John 2 - CSB Disciple’s Study Bible

2:1-11 JESUS CHRIST, Miracles—There is a notable shift of terms, meaning, and frequency of Jesus’s mighty works from the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) to the Fourth Gospel. In the first three Gospels the miracles are called dunameis, “powers” or “miracles”. Their primary significance is to demonstrate the power of the kingdom of God. Such mighty works occur frequently in the Synoptics. John’s designation for the mighty works is “sign” (Gk semeion). Jesus’s term is “work” (Gk ergon; 17:4). Even the words of Jesus, in John, are part of his work (14:10). The signs in John are symbolic acts signifying what God will ultimately do for the redeemed. See Rv 21:1-8. The signs in John’s Gospel are accompanied with discourses or explanations of their meaning. There are only seven signs in John (2:1-11; 4:46-54; 5:1-9; 6:5-13; 6:19-21; 9:1-41; 11:1-44). The signs point readers to faith in Christ so they may participate in eternal life. The first sign shows the water of purification so central to Jewish practice replaced by wine, the symbol of Jesus’s blood. Jesus is the only way to purification before God. Ritual will not work. In Jesus, God’s kingdom has entered the world revealing God’s glory. See note on 1:14.

2:1-11 MIRACLE, Vocabulary—John emphasized Jesus’s miracles as signs revealing Jesus’s glory, his magnificent divine presence. Such revelation leads disciples to faith. This is the first of seven major signs in John’s Gospel prior to the resurrection. See notes on 2:1-11; 4:46-54; 5:1-16; 6:3-15; 6:16-34; 9:1-41; 11:1-44. Such signs were not overwhelming proofs accepted by all people who witnessed them. Some people simply sought further miraculous works for their own selfish needs. Some wanted the sign power used to restore political power and domination to Israel. Some saw the signs as blasphemy and sought to kill Jesus for them. Only faith could recognize Jesus’s divine glory in the signs. In his glory we see him as he is—the only Son from the Father. This glory is not revealed in political power but in the sacrificial death on the cross and in the resurrection. In Jesus we have the best that God can give us. He surpasses all other revelations. Religion that does not center in faith in Christ is false because it ignores God’s Best.

2:1-11 CHRISTIAN ETHICS, Alcohol—This incident, the first of Jesus’s messianic signs, shows Jesus easily fitting into the enjoyment of the occasion of the Cana wedding. Jesus provides the drink expected at the messianic banquet and replaces the water of purification in the Jewish rituals with the choicest drink of his time. He provides abundantly for the people as was expected in the last days. See notes on Is 25:6; Am 9:14.

2:4 HISTORY, Time—Jesus had appeared historically in time and space, but his time or hour had not come. This shows the biblical emphasis on time as content-oriented rather than calendar-oriented. Christ’s time was the moment of decision, of crisis or opportunity. The time was his crucifixion and resurrection, historical events that revealed to the world God’s commitment to history and to people and that set up the time of decision for all people to believe in Christ as Savior or reject him. See 7:6,8,30; 8:20; 12:23; 13:1; 17:1; Mt 26:18; Mk 14:35,41. As God’s Son, Jesus lived out his earthly life knowing his hour of sacrifice would come.

2:11,22-25 SALVATION, Belief—This is the first miraculous sign in the Fourth Gospel. All the signs were intended to get persons to put their faith in Christ (20:31). In his Gospel, John showed that different people had varying levels of belief in Christ. The disciples trusted Jesus (v. 11) but came to deeper understanding in their faith only after the resurrection (v. 22). The crowds believed he had Messiah’s powers, but Jesus knew that their allegiance was fickle and that they did not really understand the mission of the Messiah (vv. 23-25). Nicodemus recognized Jesus’s heavenly mission but still had to be born again (3:2-3). John warned against temporary faith resembling hero worship. He sought life-changing faith ready to feed Christ’s sheep and share Christ’s death.

2:12-22 JESUS CHRIST, Authority—See note on Mk 11:12-31. The temple was not the eternal way to God’s presence. Jesus Christ is. He established himself as the authoritative way to God by cleansing the temple and by predicting his own death and resurrection. The resurrection is the ultimate sign of Jesus as the way to God’s presence. See note on Lk 24:1-53.

2:23-25 JESUS CHRIST, Miracles—Jesus’s miracles showed the crowds he was the true Passover Lamb providing delivery from sin. While the faith aroused by the signs meant that the crowds were closer to Jesus than were the spiritually blind people in the temple, yet this was not saving faith—entrusting their lives to Christ. As God’s Son, Jesus could see all their thoughts and knew they were attracted to his power, not to his mission that was to reveal God and his salvation.