The Gospel ofJohn is a deep book.

We cannot exhaust the mysteries of the divine life

revealed in this Gospel. Because the divine life is immeasurable,it is called eternal life. The
word “eternal”refers to the elements ofboth time and space. Eternal life is
unlimited,immeasurable;it has no limit and no ending in either time or space.
We have pointed out that the Gospel ofJohn is a book of signs. These signs are related to the
divine life. In foregoing messages we have been impressed with six major signs in chapter
one:the Word,the tabernacle,the Lamb,the Dove, the stone,and the house ofGod. Every chapter in
the Gospel ofJohn is a chapter ofsigns. This is true even ofthe last chapter,chapter twenty-one.

In this message we come to chapter two ofJohn,where two important matters are recorded.
The first is the changing ofwater into wine,and the second is the Lord’s word concerning the
destroying ofthe temple and raising it up again in three days. Apparently, the Lord’s word
concerning the temple has nothing to do with the incident of the changing of water into wine.
Actually, these two matters are closelyrelated.
After the Lord cleansed the temple (2:12-17),“the Jews then answered and said to
Him,What sign will you show us,seeing that you do these things?”(v. 18). The Lord Jesus
answered,“Destroy this temple,and in three days I will raise it up”(v. 19). In purifying the
temple the Lord Jesus displayed a verystrong character. At that time He was not meek or gentle.
Religious people would never expect that Jesus,the One with such a meek and humble
heart,could do this. The religious leaders probably thought that the Lord had gone too far. In
response to their word concerning a sign,the Lord said for them to destroy this temple and that
He would raise it up in three days. According to John 2:20,the Jews then said,“It took forty-six
years to build this temple,and you will raise it up in three days?”The Jews,ofcourse,were
thinking ofthe temple in Jerusalem, but the Lord “spoke ofthe temple ofHis body”(v. 21). The
Lord was referring to the temple ofHis universal,mystical Body. Who is able to measure this
temple?It is impossible for anyone to measure it.
The religious ones did not realize that the Lord Jesus was saying that His physical body, not
the temple in Jerusalem, was the real temple. The Lord used that material building in Jerusalem
as a sign to denote His physical body. The temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by Titus,but the
body ofJesus was “destroyed”by the Jews when they had Him crucified. But on the third day,that
destroyed body was raised up. Jesus said,“In three days I will raise it up.” The wording here is di
erent from the record in the synoptic Gospels,which for the most part say that God will raise
up the Lord Jesus. In John 2 the Lord Jesus seemed to be saying,“You kill M e,and I will raise
Myselfup. Destroy this physical body,which is the real temple,and I will raise it up in three days.
Once I raise up this temple,it will be enlarged.” This enlarged temple is Christ’s universal Body.
We are told clearly that the incident ofthe changing of water into wine was a sign:“This
beginning ofsigns Jesus did in Cana ofGalilee”(2:11). However,we are not told clearly that the
matter ofthe raising up ofthe destroyed bodyis also a sign. But Matthew 12:38-40indicates that
the resurrection of Christ is also a sign. When some of the scribes and Pharisees
said,“Teacher,we want to see a sign from you,” the Lord replied, “An evil and adulterous
generation seeks a sign,and no sign shall be given to it except the sign ofJonah the prophet. For
as Jonah was in the bellyofthe sea monster three days and three nights,so shall the Son ofM an be
in the heart ofthe earth three days and three nights.”Here we see that the Lord’s resurrection is
the unique sign to this perverted generation. Therefore, in the second chapter of John we have
two signs: the changing ofwater into wine and the resurrection ofChrist. In this message we shall
seek to get into the depths ofthese two signs.
John 20:30 and 31 say,“Many other signs therefore Jesus did before His disciples,which are
not written in this book;but these have been written that you maybelieve that Jesus is the
Christ,the Son ofGod,and that believing you mayhave life in His name.”These verses indicate
that John selected a certain number of signs and used them to compose his Gospel. John’s use of
signs in writing his Gospel can be compared to our use ofletters to make words and ofwords to
write an article. Thus,the signs in this Gospel are the “letters”used to compose it. For example,
two ofthe signs in John 1 concern the Lord Jesus as the Lamb ofGod and Peter as a stone for
God’s building. In chapter two John selected two incidents—the changing of water into wine and
the Lord’s word concerning the temple in Jerusalem—and used them as signs in composing this
chapter.

