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Grammar Analysis: John 2:1-11 (The Wedding at Cana)

Overview

The first "sign" (σημεῖον) in John's Gospel. The narrative is built around three distinct classes of tenses:

  • Imperfects and present historical (background/narrative setup)
  • Aorist imperatives and aorist indicatives (Jesus' commands and their punctiliar execution)
  • Perfect passive participle and perfect active indicatives (the abiding result-state of the transformation)

Three content words drive the punch-line: οἶνος (oinos, "wine"), καλός (kalos, "fine/of good quality"), and μεθύω (methyō, "be drunk/have drunk freely"). The architriklinos' speech in v.10 is constructed as a universal proverb contrasted (asyndetic σύ) with an observed exception.

Text

Verses 1-11 (Greek / KJV)

v.1 — Καὶ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ γάμος ἐγένετο ἐν Κανὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας, καὶ ἦν ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐκεῖ· And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there.

v.2 — ἐκλήθη δὲ καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν γάμον. And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.

v.3 — καὶ ὑστερήσαντος οἴνου λέγει ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ πρὸς αὐτόν Οἶνον οὐκ ἔχουσιν. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.

v.4 — καὶ λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς Τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί, γύναι; οὔπω ἥκει ἡ ὥρα μου. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.

v.5 — λέγει ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ τοῖς διακόνοις Ὅ τι ἂν λέγῃ ὑμῖν, ποιήσατε. His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

v.6 — ἦσαν δὲ ἐκεῖ λίθιναι ὑδρίαι ἓξ κατὰ τὸν καθαρισμὸν τῶν Ἰουδαίων κείμεναι, χωροῦσαι ἀνὰ μετρητὰς δύο ἢ τρεῖς. And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.

v.7 — λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς Γεμίσατε τὰς ὑδρίας ὕδατος. καὶ ἐγέμισαν αὐτὰς ἕως ἄνω. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.

v.8 — καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς Ἀντλήσατε νῦν καὶ φέρετε τῷ ἀρχιτρικλίνῳ. οἱ δὲ ἤνεγκαν. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.

v.9 — ὡς δὲ ἐγεύσατο ὁ ἀρχιτρίκλινος τὸ ὕδωρ οἶνον γεγενημένον, καὶ οὐκ ᾔδει πόθεν ἐστίν, οἱ δὲ διάκονοι ᾔδεισαν οἱ ἠντληκότες τὸ ὕδωρ, φωνεῖ τὸν νυμφίον ὁ ἀρχιτρίκλινος When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom.

v.10 — καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ Πᾶς ἄνθρωπος πρῶτον τὸν καλὸν οἶνον τίθησιν, καὶ ὅταν μεθυσθῶσιν τὸν ἐλάσσω· σὺ τετήρηκας τὸν καλὸν οἶνον ἕως ἄρτι. And saith unto him, 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.

v.11 — Ταύτην ἐποίησεν ἀρχὴν τῶν σημείων ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐν Κανὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας καὶ ἐφανέρωσεν τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

Word-by-Word Parsing (Key Verses)

v.1 — Setting

Word Lemma Strong's Parsing Gloss
Καὶ καί G2532 CONJ and
τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρα / τρίτος G2250/G5154 N-DSF / A-DSF on the third day (dative of time)
γάμος γάμος G1062 N-NSM a wedding
ἐγένετο γίνομαι G1096 V-2ADI-3S (Aor Mid Ind) came to be / took place
ἐν Κανὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας Κανά / Γαλιλαία G2580/G1056 PREP+N-PRI / N-GSF in Cana of Galilee
ἦν εἰμί G1510 V-IAI-3S (Impf Act Ind) was (imperfect — background)
ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ μήτηρ / Ἰησοῦς G3384/G2424 N-NSF / N-GSM the mother of Jesus
ἐκεῖ ἐκεῖ G1563 ADV there

v.3 — The Wine Runs Out (Genitive Absolute)

