Water into Wine

John 2:1-11

Jesus’ first recorded miracle – Turning Water into Wine


This may be one of the most misunderstood passages of scripture recorded because many readers stop at surface level meanings. I cannot tell you how many sermons I have heard and Bible Study classes I’ve attended where the lesson taught had to do with drinking alcohol. How shallow and stupid! The passage has nothing to do with whether it’s alright for Christians to drink! Anyone who reads this passage and goes off on a tyrannical rant about the evils of alcohol has no understanding of what the Apostle John was trying to share.

There are many deeper implications we can draw from this miracle. Actually, it was more than a miracle – John called it a sign. What was a sign in ancient Jewish culture? Something that pointed to something bigger – well, duh! There you go. Could it be that Jesus was simply illustrating His purpose? After all, everything He did was intended to point us toward His purpose!


I would encourage you to read the text. Here’s the point. Jesus asked the servants to fill the ceremonial water jars. Oops, mistake number one. Come on, Jesus. What were you thinking? Those jars are for ceremonial washing NOT drinking. Who wants to drink from jars used for bathing? Yuk! I just thought of the poor servants who had to serve the head steward water from dirty jars. Remember, only a few knew where the water originated. I bet they were sweating, nervous and scared to death from the moment their master’s lips touched the water until he spoke! Talk about being on pins and needles! His response was to call over the bridegroom and ask why he had saved the best for last! The custom was to save the cheap wine for late in the wedding celebration. Not this guy! He saved the best for last.

What a visual picture Jesus provided. Hasn’t He saved the best for last? Think about it this way, Jesus took something from the Old Covenant (ceremonial cleaning jars) and transformed them into something living. This sign was a picture of the New Covenant Jesus became. It’s not about alcohol. It’s about Him transforming our old, dead ceremonial jars into living vessels (I and II Peter). The sign was a foretelling of his death, resurrection and ascension. Oh yeah, it was also about saving the best for last. That’s Heaven - the greatest celebration (wedding feast). Doesn’t that sound familiar?

Jesus came to transform the old, broken, lost, blind, deaf, cripple, and diseased human race and in so doing He saved the best for last.