Three times in chapter one John speaks of“the next day”(vv. 29,35,and 43). Then in 2:1 he
says,“And the third day there was a wedding in Cana ofGalilee,and the mother ofJesus was
there.”According to the sequence,this should actually be the fifth day,for there have been the
first day,three “next days,”and now the day mentioned in
2:1. But instead ofsaying the fifth day,John speaks in 2:1 ofthe third day. In order to use the
expression “the third day”in 2:1,John repeatedly speaks ofthe next day in chapter one.
Each ofthe two incidents in chapter two is related to a third day. The third day in 2:1 was
the day on which the Lord changed water into wine. In 2:19 the Lord said that “in three
days”He would raise up the temple ofHis body. The expressions “the third day”and “in three
days”both refer to resurrection. The Lord Jesus was raised up in three days. According to the
New Testament,He was also raised up on the third day. The point here is that both expressions
denote resurrection. By the use ofthese two expressions John indicates that the two signs in
chapter two are both related to the Lord’s resurrection.

John 2:1 indicates that it was on the third daythat the Lord Jesus came to Cana ofGalilee.
This means that the Lord came in resurrection. When the Lord Jesus came to us, He came in
resurrection. However,we may think that the Lord first came to the disciples in incarnation, not
in resurrection. We would probablysay,“When the Lord Jesus was living on earth,He came to the
disciples. CertainlyHe came as a M an ofNazareth in incarnation. How can we say that He came
in resurrection when He had not yet been crucified?” In 11:25 the Lord Jesus says, “I am the
resurrection and the life.”Notice that here the Lord says,“I am the resurrection”; He does not say,
“I shall be the resurrection.”Even as a M an ofNazareth in the flesh,the Lord could say,“I am the
resurrection.”According to the human concept,He was present merelyin incarnation. But from
God’s point ofview in His economy,the Lord came to Cana of Galilee in resurrection, Cana
means a land of reeds,and reeds signify weak and fragile people (Isa. 42:3; Matt. 12:20;11:7). It
was in resurrection that the Lord Jesus came to the weak and fragile people in Cana of Galilee—
a despised place.
According to the Gospel ofJohn,the Lord came to the people in resurrection. IfHe had not
been in resurrection, but only in incarnation,He could not have changed water into wine. Onlythe
One who is the divine life could do such a thing in resurrection.
The Lord was also in resurrection when He spoke to the Samaritan woman in chapter four.
He indicated to her that He had the living water. How could a man in the flesh have living water?
This is impossible. We know that the Samaritan woman received the living water from the Lord
Jesus because she was satisfied,as indicated by the fact that she left her waterpot. When she went
into the city to testify,she was bubbling. Living water was gushing out of her. She had obtained
this living water from Christ who is in resurrection.
In John 6 the Lord Jesus revealed that He is the living bread,the bread ofGod that came down
out ofheaven to give life to the world. He also said,“He who eats M e shall also live because ofM
e”(6:57). The Lord Jesus did not say, “He who will eat Me after Myresurrection will live.”On the
contrary,He spoke in the present tense. When He said that He was the living bread from
heaven,He seemed to be saying to the people,“Do not think ofMe merelyas one who grew up in
Nazareth. I came down from heaven.”In chapter sixofJohn the Lord Jesus was in resurrection.
The fact that the Lord came to Cana ofGalilee on the third dayindicates that He comes to us
in resurrection. We are weak and fragile people living in a despised place. But in resurrection
the Lord has come to us. Sometimes I am beside myselfwith joywhen I think ofthis. Praise the
Lord that He has come to me in resurrection!This makes me happyand causes me to flow with
living water.
Once the Lord Jesus comes into us,He will never leave. He will stay with us for eternity.
How wonderful that in resurrection Christ is with us and in us!Hallelujah,the Lord Jesus came
to our Cana on the third day!

The Lord Jesus went to Cana for the purpose of attending a wedding feast. We may say that
all of our human life is a “wedding feast.”From the time the Lord came to us,He has been
attending our wedding feast. As long as we live on earth,every day is a “wedding day.” Whether
this “wedding” is genuine or not genuine,long lasting or lasting a short time,everydaywe have
some kind ofwedding. Probably you are wondering what I mean by this. To say that every day is
a wedding and that human life is a wedding feast means that throughout our life we hope,or
expect,good things to happen to us. A wedding is something pleasant,something that makes us
happy. For example,a young person may work hard on his studies in order to pass all his
examinations. When he graduates with honors, others congratulate him. His graduation is
something pleasant, something which may be called a “wedding.”Another brother may receive a
promotion or a raise in salary. That promotion or raise may also be considered a
“wedding.”Likewise,we have many pleasant things,many“weddings,”in our human life.

