| Back to Home Page | Back to
Book Index |
John Chapter
Two
I.
Content of the Chapter
The Principle
of the Manifestation of the Son of
God the Savior’s Fullness
A. He
turned water to wine (v.1-12) ----
to provide life out of death
B. He cleaned the temple (v.13-17) ---- to remove the earthly wealth
C. He
will raise the temple in three days (v.18-22) ---- to reach the
fullness by the experience from death to resurrection
D. He
did not commit himself unto them (v.6-8) ---- to pay close attention to the
real condition of men
II.
Verse by Verse commentary
John. 2:1 “On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of
Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.”
YLT: “And the third day a marriage
happened in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there,”
Literal
Meaning: “the third day”: the third day after Jesus met Philip and Nathanael when
He was going
forth into
“In Cana of Galilee”: Cana, located at the north of
“The mother of Jesus was there.”----
it is generally believed that the mother of Jesus was the relative or good friend of the host of this
wedding, and was entrusted with the task of helping to look after
the affairs of the feast (see v.3, 5)
Spiritual
Meaning: “The third day” typifies the resurrection ---- that He rose
again the third day (1Cor 15:4). “Three” also typifies the testimony of the
fullness of the divine Trinity.
“In Cana of Galilee”, “
“A wedding”, “wedding” signifies the continuance of one’s life. “The feast of wedding” typifies the joy and enjoyment of one’s life.
John. 2:2 “Now both Jesus and His disciples were
invited to the wedding.”
YLT: “And also Jesus was
called, and his disciples, to the marriage;”
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Jesus had not only been invited but also he went
to the wedding, which proved that: (1) he showed honor to the marriage (see
Heb13:4; 1Tim 4:3). (2) He was ready to rejoice with those that rejoiced (see
Rom 12:15).
2) Therefore, young brothers, do not forget to invite
the Lord with prayer to preside your wedding. A wedding with the presence of
the Lord will be greatly distinct from the wedding of the world.
John. 2:3 “And
when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no
wine." ”
YLT: “And wine
having failed, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, `Wine they have not;”
Meaning
of Words: “ran out of”: lack,
(be in) want
The Background: it is the custom for the ancient Jews that a
wedding usually last for a whole week, providing feasts every day for those relatives
and friends who came for celebration so that they could drink freely and enjoy
the wedding feast to the full.
Literal
Meaning: someone believed
that the
mother of Jesus may be the relative or good friend of the host of this
wedding. She was
entrusted with the responsibility of helping to look after the affairs of the feast, so here she appeared directly to ask the
Lord Jesus to help deal with the embarrassed want of wine.
Spiritual
Meaning: “they ran out of
wine”, “wine”, fermented by the fruit of the vine, symbolizes the joy of life. Therefore,
that “they ran out of wine” typifies the end of the joy in one’s natural life.
“The mother of Jesus” typifies the natural man.
“She said to Him, "They have no wine. "”----
It indicates prayer.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) The joy of a wedding feast depends on the wine. Once
the wine falls short, the joy will also run out. This is a true portrayal of
the joy of one’s natural life on earth today. No matter how happy, joyful and satisfactory
of one’s life on earth is, he will inevitably find his wine running out when he
reaches the summit of his life. At the end, everything will turn out to be a
vanity.
2) “They ran out of wine”, once a man withdraws
from the Lord, he will lose the true and abiding joy.
3) Mary said to the Lord: “they ran out of wine”. Troubles
may usually constrain us to come to seek the Lord (see Ps 107:6, 13, 19, 28). We
should supplicate the Lord for help when we meet troubles (see Phil 4:6-7; Ps
50:15).
4) Men’s end is the beginning of God. Remember that
the Lord is ready to help us when we have no way out.
John. 2:4 “Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does
your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come."”
YLT: “Jesus saith to
her, `What -- to me and to thee, woman? Not yet is mine hour come.'”
Literal Meaning: “Woman”, a respectful and intimate call,
does not lack
of respect.
