3. WATER BECOMES WINE (John 2:1-11)
BACKGROUND: A wedding was a great event in Jesus’ day. Usually it lasted several days. The distance between Nazareth and Cana was about 12 kilometers as the crow flies. Jesus’ mother had yet to see her son’s first miracle, but she had herself experienced the miracle of the virgin
birth.
- What could be the reason the wine ran out at this wedding? Think of various
possibilities.
- What do you think would have worried the host family or the young couple most in this
situation?
- Do you think Mary was prepared for such a miracle as took place at this wedding? Give your
reasons.
- Verse 3 contains Mary’s prayer to Jesus. Compare it to your own prayers and see what might be
different.
- Why didn’t Mary give up when Jesus declined to follow her hint (verse 4)?
- What did Mary believe about her son at this point?
- Why did Jesus perform a miracle even though he perhaps hadn’t originally intended to do
so?
- In what situations do we need a faith like Mary’s?
- How do you think the servants felt about carrying hundreds of liters of water from the village well in the middle of a busy wedding
feast?
- Why did the servants do as Jesus told them?
- How many years does it take to make really good wine?
- How much would such a quantity of very good wine cost in our own day?
(verse 6)
- How do you think the servants felt when they realized that the water had changed into
wine?
- Do you think that all these servants believed in Jesus from that point on? Give your
reasons.
- The word “glory” in the Bible means that God’s presence is visible to our bare eyes. God’s glory was first revealed in the tabernacle and in the temple. What does it mean, then, that Jesus revealed his glory to his disciples through this sign
(verse 11)?
- Why doesn’t John in his gospel want to call the miracles of Jesus as “miracles” but rather as
“signs”?
- John tells us later that the glory of God was also revealed in Jesus’ sufferings. What does he mean by
that?
- What did the disciples believe about Jesus after this sign?
- Why was the faith of the disciples not yet ready?
GLAD TIDINGS: In the Old Testament wine is connected with the ruler who will come from Judah. “The scepter will not depart from Judah… until he comes to whom it belongs… he will wash his garments in wine…”
(Gen.49:10-11). In the New Testament wine refers to the blood of Jesus, which is shed for the forgiveness of our sins.