A Study of John's Gospel

John 2:8-10: The Best Is Yet To Come

The Best Is Yet To Come

A study of John 2:8-10

"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.""

‭‭John‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬-‭10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Definitions of the original language in the context of this passage:

-Draw Some Out: "antleō", "ἀντλέω"; verb - universally, to draw water (or wine in John 2:8).

-Take It: "pherō", "φέρω"; verb - to bring, bring to, bring forward.

-Master of the Feast (Headwaiter): "architriklinos", "ἀρχιτρίκλινος"; masculine noun - the superintendent of a dining-room, a table-master.

-Tasted: "geuomai", "γεύομαι"; verb - to taste, to try the flavor of, partake of, enjoy.

-Water: "ydōr", "ὕδωρ"; neuter noun - of water.

-Now (Which Had) Become: "ginomai", "γίνομαι"; verb - to become, to be made. "in passages where it is specified who or what a person or thing is or has been rendered, as respects quality, condition, place, rank, character" (Wahl, Clavis Apocr. V. T., p. 101).

-Wine: "oinos", "οἶνος"; masculine noun - wine.

-Know: "eidō", "εἴδω"; verb - to know, get knowledge of, understand, perceive.

-The Servants: "diakonos", "διάκονος"; masculine/feminine noun - a waiter, one who serves food and drink.

-Bridegroom: "nymphios", "νυμφίος"; masculine noun - a bridegroom, a groom.

-The People Have Drunk Freely: "methyō", "μεθύω"; verb - drink well, to be drunken.

Observation/Summary(short explanation of what the passage says in your own words):

After the servants obeyed the command of Jesus to fill the six large stone jars to the brim with water, Jesus commanded them to draw out some of the wine, and take it to the "master of the feast", or in other words, the headwaiter overseeing the event. In verse 9 we read they brought it to the master of the feast and it had now become wine, so presumably it was wine before the servants drew some out of the jars. When he tasted it, the master of the feast was surprised by what he tasted. He called the bridegroom over and told him it was unusual to serve the best wine late in the celebration. Usually the poorer wine is saved for later, and the best wine is served first. What could have been a terrible social disgrace for the newly married couple, turned into an occasion of honor and blessing because of the miracle Jesus performed for them.

Implication (what does this mean to us):

In the previous verses, Jesus commanded the servants at the wedding feast to fill 6 large stone jars with water, and they obeyed, filling them up to the brim. They had run out of wine at the wedding and to do so would have been a serious social disgrace for the married couple, but Jesus decided to intervene. After the jars had been filled with water Jesus immediately told the servants to draw some out and take it to the master of the feast, in other words, the head waiter overseeing the celebration. This indicates that the water was immediately turned to wine by the will of Jesus. The text does not even tell us whether or not He prayed. He may have prayed to the Father but regardless, this telling of the miracle makes it clear this water was turned to wine by the will of Jesus. He did not even need to verbally command a change in the nature of the water. He simply willed it to be wine, and it became wine.