“What does your concern have to do with
Me?” ---- In the original: “what -- to me and to thee?” This is a Jewish idiomatic
phrase, whose real meaning should be confirmed by the context. Here, the Lord
refused Mary’s commandment as His mother in the flesh, because such commandment
overstepped the Lord’s authority as the Son of God.
“My hour has not yet come.” ---- “My hour” specially refers to the hour that
the Son of man should be glorified by death (see 7:30; 8:20; 12:23, 27; 13:1;
17:1). It is apparent in this chapter that the Lord Jesus did not wait until
that hour, so here …….the Father had not instructed Him clearly.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) The Lord Jesus did not answer what His mother
asked. Similarly, He sometimes does not hear our supplication immediately.
2) The Lord is completely free from men’s will, but
looks onto and waits for the hour of God (see 7:6, 8).
3) “What does your concern have to do with Me?”
---- The spiritual actions should not be controlled by the natural affection.
John. 2:5 “His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it." ”
YLT: “His mother
saith to the ministrants, `Whatever he may say to you -- do.'”
Meaning
of Words: “servants”:
ministers, attendants;
Literal
Meaning: the response of Mary
to the Lord Jesus revealed that she had received the correction of the Lord and
known that it should be done by the Lord instead of her.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) The real servant of the Lord should obey
that “whatever He says to you, do it."”
2) It shows that “whatever He does not say to
you, do not do it.”
John. 2:6 “Now there were set there six water-pots of
stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty
or thirty gallons apiece.”
YLT: “And there were
there six water-jugs of stone, placed according to the purifying of the Jews,
holding each two or three measures.”
Meaning
of Words: “water-pots”:
water-jars; “set there”: be laid up, lay;
The
Background: “according
to the manner of purification of the Jews”: “the manner of purification” means
the commandment of the Jewish religious customs (see 3:25; Mark7:3-4). According
to the Law of Moses, the priests shall wash their hands and their feet when
they came near to the sanctuary to serve (Ex 30:19). However, throughout the
history of the Jews, many famous teachers of the law had given additional
explanations and extensions for the Law of Moses, extending the commandments
toward the priests in the Old Testament to the details of ordinary people’s
life. So they should be purified by water before dinner, lest someone may have unconsciously
touched unclean things (e.g.: the dead, dead animals and unclean creatures).
Literal
Meaning: “containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece”:
about 100 liters. There were set there such large quantities of water for the sake of the numerous guests.
Spiritual
Meaning: “according to the
manner of purification of the Jews”, the manner of purification of the Jews
typifies that the religion tries to purify men by dead works.
“There were set there six water-pots of stone.” ---- “six water-pots of
stone” symbolize the created men, for men were created in the sixth day (see
Gen 1:27, 31). “Water” signifies the death.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) The commandments and customs can only purify men
from the outside, but cannot change the dead conditions of men’s inside.
2) The natural men (six water-pots of stone) are
filled with death (water). A man without the Lord, like a dead-alive person,
lacks the power of doing good works.
John. 2:7 “Jesus said to them, "Fill the
water-pots with water." And they filled them up to the brim. ”
YLT: “Jesus saith to
them, `Fill the water-jugs with water;' and they filled them -- unto the brim;”
Meaning
of Words: “filled
them up”: to fill entirely, fill (be) full;
Literal
Meaning: “And they filled them up to the brim.” ---- The
obedience of the servants was valuable: they did not ask why but soon filled
the water-pots to the brim when the Lord said that “fill the water-pots with
water”.
Spiritual
Meaning: “Fill the water-pots
with water”, “water” here symbolizes death (see Gen 1:2, 6; Ex 14:21; Matt
3:16). This is a vivid picture, typifying that men’s inside are entirely filled
with death.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) It is when men are willing to be obedient
that the Lord will do signs (see v.9).
2) Obedience that the Lord commands is a kind
of complete obedience (filled them up). If men obey the Lord only a half, the
Lord will not give the next commandment.
