WINE
[John 2:2-10]
V2. Jesus is invited to the wedding. No one can hear the gospel unless they are open to give it a chance. When the gospel is preached to us, we can do one of two things. We can shut our ears to it, or we can invite it to sink into our ears. We consider it, meditate on it, and if we make the right choice, accept it. The fact that Jesus’ disciples were invited with him shows that the servants of God will be accepted with him. If one has judged themselves worthy of the gospel [willing to hear], the messenger will be accepted as Christ himself. This is why Jesus tells us that what we have done for his servants, we have done for him [Matthew 25:37-40]. Wherever Jesus is invited, we are invited. Were we are not welcome, he is not welcome. This is proved in Jesus’ commission to the 70 when he sends them out. He tells them to stay where people are worthy, and shake the dust off their sandals when the house is not worthy [Matthew 10:13-5]
His first miracle is performed at a wedding. Ironic that his ministry begins at a wedding, and will end at a wedding [Revelation 19:9].
V3. They have no wine. The wine here symbolizes happiness/fulfillment/peace [Psalms 104:15, Ecclesiastes 10:19]. The fact that they ran out of wine means that there was a previous happiness with life. Finally, the things of this world no longer satisfied the inherent craving of man. The void in man can only be filled with Christ. Although one can have fun in this life and find temporary pleasure in the things of the world, true happiness and a glad heart only come from a relationship with God. Note that Mary came to Jesus with this problem. The position that Mary represents in this story knows that Christ alone can solve the problem that the human race suffers. She went to the right place.
V4. It could be assumed that Jesus’ referral to his mother as “woman,” could be disrespectful. This means a lot concerning the spiritual meaning of this miracle he is about to perform. It is true, as most teachers assert that Jesus was separating himself to his ministry with this statement. He is no longer Jesus the carpenter and son of Mary and Joseph. He is now proclaiming himself as the messiah, set apart for a unique task. He is the son of God. He is the Lord and savior of the world. However, this reference to his mother has an even deeper spiritual meaning concerning who Mary symbolizes in the course of this story. For this purpose, we are given a clue that for the rest of the verses contained in this story, we are not to look at Mary as Jesus’ mother. She represents a type in the scripture and I will explain that further at the appropriate time.
Jesus also says that his hour has not yet come. Does this mean that he must have changed his mind to perform the miracle he is about to perform? No. It is true that his hour had not yet come to accomplish what this miracle represents. The miracle itself could still be performed, but like all of Jesus’ miracles, it was prophetic. The miracle itself represents what Jesus’ overall goal was in his ministry.
V5. Mary tells the servants, “Whatever he tells you to do, do it.” Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, tells what he wants us to do. We can have pastors, mentors, teachers and elders who can give us advice and confirm God’s calling on our lives. It is not their responsibility, however, to chart our lives for us. The mark of a true mentor is that they will point us toward the one we should obey. That one is Christ. If we have the Holy Spirit, He speaks to us personally [1 John 2:27]. Once we’ve been pointed in the right direction, we are to obey God. Mary represents a good counselor. She pointed the servants to Christ, and then stepped out of the way. Jesus’ instruction from that point forward by-passed Mary and went strait to the servants.
V6. The water pots have a double meaning. For one they represent souls who have never heard the gospel. In a more Jewish context, or even a general religious context, they show the fruitlessness of religion. The water pots were to be used in the Jewish manner of purification. Religion leaves one dry. Many souls live dry lives due to their religion. Some are even officers in that religion, unable to quench the thirst of their practitioners because they are empty and dry themselves.
V7. Jesus tells the servants to fill the pots with water. We are to just obey God, and let him worry about changing the water into wine. We give the gospel and keep it simple. We can not do the Holy Spirit’s job for him. Our commission is simple. Give the gospel and let God do the rest. One of Jesus’ sower parables [Mark 4:26-9] makes this same point. The sower sows, and then rises at day and finds that the seed grew of itself, and he couldn’t understand how. Once we’ve put the water in the pots, God will change it into wine.
V8. The master of the feast represents the world that will now witness the lives of the new converts.
V9. As the master tastes the wine, he doesn’t know where it came from, but the servants knew. Tasting of the wine is the visible testimony of the believer that is witnessed by those in the world. They see a changed life but can’t really understand what it was that changed that life. We [the servants] know very well that it was Christ that changed this person’s life.
V10. “you have kept the best wine ‘til now.” This is the bringing in of the new covenant. The law was the old wine, grace is the new. This was Jesus’ ultimate calling; to usher in a new and better covenant. God saved the best for last.