During the course ofthe wedding feast in Cana,“the wine ran out” (2:3). We can testify that
in every human “wedding feast”the wine eventuallyruns out. Wine,the life juice ofthe
grape,signifies life. Hence,the wine running out symbolizes the human life running out. For
example,a young sister may think that the brother she has married under the Lord’s sovereignty
is a “hero.”But after a while, the wine will run out ofher married life. Nevertheless,at that very
juncture,the Lord Jesus is present to change water into wine.
In our human life the “wine” will always run out. However,Christ in resurrection never
“runs out.”Suppose a brother receives a promotion at work. That promotion is a “wedding,”even
a wedding feast. But eventually he will be disappointed with that promotion. This
disappointment signifies that the wine has run out at that particular wedding feast.
Perhaps a brother receives a new car as a graduation gift. For a long time,he has been
looking forward to having that car. But eventually the “wine”ofthat “car-wedding” will run out.
What kind ofwine does not eventually run out?Our health,our money,and our possessions
sooner or later will run out. A sister may be happy with a new pair ofshoes. When she buys
these shoes,she enjoys wine at her wedding feast. But this wine also will run out. Only what the
Lord Jesus gives never runs out.
As an elderly brother with experience in human life,I can testify that nothing in this present
life is lasting. Everything is running out. Only the Lord Jesus Christ is eternal, everlasting.
Hallelujah, He is here with us to change our death water into wine,into eternal life!

Another word for the changing ofwater into wine,the changing of death into life, is
transformation. Transformation is implied by the word “stone”in 1:42. The transformation in
John 1 is equal to the changing ofwater into wine in John 2.
I can testifythat everydaythe Lord changes mywater into wine. TodayI
definitelyexperienced this at least three times. I had a sense of death, but the Lord Jesus
transformed mydeath water into eternal life.
Do you know what the genuine Christian life is? The Christian life is a life ofchanging
water into wine. The Christian life is not a character-changing life or a behavior-improving
life. The Christian life is altogether a matter of changing our death into life.
Sometimes we are conscious ofthe changing of death into life,but at other times we are not
aware ofthis. M any times we experience this change unconsciously or subconsciously. This is
the reason that we maybe surprised at the change that has taken place within us. We maysay,
“Lord Jesus,is this me?I would not have thought that I am able to live such a life. I am amazed
that I can endure so much and bear so much. Oh,what a surprise!”However, the Lord Jesus
would say,“There is no need for you to be surprised. I have changed your death water into life
wine.”
In the church life and under the ministry, we experience the Lord changing our death into
life. Parents may find it hard to believe the positive change that has taken place in their children
over the period ofa few years. This is the changing ofwater into wine.
I have the full confidence that in the church life the Lord is changing death into life. We
cannot deny the fact that certain things have happened to disappoint us. But I would like to say
that I have been quite encouraged with the churches. The Lord knows that I am happy to
minister the Word to the saints,for there is evidence that water is being changed into wine in the
experience ofso many dear ones. This is the experience of the Lord Jesus in resurrection. He
dwells in us,and everydayHe is changing our water into wine.
Consider how the Lord has changed you throughout the years. Perhaps a married brother
should sit down with his wife and ask her to point out to him how the Lord has changed his water
into wine,his death into life. The brother may say to his wife,“Dear,tell me how you feel about
my situation. How am I today compared with what I was two years ago?”Ifthe brother and his
wife are honest,they will be able to assure each other that over the years Christ in resurrection
has been changing their death water into life wine. I believe that this has been the experience
ofthe majority ofthe saints in the Lord’s recovery. Praise the Lord that in resurrection He is
changing water into wine! He is not merely improving our behavior—He is transforming
us.

Let us now consider the other sign in John 2,the sign of building up the mystical
bodyofChrist. We need to realize that the rebuilding of the destroyed temple has already been
accomplished. In Christ’s resurrection we all have been resurrected. Peter tells us that we have
been regenerated through the resurrection ofChrist (1 Pet. 1:3). This means that in God’s view,
according to His accomplishment in His economy,the Body ofChrist has alreadybeen built.
The tense of the verbs in the book of Revelation indicates this. For example,the Apostle John
does not say that the New Jerusalem will come;he tells us that he saw the New Jerusalem
descending out ofheaven from God. Approximately nineteen hundred years ago,John saw the
New Jerusalem. This shows us that,according to God’s way ofseeing,the BodyofChrist has
alreadybeen built up.
Do you know what our living is? Our living as Christians is simplya matter ofthe
changing ofdeath into life for the building up ofthe mystical Body ofChrist. The entire
Christian life consists oftwo matters:changing death into life and building up the mystical
BodyofChrist. This is the proper,genuine,and complete Christian life. There is no third item in
our Christian life. Now we are in this building byour dailyliving,and our dailyliving is a matter
ofchanging water into wine.
We may summarize our Christian life by saying that the Christian life is the changing
ofdeath into life,water into wine,for the building up ofthe BodyofChrist. What is our living? Our
living is the changing ofdeath into life. What are we doing here?We are carrying out the work of
building up the church,the Body ofChrist. This is our living,and this is our goal. Our living is the
changing of death into life. Our goal is the building up ofthe church. We have a living ofthe
eternal life,the eternal zoe,for the purpose ofbuilding up the mystical BodyofChrist.