John. 2:8 “And He said to them, "Draw some out
now, and take it to the master of the feast." And they took it.”
YLT: “and he saith
to them, `Draw out, now, and bear to the director of the apartment;' and they
bare.”
Meaning
of Words: “draw
out”: dip water; “take”: bear, carry, bring forth;
Literal Meaning: “And they took it.” They indeed knew what they took
was water (see v.7), but they obeyed and did the Lord’s word without the least
hesitation. This is the best example of that “whatever He says to you, do it
(v.5).”
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Faith makes you fix your eyes upon the Lord
Himself instead of the circumstance (water). Faith makes you not shake on
account of the word of the Lord, although the environment has been not
developed as you expected.
2) All things are possible with God, but if we do
not cooperate with Him by “the action of faith”, He will do nothing. The faith
of men paves the way for the Almighty God.
John. 2:9 “When the master of the feast had tasted the
water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants
who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom.”
YLT: “And as the director
of the apartment tasted the water become wine, and knew not whence it is, (but
the ministrants knew, who have drawn the water,) the director of the feast doth
call the bridegroom,”
Spiritual
Meaning: that the water
turned to wine signified the transformation from death to life.
Literal
Meaning: “when the master of the feast had tasted the
water that was made wine”: so when did the “water” turn to “wine”? Some held
that it was when they filled the water-pots up to the brim; some held that it
was when they drew out the water; and some held that it was on the way that
they took it to the master. Actually, it was unnecessary to guess the exact
time, for once “My (the Lord’s) hour came, water had turned to wine”
Controversial Clarification: unexpectedly, the Lord Jesus turned water
to wine for men to drink. It seemed that the Lord did not forbid men drinking
wine, and He even drank wine also (see Matt11:19). Then, is it suitable to
drink wine for Christians? There are several teachings about drinking wine in
the New Testament as follows: (1) it teaches us that we should be not drunk
with wine, for in which is debauchery (Eph 5:18). There is not an absolute
command that we should not drink wine. (2) On the contrary, for the sake of
keeping one’s health, it advises us to use a little wine (1Tim 5:23). (3) But
the problem is that a man is easy to be addicted to the drinking and to become
a man who “indulges in much wine” (1Tim3:8). Therefore, “keeping a distance
from wine” can still be regarded as a wise choice.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Only the Lord Jesus can reverse the situation
completely when the wine runs out in the wedding. Yes, only the Lord Jesus is
our real joy in our life. Joy on earth is exhaustible, but joy out of the Lord
Jesus is eternal and limitless.
2) When we fall into a hopeless situation,
the best way is to surrender yourself more to the Lord and magnify the Lord,
thus witnessing that the wealthy Christ will come to deal with all the difficulties
and meet the entire need.
3) The master of the
feast did not know where the good wine came from but the servants who had drawn
the water knew. Only those who are obedient absolutely will experience and
witness the wonderful works of the Lord. If we are willing to obey absolutely,
others will then taste good wine from us.
John. 2:10 “And he said to him, "Every man at the
beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the
inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!"”
YLT: “and saith to
him, `Every man, at first, the good wine doth set forth; and when they may have
drunk freely, then the inferior; thou didst keep the good wine till now.'”
Meaning
of Words: “the inferior”:
smaller, worse; “keep”: hold fast, reserve, watch;
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) In the world men rejoice first, but suffer later
(every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, then the inferior.).
However, it is opposite in the Lord: we
suffer first, but rejoice later.
2) The world displays its
superior to men first, and entices men to be enslaved to it. At first, they
taste it good, but they will increasingly find that things on the earth are not
really good as they imagined before.
3) When the master of
the feast had tasted the water which was made wine by Jesus, he immediately
discovered that the wine before was the inferior. Moreover, the one after was
good wine. Similarly, when we have fellowship with the Lord, we will always
enjoy His great fullness and sweetness, and how surpassingly better it tastes
than the transient pleasure on earth.
