John 2 · WEB
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John 2

Water into wine at Cana

The third day, there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there. Jesus also was invited, with his disciples, to the wedding. When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no wine.”

Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with you and me? My hour has not yet come.”

His mother said to the servants, “Whatever he says to you, do it.”

Now there were six water pots of stone set there after the Jews’ way of purifying, containing two or three metretes apiece. Jesus said to them, “Fill the water pots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the ruler of the feast.” So they took it. When the ruler of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and didn’t know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the ruler of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when the guests have drunk freely, then that which is worse. You have kept the good wine until now!” This beginning of his signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

After this, he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; and they stayed there a few days.

At a wedding in the Galilean village of Cana, the wine runs out. Jesus' mother tells him, and though he answers that his hour has not yet come, he has servants fill six large stone jars with water, which becomes excellent wine. John calls this the first of Jesus' signs.

What does this mean?

Calling his mother "Woman" was not rude in Greek; Jesus addresses her the same way from the cross (19:26). "What have I to do with thee?" (KJV) is an idiom of distance, roughly "this is not our concern". "Firkins" (KJV) and "metretes" (WEB) are measures: each jar held roughly 75 to 115 litres (20 to 30 gallons). The "ruler" or "governor of the feast" was the master of ceremonies.

Historical context

Village weddings could last several days, and running out of wine would have shamed the hosts. Stone vessels were widely used by Jews in this period because stone was not considered to carry ritual impurity; archaeologists have found many in Galilee and Judea.

Why does it matter?

John calls Jesus' miracles "signs": acts that point beyond themselves to who he is. Jesus' "hour" becomes a running theme, finally arriving in chapter 12 as his death approaches. Many readers connect the abundance of wine with prophetic images of a joyful age to come, as in Amos 9:13.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Jesus clears the temple

The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, and the changers of money sitting. He made a whip of cords and drove all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the changers’ money and overthrew their tables. To those who sold the doves, he said, “Take these things out of here! Don’t make my Father’s house a marketplace!” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will eat me up.”

The Jews therefore answered him, “What sign do you show us, seeing that you do these things?”

Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

The Jews therefore said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple! Will you raise it up in three days?” But he spoke of the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.

At Passover in Jerusalem, Jesus finds animal sellers and money changers in the temple courts. He drives them out with a whip of cords and overturns tables. Asked for a sign of his authority, he says, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."

  • Scripture connection · Quotation

    John 2:17 quotes Psalm 69:9

    For the zeal of your house consumes me. The reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.
    Psalm 69:9 · WEB

    The disciples connected this psalm of a righteous sufferer with Jesus clearing the temple. John does not say when they remembered it; the saying in 2:22 was recalled only after the resurrection.

What does this mean?

"Changers of money" exchanged pilgrims' coins for currency accepted for the temple tax. "Zeal" means passionate devotion. John's narrator explains that the "temple" Jesus meant was his own body, and says the disciples understood this only after the resurrection.

Historical context

Passover was the great spring festival remembering Israel's escape from Egypt, and pilgrims crowded Jerusalem. Animals for sacrifice were sold in the temple's outer court for their convenience. Herod the Great began rebuilding the temple around 20 BC, and work continued for decades, which fits the "forty-six years" of verse 20 and is often used to date this scene to around AD 27 to 28.

Why does it matter?

This Gospel mentions three Passovers during Jesus' ministry (2:13, 6:4, 11:55), the main reason for the common idea that it lasted about three years. The theme of Jesus replacing or fulfilling the temple recurs in chapter 4.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Told in all four Gospels

How John tells it

John mentions a whip of cords and driving out sheep and oxen; Jesus calls the temple "my Father's house" made a marketplace. Here Jesus himself speaks of destroying the temple and raising it in three days; in Matthew and Mark it surfaces only on others' lips, at his trial and as a taunt at the cross.

John places this event near the start of Jesus' ministry; Matthew, Mark and Luke place it in his final week. Whether these describe one event or two is debated.

Jesus knows what is in people

Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in his name, observing his signs which he did. But Jesus didn’t entrust himself to them, because he knew everyone, and because he didn’t need for anyone to testify concerning man; for he himself knew what was in man.

During the Passover festival, many in Jerusalem believe in Jesus because of the signs he performs. But Jesus does not entrust himself to them, because he knows what is in every person.

What does this mean?

There is a wordplay in Greek: many "believed" (pisteuo) in him, but he did not "entrust" (the same verb) himself to them. "Commit himself" (KJV) means entrust or rely on.

Why does it matter?

These verses introduce a question John's Gospel keeps raising: whether faith based on seeing miracles is enough. Nicodemus, in the next scene, is one of those impressed by the signs.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Translation

KJVTraditional biblical languageWEBContemporary English

Chapters

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Reading

Translation

KJVTraditional biblical languageWEBContemporary English

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

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