John 2: Water Turned to Wine
1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.
On the third day... "John keeps a kind of diary for Christ. In those first days there was something for every day, and they were a specimen of the whole life of the Saviour. He could never say, like Titus, 'I have lost a day.' Every day had its deed, glorifying to God, and blessed to men." (C. H. Spurgeon)
There was a wedding and the mother of Jesus was there. Jewish wedding feasts lasted seven days and it had likely been going on when Jesus and His disciples arrived in the area. These disciples were "those that he had made when in Judea. These were Peter, Andrew, Philip, and Nathanael." (Albert Barnes) These likely helped cause the shortage of wine. "Christ came not as an ascetic, fasting and withdrawing from public contact, but as a Person of lovable social grace who adorned and blessed any company by His presence. The Son of man came eating and drinking" (Matthew 11:19)." (Burton Coffman)
In Cana of Galilee... "The first miracle of our Lord was not wrought at Jerusalem; but away there in the back settlements, in 'Galilee of the Gentiles.'..." (Spurgeon)
3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” 4 Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”
And when they ran out of wine... "For a Jewish feast wine was essential. 'Without wine,' said the Rabbis, 'there is no joy.' It was not that people were drunken, but wine was an essential [provision]." (Wm. Barclay) So, Jesus' mother told Him, but the Creator would not be subject to the creature, not even His mother. "The contrast of ‘woman’ and ‘mother’ must strike every one who reads with attention. The relation of mother, however precious in its own sphere, cannot be allowed to enter into that in which Jesus now stands.
'My hour has not yet come.' His mother saith unto the servants, 'Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.' The answer of Jesus (John 2:4) plainly implied that His hour would come. Mary, therefore, turns to the servants, and bids them be ready. The words are indefinite, and we have no right to suppose either that she now looked for miraculous help, or that she had received some private intimation of her Son’s purpose. She waits for the ‘hour:’ whatsoever the hour may bring, let the servants be prepared to do His bidding. Mary here retires from the scene." (Schaff's Popular Commentary)
6 Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons a piece. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. 9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. 10 And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!”
There were six water pots but Jesus was Himself a fountain of Living Water- the "Seventh" Pot, signifying completeness. These pots were used for ceremonial purification after the manner of the Jews, but only Jesus Himself cleanses a person by the Words He speaks. And His hour had now come for His public ministry.
"Jesus commanded that the jars should be filled to the brim. John mentions that point to make it clear that nothing else but water was put into them." (Wm. Barclay) In creation, Jesus spoke and it was, but here He merely willed it into being. "We are not told of any outward visible action which preceded or accompanied it. It is not said that He touched the waterpots containing the water that was made wine. It is not said that He commanded the water to change its qualities, or that He prayed to His Father in Heaven. He simply willed the change, and it took place. We read of no prophet or apostle in the Bible who ever worked a miracle after this fashion. He who could do such a mighty work, in such a manner, was nothing less than very God." (J. C. Ryle)
"He needed no wine, no grapes, no mellowing process, to furnish the best wine... In John 1:17... there is a contrast between Moses representing the law dispensation and our Lord Jesus Christ through whom grace and truth have come. The first miracle Moses did, was turning water into blood, typical of the ministration of the law unto death; the first miracle of our Lord turns water into wine, which is typical of joy and the ministration of Grace which is unto life." (Arno Gaebelein) Thus it will be joyous at the marriage feast of Christ to His Bride- the Church.
11 This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.
And His disciples believed in Him. "Faith is not like Jonah’s gourd that grew up in a night; or like a bullet in a mould, that is made in a moment. But as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder; and as they went up to Solomon’s throne by steps and stairs; so men proceed from faith to faith, till they come to full assurance." (John Trapp)
John 2: Jesus Cleanses the Temple
12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days. 13 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. 15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. 16 And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” 17 Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up." [Psalm 69:9]
In Capernaum no days were mentioned (12)- "He did not perform any miracle at Capernaum, the inhabitants of which city were in a very corrupt state, and not well disposed to Him; He went there however, and stayed some time out of respect to His mother." (Chrysodom)
"He did not stay many days there, on account of the Passover, which was approaching: And the Jews' passover was at hand." (Bede)
"But what need of saying, 'of the Jews', when no other nation had the rite of the Passover? Perhaps because there are two sorts of Passover, one human, which is celebrated in a way very different from the design of Scripture; another the true and Divine, which is kept in spirit and in truth. To distinguish it then from the Divine, it is said, 'of the Jews'." (Origen)
"And He went up to Jerusalem. (13)
The Gospels mention two journeys of our Lord to Jerusalem, one in the first year of His preaching, before John was sent to prison, which is the journey now spoken of; the other in the year of His Passion. Our Lord has set us here an example of careful obedience to the Divine commands. For if the Son of God fulfilled the injunctions of His own law, by keeping the festivals, like the rest, with what holy zeal should we servants prepare for and celebrate them?" (Alcuin) The second time, He went as the Lamb- cleansing then as well, outwardly and inwardly.
