1:51 ascending and descending: An allusion to Jacob's dream in Gen 28:11-15. • Jacob dreamed of a ladder spanning heaven and earth that enabled the angels to pass in and out of the world. Moved by the experience, he renamed the place where he slept "the house of God" and "the gate of heaven" (Gen 28:17). Jesus puts himself in the center of this vision, claiming that (1) he is the place where heaven touches down to earth; (2) he is the true house of God; and (3) he is the mediator through whom the angels exercise their ministry. See notes on Jn 2:19 and Heb 1:14. the Son of man: Alludes to the heavenly figure of Dan 7:13. See topical essay: Jesus, the Son of Man at Lk 17. Back to text.

2:1 the third day: Chronologically, this refers to the third day since Jesus' encounter with Nathanael (1:43-51). Theologically, it has two levels of significance. (1) The third day is actually the seventh day of Jesus' opening week of ministry. The evangelist hints at this when he delineates the successive days in 1:29, 35, 43, and 2:1, implying that the creation fashioned in seven days (Gen 1:1-2:3) is being transformed and renewed through Jesus (2 Cor 5:17; Rev 21:1-5). (2) Jesus manifests his glory on the third day at Cana (2:11), just as he reveals his glory by rising on the third day after his death (1 Cor 15:4). See word study: Signs. marriage at Cana: Jewish weddings, like this one five miles north of Nazareth, could be celebrated for an entire week or more (Judg 14:12; Tob 11:19). Curiously, the young couple is never identified, leaving Jesus and his Mother to hold center stage for the entire episode (2:111). • Traditional exegesis holds that Jesus sanctifies the covenant of marriage by his presence at the wedding at Cana (CCC 1613). Back to text.

2:3 the mother of Jesus: Mary is never called by her personal name in the Fourth Gospel (2:12; 19:25). no wine: An embarrassing predicament for the young couple. Mary's concern for the situation may suggest she is a relative of the wedding party. • Vatican II affirms the propriety of the title "Advocate" for the Mother of Jesus (Lumen Gentium, 62). It means that just as Mary intervened at Cana for the needs of others, so she continues to make heavenly intercession for the needs of the saints on earth (CCC 969). Back to text.

2:4 woman: Although it might offend the standards of modern etiquette, this was a title of respect and endearment in antiquity (4:21; 8:10; 20:13). There is, however, no ancient example of a son addressing his mother in this way. • Genesis 3 is the reverse image of the Cana episode. As Eve prompted Adam to defy the Lord and drag the human family into sin, so Mary prompts Jesus, the new Adam, to initiate his mission of salvation. The description of Mary even alludes to Gen 3:15, where Yahweh speaks of a "woman" whose son will trample the devil underfoot (CCC 489, 494). what have you to do with me? The expression is a Hebrew idiom rendered in Greek (literally, "what to me and to you?"). It typically presupposes some perceived tension between two parties having contrary perspectives (Judg 11:12; 1 Kings 17:18; Mk 5:7), though not always (2 Chron 35:21). When the idiom is used in response to a person's request, either stated or implied, the speaker sometimes capitulates to the expressed will of the other (2 Kings 3:13) and sometimes not (2 Sam 16:10). Here the former pattern is evident: Jesus complies with Mary's request (Jn 2:7-8), and Mary herself appears perfectly confident that Jesus will respond favorably to her petition (2:5). In effect, Jesus would not have initiated the miracle at Cana, but neither does he refuse his Mother's prompting. My hour has not yet come: The assertion hides an important assumption. The statement would seem exaggerated unless the provision of wine was somehow connected with Jesus' appointed "hour". This points beyond the historical hour of his Passion to the commemoration of that hour in the eucharistic liturgy, where Christ is present behind the visible sign of wine (CCC 2618). See topical essay: The "Hour" of Jesus at Jn 4. Back to text.

2:5 Do whatever he tells you: The final words of Mary in the NT, which ring out as her spiritual testament for all disciples of Jesus. • The command to follow Jesus echoes the command to follow Joseph in Gen 41:55. As the patriarch went on to provide bread in abundance during a time of famine, so Jesus supplies wine in abundance at a time of need. Back to text.

2:6 six stone jars: Together holding over 120 gallons of water. • The purpose of these water jars is outlined in Num 19:11-22, which stipulates that any Israelite defiled by contact with the dead must be purified with water on the third day and then again on the seventh day. Curiously, the Cana miracle takes place on the third day (2:1), which, according to John's chronology, is also the seventh day. See note on Jn 2:1. • The first sign performed by Jesus (water into wine) recalls the first sign performed by Moses (the first plague, water into blood, Ex 7:19). Note that wine is called the "blood" of the grape in Hebrew poetry (Gen 49:11; Deut 32:14). Back to text.