This message is a word of encouragement. We all should be encouraged by what is

revealed in chapter two of John. In the church life we are doing the work ofbuilding in three
days,that is,in resurrection.
Some may say,“Brother Lee,on some occasions you have told us that we are
short,lacking,and somewhat o from the central vision ofGod’s economy.”Yes,in the past I
have spoken concerning our shortcomings. But what we have in John 2 is a word
ofencouragement. M any things have both a positive side and a negative side. But the positive
side is not for the negative side. Rather, the negative side is for the positive side. I do not know
ifthis is true in physics,but I know it is true in “spiritual physics.” According to my experience in
the Christian life, the negative side is for the positive side. Every time I have a defeat,I soon
enjoy a victory,and every sorrow is followed byjoy. This is whyI saythat the negative side is
always for the positive side.
 As believers in Christ,we are not a people without hope. On the contrary,we are a people
full ofhope. Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, God the Father has regenerated us unto a
living hope. We have the eternal life within us as our hope. With eternal life, everything is
hopeful. We maystill be short and somewhat o from God’s goal. However,we cannot deny
the fact that the situation among us todayis much better than it was years ago. I can testify that
there is more building in the churches than there was some years ago or even a few months ago.
This is the raising up ofthe destroyed temple in three days.
According to the Lord’s word in John 2,He allowed the enemyto destroythe temple ofHis
body. That was a test to resurrection life. There is also a test to resurrection life in our experience
in the church life. Let the enemy destroy God’s temple. We have resurrection power within us.
Without the negative side,this positive power could not be manifested. Everything else is going
down,but the church exists forever. We may fluctuate, but the church never fluctuates.
When some hear this,they may say,“This I cannot believe. I feel that a few years ago the
church in mylocality was wonderful. We were happy and excited. But now the condition ofthe
church is worse.”I would reply that your feeling,which is related to something outward,is not
true. Perhaps in the past there was more excitement, more shouting,more so-called release in
singing. That,however, is not life. I have the full assurance that there is more life in the churches
today than even a few years ago. I can say this because I have the assurance that manyofus are
living a water-changing life, and by this life we live in the building.

Although the building ofthe church is taking place,we ourselves cannot build the church.
Some mayfind this hard to believe and say,“In the past you told us to endeavor to build up the
church. Now you are saying that we cannot build up the church.”On the one hand,the church
has already been built,and there is no need for us to build it. On the other hand,the building
ofthe church is still going on in resurrection. In a very real sense,we do not need to build the
church. Instead,we should simply stay in the building and enjoyit.
In John 2:19 the Lord Jesus said,“Destroythis temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”Are
these three days over,or are theystill going on?It is di icult to answer this question. As far as
accomplishment is concerned,the three days are over. But as far as enjoyment is concerned,we
are still in these three days. Are we,then,accomplishing the building,or are we enjoying what has
alreadybeen built?It is hard for our limited mentality to answer this question. According to our
way ofthinking,we are still doing the work ofbuilding. Apparently,we are doing the work of
building;actually,we are enjoying what has already been built. We mayexperience the building in
resurrection every day. I am not speaking something I have not experienced. What I am telling
you is what I have been experiencing and enjoying. Day by day,I enjoy what the Lord Jesus has
accomplished in His resurrection.
In chapter two ofJohn there are two signs. The first is the changing ofwater into wine;the
second is the raising up ofthe destroyed temple ofGod. Thank the Lord that todaywe are for this
and in it. We have this living,and we are for this goal. We are living a life ofchanging water into
wine for the unique purpose ofbuilding up Christ’s mystical Body.
The Gospel of John is deep because it gives the mysterious stories of the divine life. M ost of
today’s Christians neglect the mysterious matters revealed in this Gospel. We thank the Lord that
He has brought us into these mysterious stories ofthe divine life. Because these matters are
mysterious,we cannot adequatelyutter all that we see concerning them. However,I believe that
the Spirit will speak much more to you than I am able to speak. Then we shall all enjoy an inner,
mutual understanding concerning the changing ofdeath into life for the building up ofthe
BodyofChrist. Praise the Lord for the revelation in John 2!In this chapter we see the changing
ofwater into wine for the unique and glorious goal ofbuilding up the mystical BodyofChrist.