John 2:1-12 – Wedding at Cana and the First Miracle

1On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; 2and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” 4And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.” 5His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” 6Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each. 7Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim. 8And He said to them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it to him.9When 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, 10and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine;but you have kept the good wine until now.” 11This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.  12After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother and His brothers and His disciples; and they stayed there a few days.

Interesting Words
gallons

metrétés – a “liquid measure containing nearly nine gallons”; ” ‘a measure’ about 39.39 litres or 8¾ gallons”, about 3 baths of water.  Total volume equal to 6 x 8.75 gal = 52.5 gal (minimum), may have been as much as 120 to 180 gal (maximum). Standard mesure for measuring oil and wine (2Ch 2:10; Ezr 7:22; Isa 5:10; Eze 45:14).

headwaiter

architriklinos – superintendent of a banquet, master of ceremonies at a dinner, master of the feast. The superintendent of a dining-room, toast-master.

become

ginomai – come into being, am born, become, come about, happen, properly, to emerge, become, transitioning from one point (realm, condition) to another – Gal 4:4, Heb 11:3; John 1:3;

beginning

arché – beginning, origin, properly, from the beginning (temporal sense), i.e. “the initial (starting) point”. – Mark 1:1,21-22; Luke 1:1-3; John 1:1-5

manifested

phaneroó – (from phṓs, “light”) – properly, illumine, make visible, manifest (figuratively) make plain, in open view; to become apparent (“graspable”) – Mark 4:22; Eph 5:13; John 14:21; 2Cor 4:10-11;

Cross References

• Luke 2:51-52;
• Luke 4:14-15;
• John 1:9-11, 12-13;
• John 1:31;
• Joel 2:23, 24-25;

Discussion Questions
Print (ctrl-p) or copy the following to a word processor to enter your answers, then meet with some friends to discuss. You can also compare your answers to mine for a virtual discussion… my answers… John 2:1-12 – Wedding at Cana and the First Miracle – Answers

  1. What do the first two verses tell you about this situation?

  2. Why did Mary come to her son and tell Him that they had no wine?

  3. Why was Jesus so careful about when His ministry actually started, in verse 4?

  4. What other key elements can you glean from the wedding story?

  5. How would you paraphrase the headwaiter’s speech?

  6. What other feasts does this passage bring to mind?

  7. Describe the scene that is highlighted in verses 11 and 12?