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 of the 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. Notice, also, that 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.

Second, Jesus' power comes from His own divine nature. He is not conjuring other spirits, or using 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 of the wedding arrangements. The Bible doesn't mention whether or not he knew that the wine had run out, but 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 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 4:49:12 AM