Water into wine? The true meaning of this story.

In what is arguably the most famous miracle, there's an account in the Gospel of John of Jesus and his disciples attending a wedding feast where Jesus turns water into wine. I've heard many different interpretations of this story, having grown up in the Christian church, and none of them ever felt right.

I've heard that the point of the story is to follow Jesus' instructions, as the disciples did in filling the jars, and good things will happen in life. I've heard someone say that the story shows that Jesus has control over the physical world, and is G-d, because he materially transformed water into wine. I've heard it said that the story shows the personality of Jesus in that he liked to have a good time. I've heard that the story shows the compassion of Jesus in that he felt bad for the host who had run out of wine.

Every attempt in any sermon that I've heard just seemed to miss the mark. It didn't make sense as to why this story was so important. Are we just supposed to understand that Jesus can transform the physical world with his mind? Why does that matter?

I'd like to propose an interpretation that I feel is honest to the account of John's gospel. I think it is accurate to say and I hope to show, that any interpretation of this story which focuses the significance of the account on Jesus' ability to turn literal water into literal wine, desperately falls short of it's meaning.

Keep in mind, the Gospel of John is the only gospel to mention this story. The synoptic gospels - Mark, Matthew, and Luke - have no account that this event ever took place. I think it would be safe to assume if such an event took place and knowledge of it were in circulation within Christ's followers, it would have been mentioned in one of the other Gospels.

So the question we need to answer is, "why did the writer of this gospel find it important to include this story?"

In case you haven't read the story in some time, here's how it goes"

"On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, 'They have no wine.' And Jesus said to her, 'Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.' His mother said to the servants, 'Do whatever he tells you.'

Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons (2 or 3 "metretes"). Jesus said to the servants, 'Fill the jars with water.' And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, 'Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.' So they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, 'Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.' This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him."

So that's the account.

Allow me to make a few points that will help inform our analysis of this story:

1. The Gospel of John is nicknamed "the signs gospel." In verse 11, as the account is closing, John writes, "This, the first of his signs." This gospel is full of signs and symbolism.

2. The author of John's Gospel is likely comes from a Jewish mystical tradition.

3. Signs, in the Jewish tradition, are embedded with nuance, detail, mystical meaning, and allegorical language. They utilize stories to point towards a greater truth. But they are not typically literal in nature.

4. Lastly, as previously mentioned, this story is unique to John's Gospel and occurs no where else in Scripture.

If we lay aside for a moment, the idea that the author is describing a literal event that took place in history, what greater truth might the he be trying to communicate?

Let's look at the text.

In verse 3, it is the mother of Jesus who initiates the event. In Jewish tradition, it is the bridegroom's family that is responsible for the wine at a wedding. This would seem to imply that the bridegroom in this story is Jesus. However, this is not to say that this was Jesus' wedding. The text tells us "Jesus was also invited with his disciples," so it's clear that the author is not saying this is literally Jesus' wedding. What I believe he is telling us, however, is that we need to understand this account allegorically. It's the first indication of the author clueing us in that this is not a literal account I'm about to tell.

Next, when the mother of Jesus informs him about the lack of wine, Jesus replies "what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come." The writer is telling us that there will be a future event, where Jesus' hour will come, but it's not yet. This is a phrase that the writer uses throughout his gospel, with Jesus telling his disciples that his time is not yet come. What is Jesus' time, or "hour", that is to come?

In early Christian communities, before there was an official canon of Scripture that we call the New Testament, there were other apocryphal (non-canonized) writings and oral traditions that were in circulation. Some examples of these are the Book of Enoch, the Book of Baruch, and the Fragments of Papias IV. It matters not, whether one believes they should be in the canon of Scripture, and I'm not making that argument. However, it's important to be aware that they existed and circulated in the Christian communities, because it helps to inform the content of the common cultural knowledge that existed at the time. Things that people would have known about and understand reference to.

