The Beginning:
Jesus, His mother, and His disciples attend a wedding in Cana of Galilee. During the celebration, the hosts run out of wine, creating a serious social embarrassment in a culture where hospitality was a high obligation. Jesus’ mother brings the need to His attention.
The Middle:
Jesus responds that His “hour” has not yet come, yet His mother instructs the servants to do whatever He tells them. Nearby stand six stone water jars used for Jewish purification rites, and Jesus tells the servants to fill them with water. After they fill them to the brim, He instructs them to draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.
The End:
The master of the feast tastes it and discovers the water has become wine, and he remarks that the best wine has been kept until now. John describes this act as Jesus’ first “sign,” through which He revealed His glory. As a result, His disciples believe in Him.
John presents this miracle not only as an act of compassion for a family in need, but as a “sign” that reveals Jesus’ identity and mission. The transformation from water in purification jars into abundant wine points to the newness Jesus brings—God’s saving work arriving in and through Him, surpassing earlier symbols of cleansing. The story also highlights that Jesus’ works disclose His glory in a way that invites faith, as His disciples respond by trusting Him more deeply.
Stone jars are consistent with Jewish concerns for ritual purity in the Second Temple period: unlike some pottery, stone vessels were widely regarded as not contracting impurity in the same way. Their presence in the account fits the setting of a Jewish wedding and underscores why these large containers would have been available for water used in purification practices.
“This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory.” — John 2:11
Answer the questions below. When you choose an option, you will see the result and an explanation.
1. What problem occurred during the wedding celebration in Cana of Galilee?
2. After the servants filled the stone water jars to the brim, whom did Jesus tell them to take some of the drawn-out liquid to?