When the wine has run out, we notice that Mary, whom John always identifies only as “the mother of Jesus”, states,
"They have no wine" (John 2:3).
This might appear to be a simple declaration of what has happened, but we learn from Jesus’ response that there is clearly an implication that He should do something about the situation.
"Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come" (John 2:4).
On first reading, the words of Jesus might seem uncaring as He addresses His mother as “Woman”. However, the only other time John records Jesus speaking so directly to her is at the cross. There He uses the same term when He shows loving care and concern for her wellbeing and charges John with looking after her.
“When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, ‘Woman, behold your son!’ Then He said to the disciple, ‘Behold your mother!’ And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home” (John 19:26-27).
Another curious aspect of Jesus’ response to His mother is the statement, “What does your concern have to do with me?” This could also be translated, “What do you and I have in common?” Jesus was now in His public ministry and His relationship with Mary had changed. Although He was her son, more importantly He was her Lord. He was the eternal, holy Son of God, and she, like every other human, was a sinner who needed a Saviour.
The Lord Jesus had a single purpose to do His Father’s will and did not need to take instructions from anyone else.
“Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work’” (John 4:34).
“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 6:38).
The admonishment that came from the lips of the Lord Jesus was received by Mary, as is evidenced by the next sentence she utters, not this time to the Lord Jesus but to servants at the wedding.
"Whatever He says to you, do it" (John 2:5b).
She had taken the gentle rebuke from Jesus in the correct manner and her simple words reflect a mind that realized the one who spoke to her was her Lord.
The subsequent events at the wedding show that there was great blessing for submitting to the Lord’s commands.
Servants diligently filled six large pots with water, without questioning how their actions would resolve the immediate problem of having no wine. Their submission was rewarded when they drew the water, took it to the master of the feast and saw that the water they drew had become wine. Due to their submission to Him, they witnessed a miracle and saw something of Christ’s glory.
“When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew) . . .” (John 2:9).
“This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him” (John 2:11).
There are many lessons to be learnt from the account that John documents, but we will focus on an extremely significant one:
Submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ will bring blessing.
This is a lesson that applies to all people. The Lord Jesus does not speak in a direct verbal communication to us today, but He does speak through His Word. The question we ought to ask ourselves is, “What am I being told to do, and will I submit to His Lordship?”
The Bible is full of God’s commands, and obedience will always bring blessing, now and in the future. Obviously, we cannot consider them all but the first command that everyone must obey is to be saved. This is God’s will for all mankind, that they repent of selfish living, confess that Jesus is Lord and trust Him as their Saviour.
“if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).
“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3,4).
If you have taken that step of obedience then you have eternal life and that’s a tremendous blessing, but read and listen to God’s Word and you will hear his voice through it, not audibly but internally, instructing you in His ways.
“Blessed is every one who fears the LORD, who walks in His ways” (Psalm 128:1).
