The purpose to be served in making the miracles of Jesus a part of the Gospel record is clearly stated in the Scripture itself: "These [miracles] are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name." (John 20:31,RV)
In our study of the miracles, therefore, this object should be kept in view, that we "lay hold on the life which is life indeed." (1 Timothy 6:19,RV)
All the revealings of the power of God in the world about us teach the same lesson, when they are properly understood, and so the miracles should also serve as Divine interpretations of the Gospel of life and power which is proclaimed in the more familiar, and so less startling, operations of the same Master Workman.
"The miracles of the Bible are not only emblems of power in the spiritual world, but also exponents of the miracles of nature--experiments, as it were, made by the Great Teacher in person, on a small scale and within a limited time, to illustrate to mankind the phenomena that are taking place over longer periods throughout the universe."--Bible Teachings in Nature, Hugh MacMillan, p. vi-vii (Preface).
When thus viewed, they will not only teach their own lesson to us, but they will also throw such a light upon God's book of nature that we may read the same lesson on every page. And thus recognizing constantly the presence and power of the living God in us and around us, we may learn to receive it in its fullness as "the power of an endless life." (Hebrews 7:16)
The record of the miracle which we are to study in this lesson is brief, simple, and natural. It is God giving us a view, at close range, of His own mighty power with the simplicity of a father explaining his work to his little child for the purpose of encouraging confidence. And the account closes with these words: "This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth His glory; and His disciples believed on Him." (John 2:11)
In our study of the Holy Spirit's account of this miracle we should see the manifested glory just as clearly as did the disciples, and with the same result, believing for life in His name. Note the simple facts: "They wanted wine ... And there were set there six water-pots of stone. ... Jesus said unto them, Fill the water-pots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And He said unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bore it." (John 2:3,6-8)
Then the ruler of the feast tastes "the water that was made wine." (John 2:9) and immediately calls the bridegroom and says: "Every man at the beginning sets forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse; but you have kept the good wine until now." (John 2:10)
We are not told how the water was changed into wine. In obedience to the word of Jesus, they poured the water into the waterpots, and in obedience to the same word they drew out and bore to the governor of the feast that which on tasting proved to be the best wine of the feast.
There is one word, however, which gives all the explanation which is needed, and that word is "Jesus." He is the Word of God, and "All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made. ... And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory." (John 1:3,14)
And not only were all things made through Him, but He also is "upholding all things by the word of His power," (Hebrews 1:3) "[and] in Him all things consist," (Colossians 1:17,RV) or hold together. It is by the direct and constant revealing of the power of God through Jesus Christ, "the power of God," (1 Corinthians 1:24) that the orderly march of the stars and planets is maintained, and that the so-called operations of nature are carried forward. "My Father works hitherto, and I work." (John 5:17)
And in performing this miracle Jesus is giving a sample, as it were, of His work and revealing himself as the one through whose personal agency all the processes of vegetable growth and fruit-bearing are carried forward.
The True Vine
In the usual method of changing water into wine the vine is the visible means of accomplishing the work. The water which has been poured upon the ground by the showers of rain, is gathered up by the roots of the vine, carried up by the stock into the branches, and becomes the juice of the grapes. When the process is completed, and the grapes are subjected to pressure, then can be obtained the water which is now changed into wine. Several months are occupied in this work, which goes on quietly by day and by night.
But Jesus has said, "I am the true [real] vine," (John 15:1) and the vines which we see in the gardens and the vineyards are not independent agencies for the changing of water into wine. They are simply the visible forms through which works the life of Jesus, the true vine, and as He at Cana of Galilee, dispensing with the usual visible forms of vegetable life, and disregarding the question of time, "manifested forth His glory," (John 2:11) by changing the water into wine; so He would teach us that the same glory is manifested when the same change is wrought by Him in the way so familiar to us. And as "His disciples believed on Him," (John 2:11) when they saw that which He did in Cana of Galilee, so would He have us believe on Him, when we see what He is doing in every garden and vineyard.
And as this miracle was written in order that those who read it might by believing "have life through His name," so viewing all the processes of growth and fruit-bearing in the light thrown upon them by this miracle, and reading them as so interpreted, we may by believing "have life through His name." (John 20:31)
Manifesting Glory
It is evident that the Gospel is preached to us in this miracle, and through its teaching we may see how the Gospel is preached to us in every garden and field. The Gospel is "the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God," (2 Corinthians 4:4,RV) "the Gospel of the glory of the blessed God." (1 Timothy 1:11,RV)
And this glory is His goodness, (Exodus 33:18-19) His character, His righteousness. "the Gospel ... is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed." (Romans 1:16-17)
And so when Jesus at Cana of Galilee "manifested forth His glory," by doing the work which He wrought that day, He was simply showing that the power which changes water into wine is the power which God uses with which to save believers. And the glory which was then manifested is the glory which brings life to the dead, for: "Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father." (Romans 6:1)
And so recognizing "the glory of His power," (2 Thessalonians 1:9) day by day as it is revealed to us in the true Vine, we who are "dead in trespasses and sins, ... [are] quickened together with Christ, And raised up with Him, and made to sit together in heavenly places, in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:1,5-6)
But this is "The exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, Which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 1:19-20)
And so, "We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory." (2 Corinthians 3:18)
And this is the work of the Gospel, that those who "have sinned and come short of the glory of God," (Romans 3:23) should once more be "crowned with glory and honor." (Psalm 8:5; Hebrews 2:9)
Fruit-Bearing
It was the work of Jesus "to preach ... recovering of sight to the blind," (Luke 4:18) that we might be able to see Him as the true Vine, and so submit ourselves unto Him, that "[He] who makes grass to grow upon the mountains," (Psalm 147:8) and hangs the luscious fruit upon the branches of every vine and tree, may "[fill us] with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God." (Philippians 1:11) "I am the Vine, you are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing." (John 15:5)
And this is the Gospel which He would teach in the miracle in Cana of Galilee.--Present Truth, July 7, 1898.