Stone Pots

I was reading my Bible earlier this week and had a reference to the Wedding at Cana where Jesus performed his first miracle by turning water into wine. Sometimes when I read stories like this in the Bible, my mind plays a nice trick on me. It feels like I'm there, witnessing the event and hearing the things they're saying. I suspect this happens to a lot of people who write stories. Our imagination takes over and just runs away with the story. That happened with this story but the rabbit trails that ran from Cana were so amazing to follow. Come with me.

The story is in John 2: 1-8 and is as follows: 

And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.

His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.

Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.

And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.

I, of course heard the same dialogue but with my experience as a mother, I heard it differently. 

Jesus leans over and whispers, "Mama,what do you think you're doing? This is not the time."

She smiles at him and pats his cheek. Then she turns to the servants with a smile. "You do just what he tells you to do."

Jesus hesitates a moment but with a sigh he said, "Fill those waterpots with water all the way to the brim."

When they finished, he shot his mother one last look and said, "Draw some out and present it to the governor of the feast. And they did. 

I was amused that Jesus didn't argue with his mother. He was peveed but he didn't argue. And she didn't wait for him to argue. She expected his obedience. As if he'd always obeyed her without question. I wonder if he did. Boys historically disobey sometimes. And that teensy bit of annoyance showed that he was a fairly normal son. I can even imagine a bit of eye rolling. 

Also, I found it interesting that Mary knew Jesus could solve this problem. That is not something you'd expect if it was not time for him to be revealed. And yet, she knew. How many problems had he solved to that point? How many times had she called sweetly, "Jesus!" And he dropped his hammer to go see what she needed.

We can say her own interview with Gabriel would have given her insight as well as shepherds, wisemen, and dreams. She wasn't stupid. But none of that could have revealed to her just how enormous an impact her son would have.

Another item that interested me was the attendance of Mary, Jesus, and his disciples at a wedding of this size would have meant they were related in some way. We know Mary and Jesus were mother and son. I researched and found that nearly half of the disciples were related to Jesus, mostly as cousins through Mary. I suppose it shouldn't surprise me because this was not a large town. It wasn't even a large region. And six degrees of separation means, that one in six people at that wedding would be connected in some fashion. Probably more since weddings are attended by people who know or are related to the couple. And the enormous amount of wine needed indicates a rather affluent group.

So  this story drew me in on several levels. But standing in the corner were those stone pots. I don't know why the stone pots pulled at me but it felt so familiar to me. I tried to remember if I had read any other Bible story that mentioned stone pots. There were 6 pots, by the way. Keep in mind that in scripture the number 6 means imperfection. It is one short of God's perfect number 7. This is important, so keep it in mind.

Jesus told them to put the water into stone pots and the Bible says these pots were for ritual washing (not drinking). I just read that stone vessels were a substance that, under Jewish law could not be ritually unclean, and that water placed in a stone vessel became ritually pure. Remember that the wine was so good the guest praised it? It wasn't just because Jesus turned water into wine, but he did it out of purified water! No wonder they were shocked. ( I've included the link to the article below. It is well worth the read.) 

I became a bloodhound on the scent. But the search for other stone pot connections took me nowhere. Except to Samaria a day or two after the wedding. That story can be found in John 4:3-29. 

He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee. And he must needs go through Samaria. Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

(For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)

Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.

The woman answered and said, I have no husband. 

Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.

The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?

The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?

Here Jesus is sitting by a well and along comes this woman carrying a waterpot! Jesus had just left Cana where he had filled stone pots with WATER and turned to wine! But he's asking this woman give him water. Jesus tells her if she knew who he was she'd be asking him to give her water. The comment takes on a bit more impact when I realize the timing of these events. I know but she doesn't and she's shook. "You don't even have a pot!" she says.

Her water pot was likely made of stone but since she's Samarian it could have been pottery. Why? Because water placed in a fired pottery vessel becomes ritually unclean. Only unfired earthen vessels and stone vessel are considered ritually pure and they purify their contents.

Take a deep breath. I know it is profound. Just breath. That's what I had to do. 

Look what happened. She left her waterpot at the well. She's so excited she forgot what she came for and she left the very thing she needed because, like me, she had to tell someone! That old pot was useless now. 

I've reached a point where I need to tie it all together. There is so much more in this that I'm finding it difficult. I started out following stone pots but I ended up following the water. Believe it or not, I discovered that Chapters 2-7 in St. John tell stories of water and their connection to Jesus. It is so strange! 

I was drawn to this subject because of the wedding at Cana and the description of the pots and the miracle. It seemed there was something in addition to the miracle. Once I read the article on stone vessels, I think I found it.

The container purifies or contaminates what is contained in it. The Jews placed their dead's bones in ossuaries and these were made of stone. Why would that be important? Because Jews could not touch dead bodies of any kind or enter a dwelling where a body lay. You'd be banished for a week from the camp. 

One always wonders how they even buried their own dead. However, with the advent of ossuaries, the problem is lessened. The bones were placed in these and because they were stone, they would have become ritually pure. They could move them. I don't know how they transported Joseph's bones from Egypt to the Promised Land but they had to move it in a way that didn't contaminate anyone. Perhaps a stone vessel? 

We're not stone pots. We're earthen vessels. Earthen vessels are ritually pure ... until they are fired. They go through fire and become unclean. Anything placed in them is contaminated. The firey stuggles of life serve to harden and contaminate us. Negative emotions, evil thoughts, habits, and actions, selfishness, self righteousness, wickedness. "But I'm a good person." We're not stone pots. We're fired earthen vessels. 

So, I asked myself where is this going? It is so long and I need a suitable end. Then I remember last night. I was struggling with something and this scripture presented itself: We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair... It is found in this chapter and after reading it again today, I knew the ending. 

2 Corinthians 4:1-18 

Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you.

We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.

For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Always remember, earth under pressure becomes stone. 

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Please note: This post is not an archeological treatis but about a spiritual journey I'm taking. The linked articles are educational. My post is just my thoughts when reading and the resulting research.

Link to cited article:  Purity Broke Out In Israel: Stone Vessels in the Late Second Temple Period

Another article: What is the meaning of the six stone jars at the wedding in Cana?

There are numerous interesting articles on this subject if you Google "Can Jews drink from pottery."