We read that “when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto Him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come. His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it” (vss. 3-5). The following remark of another will help to make the meaning of this scripture clear: “At the feast (marriage) He would not know His mother: this was the link of His natural relation with Israel, which, looking at Him as born under the law, was His mother. He separates Himself from her to accomplish blessing.” This will serve to explain the typical nature of this scene to which allusion has been made. And truly it was so, that, if Jesus was born of a woman, born under the law, He had to die out from under all these relationships, having perfectly glorified God therein, and having redeemed those who were under the law by being made a curse for them, before He could effectuate Israel’s blessing. The corn of wheat had to fall into the ground and die if it were to bring forth much fruit.
But there is another thing to be remembered. Jesus had already communicated to His mother, as we have before seen, that He must be about His Father’s business, and having come to do His will, He did it at every step in communion with the Father, whether as to time or manner. As He Himself said, “The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do: for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise” (John 5:19-2019Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. 20For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth: and he will show him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. (John 5:19‑20)). It was impossible, therefore, for Him to receive a suggestion as to what He should do from Mary, and even by making it Mary was intruding into a province which was exclusively confined to the Father and the Son. That what she said was the prompting of kindness, and that it was, at the same time, expressive of her belief in the power of Jesus, can scarcely be denied, but in the region of Christ’s entire and perfect devotedness no voice could be heard but His whose will He had come to do. This will explain to us the words, “Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come.” (Commentators are sorely perplexed as to whether these words contained a rebuke. What has been said above will suffice for the answer: it may, however, be added that if a rebuke, it was given in the manner which would best serve to make the desired impression upon Mary’s heart.)