The Great Gospel of John
Volume 1
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
Baptism. In the desert. First acceptance of disciples
- Chapter 11 -
The wine miracle: Symbol of the rebirth. Peter's confession and toast.
After Mary had told the servants, 'Do whatever He will tell you!' I told the servants to fill up with water these six stone water jars intended for the Jews' purification which, however, was no longer observed much by the Nazarenes and Canaanites. Thus these jars, each of which held from 20 to 30 gallons, were placed here on display rather than for a specific purpose.
2
The servants complied promptly, but rather in the belief that the newly arrived guest might wash and cleanse himself in accordance with the old custom. The guest entered and was placed at the table without having cleansed his hands beforehand. Having noticed this the servants discuss this with each other, wondering, 'Why did we have to fill these heavy jars with water? This guest did not use it and only caused us unnecessary work.' - Hereupon I say to them, 'Why did you not query this earlier, but now grumble about this work? Did you not hear what Mary told Me, namely, that there is no more wine for the guests? Although My time has not quite come yet, neither according to the customary order nor spiritually, I have still - in order to reveal the glory of Him Whom they call their God, but have never recognised as yet - changed the water in the jars into wine, not through some kind of magic, but solely through the power of God within Me.'
3
'Now fill a cup and take it first to the steward of the feast (the cook) to try; let him give his opinion about it.' - The servants, quite bewildered at the transformation of the water, immediately take this wine to the cook to try.
4
The cook is quite astonished, sends immediately for the bridegroom and says to him, 'You probably do not know the customary order?'
5
'Does not everyone serve the best twine to the guests first and only when they have drunk freely and their palate has become somewhat dulled the poorer sort? - But you have done just the opposite.'
6
But the Bridegroom replied, 'You talk like a blind man about colour! Look, this wine was not pressed anywhere on earth but, as once the manna, it came to our table from the heavens. Therefore, it must surely be better than any other wine on earth.'
7
Says the Cook, 'Do you take me for a fool or are you one yourself? How can a wine come to your table from the heavens?! Jehovah Himself or His servant Moses would have to be sitting at the table.'
8
Said the Bridegroom, 'Come and see for yourself.'
9
The Cook follows the bridegroom into the dining hall and looks at the six jars seeing that they are filled with the best wine. Thus having convinced himself of the miracle he says, 'Lord, forgive me my sins. Only God can do a thing like this, and He must be here among us, for such a thing is impossible to a human being.'
10
Now this wine was served to the guests and having tasted it they all said, 'Such a wine is not pressed in our lands. This is truly a heavenly wine. Glory to Him Whom God has given such might.'
11
Thereupon they toasted Me and the newly arrived guest Thomas and welcomed us.
12
Now all the people present at this wedding believed without a doubt that I was surely the promised Messiah.
13
But Peter says to Me secretly, 'Lord, let me go away again. For You are Jehovah Himself as was prophesied by Your servant David in his Psalms, but I am a poor sinner and absolutely unworthy of You.'
14
Say I to him, 'If you feel unworthy of walking at My side, whom do you consider worthy of it? Behold, I have not come to the strong assuming such could be found anywhere, but I came to the weak and sick. One who is healthy does not need a physician; only the sick and weak one does. So stay with me and be of good cheer, for I have forgiven you your sins long ago, and even when you will be sinning at My side, I will forgive you that, too; for, because you have recognised Me and are already a rock in your faith, you shall be perfected - not in your strength, but in your weakness - solely through grace from on high.
15
These My words brought tears to his eyes and Peter says with great enthusiasm, 'Lord, - if all should leave You, I shall not leave You, for Your holy words are truth and life.'
16
Having said this Peter rises, takes the cup and speaks, 'Blessed are you, Israel, and three times blessed are we, for we are witnesses to the fulfilled promise. God has visited His people. That which was hard to believe, is now fulfilled before our senses! Now we must no longer cry from the depth to heaven, for the Highest has descended to us into the very depths of our misery. -Therefore all glory be to Him Who is among us and has provided this wine thanks to His might and grace that we may believe in Him and from now on shall honour God in Him!' -Thereupon Peter drinks the wine and all drink to him, saying, 'This is a righteous man.'
17
But I say to Peter secretly, 'This was not given you by your flesh; but the Father Who is within Me has revealed it to your spirit. But from now on keep silent still; a time will come, however, when you shall shout so that all the world may hear you.' -Then quiet reigned once more among the guests and because of this act they now all believed in Me and regarded Me as the true Messiah Who had come to liberate them from all enemies.
18
This was the first remarkable sign,which I gave before the eyes of many at the outset of My great work of salvation, and in this sign I showed - through veiled - the great work that was to follow. However, not a single one of the entire company comprehended this - for, as my fasting in the desert prophetically pointed to the persecution I would be suffering from the temple in Jerusalem and the baptism by John to My death on the cross, thus this wedding pointed to My resurrection and the sign became a model of the rebirth of the spirit to everlasting life.
19
Just as I transformed the water into wine, also man's natural being ruled by the senses shall be transformed to spirit through My Word, provided he lives according to it.
20
But everyone should in his heart follow the advice Mary gave the servants when she said, 'Do whatever He tells you!'; then I shall do to each one what I did at Cana in Galilee, namely a proper sign by which everyone who lives according to My Word will find it easier to recognise the rebirth of the spirit within himself.