January 19, 2026

Today's Reading: John 2:1-11

Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 44:1-16, 23-29; Romans 9:1-18

“On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee” (John 2:1a)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

“On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee…” Starting John’s Gospel at 2:1 needs a little more context. Third day of what? We need to go back a chapter.

Three days before the wedding, Jesus called Philip and Nathanael. “The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow me.’” (John 1:43). Wait, the next day after what? Back again.

Jesus calls more disciples (Andrew and Simon Peter), and John (the baptizing one) makes a declaration. “The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God!’” (John 1:35-36). Oh, another next day. Gotta read back further.

“The next day he (John—the baptizing one) saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Another next day!

“And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’” (John 1:19). If you go back any further than this, you don’t get a day, you just get the beginning. “In the beginning was the Word…” (John 1:1).

John begins his Gospel with a week. The first week in the Bible was a week of creation (Genesis 1:2-2:3). But that first week was ruined by the advent of sin in the world. Now the New Testament begins a new week of new creation, starting with the Baptism of the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world.

The first week of the Bible ended with a wedding. God brought Eve to Adam and instituted holy matrimony. The New Testament also ends its first week with a wedding at Cana. The bride and groom of that wedding aren’t important; it’s the presence of Jesus that’s important. His first sign, the water into wine, creates faith in His disciples.

But the last day of this week is also introduced with an unmistakably Easter phrase: “on the third day…” You just want to finish with, “He rose again from the dead.” But that’s really the point. The resurrection of Jesus on the third day is a recapitulation of all creation and the beginning of the eternal wedding feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Amen. (Prayer of Thanksgiving, LSB p. 161)

Author: Rev. Jacob Ehrhard, pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church and School in Chicago, IL.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.

Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.