Gospel Light Christian Church Thru-The-Bible Series (1.4)

The Gospel Of John

John 2:1-25 - Read this Bible passage once through before referring to the notes below.

The Marriage at Cana

v.1 The third day after recruiting Nathanael, Jesus arrives in Cana. The journey from Bethabara had taken 2 to 3 days. [1]

v.2 God honored marriage when he ordained marriage in the Garden of Eden as the first human institution (GEN 2:24). Christ likewise honored marriage by attending a marriage feast at Cana as His first public attendance with His disciples, and by performing His first miracle at this marriage (JOH 2:11). The Bible begins with a marriage in the Garden of Eden, and ends with a marriage in heaven (REV 19:7,9). The marriage of Adam to Eve in Eden is a type of the relationship of Jesus and His people (EPH 5:22-32). Families are the God-ordained basic units of human society. Therefore, destruction of families destroys the whole fabric of society. Satan and his agents, realizing the importance of marriage, desire to destroy it.

Nowadays, he openly attacks marriage as a restrictive, old-fashioned, unnecessary arrangement. Marriage is portrayed in the media as a miserable state, while fun-loving singles' life is portrayed as vastly superior. Unfaithfulness in marriage is portrayed as normal, and necessary to relieve the misery of a monogamous marriage. To conservatives who reject this childish propaganda, Satan uses other means to weaken the marriage. For example, uncontrolled ambition is encouraged so that there is little time and energy left to nurture the marriage bonds. For romantics, marriage is portrayed as a bond that will thrive so long as the couple love each other - leading many unprepared romantics to wake up to rude shocks.

Jesus (and His disciples) attended many social functions and was accused by his enemies as "gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners" (MAT 11:19). [2] Jesus enjoyed the company of relatives and friends during this marriage-feast. It was a pleasant time of socialising. God created man as social beings. Therefore Christians, like Jesus, should be in the world (enjoying its innocent pleasures) but not of the world (forgetting the Giver, and their responsibilities as God's children). Christians that go out of the world cannot shine as lights in the world (MAT 5:16). The wholesome joys of family pleasures (eg. being together, eating together, sharing joys and sorrows, watching loved ones grow) are the best antidote against the unwholesome pleasures of the world. The main reason why people fall into bad company is because there is lack of good company at home.

v.3 As it was customary for marriage-feasts to stretch from seven to fourteen days (JUD 14:10-18), this humble couple ran out of wine during the course of the long feasting [3]

Lesson: Marriages often start off well and soon run into trouble, and unless Jesus is present to help our marriages, we will have problematic marriages. He must be the Head of our homes.

The moderate, social use of wine is not forbidden in the Bible. The wine of the Bible may be fermented or unfermented grape juice, but not distilled wine (eg. brandy). Distillation (or concentration of wine through the removal of water) of wine is a recent practice, not yet invented in Bible times. Though the Bible does not condemn the use of undistilled wine, it condemns excess usage that leads to drunkenness and ill health (PRO 31:4,5, ECC 10:17, ISA 28:7, ITI 3:8). Wine has medicinal properties, is a mild antiseptic that kills bacteria in the drink, and maketh glad the heart of man (PSA 104:15) in social functions.

v.4 The word "woman" is not a rude term, but is a polite term to address a lady. Jesus could not address her as "mother" because He had now entered His ministry as the Messiah, and His relationship to Mary was that of the Messiah to a believer, and no more of a son to a mother. Jesus affectionately addresses Mary in the same way when He was on the Cross and commended her to John's care (JOH 19:26).

Jesus does not tell Mary that He would not perform a miracle to help the couple. He simply says that His hour to do the miracle had not yet come. He had come to do the Father's will which meant that He had to do what the Father desired, in the manner, and at the time that He desired. As Mary's child, He had done what Mary had desired, but now that He had entered His public ministry. He says "What have I to do with thee? " which literally means "What to me and thee?" In other words, Jesus is saying "What is there in common to me and you? You must realize that the bonds that bound us as mother and son are no more. I must now do my Father's will." [4]

v.5 Mary receives this gentle rebuke in good spirit, still believing that He would, at the right moment, perform a miracle. She gives the most important advice for success, namely, "Whatever he said unto you, do it." [5] Mary had, in all the years living with Jesus, realized that He was never wrong. This should be the testimony of all who have known Him

v.8 [6] The governor of the feast is the banquet supervisor. The miracle of transformation probably took place when the water was drawn out of the water-pots. No word is uttered, nor contact made with the water, to perform this miracle. Jesus simply wills it, and it is done.

