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The Gospels · New Testament

John 2

John 2: water made wine at Cana and the temple cleared

General context

At a marriage in Cana of Galilee the mother of Jesus tells him they have no wine. He answers that his hour is not yet come, and she tells the servants to do whatever he says. Six stone waterpots set for purifying are filled to the brim, and what is drawn out is brought to the governor of the feast, who tastes it, does not know where it came from, and tells the bridegroom he has kept the good wine until now. The narrator calls this the beginning of miracles, says it manifested his glory, and says his disciples believed. After a short stay in Capernaum, Jesus goes up to Jerusalem for the passover, makes a scourge of small cords, drives the sellers and animals out of the temple, pours out the changers' money and overthrows the tables. Asked for a sign, he speaks of destroying this temple and raising it in three days. Many believe when they see his miracles, but he does not commit himself to them.

Cited passages: John 2:1, John 2:3, John 2:4, John 2:5, John 2:6, John 2:7, John 2:8, John 2:9, John 2:10, John 2:11, John 2:12, John 2:13, John 2:14, John 2:15, John 2:16, John 2:18, John 2:19, John 2:23, John 2:24

John 2 (KJV)

1And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:

2And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.

3And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.

4Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.

5His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

6And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.

7Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.

8And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.

9When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,

10And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.

11This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

12After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.

13And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,

14And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:

15And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables;

16And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.

17And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

18Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?

19Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

20Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?

21But he spake of the temple of his body.

22When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

23Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.

24But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,

25And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.

This page shows the King James Version. In the app, reading opens in the Berean Standard Bible unless you have chosen another translation. The reader includes five translations: the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), the King James Version (KJV), the World English Bible (WEB), the Bible in Basic English (BBE), and the American Standard Version (ASV). Search covers three of them: Berean Standard, King James, and World English. Basic English and American Standard readers search the King James words.

Historical context

The narrator counts this act at Cana as the first of its kind, which is the book's own numbering rather than a claim about other accounts. Two explanations come from the narrator and not from anyone in the scene: that the servants who drew the water knew where it came from while the governor did not, and that Jesus spoke of the temple of his body. The disciples' understanding is placed later, after the resurrection. The figure of forty and six years is spoken by the Jews about the building and is the only number of years the chapter gives; it supplies no date. The mother of Jesus is present and speaks but is not named, and his brethren are mentioned without names.

Cited passages: John 2:11, John 2:9, John 2:21, John 2:22, John 2:20, John 2:1, John 2:3, John 2:12, John 2:17

Literary context

The chapter sets two scenes side by side without comment: a wedding where a shortage is filled to the brim, and a temple where what has been set up is driven out. The wedding turns on his saying his hour is not yet come, and the temple scene on his calling the place my Father's house. Believing recurs three times with different weight, first of the disciples at Cana, then of the disciples after the resurrection, then of a crowd whose belief rests on seeing miracles, and the last is immediately qualified. Two questions about knowing frame the chapter: the governor does not know whence the wine came, and the narrator ends by saying Jesus knew what was in man.

Cited passages: John 2:4, John 2:7, John 2:16, John 2:15, John 2:11, John 2:22, John 2:23, John 2:24, John 2:9, John 2:25

Key moments

  1. They have no wine (John 2:3). The mother of Jesus tells him the wine has run out.
  2. The waterpots filled (John 2:7). Jesus has the six stone waterpots filled with water to the brim.
  3. The good wine kept (John 2:10). The governor tells the bridegroom he has kept the good wine until now.
  4. The first sign counted (John 2:11). The narrator calls this the beginning of miracles and says the disciples believed.
  5. The temple cleared (John 2:15). Jesus drives out the sellers and animals and overturns the money changers' tables.
  6. Destroy this temple (John 2:19). Asked for a sign, Jesus speaks of raising a destroyed temple in three days.
  7. The narrator explains (John 2:21). The narrator says he was speaking of the temple of his body.

For reflection

The servants know where the wine came from and the governor of the feast does not, yet it is the governor who praises it. What difference does the chapter make between seeing a result and knowing its source?

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