What were the waterpots of stone in John 2:6?

The first miracle Jesus performed in His public ministry took place at a wedding in Cana of Galilee (John 2:1–12). Jesus, His mother, and His disciples were present when the wine ran out during the days-long celebration. To meet the need, Jesus instructed nearby servants to fill nearby pots with water. These were “six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews” (John 2:6, KJV). These large stone containers, each able to hold 20 to 30 gallons, were used for Jewish ceremonial cleansing before meals or religious rituals.

Ceremonial washing was an important practice in first-century Judaism. The Gospel of Mark explains: “The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders” (Mark 7:3). A ceremonial washing did not necessarily mean that a person’s hands were dirty; rather, it was a symbolic act expressing one’s awareness of his spiritual uncleanness and the need for purity.

Stone pots were used to hold water for ceremonial cleansing because clay containers could render water impure. Unlike clay, stone was not porous and was believed to remain ritually clean. The Law of Moses stated that, if the carcass of an unclean animal such as a lizard “falls into a clay pot, everything in it will be unclean, and you must break the pot” (Leviticus 11:33). While the law doesn’t specifically mention stone vessels, the implication is that stone, unlike clay, would not absorb impurities and therefore did not become defiled.

The Jewish emphasis on ritual purity extended beyond handwashing. Mark adds, “When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles” (Mark 7:4). At the wedding in Cana, the Jews used the water in the stone jars for similar purification purposes. According to John 2:6, there were six waterpots present, likely because Jewish wedding celebrations in the first century often lasted up to a week. If each pot held 20 to 30 gallons of water, then the wedding guests would have access to a total of 120 to 180 gallons for ceremonial washing.

At some point during the celebration, the wine ran out, possibly with several days remaining. This would have been an embarrassing situation for the hosts and a disruption to the party. In turning the water to wine, Jesus rescued the wedding host from being shamed. At the same time, He revealed His power over natural elements and showed Himself as the Provider.

Many interpreters find symbolic meaning in Jesus’ using vessels meant for purification to provide the wine. Jesus turned the waterpots’ ritual purpose into a celebratory one. This is a picture of how Jesus fulfills and replaces Jewish tradition with the New Covenant (see Jeremiah 31:31–34; Luke 22:20). The miracle illustrates John’s earlier description of Jesus: “The law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).

Later in John’s Gospel, Jesus encounters a woman at a well in Samaria. After their conversation, “the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, ‘Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?’” (John 4:28–29, ESV). In some ways, her abandoned jar was like the stone waterpots in John 2—its original use was forsaken in the presence of Jesus. In the woman’s case, she left behind her old way of life after discovering the living water Jesus offers.

Jesus’ first miracle served a larger purpose than helping out a wedding party. It pointed to Jesus’ identity as the Son of God. The story’s conclusion highlights this: “What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him” (John 2:11). The six stone waterpots played a key role in that miracle and add depth of understanding to who Jesus is and why He came.