House of Merchandise- "Those... who came from a distance, being unable to bring with them the animals required for sacrifice, brought the money instead. For their convenience the Scribes and Pharisees ordered animals to be sold in the temple, in order that, when the people had bought and offered them afterwards, they might sell them again, and thus make great profits. And changers of money sitting; changers of money sat at the table to supply change to buyers and sellers." (Bede)
"This trade was in the courts of the temple, under a cover of assisting the worshippers; but the traders were thieves in demanding exorbitant profits; and practised imposition in changing the coins of strangers. See Matthew 21:12. Jeremiah 7:11. Jesus, the first and last time he was in the temple, purged it of nefarious traffickers...
Take these things hence- In this most brilliant action was fulfilled the prophecy of Malachi [and Psalm 69]: The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple, and with unexpected majesty, as the messenger of the covenant, shall purge it of corruption, and amidst myriads of spectators shall shame the rulers who for lucre connived at the sin and pollution." (Sutcliffe's Commentary)
"His disciples seeing this most fervent zeal in Him, remembered that it was from zeal for His Father's house that our Savior drove the ungodly from the temple." (Beds) "The second miracle which our Lord is recorded to have wrought demands our attention in these verses. Like the first miracle at Cana, it is eminently typical and significant of things yet to come. To attend a marriage feast, and cleanse the temple from profanation were among the first acts of our Lord's ministry at His first coming. To purify the whole visible Church, and hold a marriage supper, will be among His first acts, when He comes again..." (J. C. Ryle) in glory.
18 So the Jews answered and said to Him, “What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?” 19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” 21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body.
The disciples did not seek after signs. They merely received His Word and deeds. But the religious leaders wanted a sign that He was Messiah of Israel. "For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men."
(1 Cor 1:22-25) These could not perceive spiritual things.
22 Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.
John 2: The Hearts of Some
23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. 24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, 25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.
Jesus did many miracles during the seven day Passover feast that year in Jerusalem. And, as a result, many believed in His Name (23b)- Yeshua (Jesus) Yahweh is Savior. But He would not commit Himself to them. He had already committed Himself to His disciples. Their hearts were softened as He spoke to them and they were convinced by the prophesies concerning Him. This contrasts sharply with this multitude. These believed only because of His miracles. "It is not good giving credit to those who trust only because of miracles." (Trapp) You must be born again of the Word of God which abides forever.
"Those had been wiser disciples, however, who were brought to Christ not by His miracles, but by His doctrine. For it is the duller sort who are attracted by miracles; the more rational are convinced by prophecy, or doctrine. And therefore it follows, 'but Jesus did not commit Himself to them.' (24a)" (Chrysodom)
"It was those who believed in His Name, not in Him, to whom Jesus would not commit Himself. They believe in Him, who follow the narrow way which leads to life; they believe in His Name, who only believe the miracles." (Origen)
He did not commit "because He knew all men..." (24b) "This attribute elsewhere attributed only to Jehovah (Jeremiah 17:10; Jeremiah 20:12)." (E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes)
"Who less than He that made man, can know the thoughts of man?" (Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary)
And He had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man. (25) No one had to tell Him anything. "Christ is the searcher of hearts, and therefore truly God." (Trapp's Commentary) "The perfect knowledge of Jesus Christ gives him the fullest acquaintance with human character, shows him how in all respects to treat men while on earth, and fits him righteously and wisely to award to all the retributions of eternity." (Family Bible New Testament)
"John does not relate the story of any wonder that Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover season; but Jesus did do wonders there; and there were many who, when they saw his powers, believed in him. The question John is answering here is--if there were many who believed in Jerusalem right at the beginning, why did Jesus not there and then set up his standard and openly declare himself?
The answer is that Jesus knew human nature only too well. He knew that there were many to whom he was only a nine-days' wonder. He knew that there were many who were attracted only by the sensational things he did. He knew that there were none who understood the way that he had chosen. He knew that there were many who would have followed him while he continued to produce miracles and wonders and signs, but who, if he had begun to talk to them about service and self-denial, if he had begun to talk to them about self-surrender to the will of God, if he had begun to talk to them about a cross and about carrying a cross, would have stared at him with blank incomprehension and left him on the spot." (William Barclay's Daily Study Bible)