John Calvin Commentary John 2:3

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

The mother of Jesus says to him. It may be doubted if she expected or asked anything from her Son, since he had not yet performed any miracle; and it is possible that, without expecting any remedy of this sort, she advised him to give some pious exhortations that would prevent the guests from feeling uneasy and, at the same time, relieve the shame of the bridegroom. I consider her words to be expressive of (συμπαθεία) earnest compassion. For the holy woman, perceiving that those invited were likely to consider themselves disrespected and to murmur against the bridegroom, and that the entertainment might thus be disturbed, wished that some means of soothing them could be adopted. Chrysostom throws out a suspicion that she was moved by the feelings of a woman to seek I do not know what favor for herself and her Son; but this conjecture is not supported by any argument.