John 2:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

NIV: His mother said to the servants, 'Do whatever he tells you.'

NASB: His mother *said to the servants, 'Whatever He tells you, do it.'

CSB: "Do whatever he tells you," his mother told the servants.

NLT: But his mother told the servants, 'Do whatever he tells you.'

KJV: His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

NKJV: His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

Mary brings Jesus a problem, not her own pre-packaged solution. Jesus' mother does not ask Him to make, buy, or create more wine. She simply tells Him what her concern is, and tells others to follow His lead. Sometimes when we pray, we forget that it's not our place to tell God what to do: we can ask, but mostly we need to listen. Jesus' response from verse 4 is the equivalent of saying, "What does that have to do with me, ma'am?" Still, Mary doesn't ask for anything in particular. She does, however, tell the servants to listen to His instructions. Since Jesus had never performed a miracle before (John 2:11), we can't be sure what she expected. Even without miracles, Mary has come to trust that Jesus can resolve her problems. Just as she was when Jesus was conceived, Mary seems content to trust in God's plans, even when she doesn't know all the details.

John 2:1–12 describes Jesus’ first miracle, which is turning water into wine at a wedding. This miracle was very quiet, 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 semeion, 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 is symbolic of His 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 place into a market place.

Chapter 2 begins to show Jesus’ “signs,” or miracles, which will prove that He is the Savior. The miracles will grow more and more spectacular, but they start quietly. Contrast is an important part of the gospel of John. The quiet, joyful miracle at the wedding is very 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.

The gospel of John was written by the disciple John, decades later than the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. 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”—in order to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in all of the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.

Accessed 5/7/2024 12:11:43 AM