John 2:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he said to them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast." So they took it.

NIV: Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so,

NASB: And He *said to them, 'Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.' And they took it to him.

CSB: Then he said to them, "Now draw some out and take it to the headwaiter." And they did.

NLT: he said, 'Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.' So the servants followed his instructions.

KJV: And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.

NKJV: And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it.

Here again, we see Jesus asking people to participate in His miracles. God has all power, but He frequently asks us to do something as a way of contributing to His work. We are expected to be active in our faith, not passive, even though the results are entirely up to God. Here, Jesus acts in response to a need (John 2:3) through the work of servants (John 2:5–7).

This account lacks any sense of showmanship. There is no hocus-pocus, incantations, or other fireworks. This is important for two reasons. First, true miracles are not for entertainment. They send a message from God, or about God. Many of the false miracles attributed to Jesus' youth (John 2:11) are frivolous or flashy, with no apparent purpose. Second, Jesus' power comes from His own divine nature. He is not conjuring other spirits. Nor is he tapping into some arcane system. What Jesus does is not "magic"—it's a miracle.

The headwaiter, or chief servant, was the one in charge of overseeing all the wedding arrangements. The Bible doesn't mention whether he knew that the wine had run out; it's safe to assume that he did. This helps to explain his surprise at the excellent quality of the wine (John 2:10).

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.