We start the second chapter of John with the first miracle that our Lord Jesus Christ preformed. This is the beginning of Jesus ministry.

John 2:1 "And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:"

This is a family event, and Mary the mother of Jesus was there. Of course there would be both family and friends at this wedding.

John 2:2 "And both Jesus was called and His disciples, to the marriage."

There is a spiritual lesson to this marriage event that took place. In that this was a marriage, we must make every analogy possible. Jesus was called to prepare this wedding, to prepare for this marriage. Then why would the disciples be invited also. The explanation in this analogy, is that Christ has both a wife and a bride, as spoken of in Revelation 19.

The wife are the elect, that were chosen before the foundations of of the earth, in the first earth age, and were judged then and taken to wife. The disciples in this analogy are the elect, the wife of Christ, and bride are all those who are in preparation to become the wife of Christ.

The preparation for the marriage that will take place between Jesus and His bride started at the cross of Christ, and it will continue until the start of the great tribulation, and the arrival of the Antichrist.

John 2:3 "And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto Him, "they have no wine."

Before the end of this wedding ceremony and feast they ran out of wine, and then they came to Mary the mother of Jesus to get some more wine. Mary went to Jesus and told Him that there was no more wine. This wasn't grape juice as some teach, it was fermented wine, because it is the fermentation and age that would classify the quality of the wine. God uses actual things to symbolize His teachings, to help us understand. We must always teach God's word as it is given. The word for "wine" here in the Greek is "oinos", and in the Hebrew tongue "yayin", "a fermented wine, intoxicating-banqueting wine".

John 2:4 "Jesus saith unto her, "Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come."

Jesus response to His mother was, "So, What has this to do with me?" The hour Jesus is speaking of is the hour of His wedding. The wedding that Jesus is concerned with is the taking of His bride which is the bride of Christ. Mary knew that Jesus had the power to change water to wine, for on the day of conception, the angel of the Lord told That virgin woman who the child was that would be in her womb.

Luke 1:35; "And the angel answered and said unto her, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy Thing Which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God."

Mary knew the power of Jesus, and that He was come for a purpose. She knew exactly that Jesus ministry was about to start, and that is why she gave special instructions to the servants to do exactly what Jesus required of them.

John 2:5 "His mother saith unto the servants, "Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it."

Jesus was now approximately thirty years old, and Mary was aware of Jesus special powers within the family, for this was a family situation. Jesus loved His mother very much, and she knew of Jesus vast knowledge, even as a child. When Jesus was twelve years old, He was in the Temple teaching the wise men of the day the knowledge of the scriptures, and they all marveled at His wisdom.

This lets us know that Mary was the authority among the servants in this house, in other words, this was a social event of the family.

John 2:6 "And there were set there six water pots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece."

This tells us that there was six stone water pots, and each pot held approximately twenty gallons of water. A "firkin" is a measurement in the Greek that translates into the English unit of just over nine gallons.

The six pots are used in a ritual for sprinkling and cleansing a person. So what is about to take place in this miracle is symbolic. The pots used here were for the cleansing ritual, and the substance used in that ritual was water. The spiritual application here changes the symbolic water of the pots into a new substance that is also symbolic for the cleansing of the soul, and forgiving the sins of the world. The wine is the substance that will be symbolically use for the blood of Christ. Just as it is impossible for man to live without water, the only forgiveness for our sins is through the shed blood of Christ.

When Jesus and the twelve disciples met for their last supper on the night of the Passover, Jesus gave us another lesson that we were to continue until He would be with us in His kingdom. That lesson is the holy Communion, and the cup [the wine] is a vital part of the communion.

Lets go to Matthew 26:26-29; "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." [26] "And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink ye all of it;" [27] "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." [28] "But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom." [29]

So what we see in this miracle is the ritualistic forms of religion being replaced by the blood of the Lamb. The wine is symbolic of Christ's blood. This is why it is important that you know that this was indeed wine, for to make it any other form of liquid is to change the whole lesson of the Lord's teaching.

The whole reason for using the wine, was because of the process of fermentation. Through the process of fermentation, the grape juice fermenting works from within, and all infirmities that are impure within the juices, are brought to the top and discarded. The juices are totally cleansed, and so it is with our lives when we are covered by the precious blood of Christ. The juice of the vine is the blood of Christ; He is the vine, and we are the branches of that vine.

