Woman,In the cultural context of the time, addressing someone as "woman" was not disrespectful. It was a common and polite form of address, similar to "ma'am" today. Jesus uses this term elsewhere, such as when speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well (
John 4:21) and to Mary Magdalene after His resurrection (
John 20:15). This indicates a respectful yet formal tone.
what is that to you and to Me?
This phrase suggests a distinction between Jesus' mission and the concerns of others, even His mother. It implies that Jesus' actions are guided by divine purpose rather than human expectation. This echoes the idea that Jesus is about His Father's business, as seen inLuke 2:49 when He was found in the temple. The phrase can also be seen as a gentle reminder that His mission is not dictated by human agendas.
Jesus replied.
The fact that Jesus responds indicates His willingness to engage and clarify His mission. His response is not dismissive but rather sets the stage for understanding His divine timing and purpose. This interaction shows Jesus' awareness of His identity and mission, which is a recurring theme throughout the Gospels.
My hour has not yet come.
The "hour" refers to the appointed time for Jesus' crucifixion and glorification, a theme that recurs throughout the Gospel of John (e.g.,John 7:30, 8:20, 12:23). This statement underscores the divine timing of Jesus' mission, which is orchestrated by God the Father. It highlights the prophetic nature of Jesus' life, as His actions are in fulfillment of God's redemptive plan. The concept of "the hour" is central to understanding the unfolding of Jesus' ministry and the ultimate purpose of His coming.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
JesusThe central figure of the New Testament, the Son of God, who performs His first miracle at the wedding in Cana.
2.
Mary, the Mother of JesusShe approaches Jesus with a concern about the lack of wine at the wedding, demonstrating her faith in His ability to address the situation.
3.
Wedding at CanaThe setting for Jesus' first public miracle, turning water into wine, which signifies the beginning of His public ministry.
4.
DisciplesPresent at the wedding, they witness Jesus' miracle, which strengthens their belief in Him.
5.
ServantsThey follow Jesus' instructions to fill the jars with water, playing a role in the miracle.
Teaching Points
Understanding Divine TimingJesus' response to Mary highlights the importance of God's timing in our lives. We should seek to align our actions with His divine schedule.
Respectful AddressJesus' use of "Woman" is respectful and not dismissive, showing us the importance of addressing others with respect, even when we disagree.
Faith in ActionMary's approach to Jesus demonstrates faith. We should bring our concerns to Jesus, trusting in His wisdom and timing.
Role of ObedienceThe servants' obedience in filling the jars with water is crucial to the miracle. Our obedience to God's instructions can lead to His blessings.
Beginning of MinistryThis event marks the start of Jesus' public ministry, reminding us that God often uses ordinary circumstances to begin extraordinary works.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of John 2:4?
2.How does Jesus' response in John 2:4 demonstrate His divine authority and timing?
3.What can we learn about obedience from Mary's reaction to Jesus in John 2:4?
4.How does John 2:4 connect to Jesus' mission as seen in other Gospels?
5.In what ways can we trust God's timing in our own lives today?
6.How should Jesus' words in John 2:4 influence our understanding of His earthly ministry?
7.Why does Jesus address Mary as "Woman" in John 2:4?
8.What does Jesus mean by "My hour has not yet come" in John 2:4?
9.How does John 2:4 reflect Jesus' relationship with His mother?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from John 2?
11.What did Jesus mean by "My hour has not yet come"?
12.What did Jesus mean by 'My hour has not yet come'?
13.Why is the Samaritan woman unnamed, leaving no external historical record to corroborate the event in John 4?
14.What did Jesus mean by "Woman, Behold Your Son"?What Does John 2:4 Mean
Woman• Jesus addresses His mother with the term the renders “Woman,” the same respectful form He later uses from the cross (John 19:26).
• The title affirms Mary’s dignity while distancing familial privilege; Jesus is signaling that His ministry decisions flow from the Father’s timetable, not human expectations (John 5:19).
• Scripture shows this address used positively elsewhere (John 4:21; 20:13), undermining any notion of harshness.
"What is that to you and to Me?"• The phrase marks a gentle boundary: Mary’s concern (the wine shortage) and Jesus’ redemptive mission operate on different planes.
• Similar wording appears when individuals press for action outside God’s plan (2 Samuel 16:10;Mark 1:24), highlighting the contrast between human urgency and divine purpose.
• Jesus is not dismissive of the need—He will soon act—but He clarifies that any miracle must serve God’s revealed agenda, not mere social pressure (John 6:38).
Jesus replied• John often notes Jesus’ deliberate replies to draw attention to His self-disclosure (John 1:38; 3:3; 5:17).
• Every response, including this one, unveils the Father’s will and invites listeners to deeper faith (John 8:28).
• The exchange underscores that even intimate earthly relationships must yield to Jesus’ sovereign mission (Matthew 12:50).
My hour has not yet come.• “Hour” in John consistently points to the climactic moment of Jesus’ sacrificial death and subsequent glorification (John 7:30; 8:20; 12:23–24; 13:1; 17:1).
