John – Chapter 2 – Jesus’ first miracle –

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John – Chapter 2

John stresses the deity of Jesus Christ. He gives seven miracles that serve as signs that Jesus is the Messiah. In Chapter 2 of John, he records Jesus describing himself as the Bread Of Life, The Water Of Life, The Light Of The World, The Door, and The Good Shepherd. John provides teachings of Jesus’ found nowhere else, including the other Gospels. The book of John is the most theological of the four gospels.

Being a disciple of Jesus and having the deep sense or longing of wanting to save the world, God expects us to take care of ourselves in the process. How can we minister to the sick if we are sick? How can we feed the hungry if we allow ourselves to be malnourished? How can we have the strength to fight battles if we are weak? Do not misunderstand what I am saying. I know I can accomplish anything provided I am in Gods’ will. But God also says to have wisdom.

The Bible says in Proverbs 4:6-7, “Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.”

Job 12:12
Wisdom belongs to the aged, and understanding to the old

Job 28:28
Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding

Colossians 2:2-3
My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Chapter 2 of John explains how Jesus, the one that was to save the world, took time off to attend a wedding. Keep in mind, the marriage festivities of the Jewish lasted for a week.

Now this was the third day since Jesus has returned to Galilee and met Philip. (John 1:43) There was a marriage in the town of Cana and Jesus’ mother was attending. Cana was a town in Galilee about six miles north west of Nazareth. John 21:2 says that Nathanael was born in Cana. The name “Cana” means a “place of reeds.” Jesus and his disciples were probably invited because Mary, Jesus’ mother was invited.

As the marriage ceremonies continued, the wine ran out. “And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus said unto him, They have no wine. Jesus said unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come. His mother said unto the servants, Whatsoever he said unto you, do it” (John 2:3-5).

It seems that Mary was being presumptuous in hinting that Jesus to solve this problem. Jesus’ response was to say, “Woman, what have I to do with thee?” He does not call Mary, “mother,” which is an endearing term, but rather simply “woman” This was not a sign of disrespect. Mary may had thought that because she was His mother she had some special hold on or control of Jesus as a miracle worker. She may have seen this as a opportunity for Him to reveal Himself she knowing in her heart who He truly was. However, Jesus however, mildly corrects her. No man or woman has any special position manipulate the Lord. This event shows that Mary, although a godly woman and Jesus’ earthly mother, she had no special position with Him. This contradicts the Roman Catholic deification of Mary and the false assumption that she was the Mother of God. The practice of praying to Mary and exalting her, as the Roman church has done, has no precedent in the Scriptures. Mary served the Lord like many others, but she was just an ordinary person.

Based upon the request from His mother Mary, Jesus performed his first miracle. That was. “Turning water into wine’.

After the marriage festivities, Jesus, Mary, his brothers and Jesus’ disciples left Cana and headed east about 16-18 miles to Capernaum. Capernaum is mentioned in each of the Gospels and is located on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee near a main ancient highway that connected the lake with Damascus about 75 miles to the north. Capernaum was an important city in the life of Christ. Jesus remained for a short time in Capernaum and then journeyed south about 90 miles to Jerusalem to observe the Passover. All male Jews were required by law to attend go to Jerusalem for the Passover. The Passover was observed on Nisan 14th, which falls within the time frame of March-April. The Passover was a supper on Nisan 14th and was followed by the Feast of Unleaven Bread that lasted seven day until the Nisan 21st.

Upon arriving in Capernaum, Jesus found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting. When Jesus had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables. Jesus said unto them that sold doves, “Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise”. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up” (John 2:14-17).
Verse 23, seems to imply that Jesus cleaned the Temple of the moneychangers before the Passover. He then on during the subsequent seven days of the feast (Feast of the Unleaven Bread) did many miracles and many people on seeing His miracles believed on Him. The actual miracles that Jesus did are not recorded, but many that were in Jerusalem for the feast surely witnessed them. The belief of these who believed was because they saw His miracles seems to be suspect. Their’s was a belief of seeing a sign. It is not likely their belief was saving or justifying faith, but merely a superficial belief in Him as a miracle worker. There is no record of any of these people later following the Lord. To believe on Jesus Christ, is to believe in who Jesus is, which is the Messiah, God incarnate in man. Further saving faith comes from conviction of one’s sin. True faith comes upon realizing that Jesus is God, that truth sheds a revealing light on our sinful condition and that brings genuine conviction and repentance. Saving faith in more than believing that Jesus did a miracle, but more in that we believe in Him as our Savior. Verse 24, sheds more light on the matter.

God inspired the Apostle John to write this Gospel to clearly assert the deity and majesty of Jesus our Savior. Truly, He is Almighty God, come to earth incarnate in man, and who demonstrated His all consuming and gracious love in suffering and dying for the sins of all men. We have the testimony of God’s very word and we who have believe on Him, have His abiding and eternal presence. Oh, what a wonderful Savior is our God!

The last 2 verses of John, Chapter 2, prepares the beginning for Chapter three.

24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,
25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.

What these two verses mean:

The son of God Knows all human nature. Those that were proclaiming Jesus would soon be shouting, “Crucify Him”. Those that praising him were doing so because that is what the majority was doing. Jesus knew these praises were superficial. The bottom line is, no matter what the multitude may be shouting, keep your faith, stand, believe, and be firm.