John 2:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine."

NIV: When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, "They have no more wine."

NASB: When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus *said to Him, 'They have no wine.'

CSB: When the wine ran out, Jesus’s mother told him, "They don’t have any wine."

NLT: The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, 'They have no more wine.'

KJV: And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.

NKJV: And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”

Being a good host was extremely important in the ancient Middle East. Weddings were important social events; guests came from far away. It was critical for the bride and groom to make a good impression. Wedding guests expected there to be enough food and drink to last the entire, several-day celebration. Fair or not, just as today, local custom put tremendous pressure on newlyweds to entertain their guests. Since Jesus' friends and family were poor, it's not surprising that they ran out of wine. This would not have made it any less embarrassing for the couple.

It's important to note that Mary doesn't make any demands of Jesus. She does not ask Him to do anything specific. As far as John records it, she doesn't "ask" anything, at all. She simply brings the need to Him. This is consistent with the rest of the four gospels: at no time does Mary approach Jesus with any type of request. The Bible doesn't support the idea that Mary is specially empowered to speak to Jesus on behalf of others. As it happens, when she first approaches Him, Jesus comments that He's not directly involved in what's happened so far (John 2:4).

Also of note is that Jesus had never performed a miracle at this point in His life (John 2:11). Non-biblical texts have added fantastic tricks and displays of power to Jesus' childhood, but none are from legitimate sources. Mary's trust in Jesus is that much more impressive, knowing that she had never seen Him perform a miracle. All she knew is that He could solve the problem.

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.