When I was growing up I would at times get in trouble, my mom would determine that I needed a level of discipline greater than that which she felt she could administer, and she would say, “Just wait till you your dad gets home.” Now, that ruined the rest of the day. For I knew that my mom was not saying that when Dad got home everything would be the same as it was at that moment, only Dad would be present with us. No, I knew that she was pointing me not only to Dad’s presence but also that which he would bring with him – discipline (i.e. his belt). She spoke of Dad’s coming but pointed to everything which he would bring with him.

This same sort of thing seems to occur in John 2-4. In John 1, there is a clear announcement that the Messiah had come. He is God’s self-expression, witnessed to by John the Baptist, his Father, his disciples, and by his own words. However, John 2-4 points us not only to the fact of his arrival but what that means, what he brings with him, what reality his coming ushers into the world.

The Old Testament had not simply prophesied that the Messiah would come but that, with his coming, there would come the blessings of the New Covenant, as prophesied by Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the other prophets. This day is described as one in which wine would flow, God’s people would be given new hearts, life-giving water would flow from the temple, life would be where there was only death before, and God’s people would know him. I believe what John wants us to see in John 2-4 is that Jesus is ushering in these realities. He is fulfilling what is prophesied and surpassing what was before him. He is ushering in the Messianic age, the blessings of the New Covenant.

In saying that John is structuring chapters 2-4 so as to send this message, you would first have to see that John is indeed wanting to structure these chapters in such a way so as to link the material they contain. And I believe John shows us that is his intent, as he uses a literary device called an inclusio, which serves kind of as bookends for the text. We see this in the parallel of 2:1-11 (with which he begins the section) with 4:46-54 (with which he ends the section), as both are miracles (or “signs”) performed in Cana. Reading the material in these three chapters, it is difficult to miss the repetition of these two texts. There are references to Cana in each (2:1; 4:46), discussion of Jesus turning water into wine (2:1-11; 4:46), mention of Capernaum (2:12; 4:46), faith (though faulty) based on miracles (2:23-25; 4:48), and a numbering of the signs (2:11; 4:54).

Therefore, I believe John’s intent is to communicate a theme in this bracketed material, and I think what he wants his readers to see is the blessings brought by Christ, the fulfillment of the prophecies of that which would come with the Messiah in the New Covenant. Thus, I want us to see this morning these blessed realities which Christ brings and then how this text should challenge us to alter how we think and live.

Jesus fulfills the Jewish law and custom and brings the wine of the kingdom of God (2:1-11)

In 2:1-11 we read of Jesus first miracle (or sign) performed in the book of John. He goes to a wedding feast with his mother and his disciples, and the groom runs out of wine. This would have been a great embarrassment to the groom, who was supposed to be able to provide for the wedding feast. Thus, Mary says to Jesus in 2:3, “They have no wine” to which Jesus responds, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” This probably clues us in that Mary might have simply been approaching him as one who assumed he would do what she needed, and yet Jesus had a greater intent than simply meeting needs.

However, Mary then, so it seems, realized he would do what he thought necessary and right for his redemptive mission and so says in verse 5, “Do whatever he tells you.” Therefore, Jesus has some servants fill six stone jars that were used for the Jewish rites of purification with water. Then he had them draw out some water, which he had turned to wine, and give it to the master of the feast. Having tasted it, the master of the feast called the bridegroom (who would have been in an embarrassing situation without Jesus’ intervention) and praised him for keeping the best wine until the end.

However, with mention of this miracle, I think Jesus wants to show more than simply his power. Rather, instead of simply showing his power, it seems that Jesus is showing that the Jewish purification rites had passed away, and the new, messianic age has come.

For the prophets had prophesied that the New Covenant age, the time of the Messiah would be a time when wine flowed liberally. Thus, we read in of the prophecy in Amos 9:13-15, “‘Behold, the days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed; the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it. I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant them on their land, and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land that I have given them,’ says the Lord your God” (see also, Jeremiah 31:12, Hosea 14:17; Joel 3:17-21; Zechariah 10).

By putting water into the jars used for Jewish purification rites and drawing out wine, Jesus is saying that the days of ceremonial purification are fulfilled and the days that have been prophesied have come. He is bringing forth the realities that were promised in the New Covenant to come.