2:9 the bridegroom: The unidentified groom at the wedding. Jesus fulfills this role on a spiritual level (3:29; Mt 25:113; CCC 796). Back to text.

2:10 the good wine: A biblical symbol capable of many associations. (1) An abundance of wine is a sign of the messianic age (Is 25:6; Joel 3:18; Amos 9:13). (2) It signifies the joys of marital love (Song 1:2; 4:10; 7:9). (3) The transformation of water into wine anticipates the transubstantiation of wine into blood when Jesus gives himself to the world in the eucharistic liturgy (6:53; 1 Cor 10:16). (4) The wine of the marital celebration looks beyond this life to the marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven (Rev 19:7-9) (CCC 1335). Back to text.

Word Study

Signs (Jn 2:11)

Semeion (Gk.): a "sign" or "miracle". The term is used 17 times in John and 60 times in the rest of the NT. Since the signs in the Fourth Gospel are concentrated mainly in chaps. 1-12, the first half of John has been called the "Book of Signs". For the evangelist, the signs of Jesus are not just mighty works, but miracles that unveil the glory and power of God working through Christ. The signs of Jesus also recall the signs performed by Moses during the Exodus, signs that likewise revealed the glory of Yahweh (Num 14:22) working through Moses (Ex 3:12; 4:28-31; Deut 34:11). The Fourth Gospel draws attention to seven signs: (1) the miracle at Cana (2:1-11), (2) the healing of the official's son (4:4654), (3) the healing of the paralytic (5:1-9), (4) the multiplication of the loaves (6:1-14), (5) the restoration of the blind man (9:1-41), (6) the raising of Lazarus (11:17-44), and, most important of all, (7) the Resurrection of Jesus, which is the second sign mentioned in the Gospel (2:18-22) but the final and climactic sign to be accomplished (20:1-10). Jesus elsewhere calls this the "sign of the prophet Jonah" (Mt 12:39).

2:12 Capernaum: A village on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee and the headquarters of Jesus' Galilean ministry (Mt 4:13). his brethren: Not full brothers of Jesus but his close relatives (CCC 500). See note on Mt 12:46. Back to text.

2:13 The Passover: Celebrated every spring to commemorate Israel's rescue from Egyptian slavery (Ex 12). Three times the Passover is mentioned in John, indicating that Jesus' ministry extended beyond two years (6:4; 13:1). See note on Jn 6:4. Jerusalem: Nearly 80 percent of John's narrative places Jesus in Jerusalem. The Synoptic Gospels give greater attention to the ministry of Jesus in Galilee. Back to text.

2:14-22 The cleansing of the Temple is recorded in all four Gospels. One difference among them is that John places the event at the beginning of Jesus' ministry, while the other Gospels place it at the end of his ministry. Two explanations for this are possible. (1) All four accounts may refer to the same event. If so, John moved the episode to the beginning of his narrative to highlight an important truth. As it stands, the Temple cleansing makes the same theological point as that in the preceding Cana episode: Jesus brings a New Covenant that supersedes the institutions of the Old. (2) Jesus may have cleansed the Temple twice. In fact, some have dated the episode in John around A.D. 27 or 28, calculating "forty-six years" from the time Herod the Great began renovating the Temple in 19 or 20 B.C. (2:20). This date fits more easily into the early period of Jesus' ministry than the latter part of it. Back to text.

2:14 In the temple: The Jerusalem Temple was divided into several courts. The outermost court, open to Gentile pilgrims, was used for selling sacrificial animals and exchanging foreign currency for the appropriate coins needed to pay the annual Temple tax. Jesus is angry that the merchants are robbing Israel through inflated rates of exchange and robbing the Gentiles of the opportunity to worship and pray (CCC 583-84). See note on Mt 17:24. Back to text.

2:15 poured out . . . overturned: The aggressive actions of Jesus are a prophetic sign of the Temple's imminent destruction (Mk 13:1-2). The expulsion of oxen, sheep, and pigeons (2:14) from the precincts likewise signifies the termination of animal sacrifice in the Temple (4:21-24). See note on Mk 11:15. • Allegorically (Origen, Comm. in Jo. 10, 16): the sanctuary is the undisciplined soul, filled, not with animals and merchants, but with earthly and senseless attachments. Christ must expel them with the whip of his divine doctrine to make spiritual worship possible. Back to text.

