Jesus Offers the Best

(1) When the wine runs out (v.1-5)

Such a wedding in Palestine would have been a celebration open to the whole local community. And possibly the situation of the wine running out was as a result of more people attending than were expected. In any case this was a hospitality catastrophe of the highest order (involving social disgrace for the hosts – the bridegroom’s parents), and the word had spread as far across the guest list as Jesus’ mother – and then was quickly referred to Jesus.

Now when Raelene says to me that we’re out of bread, this is not simply a statement of fact. There is an implication here – that I would respond to this need by doing something about it (in this case, going to the shop and buying some bread). Mary had already experienced that Jesus was a special young man, and although she may not have predicted the outcome that followed, she would have thought that Jesus could have come up with some sort of solution to this problem.

Jesus’ response (v.4) is in some way understandable – Woman, what concern is that
to you and to me? My hour has not yet come – it’s not a guest’s responsibility to worry about what the hosts should have taken care of, however is also a little
curious considering what was at stake in terms of embarrassment. Was it that Jesus just couldn’t be bothered – a bit like me sometimes when we’ve run out of bread! Was it indeed that Jesus thought that this was someone else’s problem or responsibility, or just none of his business?

It wasn’t really either of these – the answer is tied up with this second phrase – My hour has not yet come. Jesus would not be using his special power ‘willy-nilly’ at everyone’s beck-and-call – it was a matter of whether this was an appropriate occasion for Jesus to act – whether this was the time for Jesus to be revealing
himself as ‘God in the flesh’ – would this be in accord with God’s purposes!

Jesus wanted to avoid the sort of notoriety that may have prematurely destroyed his mission (like when he asked people to remain quiet about their healing). The power Jesus had over nature, was not for novelty, but was for offering “signs” of a new era (and the breaking in of a new way of living).

[There are different terms used by the gospel writers to describe the ‘new way of living’ that Jesus inaugurates and promotes. This is the type of living that sets followers of Jesus apart from others who lack the light of Jesus in their lives. Mark and then Luke use the term “Kingdom of God”; Matthew, being more careful with
the use of the name of God with his Jewish audience, uses “Kingdom of Heaven”. In each case these terms mean an “alternative cultural basis” for living than generally operates in the world (Sine) – the “Kingdom of God” is the spiritual realm where God is honoured and sought after.

John uses a different expression … “eternal life”; and as we shall see later in John’s gospel, this term does not just refer to life in the hereafter, but also to the quality and integrity of life in the salvation experience of the here and now!]

Culturally, Jesus using the address “woman” would not be as rude as we might think, however it was still a somewhat unusual way of addressing his mother. The implication of this is that Jesus would not even be responding as he did because his mother asked him, but rather for far more significant reasons. This, Jesus’ mother seems to concede, as she defers to whatever action Jesus may (or may not) take!

(2) When the water becomes wine (v.6-10)

Over to the side were “six [large] stone water jars” which were used for the ritual washing of hands at meals. {They had probably been used earlier and the water then tipped out.} Jesus said to the servants to fill them with water, and when they had completed this, they were further asked to take a sample to the “chief steward” –
the ‘wedding planner’. By the time this “chief steward” looked at, smelt, and tasted this liquid, it had become wine, and not just your average wine (that you’d send out when people were in such a state not to notice), but the very best imaginable.

Jesus’ actions certainly saved the hosts from extreme embarrassment, the bride and groom from a life-long stigma, and the ‘wedding planner’ from never working one of these events again. However, what was really the point of all this?

(3) A “sign” to promote belief (v.11)

This act is described as a “sign” (v.11) – and a “sign” is something that points to a greater reality – of deep significance. This turning of water into wine was a “sign” that, in Jesus, God was now present in the flesh – to turn the direction of world events, to make God known, to call people into a relationship as children of God; in a ‘nut-shell’ – to elicit “belief”!

[There were ancient Mediterranean legends concerning the miraculous production of wine by ‘gods’ or religious figures – but who would be able to interpret this particular act as a real “sign” of the Creator God’s actual presence?]

“Belief” in John’s Gospel, is the sort of active faith that transforms lives and communities … just as dramatically as water becoming wine! Such a “sign” is not only to encourage “belief” for the first time, but also to sustain and expand “belief” in God over time. “Belief” is indeed something that can grow and develop in strength over time. We read in verse 11 that Jesus’ disciples, who had obviously already had an experience of belief and trust in Jesus, came to believe in him even more!

Sometimes such “signs” will be obvious; other times we will have to be discerning and look out for them. But God is active around us, and will give us sufficient
“signs” of His presence to build up our faith.

The people of Jesus’ time and the readers of John’s Gospel could clearly understand the meaning of such a “sign” as this. This “sign” would explain to them the message of John 1:17 – The law … was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. The religion followed by the Jews had become stagnant, legalistic, exclusive & depersonalised. People needed a new option that would truly lead them toward God’s heart. And so simple water was transformed into vintage wine! Something new and better was happening!! With Jesus, the quality is the best, and the quantity is as much as we could possibly need.

As John’s Gospel unfolds, we discover that the Jesus movement (that comes to be known as Christianity), rather than being stagnant, legalistic, exclusive & impersonal, is hopeful, compassionate, all-encompassing & personally liberating.