When we allow the blood of Christ to draw out the infirmities out of our live, then as we stand before Him in repentance, our souls are just a pure as the finest of wines. Jesus' blood on the cross will wash all sin from our lives. All of our sins are taken away when we believe and repent in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our sins are skimmed away at the top, and taken from us.

So we see that the miracle at the Cana wedding, the start of Jesus ministry, was a lesson that we should never forget. It was the transforming of the purifying rituals, cleansing the person on the outside with the pots of the ritual and the substance of water used in that ritual. Jesus transformed that substance in the old pots, to the symbolic new substance that will change the very soul of a person. The substance that will change a person's soul and life is the blood of Jesus Christ.

If you have trouble with the usage of wine in the communion, and prefer the tradition of the plain grape juice (non-alcoholic), then that is fine; for the remembrance of the blood of Christ and the suffering of His body for the sins of many is what is important. The Communion is the symbolic practice that Christ gave to use while we are in our flesh body, to remember Him until Christ's return at the seventh trumpet.

John 2:7 "Jesus saith unto them, "Fill the waterpots with water." And they filled them up to the brim."

Jesus told the servants to fill the pots to the brim with water, the substance used in the old ritual of cleansing.

John 2:8 "And He saith unto them, "Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it."

The governor of the feast is the person who is to oversee the planning of the wedding, a parent of the bride. The governor is the one that samples the wines to see that the wines to be served were good. When all parts of the feast are ready, the wedding begins. However, at this feast they ran out of wine, and so now the new batch of wine is brought for sampling before it could be served to the guests.

John 2:9 "When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,"

Did you get that, "the water that was made wine", and in the Greek "onios" meant "fermented wine". The governor knew that they were out of wine, but he did not know where this batch of wine came from. Though only the servants knew what happened, no one else at the feast knew.

So symbolic of the future wedding that will be, Christ is the bridegroom, the supplier of the wine for that wedding feast that will take place very shortly. And the governor of that wedding at the marriage supper of the Lamb will be the Heavenly Father, Himself.

John 2:10 "And saith unto him, "Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now."

For the sake of simplicity, lets first understand what is actually written here. The wine that was set forth by Christ in His first miracle far exceeds the wine that was considered the good wine brought out at the start of the wedding feast. Just that you understand that this isn't grape juice, the word in the Greek used for "well drunk" is "methuo", # 3184 in Strong's Greek dictionary, and it means "to drink to intoxication, to get drunk". Friend, you don't get drunk sipping on grape juice.

In other words, you put the good stuff out until all the people get a little glow on, then you bring the bad stuff out when they simply can't tell the difference. The only analogy we can use here, is the fact that what ever Christ does, it is done to perfection and for the good of them that love the living God.

The forming of the wine is a natural process using the certain substance of grape juice. What this miracle shows us is that Jesus Christ not only controls the processes of nature in forming the wine, but the very elements itself. By changing one substance [water] into another [grape juice], then taking the grape juice to the final stage of the pure wine. Jesus took this natural process, and from it preformed this miracle. Through that fermentation we can better understand the purification of individuals soul and forgiveness of sin through the blood of Christ.

John 2:11 "This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth His glory; and His disciples believed on Him."

The beautiful thing that is brought out here is that Jesus Christ's first miracle had to do with a wedding that will ultimately take place at the midnight hour. That final wedding is the coming of the Lord as King of Kings and the bridegroom; He is coming for His bride. Jesus' disciples saw the miracle take place, and they saw Jesus glory and believed on Him right from the start of the ministry.

John 2:12 "After this He went down to Capernaum, He, and His mother, and His brethren, and His disciples: and they continued there not many days."

After the wedding feast was over, Jesus took his mother, His brothers and sisters, and his disciples, and they went off to Capernaum, and they stayed there only a few days.

John 2:13 "And the Jews' Passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,"

When the word "Jews" is used, it speaks either of a "offspring of the tribe of Judah", or "a resident in the land of Judaea". The Passover is not for Judah and Benjamin alone, but was a national celebration. What was happening in Jerusalem was that the people there were preparing for Passover. Passover is for all twelve tribes, not just the tribe of Judah.

John 2:14 "And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:"

To compare these oxen, sheep and doves to our times today, it is like the E-Z shops or 7-11 stores where you can drop in on the spur of the moment for what you need. These money changers had these animals in the temple for those that wanted to stop in for their quick blessing from God. They made a business out of the Temple, and took the things of God, and merchandised those precious rites of God to the public. They sold these mite infested animals to the Jews who had grown so deep in the traditions of men, that they forgot how they were to approached our Heavenly Father.