2:17 Zeal for your house: A reference to Ps 69:9. • Psalm 69 depicts the suffering of the righteous, who are pained by the insults that sinners heap upon God. Jesus, burning with righteous indignation, is outraged that business dealings have taken the place of prayer in the Temple courts. Back to text.

2:19 Destroy this temple: Jesus challenges his critics to destroy, not the sacred building, but his own body (2:21-22). Ironically, the latter is destined to replace the former: after the Crucifixion, the Temple of Jerusalem will be razed to the ground in divine judgment while the temple of Jesus' body will be raised from the grave in divine glory (CCC 586, 994). Back to text.

2:25 he knew all men: The supernatural knowledge of Jesus is often highlighted in the Gospels (4:39; 16:30; Mt 9:4; 17:27; Mk 11:2-4; Lk 22:9-13). Here he detects deficient faith in those who marvel at his miracles but fail to grasp the significance of his mission. In the next episode, Nicodemus is representative of such inadequate belief (3:1-15) (CCC 473). Back to text.

3:1 Nicodemus: Probably a member of the Jewish court, the Sanhedrin. See note on Mk 14:55. Back to text.

3:2 by night: Nicodemus comes to Jesus under the cover of darkness because he fears persecution from the unbelieving leaders of Israel (12:42; 19:38). Symbolically, he is walking in spiritual darkness and lacks the enlightenment of true faith (8:12). Back to text.

3:3 anew: The Greek expression can mean either "again" or "from above". Nicodemus takes it to mean "again", as though Jesus required a physical rebirth to enter his kingdom. This is a misunderstanding. Jesus instead calls for a spiritual rebirth "from above" (CCC 526). The Greek expression always means "from above" elsewhere in John (3:31; 19:11, 23). Back to text.

3:5 born of water and the Spirit: The syntax of this verse in Greek suggests that Jesus is speaking, not of two separate births, one by water and another by the Spirit, but of a single birth through the working of water and Spirit together. Several observations suggest the verse refers to the Sacrament of Baptism. (1) A close link between water and Spirit is forged elsewhere in John's writings (7:38-39; 1 Jn 5:8). This is most explicit in 1:33, where the Spirit descends upon Jesus at the very moment he is baptized in the waters of the Jordan. (2) Immediately following this episode Jesus and the disciples begin a baptismal ministry in Judea (3:22). (3) Other NT passages describe Baptism as a sacrament of salvation through the Spirit (Acts 2:38; 1 Cor 6:11; Tit 3:5; 1 Pet 3:21). • The OT envisions Yahweh pouring out his Spirit from above in the messianic age (Is 32:15; Ezek 39:29; Joel 2:28-29). This was depicted as water being poured upon the Israelites to wash away their iniquities and renew their hearts (Is 44:3; Ezek 36:2526). These prophetic hopes should have prepared Nicodemus to understand the thrust of Jesus' teaching (3:10). • The Council of Trent declared in 1547 that Jn 3:5 refers to Baptism. It was said that "water" is no mere metaphor, but a visible sign of the Spirit's invisible work in the sacrament (Sess. 7, can. 2) (CCC 694, 1215, 1257). Back to text.

3:6 flesh . . . spirit: A significant contrast in John. Flesh represents all that is natural, earthly, and human, while spirit signifies all that is supernatural, heavenly, and divine. The distance once separating these realms has been bridged by Jesus Christ, whose flesh (1:14) is an instrument that conveys the life and Spirit of God to the world (5:21; 6:51-53; 20:22). Back to text.

3:8 The wind blows: Or "The Spirit blows" (see textual note f). By capitalizing on the double meaning of this expression, Jesus reasons that if the direction and destiny of the wind is mysterious, then the mission of the Holy Spirit is even more so in the lives of believers (CCC 691). Back to text.

3:11 our testimony: i.e., the twofold witness of Jesus and John the Baptist (1:7, 19; 3:28). Back to text.

3:14 the serpent: A reference to the episode in Num 21:4-9. • Moses hoisted a bronze serpent upon a pole as a remedy for faithless Israel. Although God punished them with poisonous serpents, he promised to save everyone who looked to the bronze serpent in search of his mercy. Jesus sees this relic as an image of his own Crucifixion and the healing it will bring to a rebellious world (CCC 2130). be lifted up: A shorthand reference to the Paschal Mystery, when Jesus is lifted up on the Cross, from the grave, and into heaven (8:28; 12:32). Back to text.

