John 2

 

CHAPTER 2

 

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. John 2:1-2

Jesus was now in Galilee and it was the third day.  There has been a lot of discussion about what the expression “third day” actually indicates.  It apparently had no reference to the Hebrew days of the week, which were known by their number.  Wiersbe thinks it indicates three days after the call of Nathanael (1:45-51).  Some think it was the third day after arriving in Galilee.  The day of the week would correspond to our Wednesday (which would have been the fourth day of the Hebrew week).  We know it was Wednesday because it was customary in Israel that virgin brides be married on Wednesday.2

This wedding was held in Cana of Galilee, home of the disciple Nathanael.  It is only in John’s gospel that this city is mentioned.  Today there is a traditional Cana (Kefr Kenna) on the outskirts of Nazareth, on the road to Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee.  Several older churches are located at this site, all supposedly marking the event of the miracle.  However a number of modern scholars opt for the site of Khirbet Qana, about nine miles north of Nazareth.  Rousseau and Arav state:

Archaeological data suggest that Khirbet Qana is the New Testament Cana.  Most of the finds at Kefr Kenna, the “touristic” Cana near Nazareth, do not predate the Byzantine Period.  Surveys of Khirbet Qana indicate that the site was occupied in the first century.3

We need to understand that throughout history some tourist sites have been created because of their nearness to other important sites.  It was handy for the early churches in Nazareth and their tourist trade to have Cana next door.  We see the same thing with Mt. Tabor, which is also very near Nazareth, being designated as the Mount of Transfiguration.  Mt. Tabor was not a “high mountain” as the scripture requires (Mt. 17:1) and it was also inhabited in the First Century.  Still it makes a good story and it was nearby for the tourists.  Many scholars today feel that far away Mount Hermon was the place of the Transfiguration, and we know from scripture that Jesus was in that area at the time (Mk. 8:27).  During the four years we lived in Galilee there were two brand new holy sites opened up around the lake that may or may not prove to be the actual sites of biblical events.

Jesus’ mother was at the wedding and apparently Jesus and his disciples were invited. This tells us something very important about Jesus. Unlike some long-faced Christians he joined in celebrations and enjoyed them.  Barclay says, “Jesus never counted it a crime to be happy…There are certain religious people who shed a gloom wherever they go. They are suspicious of all joy and happiness.” 4

There is one thing for sure.  It was a wise decision for the young couple to invite Jesus to their marriage.5   Over sixty years ago my wife and I knelt beside our marriage bed and invited Jesus as the third party in our relationship.  That has made all the difference!  Like the young couple, we have witnessed many miracles of Jesus in our married lives.

Jesus was there with his disciples.  Not all twelve were called at this time.  It appears that the disciple band only included Peter, Andrew, Philip and Nathanael.6

“When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, ‘They have no more wine’” (2:3).  It would help us to understand a thing or two about the social situation in those days.  The marriage ceremony came at the end of the long period of betrothal.  The betrothal was much more serious than our engagement.  It was a legal arrangement that had to be broken by a divorce.  During this time the couple lived apart.  At the end of the betrothal period the marriage ceremony would take place.  A wedding was a huge event lasting some seven days with as many people as possible being invited.7   A lot of food and wine had to be provided to feed such a gathering.

Barclay adds: “…a newly married couple did not go away for their honeymoon; they stayed at home; and for a week they kept open house. They wore crowns and dressed in their bridal robes. They were treated like a king and queen, were actually addressed as king and queen, and their word was law.  In a life where there was much poverty and constant hard work, this week of festivity and joy was one of the supreme occasions.” 8

Apparently Jesus’ mother was helping with the wedding.  She knew about the wine running out and she was in a position to order the servants (2:5).  Possibly the couple was friends of her family or else relatives.9   It is obvious that the couple was poor and that the family had not supplied enough wine.  Bible specialists, Kenneth Barker and John Kohlenberger state, “…To fail in providing adequately for the guests would involve social disgrace.” 10   It would probably cause them to be the subject of jests for years to come.

