The Best Wine Kept Till Last at the Wedding Feast
The miracle at Cana, where Jesus turned water into wine, is often associated with the phrase "the best wine kept till last." This phrase is rooted in the biblical account of the wedding feast in John 2:1-11, where the master of ceremonies remarks, "Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now" [3].
In the context of ancient Jewish wedding customs, serving the best wine first was a common practice. The master of ceremonies' comment reflects this custom, implying that the hosts typically served their finest wine at the beginning of the feast when the guests' palates were most sensitive [1]. The fact that the miraculous wine was served last and was considered the best suggests that it was a sign of God's blessing and a manifestation of Jesus' divine power.
The early Church Fathers saw this miracle as a demonstration of Jesus' authority and a symbol of the new covenant. John Chrysostom, for example, notes that Jesus' action was not just a display of power, but also a revelation of His role as the creator who can transform the ordinary into the extraordinary [2]. Augustine also reflects on the significance of the miracle, although his commentary is more focused on the broader context of Jesus' ministry and the institution of marriage [5].
The significance of wine in Jewish tradition is also worth noting. In Jewish wedding customs, wine played a central role, and the blessing over wine was an essential part of the celebration. The Talmud and Maimonides' Mishneh Torah highlight the importance of wine in Jewish marriage ceremonies, where it was customary to recite blessings over a cup of wine [6, 7].
The miracle at Cana has been interpreted in various ways across Christian traditions. Some see it as a demonstration of Jesus' divine power and a sign of the messianic age, while others view it as a symbol of the Christian life, where the best is reserved for those who follow Jesus [1, 4]. The Baptist/Reformed tradition, represented by John Gill, emphasizes the significance of the miracle as a display of Jesus' glory and a manifestation of His divine nature [3].
The historical and cultural context of the miracle at Cana provides a rich backdrop for understanding the significance of "the best wine kept till last." The Jewish customs and traditions surrounding wine and marriage ceremonies underscore the importance of this miracle as a sign of God's blessing and a revelation of Jesus' divine power.
Sources
- John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on John 2:9: 2:9-10 The master of ceremonies cited a proverb. The best wine was always served first when palates were most sensitive; yet this miraculous wine, served last, was the very best. Good wine symbolized God’s blessing (Amos 9:13-14). The Messiah, God’s greatest blessing, had arrived at last.”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on John & Hebrews: creator of these been opposed to Him, He would not have used what was another’s to set forth His own power. But now to show that it is He who transmutes water in the vine plants, and who converts the rain by its passage through the root into wine, He effected that in a moment at the wedding which in the plant is long in doing. When they had filled the waterpots, He said, Ver. 8–10 . “Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast; and they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was”
- John (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on John 2:10: And saith unto him,.... The following words; expressing the common custom used at feasts: every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; that is, it is usual with men, when they make entertainments, first to give the guests the best, the most generous, and strongest bodied wine; as being most suitable for them, and they being then better able to bear it, and it being most for the credit of the maker of the feast: and when men have well drank; not to excess, but freely, so as that they are exhilarated; and their spirits cheerful, but their brains not intoxicate”
- 1 Kings (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Kings 17:16: The barrel of meal wasted not - She continued to take out of her jar and out of her bottle the quantity of meal and oil requisite for the consumption of her household; and without carefully estimating what was left, she went with confidence each time for a supply, and was never disappointed. This miracle was very like that wrought by Jesus at the marriage at Cana in Galilee: as the servants drew the water out of the pots, they found it turned into wine; and thus they continued to draw wine from the water-pots till the guests had been sufficiently supplied.”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 7: Augustine — Homilies on John — CHAPTER II. I-II. (part 2): cause of fornication. In His answer, if you remember, He said, "What God hath joined together let not man put asunder." [2] And they that are well instructed in the catholic faith know that God instituted marriage; and as the union of man and wife is from God, so divorce is from the devil. But in the case of fornication it is lawful for a man to put away his wife, because she first chose to be no longer wife in not preserving conjugal fidelity to her husband. Nor are those women who vow virginity to God, although they hold”
- Mishneh Torah (Maimonides) (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Mishneh Torah (Maimonides), Mishneh Torah%2C Marriage 10:4: If wine is available, a cup of wine should be brought, and the blessing over wine recited first. Afterwards, all the above blessings should be recited over the cup of wine; thus, one recites seven blessings. 15 These seven blessings are also recited after grace at the festive meals held during the seven days of celebration after a couple's marriage. (See Hilchot Berachot 2:9-11.) In certain places, it is customary to bring a myrtle [branch] together with the wine. The blessing over the myrtle is recited after [the blessing over] the w”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Avodah Zarah 153b.122:6: Rather, the Rabbis are referring to the last clause of the first clause, with regard to a Jew’s wine that was placed in a house in a gentile’s courtyard, as the first tanna says: If a Jew dwells only in another courtyard, the wine is permitted, but this is only when the Jew has in his possession the key to the house or a seal on the barrels of wine. And the Rabbis say: It is always prohibited unless a watchman is sitting and safeguarding the wine constantly, or unless an appointed person comes to safeguard the wine. This is referring to a watchman wh”