3:16 gave his only-begotten Son: The earthly mission of Jesus is part of the heavenly plan of the Father, who displays the depth of his love through the sacrifice of his Son (Rom 5:8; 1 Jn 3:16; CCC 219). This verse marks a transition from the dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus (3:1-15) to an extended monologue by either Jesus or the evangelist himself (3:16-21). eternal life: The expression refers both to the divine quality of new life in Christ as well as its duration. We receive this gift already on earth in the hope that we will possess it irrevocably in heaven (10:10; 1 Jn 5:13). Back to text.

3:18 condemned already: Unbelief is a form of rebellion that puts offenders outside the safety of the covenant. To reject the Son of God is to reject the light of faith in preference to spiritual darkness, death, and disinheritance (3:20; CCC 679). Back to text.

3:22 baptized: Clarification is made in 4:2 that only the disciples of Jesus were baptizing. Back to text.

3:23 Aenon: An uncertain location, probably in either Samaria (central Palestine) or the Jordan Valley (eastern Palestine). Back to text.

3:24 put in prison: John is imprisoned for reprimanding Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee. See note on Mk 6:18. Back to text.

3:25-30 The ministry of John the Baptist is of real but secondary importance compared to the saving mission of Jesus. John humbly recognizes this and so directs his disciples to become followers of Christ. See note on Jn 1:6. Back to text.

3:29 the bridegroom: Jesus, whose bride is the Church (2 Cor 11:2; Eph 5:21-32). John the Baptist is the friend or "best man" of the groom who, in Jewish custom, arranges and manages the wedding celebration. John is content to fade into the background now that his duties are fulfilled (3:30). • The marital covenant between Jesus and the Church is an extension of the spousal relation between Yahweh and Israel under the Old Covenant (Is 54:5-8; Jer 2:2; Hos 2:16-20; CCC 796; 1612). Back to text.

3:31 earth . . . heaven: A contrast between the earthly origin and ministry of John the Baptist and the heavenly origin and ministry of Jesus Christ. Back to text.

3:34 not by measure: As the Messiah, Jesus possesses the fullness of the Spirit (Is 11:2) and his graces (1:16) (CCC 504). Back to text.

3:36 believes . . . does not obey: Faith is exercised when we trust in God and entrust ourselves to God. Because it involves both the assent of the mind and the consent of the will, it can never be a purely intellectual decision that exists independently of one's behavior (Jas 2:14-26). It is because faith and faithfulness are two sides of the same coin that the opposite of faith is not just unbelief, but disobedience (CCC 161). Back to text.

4:4 had to pass through: A divine necessity, dictated not by geography but by the missionary schedule given to Jesus by the Father. Jews normally traveled a longer route from Judea to Galilee by skirting around the eastern side of Samaria along the Jordan River. Back to text.

4:5 Sychar: Probably ancient Shechem, where Jacob purchased a field (Gen 33:18-20). Back to text.

4:6 Jacob's well: Nowhere mentioned in the OT but traditionally located at the foot of Mt. Gerizim in central Samaria. • The setting recalls the marital arrangements described in the Pentateuch. As the wives of Isaac (Gen 24:1067), Jacob (Gen 29:1-30), and Moses (Ex 2:15-21) were first encountered at a well, so Jesus is the divine bridegroom in search of believers to be his covenant bride (3:29). the sixth hour: About noon. Back to text.

4:7-42 Centuries of animosity between Jews and Samaritans loom in the background of this episode. It began with the devastation of northern Palestine by Assyria in the eighth century B.C., when masses of Israelites were deported out of the land and foreign peoples were forcibly resettled in the region (2 Kings 17:6, 24-41). According to the Jews of southern Palestine, the remaining Israelites (Samaritans) had defiled themselves by assimilating the practices of these pagan peoples and intermarrying with them. The enmity between Jews and Samaritans was very much alive in NT times, and both groups took steps to avoid interaction with one another, especially in matters of food and drink. Back to text.

4:9 How is it . . . ? Jesus oversteps the boundaries of Jewish tradition, which discouraged men from conversing with women in public (4:27), sharing a drink with a Samaritan (4:7), or associating with a recognized sinner (4:18). Back to text.

4:10 living water: An expression with two levels of kilkJ meaning. The woman takes it to mean "flowing" water, i.e., a preferable alternative to stagnant well water (4:1112). Jesus, however, is speaking of the life and vitality of the Spirit (7:38-39; CCC 728, 2560). • Several prophetic texts depict the blessings of the Lord as life-giving "water" (Is 12:3; 44:3; Ezek 47:1-12; Zech 14:8). See note on Jn 3:5. • Christian tradition associates living water with baptismal waters, which lead us to "eternal life" (4:14). Paul, in fact, describes Baptism in terms of drinking from the Spirit (1 Cor 12:13; CCC 694). Back to text.

