In the Beginning: The Book of John

(John 2:1-11[HCSB])

1 On the third day a wedding took place in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and 2 Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding as well. 3 When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother told Him, “They don’t have any wine.”

4 “What has this concern of yours to do with Me, woman? ” Jesus asked. “My hour has not yet come.” 5 “Do whatever He tells you,” His mother told the servants.

6 Now six stone water jars had been set there for Jewish purification. Each contained 20 or 30 gallons.

7 “Fill the jars with water,” Jesus told them. So they filled them to the brim. 8 Then He said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the chief servant.” And they did. 9 When the chief servant tasted the water (after it had become wine), he did not know where it came from though the servants who had drawn the water knew. He called the groom 10 and told him, “Everyone sets out the fine wine first, then, after people have drunk freely, the inferior. But you have kept the fine wine until now.”

Our passage about the finest wine being left until “now” is a strong statement about God’s timing for Jesus Christ Himself. In Jesus He kept the finest wine (His only Son) until an appropriate moment, and then gave Him to the world: His blood a covenant. While the world is drunk on itself, and enamored with all of its acquisitions (having consumed the inferior wine), God has poured out His Son (the fine wine) at just the right time: the “now” is truly “in this church age,” but sadly many of the most inebriated on the inferior product cannot taste the fine wine of salvation.

We are told time and time again in the New and Old Testaments to stay sober and vigilant so that opportunity does not pass us by in our drunken state. (see Luke 21:34)

Of course this passage also refers to the condition of religion at that time of Christ’s ministry, when Judaism needed to be revived and transformed in the worst way; but it also speaks directly to our own spiritual condition today. We who believe also struggle against the convenience of religion and church.

Do we wait until we have run out of the inferior wine and then seek a miracle? Or do we make ourselves part of the solution by emulating the fine wine?

Note: being sober and awake is also literal.