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John 2

John links Jesus’ first sign and his temple confrontation to his glory, authority, and coming resurrection.

At a wedding in Cana, the wine runs out, and Jesus’ mother brings the shortage to him. Jesus has servants fill stone purification pots with water, which becomes wine. John calls this the beginning of Jesus’ signs, revealing his glory to his disciples. After a short stay in Capernaum, Jesus goes to Jerusalem for Passover, drives commerce from the temple, and faces a demand for a sign. His answer points to his body and resurrection. The chapter closes with Jesus knowing what is in people.

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1The third day, there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there.
3When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no wine.”
4Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with you and me? My hour has not yet come.”
5His mother said to the servants, “Whatever he says to you, do it.”
6Now there were six water pots of stone set there after the Jews’ way of purifying, containing two or three metretes apiece.
7Jesus said to them, “Fill the water pots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim.
8He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the ruler of the feast.” So they took it.
9When the ruler of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and didn’t know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the ruler of the feast called the bridegroom
10and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when the guests have drunk freely, then that which is worse. You have kept the good wine until now!”
11This beginning of his signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
12After this, he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; and they stayed there a few days.
13The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
14He found in the temple those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, and the changers of money sitting.
16To those who sold the doves, he said, “Take these things out of here! Don’t make my Father’s house a marketplace!”
17His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will eat me up.”
18The Jews therefore answered him, “What sign do you show us, seeing that you do these things?”
19Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
20The Jews therefore said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple! Will you raise it up in three days?”
21But he spoke of the temple of his body.
22When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.
23Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in his name, observing his signs which he did.
24But Jesus didn’t entrust himself to them, because he knew everyone,
25and because he didn’t need for anyone to testify concerning man; for he himself knew what was in man.
World English BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected.
Key verses
John 2:4Jesus’ response places his mother’s request within the question of his own timing before the sign reveals his glory.
John 2:5His mother directs the servants to obey Jesus, preparing for the instructions through which the wedding sign unfolds.
John 2:19Jesus answers the demand for a sign with words about his body, understood by his disciples after his resurrection.
Where this chapter reaches

Matthew, Mark, and Luke also recount Jesus driving traders from the temple, sharing the event and his challenge to commerce in a place of worship. Psalm supplies the quotation about zeal for God’s house that the disciples remember as they witness Jesus’ actions.

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Notice

After reading the whole chapter

What do the servants, feast ruler, and disciples each know about the wine, and what stands out to you?

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How does the disciples’ understanding after the resurrection shape your reading of Jesus’ words about the temple?

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Questions people ask about John 2

Why does Jesus call his mother “Woman” in John 2?

The address “Woman” could be respectful in that setting; the word itself does not establish contempt. Jesus’ next words put distance between her request and his own timing: “My hour has not yet come.” The passage does not describe his tone. His mother then tells the servants to follow his instructions.

What does “Destroy this temple” mean in John 2?

Jesus’ hearers understand him to mean the Jerusalem temple and object that its construction took forty-six years. John explains that Jesus means the temple of his body. His words point to his death and resurrection, and verse 22 says the disciples remembered and believed his statement after he rose.

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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).