These so-called priests and merchandisers took God's HOUSE OF PRAYER and turned it into their own house of business. The whole purpose of the sacrifice of these animals was to give your pure and finest gift to God. This also had the ritual meaning where you took two doves; you killed one and put the blood of the one on the other, then set the live dove free.

Jesus entered the Temple, and saw how God holy things had been perverted, and it was time for action. What Jesus did was a very spiritual thing, for when He saw something wrong, He set out to correct it. Many today feel that when they see a wrong being done they must turn away from that act and pretend that it didn't happen. This is exactly what happens when they see evil taking place, such as sodomy in churches, and traditions of men that void the Word of God.

When and what ever you give to God, give your very best, and the first of your earnings, then God will accept your gift and bless you for it. This is the reason that Jesus became very angry at what was going on in the Temple, His Father's house.

John 2:15 "And when He had made a scourge of small cords, He drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;"

This "scourge of small cords", was a "cat of nine tails", a old fashion whip. Jesus was cleaning His Father's house and throwing the bums out, right along with their wicked merchandise. Jesus not only threw these men out of the Temple, He threw them out with vigor. He knew what had to be done, and He did it. This is very similar to what is going on in many places of worship today; Because the traditions of men try to make short cuts, to make worship easy and convenient to serve God. God does not like your short cuts in you approach to Him.

The first short-cut in worshipping God took place when the nation of Israel split, following the death of King Solomon. Two separate houses [nation] formed, with ten tribes calling itself the "house of Israel" settling to the North, and the tribes of of Judah and Benjamin forming the "house of Judah" to the south. King Jeroboam of the "house of Israel" provided a short-cut to the worship of God by having two golden calves made and placed in convenient locations. This was done so the people of the "house of Israel" would not have to travel all the way to the Temple in Jerusalem, and into another nation.

There are no short-cuts to the worship of our Heavenly Father, and man's traditions are made to simplify the love of our Father and side tracks us. All our Father requires is our repentance, and simply telling Him that you love Him. You please God by reading and studying His Word, and doing things His way: By putting Him first in your life. Be honest with God.

John 2:16 "And said unto them that sold doves, "Take these things hence; make not My Father's house an house of merchandise."

John 2:17 "And His disciples remembered that it was written, "The zeal of Thine house hath eaten me up."

The passage that is spoken of here is Psalm 69:9; "For the zeal of Thine house hath eaten me up; And the reproaches of them that reproached Thee are fallen upon me." God knew over one thousand years before this cleaning took place that this would happen to His house. How could this possible happen?

Remember back in Matthew 23:1, 2; ""Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to His disciples," [1] "Saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses seat:"

Moses was the law-giver and these Kenite scribes and Pharisees had taken over God's law and substituted their traditions for the law. They were rewriting the law without the authority to do so. Jesus identifies them as the Kenites, and that they claim to be of Judah, when in fact they are not. This is recorded in Revelation 2:9, and 3:9; and it identifies them as being of the synagogue of Satan.

When the house of Judah came out of Babylon at the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, four hundred years before the time of Jesus birth. When Ezra took note of the Levitical priesthood, there was not one member of the Levitical priesthood with them, the entire priesthood was taken over by the Nethinims, these Kenite foreigners which are the offspring of Cain. Not only had the priesthood been taken over, but we are told in I Chronicles 2:55, that the duties of the scribes were also taken over by the Kenites.

I Chronicles 2:55 "And the families of the scribes which dwelt at Jabez [Jerusalem] the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and Suchathites. These are the Kenites that came of Hemath, the father of the house of Rechab."

The duties of the scribes were to keep the records, and protect the Holy Word by God through the Prophets. The Scribes were to protected God's Word. So you can see that by Jesus birth, these scribes and Pharisees [these Kenites] of the offspring of Satan through Cain had four hundred years to modify God's Word into their "traditions of men", and to this day that is still what is important to them, their traditions. These traditions caused the House of the Lord [Temple] to be filled with these merchandisers and money changers.

They modified God's laws and created their own set of laws and rituals.

John 2:18 "Then answered the Jews and said unto Him, "What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that Thou doest these things?"

Jesus came in to the so-called church, and He tore the place up. Now these pious religious Kenite leaders came to Jesus as He was doing this, and asked Him, "By what authority are you taking it upon yourself in doing this?" When a person today steps forward to clean up a church or something rotten in the community, the pious religious leaders that do not want their boat rocked react in the same way. They find some verse they can twist from the Scriptures or pervert some law to stand behind, and they step forth to protect their money bags.

