NLT Study Bible - Gospel of John - Flipbook - Page 11
John 2:4
1772
4“Dear woman, that’s not our problem,”
Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”
5But his mother told the servants, “Do
whatever he tells you.”
6Standing nearby were six stone water
jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing.
Each could hold twent y to thirt y gallons.
7Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with
water.” When the jars had been filled, 8he
said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the
master of ceremonies.” So the servants fol
lowed his instructions.
9When the master of ceremonies tasted
the water that was now wine, not knowing
where it had come from (though, of course,
the servants knew), he called the bride
groom over. 10“A host always serves the best
wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone
has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less
expensive wine. But you have kept the best
until now!”
11This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee
was the first time Jesus revealed his glor y.
And his disciples believed in him.
12After the wedding he went to Caper
naum for a few days with his mother, his
brothers, and his disciples.
The Jerusalem Temple Is Cleansed
John 2:13-16; cp. Matt 21:12-13 // Mark 11:15-17 //
Luke 19:45-46
13It
was nearly time for the Jewish Passover
celebration, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. 14In
the Temple area he saw merchants sell
ing cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices;
he also saw dealers at tables exchanging
foreign money. 15Jesus made a whip from
some ropes and chased them all out of the
Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle,
2:4
John 7:30; 8:20
2:6
Mark 7:3-4
John 3:25
2:9
John 4:46
2:11
John 2:23; 3:2; 4:54;
6:14; 11:47; 12:37
2:12
Matt 12:46-50
2:13-22
//Matt 21:12-17
//Mark 11:15-19
//Luke 19:45-48
2:13
Deut 16:1-6
John 6:4; 11:55
Miraculous Signs (2:1-11)
The Gospels use three words to describe Jesus’ miraculous works. In Matthew, Mark, and Luke,
the Greek word dunamis (“power”) describes an act of raw force that amazes observers and
leads to the inevitable conclusion that God must be at work in Jesus (see Mark 6:2).
In John, however, this response of amazement is absent. John does not use the popular
term dunamis. Instead, he labels each of Jesus’ miracles as a “sign” (Greek semeion), an event
that has a deeper meaning. John also describes Jesus’ miracles as “works” (Greek erga, see
10:25; see 7:3, “miracles”; 9:3, “power”). Christ’s miracles were part of the work that God
gave him to do (17:4), revealing the Father to the world.
John selectively records seven miraculous signs that occurred during Jesus’ ministry:
(1) changing water to wine (2:1-11); (2) healing the official’s son (4:46-54); (3) healing a
paralyzed man (5:1-17); (4) feeding 5,000 (6:1-15); (5) walking on water (6:16-21); (6) healing
a blind man (9:1-41); and (7) raising Lazarus from the dead (11:38-44). John also records the
miraculous catch of fish after Jesus’ resurrection (21:4-14). Most of the seven signs were met
with belief (2:11; 4:48, 53; 11:45-48). However, the sign itself was not Jesus’ purpose. Instead,
the message behind the sign is always in view, so the signs are usually matched to a discourse
by Jesus. Jesus fed the 5,000, for example, not just to meet their needs, but so that people
would see him as the bread of life (6:35), given for them when he died on the cross (6:51).
John 2:18, 23; 3:2;
4:48, 54; 6:2, 14,
26, 30; 7:31; 9:16;
10:41; 11:47; 12:18,
37; 15:24; 20:30
Exod 4:8-31; 7:3
Num 14:11, 22
Deut 4:34
Ps 74:9; 78:43
Matt 12:38-39
Acts 2:43; 4:16, 22,
30; 5:12; 8:6; 14:3;
15:12
Rom 15:19
disciples, which might explain why his
mother brought the problem to him.
A wedding banquet was a primary
celebration in Jewish village life, and
this episode also symbolized the joy of
the Messiah’s arrival.
2:4 Jesus initially distanced himself
from the problem. His mission and its
timing could not be set by a human
agenda. Jesus’ time (literally hour)
would come in the future when he
was glorified as he was lifted up on the
cross (12:23; 17:1).
2:6 Carved from solid rock, the stone
water jars were used for religious
washing ceremonies (see Mark 7:1-4).
Jesus was about to fill Jewish ceremony
with new content. twenty to thirty
gallons: Greek 2 or 3 measures [75 to
113 liters].
2:9-10 The master of ceremonies cited
a proverb. The best wine was always
served first when palates were most
sensitive; yet this miraculous wine,
served last, was the very best imaginable. Good wine symbolized God’s
blessing (Amos 9:13-14). The Messiah,
God’s greatest blessing, had arrived
at last.
2:11 Jesus had offered his first miraculous sign (see “Miraculous Signs” at 2:111, above). In it, he revealed the glory
of God (see also 1:14; 11:4, 40).
2:13 Passover, an annual spring
festival, commemorated Israel’s rescue
from slavery in Egypt (Exod 12). Jews
traveled to Jerusalem to participate
in the festival (Deut 16:1-16). Because
John refers to three Passover Festivals
(2:13; 6:4; 11:55), many experts conclude that Jesus had a three-year public
ministry.
2:14-17 Those who came for Passover
needed to have approved sacrifices for
worship. From this need grew a considerable industry for selling animals and
exchanging money, but this business
was being conducted in the Temple.
Jesus, like a prophet, demanded that
God’s house be returned to its intended
uses—worship, prayer, instruction, and
sacrifice. This put Jesus at odds with
the Temple leadership. The synoptic
Gospels place the clearing of the
Temple near the end of Jesus’ ministry
(Matt 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-17; Luke
19:45-46). John might have placed his
account of the event here to emphasize a connection with the miracle that
transformed the water in purification
jars into wine (2:1-11). The Temple and
the stone jars were both instruments
of purification in Judaism. Stone jars
filled with water for ritual washing
