With the coming of Jesus, the new has come to replace the old. The old jars of water for ceremonial cleansing (John 2:6) are no longer needed. Water is to be replaced by top quality new wine; the old order will be replaced by a new joyful order.
The original text of Scripture was without chapter and verse divisions-chapters were added in the thirteenth century and verses in the sixteenth-so the writer had to indicate divisions in other ways. The way John marks this section is by the bookends: the first (John 2:1-11) and second (4:43-54) signs that Jesus performs in Cana.
John tells us that Andrew followed Jesus on John the Baptist’s testimony (v. 40). Andrew tells his brother, Simon Peter, ″We have found the Messiah″ (v. 41).
John the Baptist again provides a model of witness, as he did in John 1:15.
In today’s reading, the Word is named. However, the key verse in this introduction is verse 14, where we are told that the Word takes on flesh and becomes a man. The word ″flesh″ and the expression ″made his dwelling″ are vital.
Words are powerful. They can be used to encourage or be the cause of depression. They can inform, mystify, persuade, sustain friendship, or cause deep distress. Words reveal thoughts; words reveal character; clear words explain.