John 2:4 Commentary and Bible Study

But it was not strictly right for her to ask, and the Lord makes the point to her, ‘Jesus saith unto her, Woman …’, or lady if you like. It sounds bad in our translation – ‘Woman’. No, no doubt the response was courteous and gentle. But ‘Lady’, not ‘Mother’, because he is making a point. ‘Lady, what have I do to with thee?’ How does this concern me? The Greek is literally, ‘What is it to you and to me?’, in other words, ‘What idea do we have in common on this matter?’ ‘I have come for a great coming hour’, says the Lord. I have come for my passion and crucifixion, as I purchase pardon for many who trust in me. I am embarking on my Messianic work. I will be walking to a plan, in which everything is determined by my Father and I and the Spirit in eternity past. The plan will be followed. I cannot be prevailed upon for just family interests.But the way he said it somehow – although the point was made to her, and Mary would have thought to herself, in future, I must not ask – yet, there was something about the way he said it which gave her confidence that he would nevertheless act in this case. There were unspoken words here, and Mary seems to grasp them: ‘Therefore if I act in this case, it is in connection with my great objective to make an atonement and to redeem the human race, a sign related to that.’ Mary understood it and she knew he was going to act; therefore she speaks to the servants.