John 2:1 The third day, there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there. 2 Jesus also was invited, with his disciples, to the wedding. 3 When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no wine.”
4 Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with you and me? My hour has not yet come.”
5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever he says to you, do it.” 6 Now there were six water pots of stone set there after the Jews‘ way of purifying, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the water pots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim. 8 He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the ruler of the feast.” So they took it. 9 When the ruler of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and didn’t know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the ruler of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when the guests have drunk freely, then that which is worse. You have kept the good wine until now!” 11 This beginning of his signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. 12 After this, he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; and they stayed there a few days.
Throughout his book John recorded signs: This beginning of his signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee.
Why did Jesus do signs?
John tells us here in the beginning of his book that Jesus did signs to reveal his glory and so that people would believe in him and his message.
The first sign John records was turning water into fine wine. Jesus was invited to a wedding along with his mother Mary, his brothers, and his newly gathered disciples, when a major social blunder occurred. The wine ran out in the middle of the reception. I once attended a wedding where the food ran out before all the guests were served. I can tell you the hungry guests were not happy. This put quite a damper on the celebrations. To prevent a similar uprising Mary asked Jesus to intervene.
Jesus was simply enjoying the wedding with his family and friends and had not planned to begin his public ministry just yet, “My hour has not yet come”. Nevertheless, in obedience to his fifth commandment he honored his mother, Exodus 20:12, and created fine wine. Jesus had the servants fill six water pots…to the brim. By filling them to the brim with water, Jesus demonstrated to the servants that he was not doing some slight-of-hand magic trick by leaving any space in the pots for him to add anything. No, they were filled to the brim and just like in creation, simply by his transformative word, the molecules of water were reconstituted into the best wine.
We would all do well to follow Mary’s advice to the servants, “Whatever he says to you, do it.” Are you instinctively willing to follow the Creator’s commands? Just like the wine brought joy to the wedding celebration, (Drink your wine with a joyful heart, Ecclesiastes 9:7, Wine gladdens the heart of men, Psalm 104:15), obeying the commands of our Savior brings great joy.
The precepts of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart; the commandments of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. Psalm 19:8
We often think of the commands of God as harsh and stifling joy. For example, in his youth Augustine prayed, “Give me chastity and self-restraint, O Lord, but do not give it to me yet. Shortly I will be holy, in a little while.” But later in life he revealed, “But my shortly grew into a great length and my little while into a long while, for I did not want my lust quenched, but rather glutted.” Augustine, Confessions
Do you, like the young Augustine, see the commands of God as joy stifling or as gifts that bring true life?
Our Creator made us. He wrote the genetic code. He gave us souls. He knows us inside and out. Though his commands are designed for our optimal flourishing we frequently think that we know better how to live. But doing things our way ultimately leads to frustration, denial, despair, and finally death and judgment. We would find greater satisfaction and peace if we would follow Mary’s advice, “Whatever he says to you, do it.”
Witnessing this miracle strengthened his disciples belief. His disciples’ believed in him.