When the head steward tasted the water that had been turned to wine, not knowing where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), he called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the cheaper wine when the guests are drunk. You have kept the good wine until now!”
John 2:9-10 NET
The first miracle of Jesus that John recorded took place at a wedding feast. Three days into the feast, the wine ran out. Something that would have been embarrassing to the host and would dampen the celebration.
So Jesus’ mother recruited him to save the day. And he did, turning 150 gallons of water into very good wine. It saved the party. It revealed his glory. And it led his disciples to believe in him.
This is an interesting story, but why did John choose to include this story in his account of Jesus’ ministry? Why was this one of the seven miracles John chose to lead people to believe in Jesus (John 20:30-31)?
Many of John’s stories were intended to teach a more profound truth. And that is likely true here as well. John did not record this just to show that Jesus was handy to have around at a party. So, what might John be trying to tell us here?
Could the original wine represent the Sinai covenant and the law? It was good. It brought people into a relationship with God. But it was unable to change their hearts.
But then Jesus came. And he provided new wine. A wine that was better than the original wine. It was a wine that, unlike the law written on stone, could change hearts.
The covenant established at Sinai got the party started. But it could only take it so far. However, the covenant established through the blood of Jesus is able to bring us all the way to the end.
