A chiasm is a literary structure where vocabulary of the first section of a passage is repeated in reverse order in the second. The center of the chiasm is typically the climax of the passage. In John 2:1-12 the center and climax is the size of the waterpots that were going to be turned into wine – 180 gallons! (John 2:6). 2:1-12 the center and climax is the size of the waterpots that were going to be turned into wine – 180 gallons! (John 2:6).