Water To Wine

Christians know Cana as the place where Jesus performed his first earthly miracle during a wedding by turning large jars of water into wine, according to John 2:1-11. In the story, Jesus attended a wedding along with his disciples and Mary, his mother. When the wine ran short at the feast, Mary told Jesus to do something about it. Jesus balked at her request, saying it wasn't yet time for him to perform miracles.

Undeterred, Mary went to the household servants and told them to do whatever Jesus instructed. Jesus then complied with Mary's request, asking the servants to bring six large jars estimated to hold 20 to 30 gallons each that were used to store water for Jewish purification rituals. Jesus had the servants fill the jars with water, and then told them to have the steward taste the contents. The steward was astonished at the quality of the wine, and commended the host for apparently saving the best wine for last.

The Bible calls this miracle the first sign that Jesus is the Messiah promised to the Jews.

This miracle, showing Jesus' supernatural control over physical elements like water, marked the beginning of his public ministry. Like his other miracles, it benefited people in need.

Not only did Jesus produce a large quantity of wine, but the quality of it astonished the banquet master. In the same way, Jesus pours his Spirit into us in abundance, giving us God's best.

While it may seem insignificant, there is crucial symbolism in this first miracle of Jesus. It was not a coincidence that the water Jesus transformed came from jars used for ceremonial washing. The water signified the Jewish system of purification, and Jesus replaced it with pure wine, representing his spotless blood that would wash away our sins.