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It's important to note that these were no ordinary pots. Large stone pots (qalal in Hebrew meaning a large stone jar for
ritual washing) were not subject to the impurity laws (Leviticus 11:32-35). Clay pots, on the other hand, became unclean
and needed to be smashed. Stone pots would not become impure and were often used for storing clean water that would
later be used for purification. The Mishnah tells us that during the Roman period (the first centuries BC and AD), purification
rituals and stone vessels associated with this practice were extremely common in Judea and Galilee, since purification washing
was a frequent Jewish religious rite. (John 2:6; 3:25; Mark 7:3-4)
Stone pots were much more expensive to make, but they were more economical because unlike clay pots, they could be reused.
Since these are stone pots, we can deduce that this household was either priestly or a family concerned with purity. Stone pots
were also challenging to make. They were carved from a single piece of stone (typically soft limestone found in the regions of
Judea and Galilee). They also required special lathes used by the Romans to manufacture stone columns. Most stone pots were
from twenty-five to thirty inches high and held approximately eight to ten gallons.
When reading John's Gospel we need to be alert to its symbolism, which provides deeper meanings we need to explore.
These meanings give us a fuller understanding of what God wants us to know, directly impacting our faith and life as
believers in Messiah. The stone pots at the wedding at Cana are a profound example of this. How many pots were there
(John 2:6)? Why were there six and not seven (the number of completion)? Why not eight (the number of new beginnings)?
Here's why six is an integral part of this miracle of Cana. Six is the number of creation. God worked for six days, then rested
on the seventh. Six is also the number of man. God created the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, on the six day of creation.
In Jewish thought, man fell on the sixth day; he ate from the tree on the sixth day. According to the rabbis, man lost six things
as a result of the Fall.
1. Their radiance (glorified bodies)
2. Their life
3, Their height
4. The produce of the earth (before the Fall, produce would ripen and mature quickly)
5. The fruit of the tree (there were no barren trees in the garden)
6. The Luminaries (the divine light)
Yeshua-Jesus' first miracle involved six stone pots because He came as both the Second Adam and Savior to begin to restore
what was lost in Eden. Since the fall happened on the sixth day, the Messiah died on the sixth day, which on the Hebrew calendar
is Friday. What makes Good Friday so good is that the Messiah came to restore what we lost in Eden. Not only did the Messiah
die on the sixth day, but He was also on the cross for six hours and was pierced in six places.
Yeshua-Jesus' died on a cross, symbolizing a tree. Sin came through a tree from which Adam and Eve stole. On Calvary's cross,
God put back on the tree what the first man and woman could not. While on the tree, Yeshua-Jesus was pierced six times*.
* His head was pierced with a crown of thorns. Why a crown of thorns? What was the curse of creation? It was that the ground
would produce thorns and thistles. He was taking the cure on Himself to restore the blessing.
His two hands was pierced because it was our hands that stole from that tree.
His side was pierced because the one taken from Adam's side (Eve) led him into temptation.
His two feet were pierced because Genesis 3:15 says the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent, that
"he will crush your head, and you will crush his heel." As His feet was nailed to the tree, Satan said, "What are you going
to do now"? Satan was mocking the promises of God, but God was actually using him to fulfill His promise of redemption.
In Hebrew, Genesis 1:1 contains seven words that correspond to the seven days of creation. The sixth word of Genesis 1:1
begins with the sixth letter, the letter vav. Why is this important? Because in vav is the conjunction and the letter that connects
"heaven and earth" in Genesis 1:1. When Adam and Eve sinned they broke the vav, the connection between heaven and earth.
When we sin, we break our connection to God Himself. God sent Yeshua-Jesus to restore what was lost---to bridge the gap
and restore this connection between God and us (2 Corinthians 5:18); Colossians 1:19-20). God wants to have a relationship
with us. He wants to reconnect so we can know Him, His promises, and His will for us so we can discover our breakthrough
and live out of the overflow.
