Turning Water Into Wine Wasn’t the Only Thing Jesus Transformed at Cana
Everything Jesus did, he did with purpose - and you don't want to miss the purpose of this miracle.
John 2:1-10
1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:
2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.
3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.
4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.
5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.
7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.
8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.
9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,
10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.
Two Miracles and Two Covenants
Moses was the messenger of God’s law; Jesus was the Son of God whose bloodshed brought grace to all mankind. Whereas the first miracle of Moses took place in the land of Egypt and involved him turning water into blood as a sign of the power and authority of God – meant to bring Pharaoh into submission for the deliverance of God’s people – Jesus first miracle took place at a wedding, where He provided the guests with new wine they were invited to drink and enjoy. This is an important and powerful comparison of the old and new covenants of God – a contrast between the letter of the law and the spirit of the law that offers grace.
Waterpots and the Law
The water Jesus used symbolic of the old law as it was contained in “six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews…” Jesus transformed it into new wine. So new and perfect that the governor of the feast said to the bridegroom, “Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have drunk it than that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.”
The New Wine
Have you ever visited a relative’s home on Thanksgiving and as soon as you walked into the door, you took a deep breath and smelled all the delicious food that you came there to enjoy? Do you remember the first bite? It’s always the best, isn’t it? Although it’s still tasting great at the end of the meal, nothing compares to that first helping. Later in the afternoon, with all the family still there, sometimes the leftovers are brought back out for people to continue to enjoy into the evening but it’s never the same as that first serving when everything is fresh and right out of the oven.
In this passage we see the same thing – the governor of the feast explains that traditionally the best wine is brought out first and as people continue to eat and drink and their palettes become less discerning, they bring out the wine that isn’t quite as good. He then expresses his surprise that the wine that was brought out last was far superior to anything they had already had.
New Wine Is Better Than Your Wine
This miracle wasn’t about saving a celebration to keep the party going. It was a sign: Our own wine, our own righteousness, our own strength – will never be enough. There is a new wine that is far superior, one that we can enjoy far more abundantly. What we truly need is the wine that only Jesus can provide – an undeserved grace that is exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask and could ever hope for.
Jesus didn’t just change the wine at the wedding at Cana - He changed everything! By turning water into wine, he demonstrated how he was here to turn the law into grace. WOW!
“…much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign n life by one, Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:17
Grace and Accountability
While the letter of the law imposes a strict definition on behavior, many today wrongly believe that the “age of grace,” made possible through Jesus’ death and resurrection, now gives them leeway to sin with a casual, “oh well, I’ve got grace” attitude. But it doesn’t. Grace was never meant to be a free license to entertain sin in our lives.
Even at the wedding in Cana, where Jesus performed His first miracle, there was still a clear expectation of order and responsibility. There was a governor of the feast, servants at work, and a structure in place – clearly, participation in the wedding feast still carried a sense of accountability.
Grace doesn’t remove the expectations God has on how we live our lives – it transforms the heart so we can meet them in Spirit and in Truth – not in the flesh.
Here’s your three take-a-ways:
1. The Waterpots Represented to Old Covenant
These waterpots weren’t for drinking, they were for ‘the purifying of the Jews” (John 2:6) Jesus was there to replace the old method of purification with something only he could do - justify us by his grace alone.
2. The Miracle Wasn’t About Celebration - It Was About Covenant
The New Testament uses the imagery of a wedding to describe the relationship Christ and his followers with Christ being portrayed as the bridegroom and his church as his bride.
In John 3, long before Jesus establishes his church, John refers to Christ as the bridegroom. Jesus references himself as the bridegroom when he asks the question “Can the children of the bridegroom mourn , as long as the bridegroom is with them?”
In Ephesians 5. Paul tells husbands to “love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it…”
In Revelation 19, we see this metaphor taken further when John speaks of the marriage supper of the Lamb - depicting the eternal union of Christ and his church.
Furthermore, Jesus used weddings as the setting of parables when speaking to his followers and disciples about being prepared for his return.
3. Grace Doesn’t Nullify Accountability
Grace doesn’t give us permission to live without order - it gives us power to live in truth and obedience from our hearts rather than the law.