John 2
-On the third
day, presumably the third day of the week (our Tuesday), Jesus found Himself,
along with His mother and His disciples, at a wedding in Cana of Galilee, near
Nazareth where He had grown up. The wine ran out for the time of feasting,
which could have been an embarrassment to whoever it was that was putting on
the celebration. Jesus’s mother, Mary, takes notice of this indiscretion remarking
to her Son, “They have no wine.” Jesus replied, “Woman, what do I have to do
with you? My hour has not yet come.” This response was in no way disrespectful,
just a Hebrew idiom going on here. We observe no tension from the communication
in what happens next. Mary instructs the servants to do whatever Jesus asks of
them, which they did. There were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish
custom of purification containing between 20 to 30 gallons each. Jesus
commanded the servants to fill the pots with water, and they filled them to the
brim. Then, He told them to draw some out and take it to the headwaiter to
which they complied. “And when the headwaiter tasted the water which had become
wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the
water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom, and said to him, ‘Every man
serves the good wine first, and when men
have drunk freely, then that which is
poorer; you have kept the good wine until now.’” This was the beginning of
Jesus’ signs, which He performed during His earthly ministry after the time of
His baptism. It manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him (John
2:1-11).
-After this, Jesus, His mother, His brothers, and His
disciples went down (north and east, but downhill from Cana) to Capernaum and
stayed there a few days. After this, the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and
the Messiah went up to Jerusalem. What He found there disturbed Him greatly. He
found in the Temple area those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves. Moneychangers
were everywhere seated doing their business. Courageously, the Christ made a
scourge of cords and drove them out of the Temple along with the sheep and the
oxen. He proceeded to pour out the coins of the moneychangers and overturned
their tables. To those who were selling the doves, He said, “Take these things
away; stop making My Father’s House a house of merchandise.” Years later
John and other disciples remembered some key prophecy and words of the Christ during this time.
John relates a passage from Psalm 69:9, “Zeal for Thy House will consume Me.”
When the Jews reproached Him asking by what sign He did these things, Jesus
answered, “Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” This
confounded the earthly-thinking religious crowd of Jews. They knew it took 46
years to build this magnificent structure. For Jesus to claim He could raise it
up from destruction in three days seemed absolutely impossible. Jesus was of
course speaking of the Temple of His Body that was resurrected on the third day,
and when this actually happened, the disciples remembered that it was at this
time that He had made this comment. This led them to believe in the Scripture
and the word which the Savior had spoken. The scene returns back to the
Passover festival in Jerusalem where many were believing in the Name of Christ
Jesus. They were beholding the miraculous signs, though John doesn’t specially
list them for the reader, that He was doing. “But Jesus on His part, was not
entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did not need
anyone to bear witness concerning man for He Himself knew what was in man (John
2:12-25).”
-*Application*- The
big take away here, besides realizing the amazement of His incredible miracles,
is the Lord’s attitude towards His House. It is far too common to see business
set up in the modern church structure in our homeland of America. One would
have to wonder what Jesus Christ would do if He came in to worship at some of
our locales these days. His righteous indignation would be warranted since we
replace His House of prayer for a place of profit (Isaiah 56:7, Matthew 21:12-13,
Mark 11:15-17, Luke 19:45-46). Maybe it’s time we let a little of that zeal for
the LORD’s House consume us and take a stand against things that distract from
His work being done in the church. If we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians
2:16), this should also be our attitude, should it not?
Verses to Memorize:
John 2:9, 16, 24-25
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