The Scripture reading for this Sunday (unless we are having a baby) is John 2:1-11.

(An introductory comment: In his gospel, John calls Jesus’ miracles “signs” because he sees the miracles of Jesus as something more than acts of power. As signs, they are something revelatory. They disclose something from God and they point to something more important than the miracle itself.)

At first blush, this seems like a simple story of a wedding celebration, not enough wine, and Jesus first miracle, but there are hints that suggest John means to say much more in this story than simply retelling a historical event. There are hints that this story is really about God’s glory in Jesus Christ.

Hints such as how John begins the story by saying, “On the third day.” By the time that John wrote his gospel the “third day” was inseparably connected to the resurrection of Jesus. And so, by introducing this story with an allusion to the resurrection, John may well we hinting at some resurrection echo here at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in Cana.

When Mary approaches Jesus, part of his response is that his “hour” (or it may be translated as “time” in your Bible) has not yet come. This “hour” would come at the time of his crucifixion where Jesus, the Son of Man, would be lifted up and glorified. Here, at the beginning of Jesus ministry, the cross and Jesus’ glory through it, are clearly in the picture.

Another hint is John’s mention of the 6 stone jars. Stone jars, unlike clay jars, could be used to hold water for Jewish purification (hand washing, washing of utensils, etc.) because stone did not contract uncleanness. John highlights that Jesus puts these stone jars to new use, a hint about Jesus’ replacement of the purification system as the Messiah who would cleanse them with his blood.

Finally, another hint is the sheer amount of water that Jesus turns into the highest quality wine. The family had run out of wine (a cause of social embarrassment and perhaps even legal consequence) and Jesus produced somewhere between 120 and 180 gallons of the finest wine anyone had ever tasted. This abundance and extravagance hints at the day of the Lord that the prophets like Amos talked about when they described the Messianic age.

By the amount of these hints, and John’s typical use of symbolism, it seems very likely that John is (1) telling a story of a historical event and also (2) using it to communicate the implications of what Jesus’ arrival means for Judaism at that time, and for us in our current context. In verse 11, John writes, “What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples put their faith in him.” In this uneventful “sign” (no “Abracadabra!” … no touching, … no special trick) Jesus revealed his glory. The Messiah had arrived and the dawn of a new age had begun.

But if Jesus can reveal his glory in such a quiet place, and in such a quiet way that only his disciples could see it, maybe we have to rethink how we think about glory. Maybe God’s glory is revealed in more common and everyday ways that we normally look for. Normally we think, as Rev. Scott Hoezee writes, “Glory is big. Glory is bright. Glory is loud. Glory is a multisensory extravaganza that you will not miss if you are anywhere in glory’s neighborhood when it happens.” But in this passage Jesus revealed his glory to help a family avoid a social mishap in front of only a few witnesses. It wasn’t big or bright or loud. It was this small sign – revealing his glory in a large quantity of wine – that encouraged his few disciples to have deeper faith in Him.

And, as one commentator writes, “We shall not go far wrong if we seek to understand how these verses breed faith.” For in this sign by Jesus, a sign of wine and glory, we witness the inauguration of the messianic age and the abundance that comes with it.