Cana

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Introduction

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Welcome to Cana and the Wedding Church of Cana. Many significant events from the Bible took place here. Here are some of the highlights.

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• Jesus changed water into wine here, which was His first public miracle at the beginning of His ministry.

• Jesus healed an official’s son here.

• Nathanael, one of Christ's close followers and a close friend (or possibly a brother) of the Apostle Philip was from Cana.

• The Apostle Philip led Nathanael, who was from Cana, to Christ.

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Location

 

Cana is in the northern part of Israel in the Galilee area. It’s about 11 miles (17 km.) southwest of the Sea of Galilee, about 4 miles (6.4 km.) northeast of Nazareth, and about 22 miles (35 km.) inland from the Mediterranean Sea.

Historical Background

 

1. Cana’s actual location is uncertain, with at least three possible candidates. 

 

2. However, at the Wedding Church, the Franciscans have relied on the testimony of early pilgrims, including Jerome, as being the authentic site. Therefore, they established themselves here in 1641. 

 

3. The Franciscans also believe excavations beneath their present church, dating from the early 1900s, confirm the existence of an early place of worship. They believe it’s possible it was a Jewish-Christian synagogue.

 

4. Beneath the present Franciscan Wedding Church were found remains of dwellings dating back to the 1st century. An ancient basilica with three arch vaults in a cross-like form were also discovered. Additionally, in a crypt, a small stone cistern was found fitted into a flagstone floor.

 

5. Not far from the Wedding Church is the Greek Orthodox Church of the Marriage Feast. It possesses two large stone jars believed to be two of the original water pots used when Christ turned the water into wine. 

 

6. The town also has a chapel dedicated to Bartholomew, whom some scholars identify with Nathanael of Cana.

 

Places of Interest

 

1. Franciscan Wedding Church 

2. Greek Orthodox Church

3. Nathanael Bartholomew Church

4. Cana Baptist Church

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Cana In the Bible

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1. Jesus changed water into wine, which was His first public miracle at the beginning of His ministry.

John 2:1-11: On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." 4 And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come." 5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." 6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast." So they took it. 9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, "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." 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

 

2. Jesus also healed an official’s son here in Cana.

John 4:46-54: So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum, there was an official whose son was ill. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 So Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe." 49 The official said to him, "Sir, come down before my child dies." 50 Jesus said to him, "Go; your son will live." The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. 51 As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. 52 So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him." 53 The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." And he himself believed, and all his household. 54 This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.

 

3. Nathanael, one of the close followers of Christ and close friend (or possibly a brother) of the Apostle Philip, was from Cana.

John 21:2: Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.

 

4. The Apostle Philip led Nathanael, who was from Cana, to Christ.

John 1:43-51: The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me." 44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote--Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." 46 "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip. 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." "How do you know me?" 48 Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you." 49 Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." 50 Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that." 51 He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.

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5. In the Old Testament, wine was a symbol of blessing and prosperity. Christ turned water into wine to fulfill many Old Testament prophecies that proved He was the Messiah and promised blessing for those who received Him.

Deuteronomy 8:7-8: For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of streams of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in valleys and hills; 8 a land of wheat and barley, of vines, fig trees, and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey.

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Psalm 104:14–15:  You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth 15  and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man’s heart. 

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Ecclesiastes 9:7: Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.

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Amos 9:14: I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit.

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Isaiah 55:1: Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

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Jeremiah 4:5: Again, you will plant vineyards on the hills of Samaria; the planters will plant and will enjoy the fruit.

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Ezekiel 28:26: They will live on it securely; and they will build houses, plant vineyards, and live securely when I execute judgments upon all around them who despise them. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.

 

Faith Lesson from Cana

 

1. Christ performed His first public miracle in Cana to authenticate and show that He was the promised Messiah. Do we believe Christ was God in the flesh and the true Messiah?

 

2. Christ honored the request of His mother to turn the water into wine. Do we honor our parents as Christ did and as God commands?

 

3. Jesus also healed an official’s son here in Cana. Do we believe Christ can still do miracles today in our own lives?

 

4. If you could ask Christ for one miracle, what would it be?

 

5. In the same way Philip led Nathanael to Christ, do we lead others to Christ? 

 

6. Christ turned water into wine to fulfill many Old Testament prophecies that proved He was the Messiah. Do we believe Christ is the Messiah, and have we placed our trust in Him as our Savior?