What Manner of Man Is Jesus?

Water to Wine, and the Best Yet to Come
What kind of man turns water into wine?

That’s the question at the heart of Jesus’ very first miracle—and it’s the question we explore in John 2 at the wedding in Cana.
At first glance, this miracle may seem simple: a wedding runs out of wine, Jesus steps in, and the crisis is averted. But as with all of Jesus’ signs, there is far more going on beneath the surface. This moment reveals who Jesus is, what He came to do, and what He is still doing today.

A Wedding, a Crisis, and a Sign
Weddings in the first-century Jewish world were multi-day celebrations. Running out of wine wasn’t just inconvenient—it was humiliating. When the wine was gone, panic set in.
Mary noticed the problem and brought it to Jesus. “They have no wine.”
At first, Jesus responded, “My hour has not yet come.” He understood something others did not: God’s timing matters. Still, Mary gave timeless advice to the servants—and to us: “Do whatever He tells you.”

That simple obedience opened the door to something extraordinary.
Jesus instructed the servants to fill six large stone jars—used for ceremonial washing—with water. These jars represented the Jewish purification system, a reminder that sinful people could not enter God’s presence without cleansing. Then Jesus did something astonishing: He transformed the water into wine.

Not just any wine—the best wine.
The Third Day and New Creation
John is intentional with his details. He tells us this wedding took place “on the third day.” For Jewish readers, that phrase carried deep meaning. In Genesis, the third day of creation was the only day God called “good” twice. It was a day of abundance and life.
What was created on the third day?

Plants. Fruit-bearing trees. Vineyards.
So when Jesus turns water into wine—made from fruit—on the third day, John is pointing us back to creation itself. Jesus is not only a miracle worker; He is the Creator, now beginning His work of re-creation in a broken world.

And this miracle points forward as well. Another “third day” was coming—one where Jesus would rise from the grave. Good things happen on the third day.

From Purification to Redemption
The stone jars Jesus used were not random. They were meant for ritual purification—external cleansing required by the Law. By filling those jars with wine, Jesus was signaling something profound:a new and greater cleansing was coming.

The old system pointed ahead to a better one. Through His sacrifice, Jesus would cleanse not just hands, but hearts. Not temporarily, but eternally.
This is why the miracle at Cana connects so beautifully to the cross—and to communion. Every time believers gather at the Lord’s Table, ordinary bread and wine point us to an extraordinary reality: we have been washed, forgiven, and made new by the blood of Christ.

The Best Is Yet to Come
At Cana, the best wine came last. That detail matters.
Jesus wasn’t just saving a wedding day—He was pointing to a future celebration still to come. Scripture describes it as the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, where Christ returns for His bride, the Church.

Just as a groom prepares for his wedding day, Jesus is preparing His people—cleansing us, shaping us, and making us holy. One day, we will stand before Him, fully redeemed, and the celebration will begin.

Until then, we live in hopeful anticipation.
We follow Him.
We trust His timing.
We believe His signs.
And we hold fast to this promise:
No matter how good or hard life may be right now—the best is yet to come.

Glory be to God.

Referenced Scripture

• Genesis 1 (Creation narrative, third day)
• Exodus 30 (Ceremonial washing)
• John 1:3
• John 2:1–11
• John 7:1–10
• Luke 1:31–33
• Luke 2:29–32
• Hebrews 9:11–14
• 2 Corinthians 5:17
• Ephesians 5:25–27
• Revelation 19:6–9
• Matthew 26:26–28