Filling the Water-Pots
H. Macmillan, LL. D. John 2:6-9 And there were set there six water pots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews… I. THE SERVANTS. 1. Their faith was kindled by Mary's. It was apparently a foolish and capricious thing they were asked to do. Why should they be taken away from a useful work to one of supererogation? The guests had washed, and no more water was required. The first miracle thus brought out the necessity of faith for the work of Christ. 2. Their effort was needed also; just as much in its way as the power of Jesus: viz., to fill the water-pots, and to draw, and to bear. The first miracle, therefore, was wrought in accordance with God's law of labour, in which man cooperates with Himself. II. THE COMMAND OF JESUS. Notice — 1. The emptiness of the vessels, significant of — (1) The emptiness of Jewish rites which had no efficacy in themselves. (2) The induced insufficiency occasioned by Pharisaism which emptied the institutions of the Law of all their meaning by their abuse of them. As a man by pouring water into a full cup displaces some of the water already there, so by their works of supererogation they made the Law of none effect. (3) The emptiness of the institutions of Judaism of the significance they once possessed. They had served their purpose. The fulness of time had come. 2. The word of Jesus indicates — (1) That He came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it. (2) As He Him. self did so He commands others to do: fill the water-pots, invest the latter with its significance, put the element of truth into the empty form, teaching and doing what it requires. (H. Macmillan, LL. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. WEB: Now there were six water pots of stone set there after the Jews' way of purifying, containing two or three metretes apiece.