g obeyed, His first miracle was performed.
"When the ruler had 'tasted the water now become wine, and knew not
whence it was,' ... he called the bridegroom," and in a playful joke
praised the goodness of the wine which he imagined had purposely been
kept to the last.

"The water now become wine" is the brief statement of the first of the
thirty-six recorded miracles of our Lord. It was seen by the six
disciples. They witnessed the first of the miracles since those in the
days of Daniel, of which they had read in their Scriptures, one of the
last of which was at the impious feast of Belshazzar. There the holy
cups from Jerusalem were used in praising false gods of silver and gold,
in the hands of the king and his lords, as they read the handwriting on
the wall, interpreted by Daniel. How different the feast in Cana. There
was no fear there. When the disciples saw the cup in the hands of the
hilarious governor, and heard his playful words, they were not in a
sportive mood. Theirs was that of astonishment and reverence at the
miracle. No Daniel was needed to interpret the meaning of that water
changed into wine. John tells us what they understood thereby--that
"Jesus manifested His glory." He showed the power which belongs to God
only.

John immediately adds, "And His disciples believed on Him." This is the
first time they are spoken of as such. As yet they were disciples only.
At the end of the blessed week in which they had "found the Messiah,"
there had been formed a close companionship which was to become closer
still. But the time had not yet come for them to leave their homes and
business, and attend Him wherever He went. They were not yet Apostles.
The marriage feast had become to them more than a social festival. Their
Lord had intended that it should be so. Their faith in Him on the
Jordan, was strengthened in Cana.

"This _beginning_ of miracles," says John. What was this beginning? It
was not the healing of the sick, nor raising of the dead, nor supplying
a hungry company with bread, nor furnishing a necessary drink. There was
no display. Jesus stretched forth no rod over the water-jars, as did
Moses over the waters of the Nile when the same Divine power changed
them into like color, but different substance, and with a different
purpose. The first manifestation of His glory was for "the increase of
innocent joy."

When John had read the story of Jesus in the first three Gospels, and
found no record of this