Jesus invited the disciples to “come and see” and promised that is they followed him they would see even greater things. As chapter 2 begins they begin to see what Jesus meant.
This is the story of the wedding at Cana. Weddings were a great festival that people in Jesus’ day would celebrate. Ancient Israel was known for the quality of the wine produced there. It would only be natural that wine would be a part of this celebration. This time the wine ran out.
Many would only know that there was no more wine. The wine that gave life to the celebration had run out. The disciples would understand that something more profound had run out. All those things that come from human hands eventually run out, They give life for a while but they cannot last.
So Jesus instructs the servers at the party to fill six jars to the brim with water. We all know that the water become wine. The wine exceeded the expectations of the wine steward and the guest drank their fill. This wine would not run out.
If all that took place was water becoming wine this would be impressive but there was more. Jesus replaces all those things that we use to find life. Those things that run out are replaced by something even better, something that exceeds our expectations. This Jesus is life that never runs out, life in abundance.
This sign sets the stage for the next few chapters. Jesus replaces water with wine becomes a Jesus who replaces the Temple in Israel with himself. In Nicodemus we hear how difficult it is to give up the old wine that runs out for the new. In the women at the well we hear of what happens when she drinks the new wine or living water.