4) Jesus Christ is the
new wine which has kept until now. Men had never tasted the good wine before He
came and dwelt among us. Life of Christians will become better and better.
5) Once a man receives
Jesus Christ into his life, he will instantly experience the transition from a
dull, boring, monotonous, unmeaningful and purposeless life to another fresh,
rich, vigorous, prospering and meaningful life.
John. 2:11 “This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of
Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.”
YLT: “This beginning
of the signs did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested his glory, and his
disciples believed in him;”
Meaning
of Words: “sign”:
miracle, sign, token, wonder; “manifest”: appear, manifestly declare, render
apparent;
Literal
Meaning: “This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana
of Galilee” ---- Note the three
words: (1) “dynamic”, e.g.Matt11:20-23, means the great power of God. (2) “Miracle”,
e.g. Acts 2:19, means a prodigy or omen. (3) “Sign”, e.g. John 2:11, means an
indication from God.
The Book of John only used the third word “sign” to indicate God’s works
(see v.23; 3:2; 4:54; 6:2, 14, 26, 30; 7:31; 9:16; 10:41; 11:47; 12:18, 37;
20:30). The word “sign” focused on the important significance hid behind the
works by the Lord rather than on the apparent miraculous phenomenon.
“This beginning of signs” suggests that every sign did by the Lord Jesus
was a token to reveal that He is God (see 1:1b).
“And manifested His glory”, “glory” is employed to describe the presence
of God (see Ex 24:16), so “manifested His glory” means “manifested His divinity
of God”.
Enlightenment
in the Word: this
was not only the beginning of signs which indicated the glory of Christ; but
also the beginning of tokens (the original of “signs”) which revealed the
glorious Christ.
John. 2:12 “After
this He went down to
YLT: “after this he
went down to
Meaning
of Words: “stay”:
remain
Literal
Meaning: “He, His mother, and His brothers”: we can
easily see that the brothers of Jesus had also attended the wedding in
“Went down to
John. 2:13 “Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand,
and Jesus went up to
YLT: “after this he
went down to
The
Background: “the
Passover”, one of the three feasts of the Jews every year, is purposed to
remember that God delivered their patriarchs out of
Literal
Meaning: “Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand”,
the Book of John usually describes the actions of the Lord Jesus in the
background of the feast of the Jews (see 5:1; 7:10-11, 14, and 37; 12:1).
“Jesus went up to
John. 2:14 “And
He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money
changers doing business.”
YLT: “and he found
in the temple those selling oxen, and sheep, and doves, and the money-changers
sitting,”
The
Background: at
that time, businessmen were allowed by the priests in the
Literal
Meaning: “And He found in the temple those who sold
oxen and sheep and doves”, “the temple”, “the sacred place of God” in the
original, contains the temple itself, and the sides thereof round about, and
the whole areas of the court. “In the temple” refers to the court which is open
to the Gentiles for their worshipping.
“Doves” were presented as sacrifices for the poor (see Lev12:8; 14:22;
15:14, 29)
John. 2:15 “When He had made a whip of cords, He drove
them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the
changers' money and overturned the tables.”
YLT:
“And
having made a whip of small cords, he put all forth out of the temple, also the
sheep, and the oxen; and of the money-changers he poured out the coins, and the
tables he overthrew,”
Literal
Meaning: all the other three Gospels recorded that
the occurrence that the Lord Jesus cleaned the temple several days before His Crucifixion
(see Matt 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-17; Luke 19:45-46), but it was recorded only not
long after His public ministration in this book. Perhaps the Lord had cleaned
the temple twice, so the temple was called “My Father's house” in the first
time (v.16), for He cleaned the temple in the position of the Son of God. And
in the second time it was called “My House”, for He cleaned the temple in the
position of the son of David ---- the Messiah.
“And poured out the changers' money and overturned the tables”, “table”,
the same word as “bank” (see Luke19:23) in the original, is a word transformed
from the “four-foot table”, which still can be seen at the entrance of the bank
in Greece.
