Jn. 2:1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Yeshua was there.
Since Bible times the various holidays and rites of passage throughout life have provided particular opportunities for Jewish people to celebrate. The “Song of Songs” is an example of a passion-filled poem that openly celebrates the sensual purity of marital love.
In this segment, we have the first of Yochanan’s seven signs. Remember, Yochanan has seven signs, seven discourses, seven “I Am’s. With this segment we also conclude the first full week of Yeshua’s public ministry.
Jn. 2:2 Now both Yeshua and His disciples were invited to the wedding.
This verse talks about the good wine and the lesser good, or bad wine. The good wine is that which had mellowed with age. M:Avoth 4:20 says, “He who learns from aged men, what is he like? He who eats ripe grapes and drinks old wine. He who learns from younger men, to whom is he like? He who eats unripe grapes and drinks fresh wine from his wine vat.” In Judaism, the drinking of wine was a symbol of joy. Old And new wine also represent old and new teachings respectively.
Source: M:Avoth 4:20
Jn. 2:3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Yeshua said to Him, “They have no wine.”
At this point, they are in Galilee and they come to a wedding. The worst thing that could happen to a Jewish wedding is to run out of wine. At these weddings the feast would last for seven days. There were occasions where because of the seven day feast they did not plan for enough wine. Furthermore, the Jews weren’t stupid, and they had a way of knowing when to serve the expensive wine, and when to serve the cheap wine. They would serve the good wine first, and after the people had a few drinks it didn’t matter what came next. Then they would serve the cheap wine.
Jn. 2:4 “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come?”
There is a psychological element in the life of Yeshua that we should not ignore: the tension between Yeshua’s familial ties and His understanding of His divinely appointed task. This element is to be found even at the beginning of Yochanan’s Gospel. When His mother asked Him to produce more wine, He replies, O woman, what do you have to do with M?”. In a recently found apocryphal narrative, this theme of tension is heightened almost intolerably. He also makes this statement: "My hour has not yet come.”According to M:Eduyoth 1:1 this is a term referring to an appointed time when something was to be done. Most of the time that this term was used it was a referenece to death. But here it is a reference to His public miracles.While His ministry has begun, this is not the time for His public miracles. This is to happen in Jerusalem, the capital of the nation at the Feast of Passover. His response to His mother may be an indication that the family rift was already beginning to take shape.
Source: M:Eduyoth 1:1
Most of the time that this term was used it is a reference to death. But here it is a reference to His public miracles. While His public ministry has begun, this is not the time for His public miracles. This is to happen in Jerusalem, the capital of the nation at the Feast of Passover.
Jn. 2:5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”
He will perform a miracle, just not in public yet. It will be performed in such a way that only a few will know about it: the servants, His mother and His disciples. The Bible doesn’t go into detail, but this house and family must have been very familiar to Yeshua and His mother. Perhaps Miriam was even helping with the wedding arrangements. In any case, she doesn’t hesitate in giving orders to the servants.
Jn. 2:6 Now there were set six water pots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece.”
There are two mentions of the words “pots of stone.” These water pots of stone were after the purifying manner of the Jews. These were for ceremonial purification. Water pots of stone were in common use. M:Yadayim 1:2 says, “From all kinds of vessels may they pour water on their hands, even from vessels of cow dung or vessels of stone and earth.” The water from these pots was used mostly for welcoming guests into the homes. The roads of Israel were unpaved and very dusty. Hospitality was extremely important to the Jewish people in those days. When a guest or visitor came into the home, a servant would take some of the water from the pots and wash their feet and legs to make them both comfortable and welcome.
Source: M:Yadayim 1:2
Jn. 2:7 Yeshua said to them, “Fill the water pots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.
Jn. 2:8 And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it.
Notice that the Lord performs this miracle without giving any real indication of when, where, or how He is doing it. All the servants know is that they poured water into the pots. But, when they took it to the master of the feast, it had changed to the best wine on the market. They couldn’t even truthfully say who did it or when it happened.
Jn. 2:9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not now where it had come from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom.
Jn. 2:10 And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then that which is inferior, but you have kept the good wine until now.
This wine is even superior to the wine served in the earlier part of the feast, and now the groom is commended for going contrary to custom in serving the better wine last, rather than first. The groom is probably scratching his head wondering what was going on. No host would ever be complimented for serving grape juice at a Jewish wedding. To make this word, which means wine, to read grape juice is to read into the text one’s own prejudice and one’s own presupposition. Both Hebrew and Greek have excellent words for “juice,” and it God wanted to say juice He could have used that word. He chose not to. What was served here was wine, not grape juice. Granted though, it would not have been the same quality or strength as the wines that are made today.
Jn. 2:11 This is the beginning of signs Yeshua did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.
We are clearly told that this is Yeshua’ first miracle. This one statement falsifies many of the other books that were written in the second century or so, that talked about the early childhood of Yeshua, and record Him doing miracles as a small child and boy.
