THE WITNESSES
FIRST SIGN
91
AND
Before proceeding it is necessary to notice the material with which
the Lord worked.
`And there were set there six water pots of stone, after the manner
of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece'
(John 2:6).
Authorities differ as to the exact amount of water a firkin
represents. The LXX uses the word to translate the Hebrew measure
of a `bath' (2 Chron. 4:5). Josephus says, `Now a bath is able to
contain seventy-two sextaries' (Ant. viii. 2, 9). As a sextarie was a
little under an English pint, a firkin was probably about eight or nine
gallons. The Companion Bible gives for `bath', `about six English
gallons', and for `firkin', `about nine gallons'. If we take the highest
figures, that is six water pots at three firkins, and each firkin reckoned
as nine gallons, we have a total of one hundred and sixty-two gallons;
if we take the lowest figures, six water pots at two firkins and each
firkin reckoned as six gallons, we have the total seventy-two gallons,
which gives us a mean of 117 gallons. This amount of water may
seem excessive, but we have checked our findings with other
commentators and find that there is general agreement. Alford makes
the amount 126 gallons; a figure endorsed by Bloomfield. Theodoret,
born at Antioch A.D. 386, says, `Follow in these things Josephus, who
well understood the measures of the nation'.
It was the ceremonial necessities of the Jews that brought into
requisition such large quantities of water. For instance, we learn from
a rabbinical writer, that:
`They allot a fourth part of a log (a log is two-thirds of a pint) for
the washing of one person's hands, it may be of two; half a log for
three or four; and a whole log for five or ten, to a hundred; with the
provision, said Rabbi Jose, that the last that washeth, hath no less
than a fourth of a log to himself' (Jadaim Cap. i. pat. 1).
It will thus be seen that so large a quantity of water as has been
considered would not be at all out of place for a festival lasting seven
days, and at which a number of guests were present.
The question that now arises is `Why was so enormous a quantity
of wine provided at the end of the feast?' To this question all sorts of
answers have been given. Unbelievers and critics have cavilled at it or
made unseemly fun of it. Devout commentators have sought to justify