4:15 Sir: A respectful term of address. As the episode progresses, the perception of Jesus' identity becomes ever more clear: by 4:19 he is a "prophet", by 4:29 he is the "Christ", and by 4:42 he is the "Savior of the world". Back to text.

4:18 five husbands: The woman has endured multiple marital struggles. • The woman's personal life parallels the historical experience of the Samaritan people. According to 2 Kings 17:24-31, the five foreign tribes who intermarried with the northern Israelites (Samaritans) introduced five male deities into their religion. These idols were individually addressed as Baal, a Hebrew word meaning "lord" or "husband". The prophets denounced Israel for serving these gods, calling such worship infidelity to its true covenant spouse, Yahweh. Hope was kept alive, however, that God would show mercy to these Israelites and become their everlasting husband in the bonds of a New Covenant (Hos 2:16-20). This day has dawned in the ministry of Jesus, the divine bridegroom (3:29), who has come to save the Samaritans from a lifetime of struggles with five pagan "husbands". See note on Jn 4:6. Back to text.

4:20 on this mountain: In OT times the Samaritans worshiped in a sanctuary built on Mt. Gerizim. Although it was destroyed in 128 B.C., they continued to worship on the mountain during NT times and even to the present day. Back to text.

4:22 what you do not know: Samaritan religion was an admixture of Israelite faith and pagan idolatry (2 Kings 17:29-34). • Jesus speaks from the perspective of the OT, which describes idol worship as ignorant worship (Wis 13:1-2, 10-19; Is 44:9-20). from the Jews: The Messiah was expected to come from the line of King David, who belonged to the royal tribe of Judah (Gen 49:8-12). Back to text.

4:23 in spirit and truth: Christian worship contrasts with Jewish and Samaritan worship. It will be in spirit, not confined to a single Israelite sanctuary where the ritual sacrifice of animals has continued since the days of Moses. It will also be in truth, not tainted by the errors of idolatry that have plagued the Samaritans since the days of the divided kingdom. See topical essay: The "Hour" of Jesus . Back to text.

4:26 I . . . am he: Jesus accepts the title "Messiah" (4:25) only here and at his trial (Mk 14:61-62). See note on Mk 1:44. Back to text.

4:28 left her water jar: The woman becomes both a believer and a missionary, accepting Jesus as the Messiah and sharing that belief with her hometown (4:39-42). • Morally (St. Augustine, Tract. on John 15, 16, 30): the water jar is the fallen desire of man that draws pleasure from the dark wells of the world but is never satisfied for long. Conversion to Christ moves us, like the Samaritan woman, to renounce the world, leave behind the desires of our earthen vessels, and follow a new way of life. Back to text.

4:34 My food: The Father's will is always the driving force behind Jesus' mission (5:19; 6:38; 12:49; 14:10; etc.). Back to text.

4:35 white for harvest: Suggests that the world in general and the Samaritans in particular are ripe and ready to be gathered by the missionary efforts of the Church (Acts 8:4-25; Rev 14:14-16). Back to text.

4:42 the Savior: A title for Jesus also in Lk 2:11 and 1 Jn 4:14. Although salvation comes from the Jews (4:22), it is for all the nations of the world (3:17; 1 Jn 2:2). Back to text.

4:44 a prophet has no honor: A similar proverb is uttered when Jesus is rejected by his hometown of Nazareth (Lk 4:24). The remark resonates with bitter irony: although Jesus is a Jew (4:9), he is rejected by kinsmen from his own country of Judea (4:3, 47). See note on Jn 1:19. Back to text.

4:46 Capernaum: This village was more than 15 miles from Cana. The official from the town was probably a royal officer under Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee. A similar episode where Jesus heals from a distance appears in Mt 8:5-13 and Lk 7:1-10. Back to text.

4:47 Judea to Galilee: Geography plays a symbolic role in John. For the most part, the northern regions of Samaria and Galilee accept Jesus in faith (1:43-49; 2:11; 4:39, 53-54), whereas the southern region of Judea with its capital in Jerusalem is persistently antagonistic toward him (5:18; 7:1; 9:22; 10:33; 11:7-8, etc.). This tension between north and south is underscored by repeated emphasis on Jesus' withdrawal from Judea to Galilee (4:3, 45, 46, 54) and elsewhere when the Judean opponents of Jesus make derogatory remarks about Galileans and Samaritans (7:52; 8:48). It is against this background that John classifies the enemies of Christ as "the Jews", i.e., the unbelieving leaders of Judea and Jerusalem. See note on Jn 1:19. Back to text.

4:52 the seventh hour: About 1 P.M. See note on Mt 20:1. Back to text.

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