Part 4, Knowing Jesus Better series
John 2:1-12
John chapter 2 was the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. Actually, chapters 2 up to 12 were all records of Jesus’ public ministry. Chapters 3 to 17 were His private ministry. Then chapters 18 to 21 were all about the end of His ministry which centered on His sufferings, the cross, His death, burial and of course His resurrection. Thus, when we go by chapter 2, we will see John describing some important providential works of Jesus in Israel.
Divine providence simply refers to God’s intervention in our universe, in our world to accomplish His purpose! It also means that God provides what is needed and we see this in John chapter 2:1-12.
1. Jesus affirmed an important human covenant relationship.
“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.” John 2:1-2.
Marriage was the first human relationship between two different people that was initiated and designed by God back in Genesis 2.
Jesus’ presence at the wedding party affirmed the importance of a human covenant relationship.
Family gives us a sense of belonging and it is the most basic unit of the society.
Jesus honors the most basic relational need – to be loved and to be accepted.
Since, Cana was a tiny town, wedding was an important community event.
It is highly possible that everyone knows everybody and may have family relationships, even from nearby towns, like Nazareth.
The presence of Mary suggests, she may have known the bridegroom or the bride, and may even been related to them.
2. Jesus used an ancient culture to reveal His glory.
“3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”… 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim… 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. 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.” 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.” John 2:3; 6-11.
Wine was part of the ancient culture of wedding celebrations.
It usually takes a week to celebrate weddings.
By turning water into wine, Jesus revealed His divinity see v.11 and John 1:3, “through Him, all things were made.”
Glory belongs to God only in the Old Testament. “I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.” Isaiah 42:8
Wine was used to symbolize the new covenant in Jesus’ blood according to Mark 14:23-24; Matthew 26:27-29.
The New Covenant fulfilled the Old Covenant between God and Israel. It also opened the door for grace to be poured upon the Gentiles.
3. Jesus administered the best gift to us through His covenant.
“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. 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. 12 After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days.”” John 2:10-12.
Jesus is the best gift that God gave to humankind weather everybody realizes that truth or not.
Wine in that culture represents happiness and blessing.
Wine also represents newness of life as grapes undergo transformation in the fermentation process.
Jesus gave us His life as a gift to us.
There’s newness of life in Christ.
Christ brought us spiritual blessings and joy in knowing Him as God.
How well did you know Jesus? What will you do to get to know Him? You can’t know Jesus apart from the Bible. And it takes faith to believe everything that has been written about Him.