Albert Barnes Commentary John 2

And the third day – On the third day after his conversation with Nathanael.

Cana – This was a small town about 15 miles northwest of Tiberias and 6 miles northeast of Nazareth. It is now called Kefr Kenna, is under the government of a Turkish officer, and contains perhaps 300 inhabitants, chiefly Catholics. The natives still pretend to show the place where the water was turned into wine, and even one of the large stone water-pots.

“A Greek church,” says Professor Hackett (Illustrations of Scripture, p. 322), “stands at the entrance of the town, deriving its special sanctity, as I understood, from its being supposed to occupy the site of the house in which the marriage was celebrated to which Jesus and his friends were invited. A priest to whom we were referred as the custodian soon arrived, in obedience to our call, and unlocked the doors of the church. It is a low stone building.”

“The houses,” says Dr. Thomson (The Land and the Book, vol. ii, p. 126), “were built of limestone, cut and laid up after the fashion still common in this region, and some of them may have been inhabited within the last fifty years. There are many ancient cisterns about it, and fragments of water-jars in abundance; both reminded us of the ‘beginning of miracles.’ Some of my companions gathered bits of these water-jars as mementos. Witnesses they could hardly be, for those of the narrative were of ‘stone,’ while these were baked earth.”

The place is now quite deserted. Dr. Thomson says, “There is not now a habitable house in the humble village where our blessed Lord sanctioned, by his presence and miraculous assistance, the all-important and world-wide institution of marriage.”

It was called “Cana of Galilee” to distinguish it from another Cana in the tribe of Ephraim, Joshua 16:9. This was Nathanael’s native place, John 21:2.

The mother of Jesus – Mary. It is not improbable that she was a relative of the family where the marriage took place.

His disciples. These were the disciples he had made when he was in Judea. These were Peter, Andrew, Philip, and Nathanael. They were not yet called to be apostles, but they believed that he was the Messiah. The miracle performed here was undoubtedly to convince them more fully that he was the Christ.

When they wanted wine. A marriage feast among the Jews was commonly observed for seven or eight days. It is not probable that there would be a lack of wine at the marriage itself, and it is possible, therefore, that Jesus came there some time during the marriage feast.

They have no wine. It is not known why Mary told this to Jesus. It would seem that she had a belief that he was able to supply it, though he had not yet worked a miracle.

Woman. This term, as used here, seems to imply reproof, as if she were interfering in what did not properly concern her. However, it is evident that no such reproof or disrespect was intended by the use of the term woman instead of mother. It is the same term by which He tenderly addressed Mary Magdalene after His resurrection (John 20:15) and His mother when He was on the cross (John 19:26). (John 4:21; 1 Corinthians 7:16).

What have I to do with thee? (John 2:4). See the notes on Matthew 8:29 for this expression.

This expression is sometimes used to denote indignation or contempt (2 Samuel 16:10; 1 Kings 17:18).

But it is not probable that the expression denoted either indignation or contempt in this instance. If it did, it was a mild reproof of Mary for attempting to control or direct Him in His power of working miracles. Most of the ancient commentators supposed this to be the intention of Jesus.

The words sound harsh to us, but they might have been spoken in a tender manner and not have been intended as a reproof.

It is clear that He did not intend to refuse to provide wine, but only to delay it a little. The design was, therefore, to compose Mary’s anxiety and to prevent her from being solicitous about it.

It may, then, be expressed thus:

"My mother, do not be anxious. This should not be a matter of solicitude for you and for me. The proper time for My intervening has not yet come. When that time comes, I will provide a supply, and in the meantime, neither you nor I should be solicitous."

Thus understood, it is so far from being a harsh reproof that it was a mild exhortation for her to dismiss her fears and to put proper trust in Him.

Mine hour, etc. (John 2:4). This means My time, the proper time for My intervening.

Perhaps the wine was not yet entirely exhausted. The wine had begun to fail, but He would not work a miracle until it was entirely gone, so that the miracle might be free from all possibility of suspicion.

It does not mean that the proper time for His working a miracle or entering on His public work had not come, but rather that the proper time for His intervening in that situation had not yet arrived.

His mother saith, etc. It is evident from this verse that his mother did not understand what he had said as a harsh reproof and repulse, but as an indication of his willingness at the proper time to furnish wine. In all this transaction he demonstrated the appropriate feelings of a son toward a mother.