Word Lemma Strong's Parsing Gloss
ὑστερήσαντος ὑστερέω G5302 V-AAP-GSM (Aor Act Ptcp, Gen Sg M) having failed/given out
οἴνου οἶνος G3631 N-GSM wine (genitive)
λέγει λέγω G3004 V-PAI-3S (historical present) says
Οἶνον οἶνος G3631 N-ASM wine (fronted for emphasis)
οὐκ ἔχουσιν ἔχω G2192 V-PAI-3P they have not

The ὑστερήσαντος οἴνου is a classic genitive absolute — an aorist participle + genitive noun functioning as a temporal subordinate clause ("when the wine gave out"). The fronted accusative Οἶνον in Mary's statement is emphatic ("Wine — they have none!").

v.7–8 — Jesus' Commands (Aorist Imperatives)

Word Lemma Strong's Parsing Gloss
Γεμίσατε γεμίζω G1072 V-AAM-2P (Aor Act Impv) Fill! (punctiliar)
ἐγέμισαν γεμίζω G1072 V-AAI-3P (Aor Act Ind) they filled
ἕως ἄνω ἄνω G507 ADV up to the top
Ἀντλήσατε ἀντλέω G501 V-AAM-2P (Aor Act Impv) Draw out!
φέρετε φέρω G5342 V-PAM-2P (Pres Act Impv) keep bringing
τῷ ἀρχιτρικλίνῳ ἀρχιτρίκλινος G755 N-DSM to the master of the feast
ἤνεγκαν φέρω G5342 V-AAI-3P (Aor Act Ind) they brought

Note the aspectual contrast: Γεμίσατε / Ἀντλήσατε (aorist — one-time actions viewed as wholes) vs. φέρετε (present imperative — ongoing/repeated carrying).

v.9 — The Transformation (Perfect Participle + Pluperfect)

Word Lemma Strong's Parsing Gloss
ἐγεύσατο γεύομαι G1089 V-ADI-3S (Aor Mid Ind) tasted
τὸ ὕδωρ ὕδωρ G5204 N-ASN the water
οἶνον οἶνος G3631 N-ASM (into) wine (predicate acc.)
γεγενημένον γίνομαι G1096 V-RPP-ASN (Perf Pass Ptcp, Acc Sg N) having-become (and remaining so)
ᾔδει οἶδα G1492 V-2LAI-3S (Pluperf Act Ind) he did not know (state)
ᾔδεισαν οἶδα G1492 V-2LAI-3P (Pluperf Act Ind) they knew (state)
ἠντληκότες ἀντλέω G501 V-RAP-NPM (Perf Act Ptcp) having drawn (with ongoing relevance)

v.10 — Steward's Proverb (Gnomic Present + Perfect Active)

Word Lemma Strong's Parsing Gloss
Πᾶς ἄνθρωπος πᾶς / ἄνθρωπος G3956/G444 A-NSM / N-NSM every man
πρῶτον πρῶτος G4412 ADV-S first
τὸν καλὸν οἶνον καλός / οἶνος G2570/G3631 A-ASM / N-ASM the fine wine
τίθησιν τίθημι G5087 V-PAI-3S (gnomic present) sets out
ὅταν ὅταν G3752 CONJ whenever
μεθυσθῶσιν μεθύω G3184 V-APS-3P (Aor Pass Subj) they have drunk freely
τὸν ἐλάσσω ἐλάσσων G1640 A-ASM-C (comparative) the worse/lesser
σὺ σύ G4771 P-2NS (emphatic) you
τετήρηκας τηρέω G5083 V-RAI-2S (Perf Act Ind) have kept (and are still keeping)
ἕως ἄρτι ἄρτι G737 ADV until now

v.11 — Summary

Word Lemma Strong's Parsing Gloss
Ταύτην οὗτος G3778 D-ASF this
ἐποίησεν ποιέω G4160 V-AAI-3S (Aor) did
ἀρχὴν τῶν σημείων ἀρχή / σημεῖον G746/G4592 N-ASF / N-GPN beginning of signs
ἐφανέρωσεν φανερόω G5319 V-AAI-3S (Aor) manifested
ἐπίστευσαν πιστεύω G4100 V-AAI-3P (Aor) believed