Spiritual
Meaning: the
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) If we are ready to
be reigned by the Lord within, all the filth, impurity and sins will be cleaned
out by Him.
2) The Lord shall have
no pleasure in us if we earn money through any spiritual things (change the
money) or quench the Holy Spirit (sell doves) etc.
3) When Christ
appears, there will be both the provision of resurrection---- turning water to
wine, and solemn separation---- cleaning the
John. 2:16 “And He said to those who sold doves,
"Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of
merchandise!"”
YLT: “and to those
selling the doves he said, `Take these things hence; make not the house of my
Father a house of merchandise.'”
Spiritual
Meaning: “doves” typifies
the Holy Spirit (see 1:32).
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) A
believer’s body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (dove). The Holy Spirit dwells
in us to be our master rather than to be used to make gains by us.
2) Someone boasts of
his superior gifts of Spirit, like sells doves, but it is not unacceptable to
the Lord.
John. 2:17“Then His disciples remembered that it was written,
"Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up."”
YLT: “And his
disciples remembered that it is written, `The zeal of Thy house did eat me
up;'”
Meaning
of Words: “zeal”: fervent mind, jealousy; “eat up”: devour, eat down;
Literal
Meaning: “His disciples remembered”, the word “remember” was mostly used to record
the disciples’ reaction after the resurrection of the Lord, and they remembered
and understood the Lord’s life (see v.22; 12:16; 14:26).
"Zeal
for Your house has eaten Me up."
---- It is quoted from the Book of Psalms (69:9).
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) When the
disciples saw the Lord’s
works, they remembered the words written in the Scripture. It tells us that:
(1) what the Lord did was exactly in line with the principle of the Holy Bible;
(2) Once Christ has manifested His works, words in the Bible will be
interpreted for us.
2) We
should often try to associate things we are suffering with the words in the
Bible. And if we want to remember words written in the Bible, we should read
the Bible diligently in our daily life.
3) God delivered us to
be His “house” and His resting place. Since we believers
have already become the house of God, we should on longer give place to the
earthly wealth. Instead, we should often pray to God and commune with Him.
4) If we have only a
form of piety but deny the power of it, the Lord will be also zealous for us.
John. 2:18 “So the Jews answered and said to Him, "What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?""
YLT: “the Jews then
answered and said to him, `What sign dost thou shew to us -- that thou dost
these things?'”
Literal
Meaning: “You do these things”, “these things” refer to that Jesus cleaned the
temple.
John. 2:19 “Jesus answered and said to
them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."”
YLT: “Jesus answered
and said to them, `Destroy this sanctuary, and in three days I will raise it
up.'”
Meaning
of Words: “destroy”:
dissolve;
Literal
Meaning: “Destroy this temple”, “temple”
is “sanctuary” in the original, which is different
from the “temple” in verse 14.
Spiritual
Meaning: “And in three days I will raise
it up”, it typifies the
body of the Lord Jesus, because he will be raised again the third day. (Matt 16:21).
John. 2:20 “Then the Jews said,
"It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it
up in three days?"”
YLT: “The Jews,
therefore, said, `Forty and six years was this sanctuary building, and wilt thou
in three days raise it up?'”
The
Background: “It has taken forty-six
years to build this temple”, “the temple”
refers to the house of Jehovah built by Zerubbabel (Ezra3:8). After the house was destroyed,
around 20 BC, Herod the Great built the house again to fawn on the Jews. When
the Lord Jesus began to minister publicly, the house had
been built for 46 years and had not been finished yet. We know from the record
of the Jewish historian Joseph that the whole house was completed in 64 AD. The house boasted its magnificence and grandness:
some of the marbles even extended as long as more than ten meters and was also
decorated with giant golden ornaments. How great the brilliance and resplendence
was!
John. 2:21 “But He was speaking of the
temple of His body.”