It would likely be good for us here to say a word or two about wine.  Wine was and still is a vital part of Jewish celebration.  Wine is served every Sabbath in the Jewish home.  Wine is also very much a part of all Jewish holidays.  Even a circumcised child is given a drop of wine at the ceremony.  Barclay says, “For a Jewish feast wine was essential. ‘Without wine,’ said the Rabbis, ‘there is no joy.’ It was not that people were drunken, but in the East wine was an essential. Drunkenness was in fact a great disgrace, and they actually drank their wine in a mixture composed of two parts of wine to three parts of water.” 11   Throughout our sixteen years in Israel we only saw one person drunk in public and that person was being ridiculed by all those around.

“‘Woman, why do you involve me?’ Jesus replied. ‘My hour has not yet come’” (2:4).  This reply of Jesus sounds harsh to our modern ears, but it was really not the case.  The first part of Jesus’ reply in the Greek clears up this statement a bit.  Bruce says, “The Greek wording ti emoi kai soi may mean either ‘what have I to do with thee?’ (RV) or ‘what have you to do with me?’ (RSV)….the present context points to the latter alternative.” 12   The NLT translation has it, “Dear woman, that’s not our problem…’”

We can see that no insult was intended and that this was a normal way to address a woman at that time.  “…Jesus uses the same form of address (‘woman’) for the woman of Samaria (4:21), the woman caught in adultery (8:10), his mother at the cross (19:26), and Mary at the tomb (20:15).” 13

Many commentators have felt that by this time Joseph was dead, since he is not mentioned.  Since Jesus was the firstborn he had probably worked hard as a carpenter up to this time supplying the needs of the large family.  However, since his baptism and anointing of the Spirit he had entered into a new phase of his life.  No doubt he was kindly letting his mother know that their relationship had changed.  He was now on a heavenly timetable.14 His orders were coming from above and his time for ministry had not arrived.15

“His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you’” (2:5).  There is something that really stands out here.  Jesus’ mother had implicit faith in him and faith can move mountains.  We see several instances in the Bible where it is apparent that God’s will was “bent” or “nudged” somewhat by people of faith.  On one occasion Joshua even got God to suspend the normal working of the earth and heavens and the sun stood still for many hours while Israel’s enemies were defeated.  God responds to faith and it seems here that in response to Mary’s faith the timetable of Jesus’ miracles was moved up a few hours or days. Stedman says, “Notice the simplicity of this account, how easily, how quietly, with such dignity this was done.” 16   Jesus never took the spotlight away from the young couple.  It is clear that the mother did not feel that Jesus’ reply was a reproof to her.17

THE MIRACLE OF THE WINE

Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. John 2:6

These stone jars were used for the various Jewish purifications (Mk. 7:1-4).  No doubt the guests at this feast had their hands ceremonially washed with water from these jars.  This was the custom of the Jews and still is today.  The Jewish people felt that stone jars could not be contaminated as clay jars could.  Today around Jerusalem’s archaeological sites such jars as these can still be seen.  Each pot held from 20 to 30 gallons (75 to 113 liters), and at this point they were apparently empty. Since they were handmade and not factory made jars they had slightly different capacities.  “…The combined capacity of the water pots was about 150 gallons [567 liters].  Reckoning a half pint to a glass, these vessels would contain about 2400 servings of wine.” 18

It is interesting that these water pots have sparked much comment and no doubt many sermons over the centuries.  It is almost impossible not to see types and illustrations of Judaism in these jars.  Israel’s ceremonial pots were now empty and in need of filling.  Six is usually a biblical symbol of human effort and of imperfection.  Israel’s joy as well as the world’s joy eventually becomes empty.19   Of course, wine was a symbol of the age to come (cf. Jer. 31:12; Hos. 2:22; 14:7; Joel 3:18; Amos 9:12-14).20   Jesus would fill up their joy to the brim.  The new wine provided would be far in excess of what the people could use.

“Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water’; so they filled them to the brim.” Then he told them, ‘Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.’ They did so,” (2:7-8). Jesus could have filled the jars himself but he involved the servants so that they could share in the great miracle he was about to perform.  The servants then took some of the water to the master of the banquet.  We can imagine that it took some faith to do this.  The master of the feast would have been greatly angered had they brought him only water to taste.21

The Greek word used for master of the banquet is architriklinos, who in our day could be compared to the head-waiter.22   In the First Century the widespread Roman custom of using triclinium tables had reached Israel and the Greek word betrays this.  The triclinium was a squared “U” shaped table slightly elevated from the floor.  The guests reclined around the table and servants served from the middle.