Key Grammatical Features

1. οἶνος (oinos, G3631) — Generic term for vine-product

  • Lexical range: Covers the entire vine-product spectrum — fresh juice, new wine, fermented wine. In classical/Koine usage the context (and often a modifier) specifies which is meant; οἶνος alone is ambiguous.
  • Morphological pattern in the passage:
  • v.3: οἴνου (GSM, head of the genitive absolute) → Οἶνον (ASM, fronted as emphatic object)
  • v.9: οἶνον γεγενημένον — accusative with perfect passive participle in predicate position ("water having-become-wine")
  • v.10: τὸν καλὸν οἶνον (×2) — articular + adjective + noun "the fine wine"
  • Significance: The article in v.10 (τὸν καλὸν οἶνον) is not generic ("good wine") but anaphoric/categorical — "the [kind of] fine wine [that a host sets out first]." The architriklinos is classifying Jesus' product within the known taxonomy of wines.
  • Word study: G3631-oinos
  • Related study: TR-yayin-oinos (LXX translation patterns)

2. καλός (kalos, G2570) — Qualitative "fine," not moral "good"

  • Form in v.10: τὸν καλὸν οἶνον — A-ASM attributive, second-attributive position (article + adj. + noun; second article elided because of the first).
  • Semantic range: Primarily qualitatively excellent, fine, beautiful, of superior kind — not ethically good (which is more typically ἀγαθός). Used of fish, cloth, timber, craftsmanship.
  • Why it matters: The architriklinos is a professional taster making a quality judgment, not a moral one. His assessment certifies the supernatural product as superior within the category of wine. The LXX regularly uses καλός to render טוֹב (ṭôb) in contexts of quality ("it was good") rather than ethics.
  • Contrast in the verse: τὸν καλὸν οἶνον (the fine wine) vs. τὸν ἐλάσσω (the inferior/lesser) — comparative adjective with the article standing alone as substantive ("the worse-kind").

3. μεθύω / μεθύσκομαι (methyō, G3184) — "drink freely" → "be drunk"

  • Form in v.10: μεθυσθῶσιν — V-APS-3P, aorist passive subjunctive (from the related stem μεθύσκω / μεθυσθῆναι). In Koine the passive of μεθύσκω conveys the ingressive or resultative state: "have become drunk" / "have drunk their fill."
  • Lexical range:
  • Neutral: to drink abundantly, to be sated with drink (LXX Gen 43:34; Song 5:1)
  • Negative: to be intoxicated, drunk (Eph 5:18 μὴ μεθύσκεσθε οἴνῳ)
  • Subjunctive with ὅταν: ὅταν μεθυσθῶσιν = "whenever they have drunk freely" — indefinite-temporal clause. ὅταν + aorist subjunctive portrays an action prior to the main verb's time (gnomic present τίθησιν), so the picture is: "[at the point when] the guests have gotten to the merry stage, then [host brings out] the inferior."
  • Syntactic role: The clause explains why hosts downgrade — not a comment on the Cana guests' actual state. It is the premise of a general custom.

4. ἀρχιτρίκλινος (architriklinos, G755) — Syntax of the Steward's Statement (v.10)

  • Noun: literally "ruler of the three-couch (dining) room" — the master of ceremonies / head steward responsible for food, wine, and protocol.
  • Sentence structure of his speech:
[A] Πᾶς ἄνθρωπος  πρῶτον  τὸν καλὸν οἶνον  τίθησιν
    Every man    first    the fine wine    sets out       (gnomic present)

[B] καὶ ὅταν μεθυσθῶσιν  τὸν ἐλάσσω
    and when they have drunk freely, the inferior        (ellipsis of τίθησιν)

[C] σὺ   τετήρηκας  τὸν καλὸν οἶνον  ἕως ἄρτι.
    YOU  have-kept  the fine wine    until now            (perfect active)
  • [A] and [B] form a gnomic proverb — a universal truth expressed with the present indicative (τίθησιν). The second clause [B] omits the verb (verbal ellipsis) and substitutes the comparative adjective τὸν ἐλάσσω in the slot where τὸν καλὸν οἶνον stood.
  • [C] is an asyndetic contrast (no connective particle — not even δέ): the abrupt σὺ (emphatic nominative pronoun) directly opposes Πᾶς ἄνθρωπος. Greek frequently drops the pronoun subject; its presence is the contrast marker.

