Choosing the Right Wine (John 2:10)

Jesus turned water into wine, and I think we've missed the point.

I've heard these verses used incessantly to prove that "drinking alcohol isn't sinful in moderation." I agree with that point, but I think worrying about what we are going to drink has blinded us to some important symbolism in Jesus' home brewery.

The key is in what the master of the feast told the bridegroom in verse 10.

"Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now."

In the allegory of the church as the "bride" of Christ, the bridegroom would in fact be Christ (who was established in chapter 1 as God in flesh). Jesus called the wine at the last supper "the new covenant in my blood" that would be "poured out for many" in Matthew 26, Mark 14, and Luke 22. This is contrasting with the "old covenant" of Exodus 24, which was confirmed with the blood of young bulls sacrificed on an altar of 12 stone pillars representing the 12 tribes of Israel.

So following this line of thinking, this miracle is a symbolic precursor to the better wine of the new covenant, the blood of Christ.

I think, more importantly, that the miracle could represent the contrast between our lives before and after Christ. Before Christ, this world's pleasures are all we know, and what we drink freely of... not knowing that something so much better is awaiting us when we accept Christ, and join into the new covenant. There are so many stories of regret, from people who sought what this world offered, got near the top, and realized that their journey was in vain and the worldly success would never satisfy them. True satisfaction is only found in Christ.

Christ was communicating this to us as well... that His wine is so much better than what this world has to offer. We spend our time drinking 6 dollar bottles of this world's finest, from plastic bottles with twist-off caps. Christ is offering us something infinitely better than whatever may lay in the world's finest wine cellar, but we are content drinking grape juice gone bad.

So in the end, it's all about choosing the right wine... the Wine of the New Covenant, the redemption available to us through the blood of Jesus Christ. Enjoy your alcohol in moderation, but don't miss the point.