v.10 [7] The governor was surprised by the excellence of the wine. [8] He is doubly surprised because it was customary to offer better wine at the beginning, rather than at the end of the feast when man's taste-buds become dulled by the abundance of food and drink.

v.11 This was Jesus' first miracle. [9]

The Cleansing of the Temple

v.12 They passed by Capernaum on their way to Jerusalem to attend the Jewish religious festival [10] of the Passover, and probably stayed in the house of John and James for a few days (ie, not many days). John does not mention this to avoid sounding boastful.

v.15 He had holy anger when He saw that His Father's house being used as a house of merchandise (v. 16). [11]

v.18 The Jews did not question the righteousness of Jesus' act, but they questioned His authority to do it. Actually, the very act of cleaning the Temple the way that Jesus did was itself a sign [12] fulfilling Malachi's prophecy (MAL 3:1-3). It was a miracle that one man could do all those things without facing any resistance from the vendors and priests. The Jews knew that the Lord shall suddenly come to his temple (MAL 3:1) but expected Him to come like a conquering king, not a holy prophet.

v.24 Though they claimed to have faith, Jesus did not commit Himself to them as their Lord because He knew that their faith was mere intellectual faith which was produced by the impressive miracles. [13] Such faith fades away with time, and when trials come. True saving faith is the gift of God (EPH 2:8,9) and lasts forever.



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Footnotes

[1] John never calls Mary by name in this Gospel (because John's Gospel reveals Jesus as God - and therefore there is no need to identify His mother).

One of the couple was probably related to Mary. Therefore, she was helping during the feast (v.3} The absence of Joseph's name seems to suggest that he had already passed away.

[2] At this point of time, Jesus had five disciples, namely, Andrew, John, Peter, Philip and Nathanael. John does not mention Jesus' relationship to the wedding couple because the theme of this Gospel is Jesus' deity (therefore, human relationships are unimportant).

[3] Mary obviously believed that Jesus could do something to supply the wine. She knew whom Jesus was (LUK 1:26-28), and must have heard of the supernatural events at His recent baptism, and she was hoping that He would oblige with a miracle. This was the first of seven signs that are recorded in John's Gospel, each revealing the person and Mission of Jesus (2:1-11, 4:46-54, 5:1-18,6:6-13. 6:16-21.9:1-7, 11:1-45).

[4] This verse refutes the Romanist teaching that whatever Mary requests Jesus will do.

[5] These are the last recorded words of Mary and her last words, glorify Jesus and not herself This contrasts with Romanist doctrine that exalts Mary over Jesus.

[6] v.6 After returning from Babylon. the Jews were obsessed with ceremonial washings (MAR 7:3). John mentions that these waterpots were customary (ie, after the manner) to dismiss any suspicions that there was any collusion in this miracle. One firkin is about eight and a half gallons. Therefore the total capacity of these waterpots; was between 100 to 150 gallons. This is stated to emphasize the magnitude of the miracle.

v.7 Jesus commands them to fill the waterpots with water so that there can be no accusation that concentrated wine was added to the partially-filled water-pots by a sleight of hand.

[7] v.9 Generally, magicians use sleight of hand to perform their "magic"' tricks. Most of them are illusionists creating visual illusions by the speed of their hands. Magicians do not attempt to trick the tastebuds because it infinitely harder to trick the taste-buds than to trick the eyes.

[8] Romanist teaches the theory of transubstantiation (in the Mass) using this miracle as one of their proof-texts. However, this water was indeed turned to wine because it indeed tasted like wine unlike the Romanist host (cookie-wafer) in the Mass which supposedly becomes the body of Christ, but which still tastes like a cookie-wafer.

[9] The Romanists teach that Jesus performed miracles in His youth.

Wine symbolizes cheer, fellowship, and abundance of good things. Therefore, this miracle teaches us that Jesus came to change our life, from one of emptiness to one of abundant joy. This event also teaches us that unless Jesus is invited into our marriage, problems will arise that cannot be solved by human means. But if Jesus is invited into our marriage, as we do whatsoever he saith to us, then we can expect an abundantly joyful marriage.