Yet this theme continues as John shows that …

Jesus fulfills and replaces the old temple with himself, the risen Lord (2:12-25)

After the miracle of turning water into wine John next records that goes to Jerusalem, finds the temple has been run over with moneychangers, and cleanses it. The temple was supposed to be that which was the place of God’s presence, and a place for right and pure worship. However, as Jesus comes into the temple he finds that it is a market. Now, we have no reason to believe they were using poor business ethic and cheating people. Jesus does not mention that as his source of anger. Rather he says in verse 16, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” Again, Carson writes, “Instead of solemn dignity and the murmur of prayer, there is the bellowing of cattle and the bleating of sheep. Instead of brokenness and contrition, holy adoration and prolonged petition, there is noisy commerce” (179). Therefore, he turns over the tables, and drives out the moneychangers, sheep, and oxen with a whip, and tells those selling pigeons to take them away.

Therefore, naturally the Jews challenge his authority. Now, they are not concerned over whether what he did was necessary but simply by what authority he did this. Therefore, they ask him for a sign. Jesus then says in verse 19, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Their response is naturally, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” Thus, John comments in verse 21-22, “But he was speaking about the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.”

Throughout the Old Testament, we see that institutions, ceremonies, and even structures pointed to something else. In this case, the temple was seen as the dwelling place of God, God’s presence. Is there any wonder then that Jesus would be passionate about right and pure worship? His is serious about honoring God’s presence. However, he also wants them to see that the temple pointed to a greater reality, a greater manifestation of God’s presence; it pointed to him. Therefore, again, we see that the purposes of the temple have been fulfilled and that Jesus had replaced it.

He has brought the age described with flowing wine; he has brought the true temple; and now John tells us that …

Jesus also brings the promised ‘water and spirit’ new life (3:1-21)

The next situation in which we find Jesus, he is approached by a teacher and ruler of the Jews named Nicodemus. Nicodemus comes to him by night and says to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs to you unless God is with him” (3:2). Jesus’ response to him is that unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Now, understanding that Jews longed for the kingdom of God deeply, this was important news. Yet, Nicodemus knew nothing about what Jesus was saying. He was caught up in asking how someone could enter into his mother womb again and be born. However, Jesus berates him twice for not knowing what he was talking about. He says in verse 10, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?”

By saying that, Jesus obviously implied that these realities of being born again or of water and spirit (3:5) were spoken of in the Old Testament. And, indeed, they are. We see it most clearly in Ezekiel 36:25-32 as the Lord says, “I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. And I will summon the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you. I will make the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field abundant, that you may never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations. Then you will remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abominations. It is not for your sake that I will act, declares the Lord God; let that be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel.”

Ezekiel (and other prophets) had prophesied that the Lord would cleanse his people from impurity with water and transform their heart by his Spirit so that they might follow the Lord wholly. In short, to be born of water and spirit shows a new birth of cleansing and renewal that had bee promised in the Old Testament (Thus, it is no accident that this text in Ezekiel is followed by the valley of dry bones text in which he brings life to where there was death).

And Jesus’ announcement in this text is that he is the one who is bringing the new birth. He is the object of faith that brings such blessing, for even as in Numbers the individuals looked upon the lifted up bronze serpent to have physical life, so now men look upon the lifted up Son in faith to have spiritual life.

He brings the days that were prophesied, replaces the temple, and brings the new birth of water and spirit. And he supersedes all that has come before him. In fact, in John 3:22-36 we see that …

Jesus is superior to John the Baptist and fulfills that to which John’s baptism pointed (3:22-36)

In this latter half of chapter 3 we learn that despite Jesus’ appearing many are still coming to be baptized by John. Then a man comes and gets in a discussion with John over his baptism according to verse 25. Now, it could be that this challenge of John left some of his disciples questioning him. Maybe they thought there was a real chink in John’s armor. And when they combine that with the fact that many are leaving John and going to Jesus, it creates even more doubt. Therefore, they point this reality out to John.

John’s answer is a reminder that he is not the Christ, and a conscious recognition of his position. He is the friend of the bridegroom, not the bridegroom himself. Jesus is greater than him. John’s baptism was actually to prepare people for the coming Messiah. Now, he had come. And if they understood, they would be following the Christ. Therefore, continuing through this section, we see that Jesus brings in the new age, replaces the temple, brings the new birth of water and spirit, and fulfills the baptism of John and supersedes him. Jesus is the one to whom the Father has delivered all things into his hand (3:35).

