Wedding At Cana

Mary understood the serious social embarrassment and the potential legal implications. So she went to Jesus and said, "We have no wine!” She was in distress over this situation. It is possible that Mary might have had responsibility for the wine. That would have made the situation even more urgent to her. But apparently she also saw an opportunity for Jesus to let the wedding guests know that He was the Messiah.

So Jesus responds with, “Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.” In Jesus’ day “Woman” was an expression of respect. We can see that by the fact that while Mary was standing at the foot of the cross Jesus asked the Apostle John to care for her and called her “woman” (John 19:26). That was a soft, emotional moment and not a time of rebuke. Jesus did not rebuke her but simply told her that His time had not yet come.

The Miracle. The expression “my hour” occurs many times in the gospel of John (John 7:30; 8:20; 12:23, 27; 13:1; 17:1). Every time it occurs, it always refers to Jesus’ future death on the cross, and so it does here too! He was simply telling Mary that the timing was all wrong. Mary knew who Jesus was. She knew that He was the Messiah, and she probably realized that He was God. She was no longer a young woman holding a baby remembering the wonders of shepherds and magi or of a child talking with rabbis in Jerusalem. This time a distressed mother was also trying to help Him complete His ministry.

So she had encouraged Him to do some significant work - to do a great miracle. But He said, “No!” His greater miracles would come later. This is a great lesson for us. God does not perform miracles just any time, according to our desires, or when we want them. God plans His miracles. Even though Jesus was unwilling to do exactly what Mary wanted, Jesus was still willing to help, and Mary knew it. Jesus did not submit Himself to her. He was no longer in subjection to her. He was no longer a child. So this anxious mother tells the servants to obey Him.