Charles Spurgeon Commentary John 2:3

"And when the wine failed, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine." — John 2:3 (ASV)

I notice that John calls Mary "the mother of Jesus." I suppose he had in his mind the dying word of Christ, "Behold thy mother!"

Such things make a deep impression upon us; and we are apt, when writing, to use the phrases that have been burnt into the memory.

"The mother of Jesus." Because she has been too much exalted in the Romish church, I fear that we run to the other extreme and think too little of this woman to whom the angel Gabriel said, "Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women."

"They wanted wine." They had not been long married before there was want in the house. Even in the brightest days of life, they wanted something more.

The mother of Jesus saw that they were in want, and that the marriage festival would be dishonoured; so she went to her son and she said, "They have no wine." I fear she spoke a little like an ordinary mother addressing her son, but the time had come when that discipline was to end.

Mary was not his mother as the Son of God. He was about to work a miracle, and he would have her and all his relatives know that he would not use his miraculous powers merely for their advantage, but for the glory of God and the instruction of men.