λιθ. ὑδρ. ἓξ. As an eyewitness S. John remembers their material, number, and size. The surroundings of the first miracle would not easily be forgotten. Vessels of stone were less liable to impurity: it is idle to seek for special meaning in the number six.

καθαρισμόν. Matthew 15:2; Mark 7:3 (see note); Luke 11:39.

μετρητάς. A μετρητής = about nine gallons, so that ‘firkin’ is an almost exact equivalent. The six, holding from 18 to 27 gallons each, would together hold 106 to 162 gallons. Ἀνά is distributive; it cannot mean ‘towards’, ‘about’: Revelation 4:8. Winer, p. 497.

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Old Testament