What these three collections have in common is that they all describe the Messianic era as one of overflowing agricultural abundance. And one very prominent product was an ever expansive vineyard of grapes that would provide an overabundance of wine. They even write about how every next cluster of grapes is better than the previous. Notice any familiarities to our wedding story? The host upon tasting the wine declares, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then serve the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now." Readers and listeners to this story would likely recognize that he's alluding to the Messianic era.

The Fragments of Papias IV, describes the agricultural abundance of the Messianic era as one where each vine will have 10,000 branches, and each branch 10,000 twigs, and on each twig 10,000 clusters, and each cluster will have 10,000 grapes and every grape will produce 25 "metretes" of wine (which is about 219 gallons per grape).

The account reads, "The days will come in which vines shall grow, having each ten thousand branches, and in each branch ten thousand twigs, and in each true twig ten thousand shoots, and in every one of the shoots ten thousand clusters, and on every one of the clusters ten thousand grapes, and every grape when pressed will give five-and-twenty metretes of wine. And when any one of the saints shall lay hold of a cluster, another shall cry out, 'I am a better cluster, take me; bless the Lord through me."

Papias was a contemporary of John's and perhaps they may have had acquaintance. It matters not, which was written first - John's account or Papias's - what's important to note is that this idea of an abundance of grapes and wine and other agricultural products was understood in the culture of the time to signify the Messianic age, where Christ would rule in the kingdom of G-d.

You'll notice that the Papias account is far more robust in its abundance than John's. John has six jars, holding 2 or 3 "metretes" of wine each. In the Papias account, each grape in the Messianic era will produce 25 "metretes" of wine.

John is telling his readers at the beginning of his gospel that the Messianic era is upon us. It's here. And by the end of the gospel, it will have arrived.

Look now at verse 6 in John's story, where some important details are provided. He tells us that there were six stone water jars and that the jars were there for the "Jewish rites of purification."

The number six is significant here and is another symbol from the writer that is telling his readers that the Messianic era is here. G-d created for six days and on the seventh took rest. Jews work for six days and on the seventh rest in observance of the Sabbath. The Talmud, Midrash, and Zohar specify that the date the Messiah will appear is 6,000 years from creation. Remember, the writer of his gospel account is very likely a Jewish mystic. This idea would be well formed in his mind. He continues to tells his readers that the Messianic era is upon us. We're standing at the cusp of the kingdom, nearly at the day of rest in the kingdom of G-d and eternal life.

Consider also the intended use of the jars. They're for the rites of purification, or what is known as "mikveh" in Hebrew. Mikveh was the most common purification ritual. It was used to mark various milestones, But it was also used to cleanse a person, either after menstruation, childbirth, sexual intercourse, or a skin disease. Another use is for re-entry into life after a surviving a terminal illness, or even the beginning of new life such as with birth or marriage, where the bride would visit the mikveh within four days of her wedding.

The writer is giving us yet another symbol of preparation and purification that marks the beginning of new life - life in the Messianic era - life within the kingdom of G-d.

Note that the jars are "filled to the brim", rather than overflowing as the Papias writing would indicate as the characteristic abundance of the Messianic age. He's telling us, the age is not yet here at this point in the story. But it is coming. It is filled to the brim, ready to overflow. Preparations are underway.

Recall that the host declared the new wine Jesus produced was better than the old. Its a nod to the new covenant with the people of G-d. He is telling us that there will be new life, and that the new life is better than the old.

This story is the author's way of announcing the beginning of the Messianic Age, the reign of the kingdom of G-d.

It is not a physical kingdom, but a spiritual one. It is not a kingdom limited to a physical territory, but a kingdom of expansion. Expansion of the Consciousness (of Spirit) of G-d, that Jesus dispenses to those who seek G-d.

For as Luke's gospel tells us, "the kingdom of G-d is within you" (Lk. 17:21)

The story about turning water into wine is not about turning water into wine. It is the announcement of the age of the Christ and the union of humankind with G-d, within the kingdom of G-d, which resides within you at the seat of your conscious mind. Closer to you than your own breath.

That is the union with G-d that Christ brought to humankind.

If we read this story literally, we turn wine into water and miss the greater message.