Message from the Monthly Flyer from August 2007

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The First Miracle in Cana - John 2:1-11

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!” This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.

Many people, owing to their lack of knowledge about the Holy Scriptures, are convinced that Jesus turned water into wine, which was fermented in the way as we know it today. Fermented, stored for a certain amount of time and having a particular degree of alcohol. They drink it that way and say, “Jesus also drank wine.” That is not true whatsoever! Jesus would say, “And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?” Mark 12:24. The Scriptures never talk about Jesus ever having drunk “wine” (Greek “Oinos”). Mary comes and says to him, “They have no more wine”; she did not say, “We have not got any more wine.” (For certain, she never drank fermented wine) Jesus answered, “What have I got to do with it or why should it concern me?” If he had been drinking “wine” here, his answer would have been different. Nevertheless, Jesus honours the faith of his mother when she says to the servants, “Whatsoever he (Jesus) saith unto you, do it.” They had enough faith to be obedient to him, even though such a miracle had not yet taken place.

Was it the type of wine which we are familiar with today? No. For the wine which was used in the biblical times, was different to that which we have nowadays!

There were different ways for the Jews to drink the juice of the wine grapes. a. Freshly squeezed. b. Grape juice being preserved by boiling it. c. Juice from the dried wine grapes. d. Grape wine made from the syrup of the grapes, being mixed with water. Fermented or unfermented stored wine, mixed with water in the ratio of 20 to 1! If the wine was fermented and served in the form which it was, without being diluted beforehand, it was considered to be vulgar, unclean - a rabbi would never have blessed it. When taking into consideration the many historical sources of evidence, the widespread opinion that Jesus drank fermented wine, or that he created it in Cana, is not justified.

Do you want the truth or do you just want to please yourself? Just because the Scriptures use the word wine, it does not in any way mean that it was fermented or stored grape juice. The numerous statements of the Holy Scriptures are clear. You should know that it was not fermented wine which the servants brought to the ruler of the feast! The thought that Jesus, the holy Son of God, would offer a group of people fermented wine, which would have made all of them drunk, is ridiculous.

Through the numerous scriptures, it clearly comes across, that it is forbidden to give your fellowman fermented wine. Habakkuk 2:15! Christ came to fulfil the law. Matthew 5:17; Jesus would never have been obedient to his heavenly Father, who had given the moral laws, if He Himself had drunk fermented wine, or created it at the wedding. “Look not thou upon the wine when it is red.” Proverbs 23:31. For those who are consecrated to God, it was and is forbidden to drink fermented wine or strong drink! (Priests, Samson, John the Baptist etc.). rw