Jars Of Stone

Our minds are drawn to the very well-known miracle of Jesus turning water into wine. Although many of us know this story of Jesus turning water into wine, and know it from childhood even, have you stopped to reflect on the jars which were used by Jesus? These jars are mentioned in passing, but in this meditation, we shall focus for a bit on the water jars.

Let’s be reminded of what is happening on the third day of a wedding in Cana of Galilee, in the height of all the festivity and merrymaking. A threatening and most explosive situation has arisen. It is one of the worst things, if not the worst thing that can happen at a wedding. The wine runs out. Jesus’ mother looks to her Son to do something and Jesus does something. The picture that holds our interest at this moment, is that of six stone, water jars. Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. John 2: 6.

Here are four interesting facts about the water jars, which have been brought before us.

They are stone water jars, not clay, but stone water jars.
These are not jars used for fetching water for drinking, nor are they jars for storing drinking water.
These are huge, immobile water jars, not the ones which people carry to wells to fetch water.
These water jars are all empty. Once they were full, but now they are lying there dry, empty.

Jesus, a guest at the wedding banquet, calls servants and says to them to fill those empty jars with water, drinking water. Fill the jars with water; so they filled them to the brim. John 2: 7b. Are you looking? Are you seeing? Big heavy jars which do not hold water for drinking are being filled with drinking water. Let’s take a minute to ponder on some interesting facts about these cooperative servants.

Servants at the banquet are told to do whatever Guest Jesus tells them to do. This is serious, for these are not servants of Jesus. They do not take orders from their master’s guests, but today, in this very embarrassing situation, the servants obey Jesus. Not one servant says that Jesus is not his Master, so he does not have to listen to Him. They all obey Jesus to save the face of their master. Yes! These servants carefully, faithfully and obediently do exactly what they are told, without question. Jesus said to the servants, Fill the jars with water; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet. They did so. John 2: 7 - 8.

The text distinctly mentions three things, all pertaining to the water jars, which these non-servants of Jesus have been asked to do.

Fill the jars with water - They have been ordered to fetch water and fill up six stone, water jars, used for ceremonial washing. Fill the jars with water; so they filled them to the brim. These are huge jars, holding from twenty to thirty gallons of water. Here is the point. This takes manual labour, for trust me, there were no inside pipes from which one would get water. Water in those days came from wells. Water was drawn from wells. These non-servants obey and fill each jar to the brim, even though what they are doing, filling up those jars, at that time of evening, is totally unnecessary. Think about it. These jars carry water specifically for the ceremonial washing of feet and hands. The banquet is in full swing as it’s the third and final day and all who are present have already done their ceremonial washing. These massive empty jars are testimony to this fact.

Additionally, I look at the servants and their response to Jesus’ command. All I hear is Jesus telling them to fill the jars with water. Jesus never told them to fill those large jars to the brim, but here it is that they do not just fill them, but fill them to the brim. Doesn’t this pull at your heart-strings of obedience to Jesus? To the brim is a mighty great image and one that should speak in scolding terms to those of us who tend to tread lightly with the commands of God.

Go all out with Jesus! Go to the brim with Him!

Draw some out of the jars - They have been ordered to draw some out. Now draw some out. Hey! Do these servants know that it is wine in the jars? All Jesus has told them to do is fill the six stone jars with water. Now that they have filled them to the brim, He tells them to draw some out. Some what? Without asking a question, without tasting or seeing, they obey Jesus and draw off some. These jars are full, all right, but with water. Here is the picture, no, more than a picture, but the living image of our Jesus and what He was able to do and still is able to do. Listen to the testimony of these non-servants, non-disciples of Jesus. By faith may we hear and be made so disturbed about our relationship with Jesus, as His servants, that we hear and be more Jesus-showing. Can’t you hear them saying this? We drew ordinary water into stone jars; now we draw extraordinary wine from them.

Ordinary human work, ordered by Jesus, always results in extraordinary work when He puts His touch to it.

Take what the jars offer to the Master of the Ceremony – They keep obeying, as they are now told to take what they have drawn off from the jars to the rightful person for tasting and testing. Take it to the master of the banquet. The word wine is never used by Jesus, concerning drink, nor jars. Mind you, there would have to be wine jars around, for wine was the main and chief drink at any such wedding banquet. One would think that Jesus would ask for those empty wine jars to be brought to Him, but in wisdom, discreteness and kindness, He never touches the word wine, nor the words, wine jars. He opts for water and water jars. Jesus comes big! Wine, out of water jars; not out of wine jars. Who else but our Jesus! We who are His servants, must never think that He cannot use us and the works of our hands for His miracles.