John 2:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.

NIV: On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there,

NASB: On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there;

CSB: On the third day a wedding took place in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’s mother was there, and

NLT: The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there,

KJV: And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:

NKJV: On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.

"The third day" probably means the third day after Jesus recruited Philip and Nathanael (John 1:43–51). It probably doesn't mean Tuesday; in the Jewish tradition, virgin brides married on Wednesdays. Widows married on Thursdays. In Jesus' era, weddings were not single-day events. The realities of travel in that era, for messengers and guests, made it difficult to predict exactly when a person would arrive. A typical celebration could last a week.

We don't know specifically where Cana was, but it was the hometown of Nathanael (John 21:2). Nathanael might have been the original invitee, for that reason. It's possible that Jesus' mother, Mary, was helping to serve guests at the wedding, explaining her involvement in the story (John 2:3). The wording between this and the following verse (John 2:2) suggests Mary was already there and Jesus and His disciples came later.

Weddings are a common source of symbolism in Scripture; God is often compared to a groom, and His people compared to a bride.

John 2:1–12 describes Jesus' first miracle, which is turning water into wine at a wedding. This miracle was discreet and known only to a few people. Changing water meant for purification into wine, symbolic of blood, is a reference to Jesus' role as Messiah. Instead of rituals, we are purified by the miraculous blood of Christ. John specifically uses the Greek word sēmeion, or "sign," for these miracles, since they are meant to prove that Jesus is God. This is the first of seven such signs in the gospel of John.

Jesus attends a wedding where He performs His first miracle: turning water into wine. This symbolizes a transformation of human rituals into divine sacrifice. Few people are even aware that a miracle has occurred. Jesus then drives crooked businessmen out of the temple, scolding them for turning a sacred area into a crass marketplace.

Chapter 2 begins to show Jesus' "signs," or miracles, which will prove that He is the Savior. The miracles will become more spectacular over time, but they start quietly. Contrast is an important part of the gospel of John. The quiet, joyful miracle at the wedding is starkly different from the loud public spectacle of clearing the temple. Jesus' first miracle symbolizes His mission. During the temple clearing, He also predicts His death and resurrection. This sets the stage for Jesus' private discussion with Nicodemus, a respected and influential man.

The disciple John wrote the gospel of John decades after the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls "signs"— to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.

Accessed 12/21/2024 12:08:48 PM