Wedding Feast at Cana

While attending a wedding feast in Cana, the wine ran out. Mary's confidence in coming to Jesus with the problem is worthy of note. As a dutiful son Jesus had always been attentive to her desires, and had found an appropriate solution to every problem. Whether Mary expected Jesus to perform a miracle, which He had not done before (see v. 11), is not clear from the Gospel narrative. Possibly the presence of Jesus and His disciples had attracted a crowd.

Jesus spoke respectfully to His mother. That Mary did not understand Jesus' reply as a refusal is evident from her instructions to the servants (see John 2:5). She was satisfied that Jesus would supply the need in His own good time and way. Throughout His private life in Nazareth, Jesus had honored the authority of His mother in fact He ever remained a dutiful son in the sphere where that relationship properly prevailed. But now He was no longer a private individual, and Mary did not appreciate fully the limits this placed on her authority over Jesus. She might feel she had the right, in some degree at least, to direct Him in His mission. Accordingly, in these clear—cut but courteous words Jesus sought to make clear to her the distinction between His relation to her as the Son of man and as the Son of God. His love for her was unchanged, but now He must labor from day to day under the direction of His heavenly Father.

Mary apparently hoped that Jesus would, upon this occasion, proclaim Himself the Messiah, but the time for such an announcement had not arrived. There was an appointed time for each event in His life. Not until the very close of His ministry did Jesus publicly claim to be the Messiah, and because of this claim He was crucified. Not until the night of the betrayal did Jesus say, "My time is at hand" (Matt. 26:18).

When Christ turned water into wine, this miracle provided the early disciples with the first visible evidence of divine power working through Christ, fortified them against the unbelief and antipathy of the Jewish leaders, and provided them with their first opportunity to testify to their new—found faith. Also, it honored Mary's trust. In a practical way it expressed the sympathetic interest of Jesus in human happiness.