There was a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Jesus and His mother were invited. His disciples also went with Him. It happened that they ran out of drink and the matter was brought to Jesus’ attention by His mother. Jesus told His mother the time for miracle had not come yet. But He met their need by turning water to wine on that day. This marked the beginning of the miracles of Jesus in John’s account of the Gospel.
Worthy of note are some things that surround this miracle:
• The wine was completely finished.
• The number of the water pot.
• The purpose of the water pots’ arrangement.
• The comment of the ruler of the feast.
The old wine that finished is a representation of the blood of bulls and of goats of the old covenant. The wine was completely finished, which means the old covenant has come to an end. Whoever goes after it will find the pots empty, for it has been taken out of the way. “how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious” ( 2 Corinthians 3:8-11).
The number of the water pots is six, which connotes imperfection. The old wine is in no way perfect. When Christ brought the way of perfection, the ministry of the imperfection ceased. The new wine is made in those six pots symbolizing Christ being made like His brethren in every way. Here, He fulfilled the prophecy of Genesis 3:15- the Son of the woman.
The water pots were arranged after the manner of the Jewish purification. The Jews purifies themselves with water. But Jesus here is calling their attention to the better way He has brought. He turned the water to wine, meaning that the process of purification will no longer be by water, but by blood. The water turned wine in the pots of purification. The water is no more. Whoever draws out of the pots will no longer draw water, but wine which represents the blood. Water no longer purifies, now it is the blood. “And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22).
The master of the ceremony’s response to the new wine is this; “Why have you kept the good wine until now?” He testified that the new wine is better than the old wine. Here Jesus teaches that the blood of the new covenant is by far better than that of the old covenant. “But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises” (Hebrews 8:6). “by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant” (Hebrews 7:22).
Jesus also showed them the difference between how man does his things and how God does His own things. Man gives the better wine at the beginning, but God keeps His own till the time of end. Here affirms Hebrews 11: 40- “God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect”.
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