John 2:1-25

Now on the third day, Jesus’ mother went to a wedding feast in the Galilean village of Cana. Jesus and his disciples were all invited to the banquet, but with so many guests, they ran out of wine. And when Mary realized it, she came to Jesus and asked, “They have no wine; can’t you do something about it?” Jesus replied, “My dear one, don’t you understand that if I do this, it will change nothing for you, but it will change everything for me! My hour of unveiling my power has not yet come.” Mary then went to the servers and told them, “Whatever Jesus tells you, do it!” Nearby stood six stone water pots meant to be used for the Jewish washing rituals. Each one could hold about twenty gallons or more. Jesus came to the servers and instructed them, “Fill the pots with water, right up to the very brim.” Then he said, “Now fill your pitchers and take them to the master of ceremonies.” And when they poured out their pitchers for the master of ceremonies to sample, the water had become wine! When he tasted the water that had become wine, the master of ceremonies was impressed with its quality. (Although he didn’t know where the wine had come from, only the servers knew.) He called the bridegroom over and said to him, “Every host serves his best wine first, until everyone has had a cup or two, then he serves the cheaper wine. But you, my friend, you’ve reserved the most exquisite wine until now!” This miracle in Cana was the first of the many extraordinary miracles Jesus performed in Galilee that revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him. After the wedding, Jesus, his mother and brothers, and his disciples traveled to Capernaum and stayed there for a few days. When the time was close for the Jewish Passover to begin, Jesus walked to Jerusalem. As he went into the temple courtyard, he noticed it was filled with merchants selling oxen, lambs, and doves for exorbitant prices, while others were overcharging as they exchanged currency behind their counters. So Jesus found some cords and made them into a whip. Then he drove out every one of them and their animals from the courtyard of the temple, and he kicked over their tables filled with money, scattering it everywhere! And he told the merchants, “Get these things out of here! Don’t you dare commercialize my Father’s house!” That’s when his disciples remembered the Scripture: “I am consumed with a fiery passion to keep your house pure!” Then the Jewish religious leaders challenged Jesus, “What authority do you have to do this sort of thing and what supernatural sign will you show us to prove it?” Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up again in three days.” Then the Jewish leaders sneered at Jesus’ answer, “This temple took forty-six years to build, and you mean to tell us that you will raise it up in three days?” But they failed to understand that Jesus was speaking of the “temple” of his body. The disciples remembered his prophecy after Jesus rose from the dead, and believed both the Scripture and what Jesus had said. While Jesus was at the Passover Feast, the number of his followers began to grow, and many gave their allegiance to him because of all the miraculous signs they had seen him doing! But Jesus did not yet entrust himself to them, because he knew how fickle human hearts can be. He needed no one to tell him about human nature, for he fully understood what man was capable of doing.