Four Bible Verses on John Chapter 2

1. John 2:9-10 They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."

So at the beginning of John Chapter two we see Jesus perform his first miracle. The disciples see this and they begin to believe that he is the messiah. Six jars used for jewish ritual washing were filled with water, and Jesus turned them into wine. Why is this significant? It is the first miracle performed by Jesus. it shows his love for humanity, and his desire for them to celebrate and enjoy life. The words about bringing out the choice wine later is a reference to Jesus being the choice wine that is brought out after the earlier prophets.

2. John 2:13-17 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!"17 His disciples remembered that it is written: "Zeal for your house will consume me."^b

This is a very commonly known piece of scripture. Jesus is filled with righteous anger and indignation at seeing people selling things in the temple and bankers changing money at their tables. Seeing this he drives out the animals and overturns the tables of the bankers. I know many people involved in political activism. Many of them are anti-religion because they believe the Bible pushes doing whatever the government says. Jesus was anti-establishment. He called out the pharisees who were the religious and social leaders of the times on their false ways. He saw the bankers scamming people in the temple and flipped their tables. Jesus was an outcast during his time on earth and was eventually killed by the authorities! In this translation it says "zeal for your house will consume me." In other translations other words are used like "Passion for God's house will consume me."

3. John 2:19-22 Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days."20 The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?" 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

Just following this event of righteous anger by Jesus the pharisees rushed into the temple and posed a question to Jesus. They asked him to perform a miracle to prove he had the right to do this. Jesus replied with this statement, a metaphor. He was prophesying that he would be crucified and rise after three days, which we know he did. Naturally the pharisees didn't know what he was talking about and assumed he meant the temple they were standing in. This passage also mentions that when the disciples saw Jesus resurrected they believed all the more.

4. John 2:23-25 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name.^c 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. 25 He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.

So at the end of the second Chapter of the book of John we are ended with this passage. Many people, which probably translates to thousands believed that Jesus was the messiah. Many started to follow him as he walked about ancient Israel. We learn here that Jesus kept distant from the people he was teaching to. He didn't confide in them or trust them for protection. This is a moment where we tend to believe Jesus was disheartened, but I do not think he was. He knew his mission and he knew humanity, so he sought solitude. He didn't need to talk and socialize with the people about their lives and the things they do. Jesus doesn't need testimony about man because he already knows everything. It is written that he knew what was in the man. This can refer to consciously knowing all things, or it can refer to knowing that man is full of sin and evil.