John 2:6-11 This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee

Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece.  Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water."  And they filled them up to the brim.  And He said to them, "Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast."  And they took it.  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.  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!"  This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.

(6) Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece.   These six waterpots were carved out of solid stone, as opposed to less expensive clay pots formed by hand or turned on a potter's wheel.  Earthenware was considered too porous to meet the Jewish standard for purification.  God had imparted to the Jews a sanitary system for washing hands, dishes, utensils, and furnishings - several thousand years in advance of the scientific study of biology.  John points out this manner of purification of the Jews because no such volume of clean water would have been kept on hand by the other ancient cultures -who would have been the contemporaneous readers of this gospel account.

 

(7) Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water." And they filled them up to the brim.  It would be logical to assume that the usage of water and the consumption of wine would have reached their limitations around the same time.  As was noted in the previous verses, Jesus and His disciples likely arrived at the wedding near the end of the day.  The Greek source texts state specifically that the vessels were filled to the top with water, in compliance with Jesus' instructions.  The total quantity of water has been conservatively calculated to exceed 100 gallons.

 

(8) And He said to them, "Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast." And they took it.  Mary had instructed the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."  Taking the purification water to the master of the feast would not have been appropriate unless he had requested water for cleansing at that time.  Yet they did as they were instructed, trusting that Jesus would not assign to them an inappropriate or meaningless task.

 

(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!"  Jesus turned what would have been an embarrassment to the host into an occasion for an honorable compliment to his cleverness.

 

The Wedding Feast at Cana - Paolo Veronese - partial view

Several elements of this miracle help to magnify its significance:

 

The master of the feast was typically chosen based on his proven leadership and sobriety during occasions when others might be given over to carelessness or inebriation.  In keeping with this expectation of diligence, the master of the feast would have been fully in possession of his senses; not only to distinguish water from wine, but also to assess the quality of the vintage.

 

Furthermore, the massive quantity of water eliminates any supposition that the water had been merely tampered with by mixing some wine with the water; because the quantity of additional wine needed to significantly alter the mixture would still require the supernatural appearance of vast quantities of wine.

 

(11) This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.   Jesus did not instruct the servants to announce where the better wine had come from.  He was not trying to bring attention to Himself at this time, although this miracle could not pass without notice.  The servants were bound to have been amazed by the water which had been turned into wine.  But they were not yet privy to the Baptist's testimony that Jesus was the Christ.  So it would seem that only Mary and Jesus' disciples were fully aware of the glory due to the Son of God because of the transformation of the water into wine.

 

Although the Lamb of God came to take away the sins of the whole world, and to be the light of every man; Christ ministers on a personal level.  He often told those who were healed to tell no one.  And after His resurrection, He only appeared to those who had been chosen.  Here at the wedding in Cana, all were indirectly blessed by His presence; but His glory was only fully revealed to His disciples.  So often does Jesus work mightily within and upon us in such a personal way that others are unaware of His glorious work in our lives.  But we know - and give glory to God!

 

John has included certain information in this gospel and in his epistles which are intended to supplement the other gospels, and to correct erroneous teachings which were beginning to flourish near the end of his life.  John addresses one such false teaching by submitting the fact that this miracle in Cana was the first sign that Jesus performed.  Either rumors or writings had begun to infiltrate the Church claiming that childhood signs and wonders had been performed by Jesus before the beginning of His ministry at the age of thirty.  John was the caregiver to Jesus' mother after the cross.  Mary is certainly the best witness to the events of Jesus' boyhood.  John spoke on behalf of Mary, and from his own personal knowledge, and has assured us that no miracles had been performed before the water was made wine at the wedding.

 

We must never deviate from the teachings of the chosen Twelve, whose witness is true and writings are trustworthy.  We should object to all instruction which is contrary to rule of faith established by those writing which have been universally accepted from the beginning of the Christian Church.  Let us continue steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine; and, contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. - Acts 2:42, Jude 1:3