Those who expect the favors of Christ must with an implicit obedience observe His orders. Those who follow Him shall fare with Him. The way of duty is the way to mercy.
John 2
1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:
2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.
3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.
4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.
5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.
7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.
8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.
9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,
10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.
11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
12 ¶ After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.
13 ¶ And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,
14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:
15 And when he 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;
16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.
17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.
18 ¶ Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
21 But he spake of the temple of his body.
22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
23 ¶ Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.
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.
John 2:1-2 – J. Vernon McGee
John 2:3 – J. Vernon McGee
John 2:4-5 – J. Vernon McGee
John 2:6-11 – J. Vernon McGee
John 2:12-14 – J. Vernon McGee
John 2:15-22 – J. Vernon McGee
John 2:23-25 – J. Vernon McGee
John 2:1-11 – Jesus Blesses Social Joys
The keyword here is miracles. They are windows into the eternal purpose. The Lord loved to join in simple human joys. “He came eating and drinking.” He honored marriage by His first miracle. The wine had to fail, as the earthly and human always must, in order to make room for the eternal and divine. Like Mary, we are impetuous, and would hasten the divine actions: but God is ever deliberate and waits for the exact hour before He interposes. It is hardly likely that our Lord made one hundred and thirty gallons of wine; but that as the servants drew and bore to the table, the wondrous change was wrought. Our Lord did in a moment what He is ever doing, transforming dews and rain into the nutritive and gladdening juices of nature.
Here was indeed a sign that the Master desired to sweeten and enhance human happiness, and that His influence could transform what was ordinary and common into the joyous and sacramental. It was His glory to show that religion is consistent with ordinary life, and to teach that God increases our joys from less to more, and still more. “The best is yet to be.” —Through the Bible Day by Day
John 2:5 – Whatsoever God sees fit to require of us is great, be it of greater or lesser magnitude in appearance. (D.O. Mears)
John 2:5 – The fact that God has commanded us to do a thing proves that we can do it. (Guthrie)
John 2:10—Thou hast kept the good wine until now.
The world gives its best first. As youth and beauty are ushered into the banqueting-room of life, the world spreads the table with its best. The zest of enjoyment is keen in those young days, but it is soon satiated; the delicacies with which the table is spread pall, and the appetite, unduly stimulated at the first, demands coarser and more passionate delights to stimulate. At last the table is served with provision, from which, in the first days, the banqueters would have turned away disgusted.
But if you let the King lead you into his banqueting house, beneath his banner of love you will find yourself feeding on dainties which never satiate nor pall—which whet the appetite and give the taste a more delicate appreciation of the vintages of heaven.
You may say this of the Word of God.—At the beginning of Christian life it is full of meaning and inspiration; but as the years pass, and we realize ever more of its helpfulness, we repeat the refrain, “Thou hast kept the good wine until now.”
You may say this of Christian love.—Let two love in Christ, and instead of their affection waning, as so often happens in the world, they will discover that the fellowship, which began in comradeship, will end in a sacramental meal; truest, purest, deepest enjoyment being kept for Paradise.
You may say it of heaven.—Neither hath eye seen nor heart conceived the things, even now and here, that God has prepared for those that love Him. But so soon as the redeemed spirit shall awaken in the untreated glory of God’s presence, it will exclaim, “The half was never told; Thou hast kept the best until now.” At every moment and always God is giving his best. —Our Daily Homily
John 2:12-22 – Right and Wrong Uses of God’s House
This market was established in the Temple courts, and many evils were associated with it. The animals were sold at exorbitant prices, which made the dealers only the more covetous. The money-changers made considerable profit in supplying Jewish coins—which alone could be offered in the Temple service—in exchange for Roman and Greek money. Our Lord’s presence was august, His soul being aflame with the passion of zeal for His Father’s honor. The consciences of those who offended were smitten by the contrast between that holy zeal and their own eagerness to barter.
Our Lord’s reference to His body as the true temple is very impressive and interesting. The Apostle adverts to it in I Corinthians 6:19. As Jesus cleansed the Temple so He can cleanse our hearts. When He comes to dwell within us, He finds our hearts desecrated by unholy things, which He quickly casts out. He sits as a refiner of silver: His fan is in His hand, and He thoroughly purges His floor. Our Lord’s reference to the distraction of His body, by the act of the Jewish leaders, and to His resurrection, proves that from the first He had His sacrifice well before His eyes. In the next chapter this becomes the more apparent. —Through the Bible Day by Day
John 2:23-25 – A solemn question is suggested by John 2:24. Can Jesus trust Himself to us? We must show ourselves worthy of His trust. —Through the Bible Day by Day