John continues, “and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, ‘Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now’” (2:9-10).  Jesus did not just make wine but he made some of the best wine the steward had ever tasted.  He was amazed that such good wine had been held in store.  It was customary in those days to begin with the good wine and after taste buds had been dulled, the lesser quality wine was brought forth.

We want to point out that this was real wine and not grape juice as some conservative brethren have hoped.  On Pentecost the disciples were accused of being full of new wine and therefore acting erratically (Acts 2:3-15).  So the wine was the real stuff and not mere grape juice.23   To the relief of our offended brethren, Wiersbe does point out that “…in heaven now, Jesus is a teetotaler!” [Matt. 26:29].24   We mentioned earlier that the Israelis are not prone to drunkenness and that was no doubt the case at Cana.  Keener says, “…drunkenness as part of the celebration at Cana is unlikely.” 25

What a blessed miracle and what relief it must have brought to a greatly embarrassed couple.  Jesus is just like that.  He loves people and has compassion on the poor.  He was no doubt glad to work his very first miracle to honor the institution of marriage.  Long ago the great Augustine pointed out: “He who made the wine at this wedding does the same thing every year in the vines.” 26

Stedman comments, “Our Lord is able to take the humdrum, commonplace, ordinary events of any life and with his touch make them full of flavor, fragrance, strength and beauty; to turn them into wine.” 27

“What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. (2:11).  In this gospel the miracles of Jesus are called signs (Gk. simeion).  We all know that signs point to some reality and in the case of his signs, the reality is the presence of the Savior and his kingdom.  Barclay says:  “Always there are two things. There is a simple surface story that anyone can understand and re-tell; but there is also a wealth of deeper meaning for him who has the eagerness to search and the eye to see and the mind to understand. ..” 28

It might be helpful for us here to note the Seven Signs that Jesus gives in this gospel:  “1 The changing of water into wine 2:1-11.  2 The temple cleansing 2:13-22.   3 The healing of the nobleman’s son 4:46-54.  4 The healing of the lame man 5:1-15.   5 The feeding of the multitude 6:1-15.   6 The healing of the blind man 9:1-41.  7 The raising of Lazarus
1:1-44.” 29

VISIT TO CAPERNAUM

After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days. John 2:12

There was a reason that Jesus went down to Capernaum.  It would become his home during most of his ministry (Matt. 9:1; Mk. 2:1).  We might ask why he chose Capernaum.  Did he like to fish in the Sea of Galilee?  Did he like the warm sub-tropical climate at 680 feet (207 m.) below sea level?  It was none of these things.  Jesus came to Capernaum to fulfill prophecy (Matt. 4:13-16).  In Isaiah 9:1-2 we read: “Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” 

In this Isaiah passage we have some very important information.  Jesus grew up at Nazareth, in the land of Zebulun, and Capernaum was in the ancient tribal land of Naphtali.  Both tribal areas are mentioned in this prophecy.  The Way of the Sea is also mentioned.  That ancient highway ran from the Mediterranean through the area of Capernaum.  There is today on display at Capernaum a Roman mile-marker to illustrate this fact.  Capernaum was actually the port of entry from the kingdom of Herod Philip which was east of the Jordan River.  Jesus spent a good deal of time on that side, traveling up to Caesarea Philippi on one occasion.  Then we see the expression, Galilee of the Gentiles.  There were many Gentiles living in the Galilee and the same is true today.  Most of the eastern and southern sides of the lake were in the area of Decapolis, an almost completely Gentile territory.

One of the commentators mentioned that Jesus and his whole family moved to Capernaum, but that was not the case.  We later will see his family continuing to live in Nazareth.  Jesus came to Capernaum with the intent of establishing his base there and his family came along for a visit.

Today Capernaum is generally accepted as the place where Jesus lived.30  The foundation for the synagogue in Jesus’ day is still visible and the ruins of the house of Peter, where Jesus probably lived, have also been identified.

CLEANSING THE TEMPLE

When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. John 2:13

It was always the custom of Jesus’ family to attend the festivals at Jerusalem (Lk. 2:41), and it became his custom as well.  Passover is a springtime festival and coupled with the seven days of Unleavened Bread it is a lengthy celebration.  Jewish people came from all over the land and from many foreign nations to keep this festival.  Every adult male living within fifteen miles of Jerusalem was obligated to attend.31  It is thought that as many as two and a quarter million Jewish people at times came up to Jerusalem to keep the feast of Passover.32

In the Synoptic Gospels it appears that Jesus only celebrated one Passover in Jerusalem but here in John it is clear that three Passovers fell in his ministry (cf. 6:4; 11:55; 12:1; 13:1; 18:28, 39; 19:14.).  If the unnamed feast of John 5:1 was a Passover then there were four.33 It is by these Passover celebrations that the length of Jesus’ ministry can be calculated.

