His First Miracle

“This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth His glory; and His disciples believed on Him.” (John 2:11)

Jesus performed or worked thirty-seven miracles. This one in which He turned water into wine was His first.   

“Oinos” is the New Testament word for the fruit of the vine, or wine. It says nothing concerning fermentation.  The word “wine” in the Bible can refer to fresh grape juice or grape juice in different stages of fermentation. The context will make it clear which kind of wine is being referenced. The word “wine-press” is used for the press that squeezes juice from the grapes.  Certainly, the juice from freshly pressed grapes is non-alcoholic and unfermented.

Jesus’ miracle of turning water into wine is no justification for the existence of the liquor industry, with its resultant thousands of people dying in automobile accidents on our nation’s highways annually. Not only is that industry responsible for many deaths on the highways, but each year thousands of homes are wrecked by its influence and many children go to bed hungry each night because of the purchase of alcohol and its consumption by one or both parents. Nor is this miracle to be claimed as one’s right to drink or to get drunk. Jesus never contradicted the Old Testament Scriptures. In the Proverbs we read, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” (Proverbs 20:1) I personally doubt that the wine Jesus made from water was alcoholic wine.

It has been said that seeing Jesus miraculously turn wine and strong drink into food, clothing and shelter for a family after a father or mother or both allow Jesus to change their lives, is as big or bigger miracle than turning water into wine.