YLT: “but he spake
concerning the sanctuary of his body;”
Spiritual
Meaning: we
can see from this verse that: (1) the words of the Lord Jesus often carried
profound spiritual significance; (2) the Lord Jesus was speaking of the temple of His
body and prophesying that he be raised again the third
day; (3) it typified that Christ would take
place of the substantial sacrifices of the Holy Temple and the atonement
system.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) The
temple which Jesus will raise up in three days is His body, which refers not only His own body,
but also His mysterious body and His fullness ---- the church (see Eph 1:23).
The most profound meaning of His resurrection is to reach His fullness, which
is also the deepest significance of our experiences of the resurrection.
2) Although the substantial
temple was destroyed, the invisible temple will be raised again. Whoever has
the Lord abiding in him, he is the real
John. 2:22 “Therefore, when He had
risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them;
and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.”
YLT: “when, then, he
was raised out of the dead, his disciples remembered that he said this to them,
and they believed the Writing, and the word that Jesus said.”
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) When we read the Bible, we often did
not know the meaning of the Scriptures. But through many spiritual experiences later, some words of the
Scriptures will give light all at once (Ps119:130).
2) We should let the
words of the Christ dwell in us
richly in our daily life (see
John. 2:23 “Now when He was in
YLT: “And as he was
in
Meaning
of Words: “believe in”: commit, entrust, and
put in trust with.
Literal
Meaning: “many believed in His name”: the name represents the one himself, so “believed in His name” means believed into the Lord Jesus Himself
(see 1:12).
John. 2:24 “But Jesus did not commit
Himself to them, because He knew all men,”
YLT: “and Jesus
himself was not trusting himself to them, because of his knowing all,”
Meaning
of Words: “commit”:
believe in, entrust;
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) If the faith of men
comes from the apparent miracles which the Lord does, such faith is superficial. The Lord
can not commit Himself to the one who has only superficial faith.
2) “”Commit” (v.24) and “believe
in (v.23)” are the same word in the original. It shows us that the Lord’s “committing”
is on the basis of our “believing in”. If we “put our trust in” Him like His “committing”
to men, he then will also commit Himself to us.
3) That the Lord did not commit
Himself to men tells us the absolute authority of the Lord. He chose men as His
vessels and give commissions to men, but he did not commit Himself to anyone,
for He knew no one was perfectly reliable. Therefore, when the church fell into
the black desolations, the angels who represented the spiritual reality of the
assembly were still held within His authoritative right hand (see Rev 1:20;
2:1). Praise the Lord! His way will never be crooked!
John. 2:25 “and had no need that anyone
should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.”
YLT: “and because he
had no need that any should testify concerning man, for he himself was knowing
what was in man.”
Literal
Meaning: the real faith does not need to prove by
announcement, but is manifested in one’s heart toward the Lord. He knows
clearly what really is in one’s heart.
III.
Outlines of the Spiritual Lessons
I. The Sign of Turning Water to Wine
A. The condition of one’s natural life:
1. In
Cana of Galilee (v
2. A wedding feast (v.1b) …when
they ran out of wine (v.3a) ---- although there is joy (wedding) in one’s
natural life, it is limited.
3. According to the manner of purification of the
Jews (v
4. There were set there six water-pots of stone…containing
twenty or thirty gallons apiece (v.6b) ---- man was created to be a vessel, yet
men without God was filled with vanities, dullness and death.
5. The feast set out only the inferior wine (v.10b)
---- the enjoyment in one’s natural life is transient and is the inferior.
B. the
Lord Jesus is the one who changes one’s life
1. The third day
(v
2. He turned water to wine (v.9) ---- he
transformed our dull and dead life into another enjoyable and flesh life.
3. The wine turned by Him “good wine” (v.10) ----
the joy of life granted by the Lord is the best one.
C. How
to obtain and experience the grace of the Lord?
