Lesson #06

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John

September 21, 2015

Lesson #01

January 13, 2010

Lesson #02

January 13, 2010

RETURN TO THE SYLLABUS

JOHN 2:1-11
Lesson #06
THE FIRST SIGN – THE CHOICE WINE

• Memory verse: Luke 5:37

• John 2 begins with the first miracle and a declaration of Jesus’ awareness of his purpose.
• This first miracle does not appear in the other gospels.
• There is a Gnostic gospel that says that Jesus did miracles when he was a small boy. John tells us that this miracle in Joh 2 is the first miracle that Jesus did.
• John, the author of this gospel, chose specific events in Jesus’ ministry that he calls “signs” to point people to the true God, Jesus Christ.
• Read Joh 2:1-11 The wedding at Cana
• On the third day after Jesus’ baptism we find him travelling with his disciples to the city of Cana. This town was about 9 miles north of Nazareth. Jesus and his disciples were invited to a wedding.
• Weddings were very important religious events in Israel. They lasted a week. It was an insult to be invited to a wedding and not attend.
• Jesus approved of weddings as part of God’s plan for the family. (Mat 5:31-32 Mat 19:3-9)
• Jesus enjoyed being with people in social gatherings even though it brought much criticism later in His ministry.
• The role of Mary, Jesus’ mother:
• Evidently Mary was the hostess at this wedding because she was informed concerning the status of the supply of wine available, and she was in charge of the servants.
• The lack of wine:
• In a time when water was not necessarily safe to drink, wine was a basic element in the diet. However, both the Old Testament and the New Testament prohibit drunkenness.
• Because a wedding lasted a full week with many guests present, a wedding needed to be well planned in regards to provision.
• The lack of wine was not only embarrassing to the host but it broke the cultural laws of hospitality that were so important in the middle east.
• Before we can see God act, we must recognize our need. Mary recognized the need and immediately took it to Jesus, not knowing what He would do.
• At this point in time, Joseph had probably previously died, otherwise Mary would have depended on Joseph to solve the problem.
• Was Mary asking Jesus to perform a miracle when she brought the problem to him?
• Possibly, yes. She knew who He was from his birth. Now he could demonstrate who He was publicly.
• Jesus’ declaration of His purpose:

• “Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.”

(4)

• Jesus indicates to his mother, that from this time forward, His priorities are different than hers. He will be doing God’s business in God’s time.
• To what hour did Jesus refer?
• Seven times the gospel of John makes mention of this “hour”.
• Jesus was speaking of the time of His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension.
• This “hour” is spoken of as the hour of his glorification when He would sit in authority at the right hand of God (Joh 7:30,39 Joh 12:23-24 Joh 17:1), having won the victory over death and purchased our salvation.
• This statement tells us that from the very beginning He knew why He had come and for what purpose.
• Read Heb 9:26
• The plan of man’s salvation and the purpose for Jesus’ coming was planned by God, the Father even before man was created.
• Mary’s response and expectations: (5)
• Mary did not know what to expect from Jesus, but she trusted him that whatever it was, it would solve the current problem.
• This is the only miracle that Jesus did where Mary was present.
• Why did Jesus perform this miracle?
• There was a need and Jesus loved to meet man’s needs.
• Jesus uses this miracle to symbolically give man a message.
• It is a parable in action.
• There are no actual parables in the gospel of John, simply these messages that are acted out like a living parable.
• What is the message Jesus was trying to convey?
• The message is in the objects Jesus used.
• The six stone water jars:
• These water jars were normally used for ceremonial washing of hands before and after meals which was part of Judaism’s religious purification. (Mat 15:1-2)
• These water jars held between 20 and 30 gallons of water.
• The significance of the use of these water jars:
• Because Jesus did nothing by random accident, these jars have a definite meaning in regards to a message Jesus was trying to portray through this miracle.
• The number 6 is a biblically symbolic number that relates to sinful man.
• These jars were empty. Jesus told the servants to fill them with water. (7)
• Judaism’s ritual purification using water from the water jars leaves man empty spiritually.
• “…And they filled them up to the brim.”

