Scripture
John 2:1-12 (ESV)
On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.
Devotional Reflection
John begins his gospel by saying that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Everything that John records in the rest of his gospel is essentially an unpacking of this statement. Everything that Jesus says and does in John’s gospel is, in some way, revealing his glory. It’s making visible the grace and truth that only come from God. In John, Jesus comes as the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy:
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. (Is. 60:1-3)
In the gospel of John, the full glory of God is displayed in Jesus in his cross and resurrection. On the cross, Jesus is the beacon of light which penetrates and conquers the surrounding darkness of sin. In his resurrection, Jesus is the light which rises to reveal that death no longer has the final word. The cross and resurrection are Jesus’s hour. The purpose for which he came. The moment in which the fullness of God’s grace and truth are revealed.
The disciples first catch a glimpse of this glory--this fullness of grace and truth--at the wedding in Cana. Now there’s a lot we could say here about this sign that Jesus performs. One commentator I read says that “our problem is not a poverty of detail, but an embarrassment of riches.” But I want to draw one detail in particular to your attention. At this wedding, a crisis develops. Midway through the celebration, the wine has run out. For the first time, Jesus is about to do something that will reveal a glimpse of the glory that will be fully revealed in his hour. Just a glimpse. So what does he do? He points to six stone jars. Not just any jars. John tells us that they are designated for the “Jewish rites of purification.” He tells the servants to fill these jars . They obey. And, you know the story, the water has become wine. Not just any wine, but the best wine. Not just a little amount, but an extravagant abundance--around 120 gallons. That's a LOT of wine.
But another thing I want to to note is not merely the quality or the abundance of wine--but also what’s missing. Water. Remember, these jars held the water for ritual purification. For all those rules that said you weren’t fit to go to worship unless you washed, bathed, and cleansed yourself in a certain way. Among certain segments, like the Pharisees, these rules had grown into an obsession with outward cleanliness--while the inward filth of the heart was ignored. So when the servants fill these jars to the brim, and when Jesus changes the water into wine, what is he revealing? How is he showing us God’s grace and truth? He’s pointing to the day when people will no longer look to an outward cleansing of dirt to make them acceptable to God. He’s pointing to a day when he himself will give a gift that is even better. A gift that is extravagant. A gift that is overflowing. A gift that leaves no room for man’s attempt to purify himself. A gift that leaves everyone who tastes it exclaim, “you have kept the best wine until now.”
Image Description (What I told AI to create...)
Develop an abstract representation showcasing multiple stone jars, each overflowing with a vivid red liquid, arranged in a harmonious composition. This artwork adopts a bold and colorful approach, with each jar depicted through distinct abstract shapes and textures to convey their unique forms. The overflowing red liquid is illustrated using dynamic, expressive lines and splashes, creating a sense of movement and abundance across the jars. The background is crafted to enhance the composition, using soft gradients or neutral tones to draw attention to the colorful spectacle of the jars and the liquid. The piece aims to capture the essence of plenty and vibrancy, emphasizing the collective beauty of the jars in a visually engaging and imaginative manner.