  • Tense shift from [A] to [C]: gnomic present (habit/rule) → perfect active indicative τετήρηκας (completed action with abiding result). The bridegroom's action stands as a present reality — "you stand having kept [it]."

  • The "joke" logic:

  • Premise (proverb): Everyone serves the good stuff first, then switches to cheap stuff once palates are dulled.
  • Implicit reason: Palates are less discriminating after drinking; no one wastes premium wine on guests who won't notice.
  • Observed anomaly: You have kept (τετήρηκας — perfect, deliberate retention) the fine wine until now (ἕως ἄρτι — right-now, immediate).
  • Punch: The humor is the inversion — the steward assumes the bridegroom has violated economic sense; the reader knows the source is supernatural. τετήρηκας (perfect active) ironically credits the bridegroom with a deliberate stewardship he did not actually perform.

5. Verb Tenses Describing the Transformation

The miracle is narrated entirely through tense choice, not through explicit description of the act:

Tense Verb Function
Aorist imperative Γεμίσατε (v.7), Ἀντλήσατε (v.8) Jesus' punctiliar commands
Aorist indicative ἐγέμισαν (v.7), ἤνεγκαν (v.8), ἐγεύσατο (v.9) Completed narrative events
Perfect passive participle γεγενημένον (v.9) The completed transformation with abiding state — "water having-become wine" (and remaining so)
Pluperfect ᾔδει / ᾔδεισαν (v.9) State of knowledge (or ignorance) in the past — οἶδα forms state-verbs; pluperfect = past-state
Perfect active participle ἠντληκότες (v.9) "the ones who had drawn" — still the drawers, their act continues to identify them
Perfect active indicative τετήρηκας (v.10) "you stand having kept" — completed action, result continuing into speaker's present

The pivot: γεγενημένον (Perf Pass Ptcp) is the syntactic hinge of the whole pericope. Four features converge: - Perfect aspect: the change is already accomplished. - Passive voice: no human agent is named. - Participle mood: subordinate to ἐγεύσατο — the steward doesn't witness the change; he tastes its result. - Predicate accusative οἶνον: the identity of the transformed substance is the point.

Parse it as: "the water [as something] having-been-made into wine." The perfect-passive encodes "divine passive" resonance — an agentless change whose agent is obvious to the narrator but invisible to the steward (cf. ᾔδει in the next clause).

6. Historical Present — Narrative Drive (λέγει, φωνεῖ)

John uses present-tense λέγει (v.3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10) and φωνεῖ (v.9) in narrative past contexts — the historical (dramatic) present. This pulls the reader into immediacy and pairs with the aorist event verbs for vividness. Parser output confirms these are V-PAI-3S forms embedded inside a past-time narrative.

Clause Structure Notes

  • v.3 genitive absolute: ὑστερήσαντος οἴνου — aorist participle in the genitive + genitive subject, functioning adverbially (temporal/causal).
  • v.5 indefinite relative clause: Ὅ τι ἂν λέγῃ ὑμῖν, ποιήσατε — relative pronoun + ἄν + present subjunctive (indefinite) governed by aorist imperative main clause. "Whatever [sort of thing] he may say..."
  • v.6 circumstantial participles: κείμεναι (Pres M/P Ptcp "set/standing") and χωροῦσαι (Pres Act Ptcp "containing") — both nominative feminine plural modifying ὑδρίαι, descriptive background.
  • v.9 asyndetic comparative clauses: Three parallel clauses with δέ markers plotting knowledge (ὡς δὲ ἐγεύσατο ... καὶ οὐκ ᾔδει ... οἱ δὲ διάκονοι ᾔδεισαν) before the main verb φωνεῖ — a deliberate narrator's aside contrasting steward's ignorance with servants' knowledge.
  • v.10 asyndeton: σὺ τετήρηκας — no conjunction, creating the punchline effect.
  • v.11 correlative structure: ἐποίησεν ... καὶ ἐφανέρωσεν ... καὶ ἐπίστευσαν — three aorists forming the theological result chain: sign-done → glory-revealed → disciples-believed.

Cross-References