Day 2

August 23, 2023

Day 2: Gospel of John Chapter 2

Now here’s a memorable story: Jesus turns water into wine. But has it ever struck you as kind of an odd miracle? I mean, Jesus is known for healing the sick and the lame and for driving out demons. But did He really get his start performing “social miracles” like this? It’s a bit like watching a Before They Were Stars special. So, why is this story important? That’s a good question, but there’s a danger to avoid in answering it. Be careful how much you read into the specifics of any Bible story. If you wanted to, you could launch an in-depth study of how the word “water,” for instance, is used in the Bible. What was wine like in Jesus’ day? The word “bridegroom” comes up elsewhere in Scripture–in Revelation Jesus is seen as the bridegroom of the Church. Is that important here? These are interesting questions, but the Bible actually tells us quite plainly why this story is here. “This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him” (2:11, ESV). This miracle was done for the disciple’s benefit. A lot of bad theology comes from reading too deeply into the words of the Bible. But God hasn’t made the truth hard to find. You just have to accept it when you see it.