When Jesus Turned Water into Wine 

Turning water into wine is the first of the miracles of Jesus recorded in the Bible.

How much and what type of wine Jesus created is really interesting. Note that a wedding feast could last two weeks. It would be difficult to guess how much wine you might need for the entire duration of the feast.

It was traditional for Jews to engage in ritual hand washing before meals. Six large water pots were available at the door for the hand washing ceremony. Each pot held 100 to 150 gallons of water. We don’t know how many people attended the wedding, but most, if not all of them had washed their hands in these pots of water.

This dirty water was used by Jesus to create the finest wine. Wine of this sort would have had to be aged for a long time. Not only that, but it was pure wine, which He created from dirty water. This is highly symbolic of Jesus’ mission to the world and shows what He can do for our own, tainted souls.

When reading this story, it sounds like Jesus is insulting His mother, Mary, when she tells Him they have run out of wine. In the KJV, His words are translated, “Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come” (John 2:4). But if we understood the culture of the time, we would understand that Jesus was saying, “Of all the women in the world, you are THE woman to me.” Jesus showed great respect for His mother. Jesus is saying that His formal mission hasn’t started yet, but because He loves and respects His mother, He will perform this miracle for her.

Mary had perfect faith in her son. She told the servants to do whatever He bade them to do. The servants poured out wine in faith. They never had the opportunity to test or taste it. They may have thought they were pouring dirty water into the cups of their guests. This miracle was a wonderful realization of their faith. They acted. And the miracle was there.