2:6<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 2:6\u00a0 six water pots of stone that were set for the purification of the Jews, which each held two or three liquid measures <\/strong>–\u00a0 For years archaeologists could not understand the reason for these huge stone pots which held two or three measures (about 20 gallons).\u00a0 Why would anyone spend hundreds of hours hollowing out stone pots of this size?\u00a0 The answer to this question was found in the Dead Sea Scrolls.\u00a0 The Temple Scroll discusses what happens when a house is exposed to uncleanness (for example if a person dies in the house, or a leper or menstruating woman enters the house).\u00a0 The Scroll indicates that anyone who enters the house becomes unclean and any food in the house becomes unclean.\u00a0 Then the scroll says \u201cEarthen vessels become unclean, together with their contents\u2026\u201d<\/em> (11Q19-20 Col. 49, 5-9) .\u00a0 Earthen vessels (such as pottery) and wooden containers would become unclean along with their contents.\u00a0 However stone vessels did not become unclean and so their contents were protected and also did not become unclean.\u00a0 This new information sheds light on this passage in Yochanan.\u00a0 These \u201cstone pots<\/strong>\u201d were \u201cset for the purification of the Jews<\/strong>\u201d because they remained pure and their contents were protected from ritual impurity.\u00a0 This is very good evidence that the book was written by a Jew living in Israel in the first century who was aware of the existence and purpose of these stone pots<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2:14-15<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 2:14-15 moneychangers<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n The reference is to Money Changers who would exchange various unkosher coins (such as Roman coins) for kosher shekels for the Temple Tax. The practice is mentioned in the Mishna:<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the fifteenth of the same month [Adar] they set up money changers\u2019 tables in the provinces. On the twenty-fifth [of Adar] they set them up in the Temple. \u2026 (m.Shekalim 1:3)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n They may have been exchanging Roman coins with pagan images on them (see comments to Lk. 20:22-25) for kosher Temple coins. Also, because of the burden of the journey to the Temple people would convert shekels<\/em><\/strong> to darics<\/em><\/strong> for the journey and exchange the darics<\/em><\/strong> back to shekels<\/em><\/strong> upon reaching the Temple (as stated in m.Shek. 2:1).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yeshua sees them as a robber\u2019s den (see Mt. 21:13). This may be because they were taking advantage and not making fair exchanges, or it may be because they were extracting the tax from people annually rather than just once in their lifetime (see comments to Mt. 17:24-27)<\/p>\n\n\n\n A Marginal note in a versified 8th<\/sup> century Bible manuscript known as the Aurora of Peter Riga<\/em><\/strong> gives a citation on this event from the Goodnews according to the Hebrews<\/em><\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the Gospel books which the Nazarenes use we read: Rays went forth from his eyes, by which they were frightened and fled.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n This is likely the source for a similar comment made by the fourth century \u201cChurch Father\u201d Jerome who elsewhere frequently quotes from the Goodnews according to the Hebrews <\/em><\/strong>gives the following citation without giving a source:<\/p>\n\n\n\n