John Chapter 2


Six disciples, who now trusted Jesus, started on their lifelong  walk with Him and from the beginning, they began to learn more  about Him. And, each day and each new event brought marvels that  were difficult to understand. And so, in this chapter, John recorded  three wonderful revelations of Jesus Christ that they learned.

In vs. 1-12, we learn about the  Lord’s glory. Jesus had  accepted the invitation to attend a wedding and He was often seen  at social events, even though his enemies used these times to accuse  Him (Lk. 15:1-2). But, Jesus goes to this feast and is accompanied  by His mother and His six disciples mention from Jn. 1. And at this  wedding, there was a shortage of wine, which indicates a low- budgeted feast. Well, it was the groom’s responsibility under the  Jewish wedding feast laws that he have adequate provisions and if it  ran out, it would bring embarrassment and there could actually be a  fine.

Well, even though “His time” had not come yet, our Lord  decides to perform a miracle here. Now, we don’t know if this is the first miracle He ever performed, but it certainly is the first miracle  recorded. And, turning water that was in the waterpots into wine  was so impressive and superior to that which had already been  drank that the man in charge of the banquet highly praised it. Well,  this miracles did something for His disciples. It revealed his glory  (Jn. 1:14) and gave them a stronger foundation for their faith.  Though miracles alone are insufficient evidence for declaring Jesus  to be the Son of God (2 Thess. 2:9-10), the effect of them convinced  them of His deity. See, this sign (semeion) pointed to something  greater, it would cause them to not only believe in Him, but in the  Father who sent Him (Jn. 5:14[1]24). This is why Jesus would add a  sermon to His miracles after He showed his deity.

Second, in vs. 12-22, we learn of the  Lord’s zeal . During these days, each Jewish  man was required to attend three annual feasts at the Holy City: Passover, Pentecost, and  Tabernacles (Deut. 16:16). Well, during this Passover, Jesus revealed His zeal for God First  of all by cleansing the temple (John 2:13-17). Unfortunately, the priests had established a  lucrative business of exchanging foreign money for Jewish currency, and also selling the  animals needed for the sacrifices, which had become corrupted. So, when the Lord drove  them all out, in vs. 16, we see that He was careful not to destroy anyone’s property (He did  not release the doves); but He made it clear that He was in command and that the temple  was His Father’s house.

Well, when they saw His courageous zeal, the disciples remembered Psalm 69:9,  “The zeal of [for] Thine house hath eaten me up” (vs. 17). Now, it was this cleansing that  had declared war on the hypocritical religious leaders, which ultimately led to His death  and even further zeal by giving His life (John 2:18-22). It was logical for the religious  leaders to ask Him to show the source of His authority. After all, they were the guardians of  the Jewish faith, and they had a right to test any new prophet who appeared and even Paul  talked about how “The Jews require a sign” (1 Cor. 1:22). So, Jesus used the image of the  temple to convey this truth. “Destroy this temple [My body], and in three days I will raise it  up” (John 2:19). Being spiritually blind, those who heard misunderstood what He was  saying. They thought it was about the physical temple that Herod had built. But, this was a  prediction of His own death and resurrection; and His disciples remembered it after He  was raised from the dead even though other mocked it later (Matt. 27:40). Of course this  was dealing with the prediction of the Jewish religious system ending and “grace and  truth” coming through Jesus Christ. He is the new sacrifice (John 1:29) and the new temple  (John 2:19) and John will tell us later, that the new worship will depend on inward  integrity, not outward geography (John 4:19-24).

Third, in vs. 23-25, we learn about the  Lord’s knowledge . While in Jerusalem for  the Passover, Jesus performed miracles that are not given in detail, but it must have been  these signs that attracted Nicodemus (John 3:2). It also attracted other because many  professed to believe, but notice how Jesus did not accept their profession. And, no matter  what the people said, the Lord did not accept their testimony because He knew their hearts  and minds. You see, it was one thing to respond to a miracle, but quite something else to  commit oneself to Jesus Christ and continue in His Word (John 8:30-31). And so, John  makes it clear that it takes more than believing in miracles for a person to be saved. Seeing  the signs and believing in them would be a great beginning; in fact, even the disciples  started that way and had to grow in their faith (compare John 2:11 and v. 22). Thus, our  Lord’s accurate knowledge of the human heart is another evidence of His deity, for only  God can see the inner person. And, it is this chapter that prepares us for the interview that  takes place between Jesus and Nicodemus.

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