When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus *said to Him, “They have no wine.” – John 2:3

Most, if not all, marriages in India would entail large feasts for large numbers in the few thousands. Millions of rupees is spent by the bride’s family (usually) to feed the large swathe of family and friends. And God forbid that the food become insufficient in one of these marriages. The ripples of which would be felt, remembered and reminded of for a lifetime of awkwardness for the bride and the bridegroom. And I imagine that the wine running out at the Cana wedding would have the same or quite the similar effect.

The mother of Jesus – Mary – was always someone spiritually astute and discerning. We see this in a couple of instances of the historical inclined narration of the Gospel, by the doctor Luke in Luke 2:19, 51. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart…(2:19),…and His mother treasured all these things in her heart. (2:51). The word treasured used here of Mary’s response to all the strange happenings around her boy Jesus, means to preserve something from being lost. While Joseph is not mentioned ever during the life of adult Jesus (probably because he died before Jesus’ ministry began). In the Temple at Jerusalem, while both the earthly parents of Jesus were still present, Simeon prophetically addresses his message to Mary specifically (Luke 2:34-35), and not Joseph. All these indicate that Mary’s words and actions at Cana were spiritually inspired and led. God would bestow that highest honor of calling Jesus Christ to His very first miracle in His earthly ministry, to this woman. Who by the angel of God was called: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! (Luke 1:42). How blessed it is to have Godly women like Mary for mothers!

And Jesus *said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.” His mother *said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”  John 2:4-5

The word woman Jesus uses to address is usually used to address a wife, widow, virgin or married woman, and not of a mother. This is indicative of a severance that is needed in the life of a disciple, that Jesus Himself would teach extensively on in Luke 14:26-33. (“If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. – Luke 14:26.) While this might sound crude to the nominal Christian’s mind. This is the cross of discipleship that those wholly seeking to follow Christ must bear. We further see how this plays out practically during Jesus’ ministry in Matthew 12:46-49 and Mark 3:21. This is a time where Jesus’ ministry had become infamous among the Jewish religious circles, because of His open opposition to their hypocrisy and hard-heartedness. And Jesus’ brothers, sisters and also His mother come to stop Him. Yes, the same Mary, now coming to hinder His ministry and take Him back home, saying: “He has lost His senses.” Remember though, the commandment to Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth. – Ephesians 6:2-3, does not become invalidated in all of this.

Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each. Jesus *said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim. – John 2:6-7

We saw the role of the mother of Jesus in this miracle. And in these next few verses, we see the crucial role of the servants. These unknown number of identity-less and obedient men would forever be etched into the annals of God’s book of good works. God chooses to “want” men to work His miracles on this earth. He does not “need.” And it would have been no easy task to fill these six waterpots with water. A total volume adding up to about 450-560 liters. But hard obedience always precedes a miracle. When the Pharisees, later in the ministry, point out to Jesus about His disciples not following the ceremonial washing of the hands before eating in Matthew 15:1-2 (maybe, the Pharisees living a life of luxury had never been ravenously hungry before!). Such stone waterpots would have been employed for the washing of hands and other utensils. But it symbolizes much more. The number ‘six’ in the Scriptures point to the number of men. So close, yet falling terribly short of God’s perfection. This custom of purification would exclusively concern itself with the external holiness of a man (Matthew 23:25-26). Like many today, who would daily confess their sins and find forgiveness through Christ. Yet not seek whole-hearted repentance, falling repeatedly into the same patterns of sin. But good news is that – this is exactly what Christ came to help us conquer! This seemingly perpetual cycle of sin – broken through an inner miracle of the heart.

And He *said to them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it to him. When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter *called the bridegroom, and *said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.” – John 2:8-10

The waterpots were now filled with water to the brim. This water is symbolic of the Holy Spirit, who Himself is called the Living Water (John 7:37-39). And this act of filling is a reference to the baptism of the Spirit that came through the ministry of Jesus (Matthew 3:11, Ephesians 5:18). When did the water turn to wine? While the servants were filling the pots? Or was it when the water reached the brim? Or when the servants drew the cups of water? (or wine?) The passage does not explicitly make mention of it, except stating that in v9,..When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine. This is the true sign of the baptism of the Spirit – a conversion of plain water into sweet wine. A life bearing this fruit of the Spirit for all to taste and see. Does your life taste of the sweetness of the Holy Spirit’s miracle in you? Like the headwaiter (or an event planner in modern terms), are people surprised at your transformation? Are they baffled by it? Or is it still ordinary water that people taste?

But it all began somewhere as v3 puts it when the…wine ran out. This old wine indicative of the old covenant that Christ came to fulfill (Matthew 5:17). Jesus Himself says this in one of His many parables in Luke 5:36-40. In v40 about the old wine – He states a sobering truth of our own nature which says: ‘The old is good enough.’ Are we those content with just forgiveness of sins, when there is victory over sins? Are we those who use grace as an excuse, when grace must teach us righteousness? (Titus 2:11-14) Are we those who justify the old carnal nature in us, when we are called to be a new creation in Christ? (2 Corinthians 5:17) Are we still under the power of sin, when the Scripture states sin shall have no dominion over you? (Romans 6:14) If so, our old wine has not yet run out. And if our wine has not run out – Jesus cannot work a miracle. Jesus is always willing, waiting, but He first needs emptied vessels.

Our best version of Christ-likeness is before us. Like Paul writing in Philippians 3:13-16, forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead. Pressing on to perfection in Christ. In a world which strongly associates the word miracles with earthly or self-gain. This is what Jesus’ very first miracle tells us – the greatest miracle is of a human heart fully transformed for His glory.