John 2:1-11
Q.1. Why did Jesus say that His hour had not yet come, in response to Mary’s concern? What does this tell us about His purpose for coming? – (Jn.2:1-4)
Jesus and His disciples were at a wedding when the wine ran out. This prompted Mary to ask Jesus for help. His response suggested that Mary had implied that He should use His miraculous powers to fix the embarrassing problem for the groom and bride (Jn.2:1-3). Since only John recorded this miracle and yet called it a ‘sign’, this indicates that he knew that this miracle was not the main reason why Jesus came. He said – … Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come (Jn.2:4). What did Jesus mean? John gave the best explanation when he recorded that Jesus prayed – Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You (Jn.17:1). Earlier John recorded that Jesus claimed that this glorification would come through His death – 23 … The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit (Jn.12:23-24). Jesus was very clear that His mission from the Father was to die and return to His Father – 1 … Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end … 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God (Jn.13:1 & 3). John was certain that doing miracles was not the main focus for Jesus. It was His atoning death for sinners that was His reason for coming to earth.
Q.2. What important attitude should we cultivate towards Jesus? What was special about Christ’s turning water into wine? – (Jn.2:5-10)
Mary summed up the best attitude to display toward Jesus simply and powerfully – Whatever He says to you, do it! (Jn.2:5). Why did Jesus replenish the wine? To run out of wine at a wedding would be acutely embarrassing for the groom and bride and their families. It revealed something of the heart of God toward the ordinary and extra-ordinary affairs of life. Jesus liked to enjoy life and other family occasions (c.f. Mt.11:19; Lk.5:29-30). We also learn that the wine that Jesus provides was the very best (Jn.2:10).
Q.3. Why did John refer to this miracle as a ‘sign’? What are these signs supposed to achieve in the Gospel that John wrote? – (Jn.2:11)
John added after recording this miracle – This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him (2:11). Through this miracle Jesus revealed His glory, and that He was no ordinary man. The result was that it strengthened the faith of His disciples. John wrote his Gospel with a clear agenda – 30 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (Jn.20:30-31). This does not detract from the factual nature of his book. Rather it shows that John included those incidents and teachings that reinforced his purpose for writing.