In John 2:5, the wine has run out at a wedding in Cana. Mary, the mother of Jesus, tells the servants, "Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it." Jesus then has them fill six stone jars used for washing rules with water, and it becomes the best wine of the feast.
Cana was a village in Galilee. There was a wedding there, and Jesus, his mother Mary, and his friends were guests. A wedding feast then could last for days. Partway through, the wine ran out. For the family, that was a real shame in front of the whole village.
Mary told Jesus. Then she turned to the servants and said one thing.
Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
John 2:5 · King James Version
The jars
She did not tell the servants what would happen. She just pointed them to her son.
In that house stood six big stone jars. The Gospel of John says what they were for. They were for washing, the water people used to make themselves clean by the religious rules before they ate. Stone was used because it was thought to stay clean. These were the special jars.
Jesus told the servants to fill them with water. They filled them to the top. Each jar held around twenty or thirty gallons. Then he told them to draw some out and take it to the man running the feast.
It was wine. Not cheap wine. The man in charge was surprised. Most people serve the good wine first, he said, but you saved the best for last.
What it means
This was the first sign Jesus did, says the Gospel of John. He did not use new jars. He used the jars that held the water for washing rules, and out of them came the best wine of the night, for a wedding full of people.
He took what was used for keeping rules and made it a gift that made people glad. Mary's advice still stands. Whatever he says to you, do it. He is not trying to take your joy. He is trying to give it.
You can read the full teaching on the water and the wine free in the Mercy app.
Read the whole chapter: John 2
1And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:
2And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.
3And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.
4Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.
5His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
6And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.
7Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.
8And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.
9When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,
10And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.
11This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
12¶ After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.
13¶ And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,
14And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:
15And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables;
16And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.
17And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.
18¶ Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
19Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
20Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
21But he spake of the temple of his body.
22When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
23¶ Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.
24But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,
25And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.
King James Version