Yohanes 2:5-8

2:5 His mother told the servants, “Whatever he tells you, do it.” ¹ 

2:6 Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washing, ²  each holding twenty or thirty gallons. ³  2:7 Jesus told the servants, ⁴  “Fill the water jars with water.” So they filled them up to the very top. 2:8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the head steward,” ⁵  and they did.

Yohanes 11:39-41

11:39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” ⁶  Martha, the sister of the deceased, ⁷  replied, “Lord, by this time the body will have a bad smell, ⁸  because he has been buried ⁹  four days.” ¹⁰  11:40 Jesus responded, ¹¹  “Didn’t I tell you that if you believe, you would see the glory of God?” 11:41 So they took away ¹²  the stone. Jesus looked upward ¹³  and said, “Father, I thank you that you have listened to me. ¹⁴ 

[2:5]  ¹ tn The pronoun “it” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context.

[2:6]  ² tn Grk “for the purification of the Jews.”

[2:6]  ³ tn Grk “holding two or three metretes” (about 75 to 115 liters). Each of the pots held 2 or 3 μετρηταί (metrhtai). A μετρητῆς (metrhths) was about 9 gallons (40 liters); thus each jar held 18-27 gallons (80-120 liters) and the total volume of liquid involved was 108-162 gallons (480-720 liters).

[2:6]  sn Significantly, these jars held water for Jewish ceremonial washing (purification rituals). The water of Jewish ritual purification has become the wine of the new messianic age. The wine may also be, after the fashion of Johannine double meanings, a reference to the wine of the Lord’s Supper. A number have suggested this, but there does not seem to be anything in the immediate context which compels this; it seems more related to how frequently a given interpreter sees references to the sacraments in John’s Gospel as a whole.

[2:7]  ⁴ tn Grk “them” (it is clear from the context that the servants are addressed).

[2:8]  ⁵ tn Or “the master of ceremonies.”

[11:39]  ⁶ tn Or “Remove the stone.”

[11:39]  ⁷ tn Grk “the sister of the one who had died.”

[11:39]  ⁸ tn Grk “already he stinks.”

[11:39]  ⁹ tn Or “been there” (in the tomb – see John 11:17).

[11:39]  ¹⁰ sn He has been buried four days. Although all the details of the miracle itself are not given, those details which are mentioned are important. The statement made by Martha is extremely significant for understanding what actually took place. There is no doubt that Lazarus had really died, because the decomposition of his body had already begun to take place, since he had been dead for four days.

[11:40]  ¹¹ tn Grk “Jesus said to her.”

[11:41]  ¹² tn Or “they removed.”

[11:41]  ¹³ tn Grk “lifted up his eyes above.”

[11:41]  ¹⁴ tn Or “that you have heard me.”