background notes

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doctrinal / teaching points

1. God puts His stamp of approval on marriage and weddings.

2. Judaism could never produce the joy of Christianity.

practical applications

1. Invite Jesus to your wedding.

2. Come as you are.

questions

1. Was the Lord's reply to His mother a harsh word? (John 2:4)

2. What were the stone waterpots used for, other than for holding the wine at the wedding? How many gallons did each waterpot hold?

3. Was the "wine" really wine, or was it just grape juice?

4. It was reported that as a child, Jesus did some miracles, like forming clay pigeons that flew. Discuss.

5. How does God place His stamp of approval on marriage and weddings?

6. Why did Jesus choose to do this miracle by using ceremonial waterpots of the Jews?

answers

1. No. The Lord's point was that He was subject to the will of His Divine Heavenly Father, not the will and schedule of His human earthly mother.

2. They were used for ritualistic ceremonial washings. Twenty to thirty gallons per waterpot.

3. Scripture states that it was wine (see John 2:10). Wine is used as a symbol of joy in the Scriptures. There is nothing intrinsically evil about wine, but the problem arises because of what people do with it. The Bible is clear that we are not to be drunk with wine, or hinder or stumble another by the wrong use of Christian liberty.

4. Scripture states, "This was the beginning of signs (miracles) Jesus did..." If this was the first miracle, childhood miracles are apocryphal.

5. The Lord Jesus attended the celebration of a marriage. Marriage in Scripture is before God, the state and the civil authorities, accompanied by a public declaration before God and man. A wedding is a celebration of this public declaration that this man and this woman are man and wife.

6. Because of the teaching associated with the miracle. In this miracle, the waterpots represented Judaism, the Old Testament law and what it had become with all of its additions and traditions that the Jews had added to it. Without the miracle, the waterpots could produce no wine, the symbol of joy. They were powerless, and so was Judaism, to produce joy. Joy could only come through a new change in the coming of Christianity and the miracle of the new birth in Christ. New wine Christianity is not Old Testament Judaism, but it is its fulfillment. That is why the water was changed into wine as it was drawn from the waterpots. True joy is available only in Christ.

discuss / consider

1. What is your understanding of the significance of this miracle, including the joy of Christianity? Do you have this joy? Does it show in your life?

2. Read Ephesians 5:25. Of what is marriage a reflection? Was Jesus the center of your wedding, or will He be? Is your home Christ-centered?

challenge

"Whatever He says to you, do it."

memorize