A Wedding Celebration (John 2:1-11)
Jesus did numerous miracles, and each tells us something about Him. Let’s look at this account in John 2 where Jesus, Mary, and the disciples had been invited to a wedding. Jewish weddings were large and often lengthy. Guests traveled to attend, food was a necessity, and wine was normal. To announce a wedding, invite guests, and not provide as expected would have been embarrassing—and that’s what happened here. The wedding ran out of wine.
We need to grasp the change in Jesus’ relationship with His mother. He was her biological son, but Jesus addressed her here as “woman” (v. 2:4). It was a polite address, not at all rude, but it’s odd to address your mother in this way. This was a signal to Mary (and to us) that something was about to change. She who had raised Jesus as her son would soon follow Him as her Lord (Lk 1:46-47).
Mary had asked for Jesus’ help, because the wine at the wedding had run out. She was concerned about the hour at hand—and rightly so. Jesus used this occasion to hint about an “hour” to come (v. 2:4). He then changed the contents of six massive jars into an abundance of wine.
It’s a bit cryptic to us, but this would have been clear to the Jews. They may not have believed Jesus, but His reference to a future “hour” or time of celebration was rooted in the Jewish Scriptures.
From water to wine, Jesus change the contents of the jars. Water wasn’t right for the occasion. Wine was needed, and Jesus created it in the Jewish purification jars. These were sacred jars used in Judaism. As water was insufficient for the current celebration, Judaism would not be sufficient for the celebration to come. What celebration? The “hour” when Messiah establishes His earthly kingdom, an “hour” when wine will flow without end in joyful celebration (Amos 9:13-14; Rev 19:6-10).
Jews would’ve understood the picture, but no one seems to have asked questions. The wedding guests enjoyed the wine. The party continued, and Jesus left. It’s quite sad. The Messiah was there, and no one seems to have paused to inquire or to follow.
A Temple Riot (John 2:13-2:22)
John’s next snapshot of Jesus takes us to Jerusalem for the Jewish Passover. We learn that the Lord ascended the temple mount, was furious, and wreaked havoc upon it. It’s possible that more than a million Jews would’ve traveled to Jerusalem for the celebration. Many of these would’ve needed to buy an animal for sacrifice. Jesus’ fury wasn’t because of the buying and selling in itself. Animals being purchased, currencies being exchanged—all this was fine. Extortion, however, was not fine. Extortion in the name of God incensed the Lord beyond words (v. 2:17).
The Passover had devolved into a cash cow for the Sadducees. With the authority of Rome behind them, the Sadducees could charge exorbitant fees. They knew the people wanted to worship God, and they were certain the people would pay any high price to do it. It’s so much worse than just these details, but in short, the religious leaders made a fortune.
You never in all the Gospels see the Lord so furious as the two times He visited the temple. Tables being overturned. Coins flying everywhere. The leaders demanded to know what authority Jesus had to challenge them: Who do you think you are?! They demanded a sign or miracle from Him as proof, and Jesus gave a cryptic kind of answer (Matt 13:14; Mark 6:52). No one that day would have understood.
What did Jesus say? He hinted of His death and resurrection by comparing His body to the temple (v. 2:19-22). That great temple that the Sadducees controlled wouldn’t last forever. Their temple of stone was about to be replaced by a temple of flesh. Only after the Resurrection did anyone understand what this meant. Jesus was foretelling His death and indicating that the focal point of worship would forever change. Worshippers wouldn’t forever travel to a physical structure to worship the Father. No, they would soon go to a Person, to Him (Lk 23:44-45).
Had the Sadducees humbly asked, they might have realized the significance of Jesus’ presence—God Himself entering His own temple. Something great was about to change, but no one tried to understand.
John 2:23-25—Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.
The crowds enjoyed the scene that Jesus made. John even says they “believed” in Jesus. That sounds positive, but John adds that Jesus didn’t believe in them (v. 2:23-25). In other words, the crowds liked Jesus and wanted to follow Him around. He was an electrifying new prophet. Few, however, wanted to understand Him, give all, and obey.
John doesn’t want us to conclude that Jesus is a good man, a moral teacher, or a likeable sage. John is after true belief, the kind that goes beyond intellectual assent and good feelings to the very heart of men and women (v. 4:39-42). Is Jesus the focal point of worship in your life?
An Inquiry with a Pharisee (John 3:1-3:21)
In this last account, John allows us to eavesdrop. We’re allowed to read what Jesus said to an esteemed Jewish leader. Nicodemus wasn’t a random observer of Jesus. He had see Jesus overturn tables at the temple, heard His teachings, and witnessed some signs. He thought highly of Jesus, but Jesus just didn’t fit into his religious categories. Baffled, Nicodemus comes at night to interview Jesus (v. 3:2).
Nicodemus was “the teacher” of the people (v. 3:10), a man of great learning and prominence among the Pharisees. The evening didn’t turn out as he thought it would. He wanted to quiz Jesus, but Jesus quizzed him. The Lord even questioned Nicodemus’ qualifications by saying he isn’t “born again” (v. 3:10). You must be “born again” to inherit eternal life (v. 3:5).
After all Nicodemus’ learning and piety, it was a shot to the man’s ego. He had labored so hard to earn God’s favor under the Law, and now he’s told it was all for nothing. How can that be?
Nicodemus didn’t need more books and piety. He needed a new birth, a total revolution in his life. Jesus gave him a choice: come fully into the light and identify as a true disciple or remain in the dark as a Pharisee (v. 3:20-21). For a Pharisee to follow Jesus would’ve cost that man everything.
The Bible only mentions two Pharisees who ever came to the light. One is the apostle Paul who yielded everything for the sake of Christ. Looking back, Paul said his list of deeds were “rubbish” or dung next to all he had come to gain (Phil 3:8).
Nicodemus didn’t believe in Jesus the night of their first meeting, but this was the start of something. Nicodemus did come to see Jesus again, towards the end of John’s Gospel three years later. He comes not hiding in the shadows but standing in broad daylight. He comes not with questions but to care for Jesus’ body. When most of Jesus’ followers had fled in fear of losing their lives, Nicodemus identified with Jesus (John 19:39). This Pharisee became a believer.