John 2 - Amplified Study Bible
2:1–2 Cana. This city was about four and a half miles northwest of Nazareth. the mother of Jesus was there; and both Jesus and His disciples were invited. This suggests that Jesus and His disciples were invited because of Mary. Her forwardness in asking Jesus to help when the wine ran out (v. 3) may indicate that she was in some way related to the family holding the wedding.
2:3 They have no more wine. Hospitality in the East was a sacred duty. A wedding feast often lasted for a week. To run out of wine at such an important event would have been humiliating for the bride and groom. The family of Jesus was not wealthy, and it is likely their relatives and acquaintances were not either. This may have been a “low-budget” wedding feast.
2:6 six stone waterpots. Each waterpot held 20–30 gallons, for a total of 120–180 gallons of the finest wine (v. 10). Jewish custom of purification. Jewish tradition required several kinds of ceremonial washings. Strict Jews washed their hands before a meal, between courses, and after the meal. This “purifying” extended not only to washing hands, but also to washing cups and vessels (Mk 7:3–4).
2:11 This, the first of His signs. In the Gospel of John, the miracles of Jesus are called signs, indicating that they pointed to His messiahship. This sign signified Christ’s glory—that is, His deity. When Jesus transformed water into wine, He demonstrated His power.
2:13 the Passover of the Jews. Every male Jew was required to go to Jerusalem three times a year—for the Feast of Passover, the Feast of Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles (Ex 23:14–19; Lev 23). Jerusalem. The Synoptic Gospels concentrate on Jesus’ Galilean ministry. John focuses on Jesus’ ministry in Jerusalem.
2:14 And in the temple [enclosure] He found the people who were selling oxen and sheep and doves. The Synoptic Gospels place the cleansing of the temple at the conclusion of Jesus’ ministry (Mt 21:12–13), whereas John puts it at the beginning. Apparently, Jesus cleansed the temple two different times. The law of Moses required that any animal offered in sacrifice be unblemished and that every Jewish male over 19 years of age pay a temple tax (Lev 1:3; Dt 17:1). As a result, tax collectors and inspectors of sacrificial animals were present at the temple. However, these officials would not accept secular coins because they had an image of the Roman emperor. To put such coins into the temple treasury was thought to be an offense. Accordingly, merchants and moneychangers set up shop and charged high prices for changing currency and for sacrificial animals.
2:19 Destroy this temple. Jesus was not talking about the physical building; He was referring to His body, as John emphasizes in verse 21. Jesus was speaking of His death. I will raise it up. Note that Jesus did not say, “I will build it again.” He was referring to His resurrection, three days after His death.
2:20 forty-six years. Herod the Great began restoring the temple in 20 BC. The work was not finished at the time of this conversation. In fact, it was not completed until around AD 64 under Herod Agrippa.
2:23 many believed in His name. This was saving faith. John’s purpose in recording Jesus’ miracles was for people to believe and have eternal life (20:30–31).
2:24 But Jesus, for His part, did not entrust Himself. This word is the same Greek word translated believe in verse 23. There is a play on words here. These individuals trusted Jesus, but Jesus did not entrust Himself to them.