(7)

• This indicates a complete and perfect filling. There was no room to add anything more.
• Water is a symbol of the cleansing power of the Word of God that cleanses man from sin through the action of the Holy Spirit.
• Later in the gospel of John, we will see this aspect explained more fully.
• The wine:
• Jesus supplied between 120 and 180 gallons of choice wine.
• Notice that the ruler of the feast and the bridegroom remark that it is better than the wine at the beginning of the wedding feast. (10)
• The common practice was to serve the best wine at the beginning and to save the inferior wine until the end of the wedding week.
• Wine is another biblical symbol of the filling of the Holy Spirit. (Eph 5:18)
• The Holy Spirit that Jesus came to give us, fills us spiritually. This is a filling that Judaism could never do. The earlier wine of Judaism in the Old Testament age is far inferior to the latter wine of the Holy Spirit that Jesus brings in the New Testament Age.
• Read Mat 9:17
• The message in the parable is the same as the wedding miracle at Cana:
• Jesus indicates that you cannot put the new flowing of the Holy Spirit into the old legalistic traditions of Judaism practiced by the Pharisees.
• The servants are told to draw out the wine.
• It is at this point that the water turned to wine. If the servants had refused to serve the water, it never would have turned to wine.
• Jesus did not need the jars of water or the servants to perform the miracle. He could have made the wine suddenly appear in each wine glass.
• Therefore, there are two things that are important here:
• =1= The message regarding the weak, inadequacy of Judaism as opposed to the spiritual filling of the Holy Spirit.
• =2= Human participation in the miracle.
• God gives man a part to play in His work here on earth. The two key elements are:
• =1= faith. Mary trusted that Jesus would supply the need.
• =2= obedience. Mary commanded that the servants be obedient, and they were.
• Therefore, faith and obedience are linked together in order to see the miracle power of God at work.
• Who actually knew that this miracle had happened?
• Mary, the disciples and the servants knew about the miracle, but no one else. (9)
• Because of the limited audience to this miracle, it was probably done for the benefit of the newly chosen disciples and Mary.
• The miracle tells them that Jesus is going to change some very basic and accepted concepts about religion and why He has come.
• Summary:
• What do you learn about Jesus concerning:
• His feelings?
• He had compassion for man’s needs whatever they might be.
• His character attributes?
• As the Son of God, He had power and authority over the common elements of the world.
• His family relationships?
• He loved His mother enough to meet her need.
• He informed Mary of her rightful place in His life.
• What do you learn about Jesus’ death and resurrection?
• It was planned ahead of time and He knew it.
• Application:

Water to Wine: An Illustration of the Action of the Holy Spirit
Water as a Symbol of the Holy Spirit Life – Joh 4:14	Wine as a Symbol of the Holy Spirit’s Power – Act 2:4,15	Scriptures in the Gospel of John
6 water jars = 6 is the imperfect number of man		Joh 2:6
Filled to the brim with water = The Holy Spirit’s filling is limited to our capacity		Joh 2:7
	Draw some out = After being filled with the Holy Spirit, we are then ready for service to others	Joh 2:8
	Kept the best wine till last = The Holy Spirit takes our inadequacies and makes them perfect. The best of the Holy Spirit’s ministry will be at the end of this age (Hos 6:3 Joe 3:23, 28-29)	Joh 2:10

• Follow the words of Mary, “…Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.” (5)
• Obedience is the key to seeing God act in your life.
• The best wine is served last:
• Many people try the world first thinking it will fill them and satisfy them, when in fact, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are the better wine.
• The Christian life was not meant to be dull and dry but full of life and overflowing with joy.
• The Christian is like the water jar. When the water of the Word of God fills the Christian, it becomes like precious wine that flows out of the Christian in the form of spiritual fruit born of the Holy Spirit. (Gal 5:22-23)
• Notice that both the filling of the water jars and the pouring out of the wine takes obedience by the servants.
• Discussion

: How does 2Tim 2:21 relate to this miracle?

HOMEWORK
John 2:12-25
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher forcorrection.

• Application of Joh 2:1-11
• What area of your life is most lacking:
• The filling of your pot with the water of the Word of God?
• The pouring out of the water as you minister to others the wine of the Holy Spirit?
• Remember that both require obedience to Jesus Christ.

• Preparation for Joh 2:12-25
• Read Joh 2:12-25
• What attributes does Jesus manifest in this passage?
• If anger is a sin (Eph 4:26 Mat 5:22). How do you explain that Jesus was sinless?
• What do you learn about Jesus’ authority?
• What do you learn about Jesus’ death and resurrection?
• What purpose did Jesus have for his actions when he knew that business would return as usual the next day?
• What is the important message behind Jesus’ actions?
• Explain John 2:24 –25 in your own words.

• Memory verse: John 2:16