John 2:19 "Jesus answered and said unto them, "Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up."

It is interesting that this very act and verse is what was distorted and used against Him three years later to the day, at His trial. Matthew 26:61; And said, "This fellow said, "I am able to destroy the Temple of God, and to build it in three days."

Friend, remember this one thing when dealing with a Kenite, everything you say is taken and twisted out of context to be used against you at a later date. These lies and twisting was the Kenite way in Cain's day and also in Jesus day, and it is just as valid today. That is the nature the character and the mind of Satan as well as his son Cain. Cain, like his father Satan was a liar and a murder from the beginning, and that is why we are to study the Word of God, and know the mind of the evil ones so that we not be deceived in this final generation.

John 2:20 "Then said the Jews, "Forty and six years was this Temple in building, and wilt Thou rear it up in three days?"

This verse explains the mind of the Kenites, and the fact that they had no idea of what Jesus was even talking about. They completely discarded the prophecies of the prophets of old and were looking at the physical structure of the buildings of the Temple. Their minds could not understand the spiritual application that was put forth by the Prophets of God, in His Word.

John 2:21 "But He Jesus Christ] spake of the Temple of His body."

Jesus "spoke of the Temple of His body", and that was the only sign that Jesus would ever give these religious leaders, the sons of Satan. This sign was given in Matthew 12:38, 40. "Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, "Master, we would see a sign from Thee." [38] "But He answered and said unto them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the Prophet Jonas:" [39]

Matthew 12:40; "For as Jonas [Jonah] was three days and three nights in the whales's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

This is recorded in Jonah 1:17; "Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah, And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights."

When Jesus was placed in the tomb, it would be three days and three nights later that He would come out of that tomb. Jesus' resurrected body is the new Temple. The Word of God is perfect and complete, and all of it's teachings are for your understanding. What Jesus did in every part of His ministry from the very first miracle, to His coming out of the tomb, victorious went right on schedule, and with a purpose. Every part of the Life of Christ, when He walked this earth and confronted men, is written so that we can learn from Him, and have Jesus as our pattern.

There is a great wedding feast coming very shortly as we continue through this final generation, and you are invited to that wedding as part of Christ's bride. That feast will start at His second coming, and we are living in the time to see the events that bring this earth age to a close. We prepare for that feast when we repent and get into His Word, and start doing the will of the Father. The garment that each of us will be wearing at that feast is made up of our righteous acts and works. What kind of a garment will you be warning then?

John 2:22 "When therefore He was risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said."

When the disciples saw and touched Jesus after His resurrection, then they remember and believed all that Jesus had taught them during His ministry with them. They believed the Scripture, and all the Words came to life for them. As Jesus spoke and taught, He continually reminded them; "It is written." And the place it was written was in the Old Testament by the prophets of God.

John 2:23 "Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, in the feast day, many believed in His name, when they saw the miracles which He did."

Jesus did not perform the miracles as a side show or to get attention, but to show all those present the work of the Holy Spirit of God. Christ's miracles were the proof that God's Spirit was there, and that Jesus was who He claimed to be. Many came to believe on Jesus Christ as the result of these miracles.

John 2:24 "But Jesus did not commit Himself unto them, because He knew all men,"

This is a poor job of translation for the modern English reader. It should read that; "Jesus did not commit Himself unto those here, because He knew human nature." He knew the nature of flesh man. By Christ stating His identity outright would cause the plan of God to suffer. Those things and events that would take place, had to take place. Why? Because it was written that it would take place in a certain manner. The purpose is to show you and I that the Word of God can be trusted, and that God has His hand and control on all that happens.

Had Jesus stated that He was God, there are many of greed that would have fixed themselves to Him simply to gain some earthly power, for the wrong reason. Jesus knew human nature.

John 2:25 "And needed not that any should testify of man: for He knew what was in man."

What is in man? Greed and disparity, as well as all forms of wickedness. The other side of failure and disparity is success. You reach success by never giving up. The nature of a successful man is to use shortcuts, but the wisdom that God has given him is to never give up. This is the root of your belief and faith, that you not stop short of reaching the goals that God has set up for your life. If the way gets a little clouded at times, stay in the Word and the Spirit of God will reveal that way to you. Paul reminded us that it is important that you keep on pressing "toward to the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus," that Christ has set for us.

Paul addresses this in Philippians 3:14, 15; "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." [14] "Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you." [15]