1. The mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have
no wine." (v.3b) ---- To tell the Lord the facts of one’s life (prays or prays
for others)
2. My hour has not yet come (v.4b). ---- To commit
to the Lord and let the Lord do according to His will
3. Whatever He says to you, do it (v.5). ---- To
obey the instruction and guidance of the Lord
4. Jesus said to them …and they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them…and they took it (v.7-8). ---- To obey absolutely, unreasonably and to obey till the end
5. And manifested His glory; and His disciples
believed in Him (v.11). ---- You can understand the being of the Lord from His
works of grace, thus increasing your faith toward Him.
6. He went down to
II. The Occasion
of God’s Signs
A. They
ran out of the wine (v
B. "They have no wine." (v.3b)
---- This is a prayer. God does nothing for a man until he begins to pray.
C. My
hour has not yet come. (v.4) ---- Although a man prays, he should still wait
for the hour of God patiently.
D. "Whatever
He says to you, do it." (v.5) ---- Men should obey and cooperate with God
in God’s works.
E. Jesus
said to them …and they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them…and they took it (v.7-8). ---- God guides
men step by step: if men cooperate with obedience when God firstly gives an
order, God will give another order.
F. You have kept the good wine until now!
(v.10) ---- God reserves the best wine for those who obey Him.
III. Full of Grace and
Truth
A. On the third day (V.1) ---- “Three” refers to the fullness
of God’s testimony.
B. Jesus was invited to the wedding (v.2) ---- The Lord likes to grant grace to
men and rejoices with others together.
C. They ran out of wine (v.3) ---- It indicates the destitution and
vanity of men.
D. My hour has not yet come (v.4). ---- Men should magnify the Lord and surrender all
to Him.
E. Whatever
He says to you, do it (v.5). ---- Obey in faith is the key to be blessed.
F. There were set there six water-pots
of stone (v.6) ---- Men was
originally a vessel to be filled with the grace of God, however the vessel
became vain and needy.
G. "Fill
the water-pots with water." And
they filled them up to the brim (v.7). ---- It shows that what is filled in men is not
life but death.
H. Draw
some out now (v.8). ---- Once
the salvation of the Lord comes, men will be abundantly filled with His
fullness.
J. You
have kept the good wine until now
(v.10)! ---- Only those who have tasted the good
wine of the salvation can understand the sweetness therein.
K. And manifested His glory (v.11) ---- Manifested the fullness of His grace
and truth
L. And His disciples believed
in Him (v.11) ---- All the
believers are the witnesses of His grace and truth.
IV. Life and Building
A. The
Lord comes to be men’s life in the resurrection:
1. The Lord came to
the world in the resurrection (on the third day) (v.1-2)
2. The enjoyment of
men’s own had its limitation and end ---- they ran out of the wine (v.3)
3. The reason is that our life was
once full of dead water of life (v.6-7)
4. The Lord will do
signs in those who believe into and obey Him, and will transform death into
life (v.5-9).
5. The new life
bestowed by the Lord is the sweet and good wine, and only those who have tasted
know it (v.9-10).
B. This is the beginning of signs Jesus did (v.11)
1. The Lord turned
death into life ---- this is a principle that He does works in us.
2. The Lord is
purposed to manifest His glory in those who believe in Him.
C. The
aim of life is to build the
1. When the believers
remember the salvation of the Lord (the Passover), the Lord will enter those
who are of Him (v.13).
2. The Lord reminded
us that we were once the House of God, but were defiled by earthly wealth
(v.14).
3. The Lord cleans the
believers and the church with bands of kindness and cords of love (v.15-16).
4. The Lord shows zeal
for house of God, and the zeal has eaten Him up (v.17).
5. The purpose of the enemies
is to destroy the House of God (v.18
6. However, the Lord
will build it again by His life of resurrection ---- in three days I will raise it up (v.19b-22).
7. The temple which
the Lord will build refers to the upright and faithful believers and the church
that the Lord can commit Himself to (v.23-25).
──
Caleb Huang《Christian Digest Bible
Commentary Series》
Translated by Mary Zhou