John Chapter 2
Andrew Callander
Jesus goes to a wedding in Galilee and turns water into wine.
Then he goes to Jerusalem and turns the temple into chaos.
What is going on here? - what has this got to do with Discipleship and Christology???
Overall theme of John:
"Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name" John 20:30-31.
Two main sections in Gospel of John: (From Raymond Brown's Commentary on John):
1. The Book of Signs 1:19-12:50. The public ministry of Jesus where in sign and word he shows himself to his own people as the revelation of his Father only to be rejected.
2. The Book of Glory 13:1-20:31. To those who accept him, Jesus shows his glory by returning to the Father in "the hour" of his crucifixion, resurrection and ascension. Fully glorified, he communicates the Spirit of life.
Key themes introduced in the prologue - John 1:1-18:
Jesus is the Word of God v1, 14
Not accepted by some v11, accepted by others v12
The disciples have seen his glory v14
Law came through Moses v17, grace and truth through Jesus Christ v17
Only in Jesus is God made known v18.
John Chapter 2:
Read the chapter
Can you identify some of the themes that are of central concern to John?
Two key themes in Chapter 2 (From Raymond Brown's Commentary on John):
- Theme of replacement. Jesus replaces the waters of Jewish purification rites and the Temple as the presence of God and place of atonement - Christology.
- Theme of different reactions. The disciples believe (v11), the "Jews" are hostile (v18) and the crowd has inadequate belief (v23-25). - Discipleship.
1. The wedding:
The significance of wine
Mark 2:18-22. The new wine of the gospel cannot be confined within the old categories of thinking
Amos 9:13-15. The abundance of wine was an OT theme of Jewish Messianic expectation
This contrasts with the symbolism of the 6 empty jars used for the Jewish rite of purification.
Messianic replacement and abundance:
The rite of purification was never an end in itself. It always was intended to anticipate and find its fulfilment in the Messiah of God.
The tragic irony is that his people held onto to the symbol and failed to apprehend the reality in Jesus.
The response of the disciples:
v11 "Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him."
The Temple:
Symbolised the presence of God among his people and was the centre of the sacrificial system that focused on atonement and forgiveness.
But it came to be seen as having significance in itself rather than an anticipation of God himself who would come amongst his people. Isaiah 40:3-11.
The tragic irony:
Though "one greater than the temple" was in their midst they preferred the symbol to the reality and thus devotion to the cult of the Temple became an obstacle to faith in Jesus. Matt 12:6
Now that God had come among his people, continued devotion to the cult of the Temple amounted to idolatry. Jesus sought to cleanse it and restore it to its rightful purpose - pointing to the presence of God. Revelation 21:22-27.
The reaction of the Temple authorities:
v18 "what sign can you show us for doing this?"
Jesus points to his glory v19-22
This is the same response that Jesus gave to a similar request. Matt 12:38-42.
The crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Jesus is the sign that all the other signs point to and find their fulfilment in. John 12:27-32.
The response of the crowds:
They "believed" in him because they saw miraculous signs (v23)
But Jesus' response in v24-25 indicates that this was inadequate
It seems that they recognised Jesus as a miracle worker - but did not understand what the signs were pointing to. They focused on the sign as a thing in itself, rather than what the sign was pointing to. What is the significance of the sign?
They had an inadequate Christology. John 8:21-30.
Overall theme of John:
"Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name" John 20:30-31.