The word "miracle " is literally translated as "sign". A miracle does the work of a sign because it directs and points the observer to realize that the doer is a man of God.

*Furthermore, each miracle points to a divine principle. For example, the multiplication of the loaves in JOH 6:14,26,30 points to Christ as the Bread of Life (6:35). The miracle at Cana pointed out that Jesus was the Son of God (i.e., manifested forth his glory) to his disciples. Their faith was strengthened by this miracle (ie, they believed on him even more).

[10] v.13 All Jewish males over twelve years of age were expected to attend the Passover. The term passover is often used to refer to the Passover plus the Feast of Unleavened Bread (eg LUK 22:1).

v.14 Jewish worshippers brought their sacrificial animals to the priests for inspection before they were acceptable for sacrifice. Unless the animals were those sold by the temple vendors (who shared their profits with the priests) they would often not be certified fit by the priests. Every Jew had to offer an annual Temple tribute of half a shekel (EXO 30:13). Those arriving from abroad changed their money with changers of money in the temple who also shared their profits with the priests. No doubt the priests would have justified their actions by claiming that they were making it more convenient for the worshippers.

[11] Jesus probably used the ropes that was used to tie the animals to make a scourge (ie, whip). He also showed His contempt for money by pouring out the changers' money on the floor.

v.16 Jesus overturned the table of money but did not do the same with the table of birds. He was kind to the innocent birds. Furthermore, unlike the animals which he drove out, he did not do likewise to the doves, because then they would have flown away and be lost.

*By cleaning up the Temple, Jesus was merely exercising His right to cleanup His Father's house. Since the Fall of man, unscrupulous men have made religious houses the house of merchandise because religion can be an extremely lucrative business.

v.17 From PSA 69:9, which is a Messianic psalm and one of the six most frequently quoted psalms in the N.T. Jesus' zeal for the honor of God's house will eat Him up by causing holy anger within Him, and also by persecution from others. On no other occasion in Jesus' ministry do we see Him acting with so much zeal. He performs an equally zealous cleansing of the Temple at the end of His ministry three years later (MAT 21:12,13). On this later occasion, He accuses them of making His house a den of thieves. If Jesus visited our churches today, He would have to cleanse them again of all the men making merchandise from it. What Jesus did in the Temple, reveals what He will do when He comes again, to all those who make money in His house.

[12] v.19 Since by doing the cleansing Jesus had already given them a sign, He did not need to give them another. Jesus answers them with a "mashal". The Jews often used "mashal". ie, a paradoxical saying, often in the form of a riddle which made the hearer think hard to get the answer. The Jews should not have jumped into conclusions that Jesus was speaking of the physical Temple at Jerusalem since they were used to mashals and since the statement taken literally was ridiculous. His accusers later perverted this statement accusing Him of threatening to pull down the Temple (MAT 26:61). When we read the Bible, we must be careful to discern the literal from the spiritual. When Jesus said "Destroy this temple" He was not inviting them to kill Him but was speaking hypothetically, ie, "If you destroy this temple." Jesus declares that He will raise Himself up on the third day' The Lord staked the truth of His person and mission on His resurrection. Later when the Pharisees asked "Master, we would see a sign from thee, " Jesus answered and said unto them. An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign: and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas" (MAT 12:38,39).

v.20 The temple had just been extensively repaired and renovated for forty six years, employing eighteen thousand men at times.

v.21 A thinking Jew would have realized that Jesus was speaking of His body, not the Temple because Jesus' body, like the temple, is also a place where God dwells.

v.22 This "strange" mashal had puzzled them, and lingered on in the minds of His disciples, so that three years later they remembered it. Many things that we say have little impact on the hearers till many years later. Thoughts sown are often like seeds that need the right conditions to germinate.

v.23 Many of Jesus' miracles are not recorded (JOH 20:30, 21:25). Because of His miracles many believed in their heads that Jesus was the Messiah.

[13] v.25 The disciples were probably shocked when Jesus did not receive these believers as His disciples, and tried to convince Him of their faith in Him. But Jesus knew their hearts, and did not need that any should testify of man to Him.