Yet there is more John wants us to see.

Jesus reaches out beyond Jerusalem and brings the prophesied living water (4:1-42)

In chapter four you have an incident that would never have happened. Jews had nothing to do with Samaritans, let alone Samaritan women. And, they did not use their utensils, lest they become unclean. Yet the setting of this chapter is Jesus in conversation with a Samaritan woman at the well asking her for water. She questions him, for he has nothing with which to draw water, and he says, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water’” (4:10-11). She asks him if he is greater than Jacob, who had to dig a well here. He answers, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty forever. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (4:13-14).

Now, unlike the woman, we all know that Jesus was not talking about literal water. But what was he talking about? And why does John include this story in this section? Well, one reason the woman did not understand is because the Samaritans only accepted the first five books of the Old Testament, while it was in the prophets that the living water was prophesied.

Ezekiel is shown a vision in Ezekiel 47:1-12 of this water. He writes, “Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east; and behold, the water was trickling out on the south side. Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through. And he said to me, "Son of man, have you seen this?" Then he led me back to the bank of the river. As I went back, I saw on the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other. And he said to me, "This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, and enters the sea; when the water flows into the sea, the water will become fresh. And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. Fishermen will stand beside the sea. From Engedi to En-eglaim it will be a place for the spreading of nets. Its fish will be of very many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea. But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt. And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing."

In addition, Zechariah 14:6-9 speaks of the day of the Lord brining living water when the Lord will be king over the earth. Therefore, Jesus is saying that he is the temple from which the living water flows and produces life.

Yet the woman misses this reality, so Jesus drives her to her guilt and need in talking about her husband, so that she discerns that he’s a prophet and asks about the correct place of worship. Jesus ultimately drives her to the reality that worship will no longer be about going to the temple, but all people everywhere can worship the Lord in spirit and in truth. Thus, she tells her people and many believe.

John, therefore, is announcing to us that as the Old Testament promises the blessings going to all the nations beyond Jerusalem that they too might know eternal life, so now Jesus is the one who brings that living water and will be declared to all the nations.

He is the one bringing in the kingdom, the temple, the one bringing the rebirth of spirit and water, and the one who reaches beyond Jerusalem with the living water.

Finally, Jesus is the one who brings life where there is only death, and yet will himself taste death for everyone (4:43-54)

In Samaria, Jesus had known much success. However, he now returns to Galilee, to Cana, where he prophesies that he will not be honored. He meets an official whose son was heal. His son was at the point of death and Jesus declares, “Go; your son will live” (4:50). Thus, Jesus shows his redemption as the Christ, speaking and creating life into a world where death reigns. Some believe, and yet in the end he will be crucified.

Thus, it seems that John brackets these text together to show what Jesus brings, replaces, and fulfills. He brings the New Covenant and the days that were prophesied, he replaces the temple, he brings the new birth of water and spirit, he brings blessings to the nations and brings the living water, and he brings life into a world where death reigns. Yet, ultimately John wants his readers looking to the cross, for it is there where the Son is glorified and his people redeemed.

So, what should we do in light of this? Let me mention three points of application from our text.

1. Believe (3:16; 3:35-36). What Jesus speaks is what God speaks. To please Jesus is to please God (3:33-34). Only options are genuine faith and defiant disobedience. All things have been delivered into his hand. Believers already enjoy the eternal life that will be consummated in the resurrection of their bodies at the parousia; unbelievers stand under the looming wrath of God that will be consummated in their resurrection and condemnation (214).

2. Do not trust in a fruitless faith (2:23-25). One of Clinton’s advisers said, “I know he’s a Christian because he cries at the hymns.” Well, you might have cried, you might have been moved, but do you believe? That is the question that must answer. To one who does, Christ entrusts himself to him. To one who doesn’t, only judgment remains.

3. Rejoice in God’s sovereign situation to which he has called you (3:27). It is an excellent ministry, whatever it is. John was not deceived. He knew God sovereignly decided where each would function, and he rejoiced in his place. In the same way, our roles are distributed from heaven, so may we too rejoice in God’s sovereignty. Amen.

USHERING IN OF THE MESSIANIC AGE