Possibly showing she did have a position of authority in regard to the feast

– Servants fill 6 waterpots (20-30 gallons each) with water all the way full• No room to add the customary oinos• Purification pots, so no residue of oinos

– Told the servants to serve it to the governor of the feast (for his approval- as normal)• No big, outward sign of a miracle being done• Only those present knew what happened

The response• John 2:9-10

– The governor of the feast was not told of the miracle• But he recognized the oinos as better than what had

previously been served– What was better oinos?

» Plutarch (46 - 120 AD) said, “Oinos is rendered feeble in strength when it is frequently filtered. The strength or spirit thus being excluded, the oinos neither inflames the brain nor infests the mind and passions, and is much more pleasant to drink."

» “Historical records consistently indicate that the best wines were freshest, unfermented juice available” (Old Testament Beverages)

– What Jesus produced was likely pure, fresh grape juice• The governor is asking is, if you had fresh juice, why did

you serve the watered concentrate at first?

The effect• John 2:11-12

– Faith was strengthened in His disciples• They already believed (as in Jn 1)

• This sign increased the amount of faith they had

– The sign wasn’t for everyone at the feast• Only a few were privileged to know what

happened

• The sign showed His glory (Jn 1:14)– The glory of divinity, for who, but God, could

change one substance into another?– Those who already believed were shown

something greater

Conclusion• As with John the Baptizer or Nathanael, a

single sign showed who Jesus was– Here Jesus showed a power no person, not

even the prophets, ever had• God, through Elijah(1 Kgs 17:14-16) and Elisha

(2Kings 4:1-7, 42-44), caused oil, flour, and bread to be multiplied

• But here, Jesus changed the elemental nature of water

– Something even today science can’t do

• The only answer for that power was that He was the Son of God