“In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money” (2:14).  Stedman sighs at what Jesus found.  He says at Passover time every house had to be cleansed of leaven, but at the temple of God he found it polluted with noise, money-changers, merchandise and animals.34  

Obviously, the business of sacrifice at the temple required animals.  It was God’s plan that people would bring the best of their flocks, those without blemish, and offer them up.  However, over time the Jerusalem religious leaders had gotten themselves into the business of providing sacrificial animals, at a price of course.  It really had become a racket and these temple animals were sold at prices many times the market value.  We can see how much graft could come about with such a system.  No doubt many good animals that were brought to the temple were rejected, so that people would be forced to buy the expensive ones.

Money-changing was also quite a lucrative business for the religious elite.  Every Jew over nineteen years of age had to pay the Temple Tax.  It was about the equivalent of two days’ wages.35   That tax could not be paid in regular money but only with the coinage of Tyre.  It was not because the shekel of Tyre was without images, because it was decorated with images on both sides, however, it had an exceptional purity in its silver content.  The commission charged for exchanging money was around 12 ½ percent.36

The scene for all these merchants and animals was the Court of the Gentiles.  How tragic that Israel not only had little interest in winning the Gentiles, but the leaders filled the only place where Gentiles could worship the true God with all this noise and confusion.  Jesus burst in upon this religious circus and was quite disgusted with what he saw.

“So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables” (2:15).  Jesus likely did not need the whip because his eyes were probably like blazing fire (cf. Rev. 1:14; 2:18; 19:12).  It takes a lot of force and authority to separate people from their money, but Jesus did it quickly and with finality.  This was Jesus’ first great public act.37   It was also his second sign.

We cannot help but think of scriptures that spoke of this event. “‘…Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,’ says the LORD Almighty.  But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver…” (Mal. 3:1-3).  Zechariah says, “And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD Almighty” (Zech. 14:21).  In several Bible versions Canaanite is translated as “trader” (e.g. ESV, NJB, NRS, RSV).

Stedman asks: “Can you imagine what the disciples felt while this was going on?  How embarrassed they must have been by the actions of Jesus!  They had not been with him very long; they did not know him very well…Yet the first thing he does is to embarrass them with this uncalled-for activity.” 38  The temple was the very heart of Judaism.  Was Jesus now striking at the very heart of everything they held dear?

“To those who sold doves he said, ‘Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!’” (2:16).  It is interesting that Jesus still calls the temple “my Father’s house.”  The temple had many shortcomings.  It seems clear from scripture that God never really wanted the temple in the first place (cf. 2 Chron. 6:18; Acts 7:47-50).  However, God sanctified the temple and dwelt there.  God used the temple to teach us many things about the church (cf. Eph. 2:19-22).  God desired that the temple be a house of prayer for all nations, not a den or robbers (Matt. 21:13).  The Greek word used here is emporiou or market house.39   We would understand this today as “emporium.”  Long before Jeremiah had lamented: “Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the LORD” (Jer. 7:11).

Wiersbe remarks concerning this event, “When Jesus cleansed the temple, he ‘declared war’ on the hypocritical religious leaders (Matt. 23), and this ultimately led to his death.” 40 Beginning with verse 18 we will see some of the Jewish reaction to this episode.

“His disciples remembered that it is written: ‘Zeal for your house will consume me’” (2:17).  This is a quote from Psalm 69:9.  In the Synoptic Gospels we will see that Jesus’ action and his pronouncements concerning the temple caused him to be condemned to death (Matt. 26:61; 27:39-40; Mk. 14:57-58; 15:29).

When we look at John’s chronology here it reveals a rather serious problem. The Synoptic Gospels place the cleansing of the temple at the very end of Jesus’ ministry and John places it close to the beginning (cf. Matt. 21:12-13; Mk. 11:15-17; Lk. 19:45-46).

