Jesus' First Miracle - Turning Water into Wine (A Comment)

The reason Jesus came to earth was to give His life for the marriage of Christ and the Church.

John 2:1   And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: 

[Throughout the gospels, the “third day” refers to Jesus resurrection, after His death and burial. It is meaningful the first miracle of Jesus begins with, “And the third day.”]

[It is also meaningful that "Cana" is mentioned twice - the first verse and the last verse. "Cana" means "place of reeds."]

Matthew 12:20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. 

"A bruised reed" represents souls that have been bruised by life and need a Savior. -Rev. R. Walker

John 2:2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.

John 2:3   And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. 

[Man wanted a savior – man could not save himself. It took God, robing Himself in flesh, to die for our sins. 

1 Peter 1:19 It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.]

John 2:4   Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.

[Jesus was speaking of the hour of His death. (John 7:30, 8:20, 12:23, 13:1)

John 7:30 Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.

John 8:20 These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.

John 12:23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.

John 13:1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. 

There are two places in the Bible that Jesus called His mother "woman." In this verse, John 2:4, and in John 19:26. The second time was at His death when He spoke to His mother from the cross, thus making another connection of the wedding at Cana with His death for His bride.

John 19:26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!

Here also, Jesus is making a disconnect from His earthly mother. She had fulfilled her chosen role of giving birth to the holy flesh of God by a virgin birth. She too would be in the upper room with the rest of the disciples, awaiting to receive the promised Holy Ghost.

John 19:27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

Luke 22:20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.

John 19:34 One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out. (NLT) 

1John 5:6 This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.]

John 2:5   His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do [it].

[Luke 8:21 And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it. 

James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Luke 6:47-48a Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock 

Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.]

John 2:6   And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.

[Six is a number that is symbolic of man (man was created on the sixth day). 

Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

“Before dishes and utensils can be used in the kosher kitchen, they must acquire an additional measure of holiness which is conferred through the ritual immersion in a pool of naturally gathered water, or mikvah.” Chabad.org “Immersion of Vessels” http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?aid=82673&jewish=Immersion-of-Vessels.htm  

This verse would be symbolic of our human vessel being baptized in Jesus name for the remission of sins. 

1Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.]


John 2:7   Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.

[This may be referring to being filled with the Holy Ghost. 

Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.] 

John 2:8   And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare [it].

[Isaiah 12:3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. 

John 4:10 Jesus replied, "If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water." (NLT)

John 7:37-39 On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” 

By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. (NIV)]

John 2:9   When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,

[“Ruler of the feast” would represent the marriage supper of the Lamb. 

Matthew 22:2, 4 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son…Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and [my] fatlings [are] killed, and all things [are] ready: come unto the marriage.

Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.]

John 2:10   And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: [but] thou hast kept the good wine until now.

["Thou hast kept the good wine until now”-  The wine represented the blood and Spirit of Jesus that He would give by His death.

Matthew 26:27-29 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

Ephesians 5:18 Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, (NLT)

Ezekiel 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Matthew 9:17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

Acts 2:15-17 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is [but] the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh…

Jesus brought a new covenant of His Mercy and Grace with the gift of His Holy Spirit for those that enter into His covenant.

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.] 

John 2:11   This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. 

[Jesus revealed His glory in a demonstration of His submission and humility to give His life for a marriage – of Christ and the church.]