1. Where was the miracle performed? The miracle of turning water into wine occurred at Cana, during a wedding of someone who was probably related to Jesus. Mary was acting in something of a hostess fashion.
2. Who was present for the miracle? Jesus, Mary, the first six disciples (Andrew, John, Peter, James, Philip, and Nathaniel), the bride and groom, and a ruler of the feast, along with some other possible guests.
3. Why did they give out wine? They ran out of wine possibly because of poor planning, the fact that the family was probably poor, or maybe because of the unexpected presence of the six disciples. Another possible reason is that the groom might have ordered some wine which had not yet arrived.
4. Why did they tell/ask Jesus about the wine? They did not. Mary did because she knew He had the power to solve the problem.
5. Why did Jesus call His mother "woman"? Woman was not showing disrespect but respect and affection. It was a term of independence and also the same words He uttered to her from the cross.
6. What is the meaning of the phrase "mine hour is not yet come"? Jesus was not yet ready to show His messianic expectation. He could have also been inferring that some wine still remained, that it was not yet time for Him to perform miracles, or that the governor or ruler of the feast should initiate the request.
7. Why did Jesus begin His miracles with an "insignificant" one? The marriage was a symbol for joy, showed His stamp of approval on the wedding, showed His desire to be with the multitudes, showed His first work of creation, began at a level of understanding for the disciples, began at home, and demonstrated the insufficiency of the old Judaic system.
8. How much water was turned to wine? A lot. The miracle was quantitative and qualitative, the best. It might have been six waterpots, holding eighteen to twenty-four gallons each.
9. Prove that the wine was non-fermented. Intoxicating effect cannot be proved from the Greek or Hebrew words used for wine. Those words were interchangeable. However, Jesus would not create something which would cause people to get drunk. Also, intoxicating wine contains leaven, and leaven is the Old Testament picture of sin.
10. Why did Jesus use Capernaum as His headquarters? Bethsaida was a poor town, but Capernaum was much nicer. It was fenced town on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee. Capernaum was in the trade route between Damascus and the interior of Asia to the Mediterranean Sea. It was the Jewish capital of Galilee. Jesus went to Capernaum for the Passover.
11. What did Jesus mean by the references to the Temple? The Jews asked for a sign of Who He was, and Jesus told about the Temple which the Jews then said took forty-six years to build. Jesus was telling them that He would raise up His body, the Temple, in three days after His death.
12. What is important about the number 46? The Jewish Temple took forty-six years to build, from 20 BC to 26 AD.
13. What reference is there to the omniscience of Christ in this chapter? Verses twenty-four and twenty-five say that He knew all men.
Tom of Spotswood"He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (I John 5:12)
"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13)
Index to Selected Essays And Book Reviews
Lesson 5 - Christ - The Savior
Send email to: tlee6040@aol.com