John 2:6-8 6Now there were nearby six stone water jars used for the purification practice of the Jews, each containing two or three measures. 7Jesus said to them, “Fill the water jars with water.” And they filled them up to the top. 8And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the head steward of the feast.” So they took it.
The answer to the problem begins to unfold in verse 6. A measure equaled about eight or nine gallons of water. It is estimated that the stone water jars mentioned in this verse held about twenty gallons each, totaling well over one hundred gallons total. The stone would be a better storage for water than the more porous clay. These types of jars were used for the ceremonial washing Jews were obligated to do.
Everything John wrote in his Gospel is significant because of his stated purpose and method. The mention of the use of these jars may be significant in the larger context of John’s account. Water for purification represents the old ways of Judaism that Jesus came to replace. Water only makes one clean outwardly but does not change one’s heart. The number six is lacking in Jewish thinking, with seven being the special number of completeness. By including these details in the first miraculous “sign,” John implies that Jesus came to offer something greater than what people had been doing.
Jesus’ directions to the servants were simple, but something profound happened in their obedience. The servants simply obeyed, but as they did, they participated in one of the greatest miracles. We can only imagine what was going on in their minds as they filled these large jars with water. There must have been a well of some type nearby from which to draw fresh water. If the jars just needed topped off, the job could have been done quickly. The assumption is that they were empty, and it would have taken quite some effort to fill them. The servants’ obedience was complete, indicated by their filling the jars to the very top.
John records each step of the process, including how Jesus directed the servants to take a sample to the host. The head steward likely was the person in charge of the details of the wedding feast. Having wine available was likely his responsibility, also meaning that he would have been the one most shamed by it running out. Although the servants were simply doing their jobs and may not have had a choice about the matter, they were the key witnesses of the miracle that took place. They knew every detail of what happened. Their simple obedience was instrumental in resolving the problem.
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