In the Beginning Was the Word - The Ultimate Gospel

 Water into wine!

 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.

4 In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.

5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

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    I fell into the quagmire of Koine Greek, the first day of college. All of us men were expected to learn Greek as a requirement for becoming a pastor. We were almost delighted at how easy the lessons were, simple words often repeated, yet filled with meaning, 60 years ago.

    I had my Paine New Testament text and soon took on the kidding from every corner - family, friends, freshmen. I was not expected to start Greek as a freshman, but that encouraged me even more. I met Christina and she spotted the meaning of that red Greek textbook - seminary!

    English, Greek, or any language. The Gospel of John is the simplest and most profound of all the Biblical works, no matter what language is used. As I have said before, Roland Bainton (Here I Stand) used his Greek New Testament to learn new languages for Yale historical books. 

    The opening paragraph of John's Gospel draws us into the infinity of Jesus speaking to us from the origin of Time. The opening is the ultimate, the three-fold expression of the Word. When we read or hear that Word, in any language, we are directly in connection with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

    Most of all, we are constantly in touch with the Spirit at work in the Word as we spend out time on. We even have the most humble Biblical events, whether pouring wine or drawing water, filled so impossible that the great modern scholars spend their time ignoring, mocking, and repudiating the text. John's Gospel is timeless because the Johannine books are unequaled, from the Fourth Gospel to Revelation.

John 4:46 - 52

46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.

The miraculous water into wine at Cana is especially important, because the wedding yielded many witnesses of the event. That had to draw hope in a miracle, which many of us have urged.

47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.

48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.

49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.

50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.

51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.

52 Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.

53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.

54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.

Not only did the nobleman note the exact moment of his son starting to heal but the distance added to Jesus' the miracle.