• By declaring the hour “not yet,” Jesus affirms that each sign will unfold in precise sequence to reveal His identity and lead to the cross (John 20:31).
• The statement foreshadows the controlled, purposeful progression of events: water becomes wine now, but only later will blood and water flow from His side for humanity’s redemption (John 19:34).
summaryJohn 2:4 records Jesus respectfully re-orienting His mother—and every reader—to God’s sovereign timetable. He honors Mary, sets a boundary against human agenda, and points forward to the predetermined “hour” of the cross. The verse teaches that every request, even from those closest to Him, must submit to the Father’s plan, and every miracle anticipates the ultimate sign of His saving death and resurrection.
(4)
Woman, what have I to do with thee?--This is an old battle-ground between Protestant and Romanist expositors. The former have found in each clause of the sentence a condemnation of Mariolatry; the latter have sought explanations not inconsistent with their faith and practice. It may be hoped that the day is now past, when anything other than thoughts of reverence and honour is to be connected with the title "Woman," least of all in the words of One who claimed as His own highest dignity Sonship of, identity with, humanity; and who was here addressing the mother to whom He had been subject, and from whom His own humanity had been derived. Were proof needed of the tenderness which underlies the word as used by Him, it would be found in the other instances which the Gospels supply. . It is spoken only to the Syro-Ph?nician whose faith is great (
Matthew 15:28); to the daughter of Abraham loosed from her infirmity (
Luke 13:12); and, in this Gospel, to the Samaritan embracing the higher faith (
John 4:21); perhaps to the sinner whom He does not condemn (
John 8:10); to the same mother from the cross (
John 19:26); and to Mary Magdalene in tears (
John 20:13;
John 20:15). . . .
Verse 4. - With this thought, the reply of Jesus to the premature suggestion of the mother becomes perfectly comprehensible.
What is there to me and thee, O woman? Mine hour has not yet come. The appellation "woman" was used by him upon the cross, when he was concerned most humanly and tenderly with her great grief and desolation, and therefore had no breath of unfilial harshness in it (cf.
John 19:26; Dio Cassius, 'Hist.,' 51:12, where Augustus addresses Cleopatra,
Θαρσεῖ ῶ γύναι. Maldonatus admits that Catholics "in varias tamen de sensu hujus loci sententias distracti sunt"). But the proverbial
Τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί; wheresoever the words occur, imply, if net personal estrangement, yet as to the matter in hand some divergence of feeling (see
Matthew 8:29;
Mark 1:24;
Luke 8:28; see also
2 Samuel 16:10;
1 Kings 17:18;
2 Chronicles 35:21). Almost all commentators seem to suggest that our Lord refused to be guided by a mother's direction; that he wished her to understand that he was breaking off from her control and from that silent submission which he had hitherto willingly yielded (so Meyer, Hengstenberg, Godet, Westcott, Tholuck, Ebrard, and Lange). Schaff has quoted from the Fathers before the Nestorian controversy dear proof that they admitted censure, and therefore blame, in the blessed Virgin Mary. Still, it seems to me that the cause of the censure, coupled with an immediate response to her special request about the wine, has not been sufficiently appreciated, he said, "Mine hour is not yet come." It would have come if the provision of wine was the ground of divergence of sentiment; if the moment for the supply of these temporal wants were the point of difference between them. The "hour" for Christ to tell the world all that Mary knew had
not come. The hour of the full revelation of his Messianic claims had not come, nor did it come in the temple, or by the lake, or in the feast day; not till the awful moment of rejection, when death was hovering over him, and the blow was about to fall, did he say, "The hour has come" (see
John 12:23;
John 17:1) - the hour of his greatest glory. "The hour had not yet come." The hour would come when rivers of living water would be supplied to all those who come to him; when the blood he would shed would be a Divine stream, clear as crystal, for the refreshment of all nations; when at another marriage supper of a saved humanity the precious blood should be an ample supply of costly wine for all the world. Moreover, the link at the present moment between our Lord and his mother must begin to shade into something more spiritual. It was not possible that he should be holden by it. A sword would pierce through her maternal heart when she became gradually alive to the fact that they that do the will of his Father, the same were his "brothers, sisters, and mother."
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
“Woman,γύναι(gynai)Noun - Vocative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1135:A woman, wife, my lady. Probably from the base of ginomai; a woman; specially, a wife.why [does this concern]Τί(Ti)Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5101:Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.us?”ἐμοὶ(emoi)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473:I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.JesusἸησοῦς(Iēsous)Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2424:Of Hebrew origin; Jesus, the name of our Lord and two other Israelites.replied.λέγει(legei)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3004:(a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.“Myμου(mou)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473:I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.hourὥρα(hōra)Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5610:Apparently a primary word; an 'hour'.{has} not yetοὔπω(oupō)Adverb
Strong's 3768:Not yet. From ou and po; not yet.come.”ἥκει(hēkei)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2240:To have come, be present, have arrived. A primary verb; to arrive, i.e. Be present.
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NT Gospels: John 2:4 Jesus said to her Woman what does (Jhn Jo Jn) 