By Rabbi Jason Sobel. "Breakthrough Living a Life That Overflows"
ritual washing) were not subject to the impurity laws (Leviticus 11:32-35). Clay pots, on the other hand, became unclean
and needed to be smashed. Stone pots would not become impure and were often used for storing clean water that would
later be used for purification. The Mishnah tells us that during the Roman period (the first centuries BC and AD), purification
rituals and stone vessels associated with this practice were extremely common in Judea and Galilee, since purification washing
was a frequent Jewish religious rite. (John 2:6; 3:25; Mark 7:3-4)
Stone pots were much more expensive to make, but they were more economical because unlike clay pots, they could be reused.
Since these are stone pots, we can deduce that this household was either priestly or a family concerned with purity. Stone pots
were also challenging to make. They were carved from a single piece of stone (typically soft limestone found in the regions of
Judea and Galilee). They also required special lathes used by the Romans to manufacture stone columns. Most stone pots were
from twenty-five to thirty inches high and held approximately eight to ten gallons.
When reading John's Gospel we need to be alert to its symbolism, which provides deeper meanings we need to explore.
These meanings give us a fuller understanding of what God wants us to know, directly impacting our faith and life as
believers in Messiah. The stone pots at the wedding at Cana are a profound example of this. How many pots were there
(John 2:6)? Why were there six and not seven (the number of completion)? Why not eight (the number of new beginnings)?
Here's why six is an integral part of this miracle of Cana. Six is the number of creation. God worked for six days, then rested
on the seventh. Six is also the number of man. God created the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, on the six day of creation.
In Jewish thought, man fell on the sixth day; he ate from the tree on the sixth day. According to the rabbis, man lost six things
as a result of the Fall.
1. Their radiance (glorified bodies)
2. Their life
3, Their height
4. The produce of the earth (before the Fall, produce would ripen and mature quickly)
5. The fruit of the tree (there were no barren trees in the garden)
6. The Luminaries (the divine light)
Yeshua-Jesus' first miracle involved six stone pots because He came as both the Second Adam and Savior to begin to restore
what was lost in Eden. Since the fall happened on the sixth day, the Messiah died on the sixth day, which on the Hebrew calendar
is Friday. What makes Good Friday so good is that the Messiah came to restore what we lost in Eden. Not only did the Messiah
die on the sixth day, but He was also on the cross for six hours and was pierced in six places.
Yeshua-Jesus' died on a cross, symbolizing a tree. Sin came through a tree from which Adam and Eve stole. On Calvary's cross,
God put back on the tree what the first man and woman could not. While on the tree, Yeshua-Jesus was pierced six times*.
* His head was pierced with a crown of thorns. Why a crown of thorns? What was the curse of creation? It was that the ground
would produce thorns and thistles. He was taking the cure on Himself to restore the blessing.
His two hands was pierced because it was our hands that stole from that tree.
His side was pierced because the one taken from Adam's side (Eve) led him into temptation.
His two feet were pierced because Genesis 3:15 says the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent, that
"he will crush your head, and you will crush his heel." As His feet was nailed to the tree, Satan said, "What are you going
to do now"? Satan was mocking the promises of God, but God was actually using him to fulfill His promise of redemption.
In Hebrew, Genesis 1:1 contains seven words that correspond to the seven days of creation. The sixth word of Genesis 1:1
begins with the sixth letter, the letter vav. Why is this important? Because in vav is the conjunction and the letter that connects
"heaven and earth" in Genesis 1:1. When Adam and Eve sinned they broke the vav, the connection between heaven and earth.
When we sin, we break our connection to God Himself. God sent Yeshua-Jesus to restore what was lost---to bridge the gap
and restore this connection between God and us (2 Corinthians 5:18); Colossians 1:19-20). God wants to have a relationship
with us. He wants to reconnect so we can know Him, His promises, and His will for us so we can discover our breakthrough
and live out of the overflow.
By Rabbi Jason Sobel. "Breakthrough Living a Life That Overflows"
