THE MANIFESTATION OF JESUS’ POWER–JOHN 2–LESSON 5
Introduction:
Cana is a town of Galilee, near Capernaum. Here our Lord wrought his first miracle, the turning of water into wine (JOHN 2:1–11; 4:46). It is also mentioned as the birthplace of Nathanael (21:2). It is not mentioned in the Old Testament. It has been identified as a place 8 or 9 miles north of Nazareth. It is called “Cana of Galilee,” to distinguish it from Cana of Asher (Joshua 19:28).
The turning of water into wine at a humble wedding, is the first of two manifestations of the Lord’s power in this second chapter of the gospel of John.
The second manifestation of His power was in the court of the Temple before the religious leaders of the Jews. It involved His vindication of the sacredness of His Father’s house from the profane indifference of the priests and leaders.
I. THE FIRST MANIFESTATION OF HIS POWER
A. Jesus fulfills His promise to Nathanael, vs. 1-2; John 1:50, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.”
1. “The third day” may refer to the third day after meeting Nathanael.
a. Cana is mention as being Nathanael’s home, John 21:2, “Here were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.”
b. This town is in Galilee near Nazareth where Jesus was reared.
2. The opportunity for Jesus to manifest His power was at a wedding in Cana, vs. 1-2.
a. Jesus’ mother was there. Perhaps she was a relative judging by her involvement in the wedding.
b. Jesus was invited along with His disciples. It is not known just how many of His disciples were present; perhaps only those mentioned in chapter one of John.
B. Jesus manifests His power to His disciples principally, vs. 3-11.
1. Many calls Jesus’ attention to the lack of wine, v. 3.
2. Jesus reacts to His mother’s words, v. 4, “Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.”
a. “Woman,” Jesus was not disrespectful to His mother, but rather point out that His subjection to her as a child had passed, Luke 2:51, And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.”
b. He did not use the title of “mother,” but rather that of a respected woman in the tradition of oriental people.
c. Here He speaks as the Son of God.
3. Mary gives instruction to the servants, v. 5.
4. Jesus realizes His first miracle, vs. 6-11.
a. Servant told to fill water pots, vs. 6-7. A “Firkin” is just less than 9 gallons. These were large containers of about 18 to 27 gallons each.
b. “Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast.” v. 8.
c. The governor’s reaction, “thou hast kept the good wine until now.” Jesus always produces perfection in everything.
d. Note John 1:17—“The law came through Moses”; in the Old Testament water was changed to blood (Exodus 7:19), which indicates judgment. But Christ turned water into wine, which speaks of grace and joy. Wine symbolizes the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).
5. His disciples believed on Him, vs. 11-12.
a. Jesus realizes His purpose in the miracle, v. 11. That purpose was to confirm the faith of His disciples.
1) They had John the Baptist’s testimony, John 1:29, 36.
2) Now they had God’s testimony.
b. Now His disciples were more than mere followers; they were believers, v. 12.
II. THE SECOND MANIFESTATION OF HIS POWER
A. The zeal of the Lord, vs. 13-17.
1. Jesus goes to Jerusalem for the Passover feast, v. 13.
a. The name given to the chief of the three great historical annual festivals of the Jews. It was kept in remembrance of the Lord’s passing over the houses of the Israelites (Ex. 12:13) when the first born of all the Egyptians were destroyed.
b. It is called also the “feast of unleavened bread” (Ex. 23:15; Mark 14:1; Acts 12:3), because during its celebration no leavened bread was to be eaten or even kept in the household (Ex. 12:15). The word afterwards came to denote the lamb that was slain at the feast (Mark 14:12–14; 1 Cor. 5:7).
2. Jesus cleanses the Temple, vs. 14-15.
a. Changers of money = pilgrims to Jerusalem carried all sorts of currencies, but they brought no animals for sacrifice. Exchanges and purchases could be made at the Temple.
b. Jesus drives them out with a “scourge” (a whip) made of the material found around the sheep probably. This was the first of two cleansings of the Temple. The second is found in Luke 19:46.
c. The disciples remembered Psalms 69:9, “For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up;” v. 17.
d. The Jews demanded proof of His authority for His right to challenge the existing order, vs. 18-19.
1) What sign? 1 Corinthians 1:22, “For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up;”
2) Jesus gave them a veiled sign. v. 18, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
3) The Jews pondered this statement until His trial, Matthew 26:60-61, “But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, 61-And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.”
B. The Temple Itself.
1. Herod the Great replaced the temple of Zerubbabel because it was not of the same glory as that of Solomon’s (Hag. 2:3).
2. It took 46 years to build Herod’s Temple.
C. What Jesus meant by His statement, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
1. The Jews took Jesus literally.
2. Jesus spoke of the temple of His body, v. 21: “But he spake of the temple of his body.”
D. Jesus at the Passover, vs. 23-25.
1. Jesus preached and did miracles, v. 23. “The time was holy time, the feast-day, time appointed for the service of God; at the Passover the Levites taught the good knowledge of the Lord (2 Chr. 30:22), and Christ took that opportunity of preaching, when the concourse of people was great, and thus he would own and honour the divine institution of the Passover.” (Matthew Henry).
2. Jesus did not have confidence in His hearers, v. 24.
3. He knew all men. “His knowledge was not by information from others, but by his own infallible intuition” (Matthew Henry). Hebrews 4:12-13, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13-Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”
LESSON 6 TO FOLLOW: