John 2:11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. There are five reasons why this should be the first. 1. As marriage was the first institution ordained by God, so at a marriage was Christ's first miracle. 2. As Christ had showed Himself miraculous a little while ago by a fast, so He cloth now by an extraordinary provision at a feast. When He would not makes stones bread, it was not because He could not. 3. He would not make stones into bread to satisfy Satan, but He was willing to turn water into wine to show forth His glory. 4. The first miracle wrought in the world by man was transformation (Exodus 7:9), and the first miracle wrought by the Son of Man was of the same nature. 5. The first time you hear of John the Baptist, you hear of his strict diet, and so the first time you hear of Christ in His public ministry, you hear of Him at a marriage feast. (Lightfoot.)This miracle cannot but have a representative character. We may observe — I. ITS ESSENTIAL CHARACTER. A sign of sovereign power wrought on inorganic nature, not on a living body. II. ITS CIRCUMSTANTIAL CHARACTER. The change of the simpler to the richer element. In this respect it may be contrasted with the first public miracle of Moses, which commences the record of Old Testament miracles. III. ITS MORAL CHARACTER. 1. The answer of love to faith. 2. Ministering to human joy in one of its simplest and most natural forms (cf. Matthew 11:18, 19).In each respect the character of the sign answers to the general character of Christ as — 1. A new creation. 2. A transfiguration of the ceremonial law into a spiritual gospel. 3. An ennobling of the whole life. In addition, notice that the scene of the sign — a marriage feast — is that under which the accomplishment of Christ's work is most characteristically prefigured (John 3:29; Matthew 22:2; Matthew 25:1; Revelation 19:7; Revelation 21:2). (Bishop Westcott.) Parallel Verses KJV: This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. |
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