John 2:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”

NIV: Woman, why do you involve me?' Jesus replied. 'My hour has not yet come.'

NASB: And Jesus *said to her, 'What business do you have with Me, woman? My hour has not yet come.'

CSB: "What has this concern of yours to do with me, woman? " Jesus asked. "My hour has not yet come."

NLT: Dear woman, that’s not our problem,' Jesus replied. 'My time has not yet come.'

KJV: Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.

NKJV: Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.”

In modern English, Jesus' response to His mother comes across as blunt, even rude. This is a quirk of translating from one language to another. In the original Greek, His reply was very formal, and polite. The term "woman" could also be thought of as "madam," such as in John 19:26 and John 20:13. The phrase Jesus used is a common Greek expression used to imply that two things are not related. Examples are Mark 1:24 and Mark 5:7. A more modern phrasing of Jesus' response would be, "Madam, what does this have to do with me?"

This is also the first of many references to "time" from Jesus. He is constantly aware that He is on a divine schedule, and everything needs to happen at the right time. Since toasts were common at celebrations like this, it's also possible that Jesus literally meant that it was not yet His turn to offer a toast. Also, we should note that simply because Jesus asked Mary what her motivations were, He didn't say "no."

John 2:1–12 describes Jesus’ first miracle, which is turning water into wine at a wedding. This miracle was very quiet, known only to a few people. Changing water, meant for purification, into wine, symbolic of blood, is a reference to Jesus’ role as Messiah. Instead of rituals, we are purified by the miraculous blood of Christ. John specifically uses the Greek word semeion, or “sign,” for these miracles, since they are meant to prove that Jesus is God. This is the first of seven such signs in the gospel of John.

Jesus attends a wedding where He performs His first miracle: turning water into wine. This is symbolic of His transformation of human rituals into divine sacrifice. Few people are even aware that a miracle has occurred. Jesus then drives crooked businessmen out of the temple, scolding them for turning a sacred place into a market place.

Chapter 2 begins to show Jesus’ “signs,” or miracles, which will prove that He is the Savior. The miracles will grow more and more spectacular, but they start quietly. Contrast is an important part of the gospel of John. The quiet, joyful miracle at the wedding is very different from the loud public spectacle of clearing the temple. Jesus’ first miracle symbolizes His mission. During the temple clearing, He also predicts His death and resurrection.

The gospel of John was written by the disciple John, decades later than the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls “signs”—in order to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in all of the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.

Accessed 5/6/2024 2:34:58 AM