This is the first article of a series focusing on the seven signs in the Gospel of John. It’s not often that a book states a purpose, but John’s gospel does: “these [accounts of miracles] are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30). John highlighted seven miracles to help us see that knowing Jesus Christ as the Son of God will bring about a spiritual life known only to those who have put their trust in Him. We can certainly affirm with doctrinal correctness that Jesus is the Son of God, but it isn’t the same as Jesus revealing Himself to us in such as way that we place our faith in Him as the Son.
The Gospel of John is unique among the gospels in that the Father plays a major role. In John’s gospel, we get a better sense of who Jesus is to the Father, of the relationship and communion of the Father and the Son. When we grasp this relationship and believe in Him with this understanding, then we will be oriented toward Christ in a deeper way, a life-affirming way. An abiding communion with the Father and the Son should heavily define the Christian life, which John’s first epistle covers in more detail.
When the wine ran out at the wedding feast to which Jesus and His disciples were invited (John 2:2-3), Mary let Jesus know: “They have no wine” (John 2:3). A wedding feast often lasted a week, so that was no surprise. Jesus’ response seemed non-committal: “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come” (John 2:4). His mother deliberately put the problem into Jesus’ hands when she told the servants to obey Him without regard (John 2:5). Was she used to His cryptic sayings by then, and delegated the work to Him, expecting Him to do what’s right?
At any rate, Jesus took charge. God was in Christ, telling the servants to fill up the Jews’ empty ceremonial water pots with plain water (John 2:7). In this beginning of signs in Cana, what was empty became full to the brim. What was water became wine. What was an inferior wine became the unexpected best in class (John 2:9-10).
Jesus in this beginning of signs done in Cana makes His glory visible that was hidden (John 2:11). How so? Every detail brims with the His purpose of His coming. He replaces a jar’s emptiness with the wine of merriment. He came to replace the depleted wine of the Jews with new wine in the new wine skins of the kingdom of God. He fills with abundance what was stone dry. He came to replace the stone-dry purification rituals with the washing of the Word and Spirit.
He surprises us with unexpected supernatural fullness where we expected the normal humdrum of life’s disappointments. He came to fill our human vessels of clay to the brim with the glory of the Christ dwelling within. God sent the best wine in the end with the sending of His Son. He invites lowly servants to participate in the mystery of the miracle, the significance of the sign. Jesus was invited in, and that changed everything. As a result, water pots are filled with wine and disciple’s hearts with faith (John 2:11). These are written that the reader may believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and truly live (John 20:30).