There has been a lot of discussion about this problem among commentators.  It seems that the best conclusion was that Jesus may have cleansed the temple twice.41   Gruenler says, “There are two cleansings in the gospel accounts, appropriately framing the beginning and the ending of his redemptive ministry…” 42

JESUS IS QUESTIONED BY THE JEWS

The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”  John 2:18

It is amazing how blind the Jewish leaders were at this point.  Jesus had just given them a sign (his second sign) by cleansing their temple.  Bruce says, “…Their request for a ‘sign’ was misguided: what sign could have been more eloquent than that which they had just witnessed?” 43

“Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.’” (2:19).  When John spoke of the temple previously in verses 14 and 15 he used the Greek word hieron, which denoted the whole temple complex of buildings and courts.  In this verse Jesus uses the word naos, which speaks of the inner sanctuary, or the dwelling of God.44   In verse 21 we will see how Jesus was shifting the temple to his body.  Utley says: “John 2:19, 20, and 21 refers to the inner sanctuary itself…These two statements are related to the truth that Jesus was setting up a new spiritual worship focused on himself and not ancient Judaism (cf. Jn. 4:21-24). Again, John uses a word in two senses!” 45

As we have mentioned, it was this statement that later caused Jesus a lot of trouble.  Although the Jewish leaders used the statement falsely it still carried a lot of weight with people who had come to worship the brick and mortar temple.  Within a generation that natural temple would be completely destroyed by the Romans.

“They replied, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?’” (2:20).   Herod’s building of the temple was quite an elaborate project that was begun in 20-19 BC.  As the bulk of the work was being done, there were a total of 18,000 workers.  In order to maintain the purity of the inner courts 1000 priests were also trained as architects and stonecutters.46   The finishing touches to the temple went on until AD 64.  Probably Jesus’ words spoken here were in AD 27. 47

“But the temple he had spoken of was his body” (2:21).  In the fourth chapter we will see Jesus explaining this mystery to the Samaritan woman.  It is amazing that Gentiles could understand what Jewish theologians and leaders could not understand.  It is likely here that Jesus is speaking of the church as his body (cf. Eph. 1:23; 4:16; Col. 1:18).  At his death and resurrection he raised up the church.  Guthrie says, “…there is a close connection between the resurrection of Christ and the emergence of the church.” 48  Keeping the temple image, Jesus became the corner stone and foundation while the individual members became like living stones, raising up a glorious spiritual temple (1 Cor. 6:19; Eph. 2:19-22; 1 Pet. 2:4-5).

“After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken” (2:22).  The Jewish leaders could not understand what Jesus was talking about.  Unfortunately, even his own disciples did not understand.  It took the death and resurrection of the Savior for the light to come on in their heads and hearts.

JESUS’ MINISTRY IN JERUSALEM

Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. John 2:23

Apparently during his Passover stay in Jerusalem Jesus did a number of signs and miracles before the people.  It seems that many believed in his signs.  As we have mentioned, great crowds from all over Israel and the known world were present for this feast.

“But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. (2:24). Here we have something very strange.  As Tenney says, “The people believed in Christ, but he did not believe in them.” 49   Jesus was the example of a true man as God had created humankind.  He was not limited by the sinfulness and dullness brought about by the fall.  He obviously had human abilities lost to us today.  Therefore, he could read people like a book.  This is probably not a God-quality of Jesus because in order for him to come to earth and take on flesh he had to empty himself of most of his God-qualities and powers (Phil. 2:7 ESV, NET, NJB).  However, we must mention that the Holy Spirit was upon Jesus in a mighty way and without limit (Jn. 3:34).  By the Holy Spirit today the church is given prophetic gifts of understanding mysteries and sometimes of looking into people’s lives in order to help them.

It is important to note that signs by themselves convince those who want to believe but for doubters signs are often ignored or explained away.  A faith built only on signs is a flimsy faith.  “Jesus knew that this was thin, superficial belief.” 50

“He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person” (2:25).  There were several instances in the gospels where Jesus saw clearly into people’s lives.  For instance he knew that the Samaritan woman had five husbands (4:18).  He also knew that Judas would betray him (Matt. 26:21).  He knew that the Jewish leaders would kill him.  In fact, he told this to his disciples on three occasions (Matt. 16:21; 17:22; 20:17-19).  It is amazing that with the clearness of Jesus’ vision of the future that he still went up to Jerusalem to be crucified.

 

Continue to Chapter 3