John 2:1-12 (NRSV)
Read John 2:1-12 on biblegateway.com
Chapter 2On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Verse 2Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. Verse 3When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." Verse 4And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come." Verse 5His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." Verse 6Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Verse 7Jesus said to them, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim. Verse 8He said to them, "Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward." So they took it. Verse 9When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom Verse 10and said to him, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now." Verse 11Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
Verse 12After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; and they remained there a few days.
Devotion
I once saw a whole book devoted to clarifying how there is no alcohol in scripture. Inside was a chapter on the wedding story in Cana with a convoluted argument suggesting that Jesus did not really create 120 gallons of wine, but some other kind of grape beverage. I was struck by how the author seemed to miss the point of this miracle.
It’s not the wine itself that is important, but rather the action of creating the wine. This miracle is called Jesus’ first sign. A sign is something that points beyond itself. Jesus’ signs pointed to the presence of God in him. They showed who He was. The miracle in Cana showed that Jesus and the Creator/Father are one. The wine points to Jesus’ divine nature. The Divine One has come close. Jesus comes to bring a new creation to light. Jesus comes to bring a new creation in each of us.
Prayer
Gracious God, we thank you for the new creation given through your Son, God-With-Us. Open our eyes to see the signs that point to you and to Jesus’ presence with us even now. In his name we pray. Amen.