John 2:4 (WEB)
Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with you and me? My hour has not yet come.”
As quoted in the map (KJV)
John 2:4 (KJV)
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.
Key words
- γύναιgynai · Greek
- 'Woman' — the vocative of gynē. Respectful, but there is no other known case in ancient Jewish literature of a son addressing his mother this way; John uses it to identify Mary with the 'woman' of Genesis 3:15.
- τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοίti emoi kai soi · Greek
- 'what have I to do with thee' — a Hebrew idiom (2 Samuel 16:10; 1 Kings 17:18) marking a difference of concern, not a rebuke.
- ὥραhōra · Greek
- 'hour' — in John, the hour of Jesus' passion and glorification (12:23; 13:1).
Why it matters
Jesus addresses his mother as 'Woman' and speaks of his 'hour.' Pitre argues that the strange title is deliberate: it marks Mary as the Woman of Genesis 3:15, the New Eve, and the 'hour' points forward to the cross, where he will call her 'Woman' once more. Cana and Calvary are the two bookends of John's Gospel, and Mary stands at both.
Catechism · 2
The Sacrament of Matrimony
“On the threshold of his public life Jesus performs his first sign - at his mother's request - during a wedding feast.” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Jn 2:1-11.
In the Fullness of Time
The Gospel reveals to us how Mary prays and intercedes in faith. At Cana, The mother of Jesus asks her son for the needs of a wedding feast; this is the sign of another feast - that of the wedding of the Lamb where he…
Fathers and councils · 36
Augustine of Hippo
“Mine hour is not yet come.”” — editor's note: John ii. 4
Read the whole comment“Further, he informs us that on the third day, when He was yet in Galilee, Jesus wrought the miracle of the turning of the water into wine at Cana.” — editor's note: John ii. 1–11.
Read the whole comment“This account of the multitude of sellers who were cast out of the temple is given by all the evangelists; but John introduces it in a remarkably different order.” — editor's note: Matt. xxi. 10–13; Mark xi. 15–17; Luke xix. 45, 46; John ii. 1–17.
Read the whole comment“And there, although the evangelist himself mentions His mother by that very name, He nevertheless addresses her thus: “Woman, what have I to do with thee?”” — editor's note: John ii. 1–11.
Read the whole comment“This, without a doubt, was the hour whereof Jesus, when about to turn the water into wine, had said to His mother, “Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.”” — editor's note: Chap. ii. 4.
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Tertullian
“He was truly both seen and heard upon the mount; true and real was the draught of that wine at the marriage of (Cana in) Galilee; true and real also was the touch of the then believing Thomas.” — editor's note: John ii. 1–10.
Read the whole comment“…without water: if, that is, He is Himself baptized in water; inaugurates in water the first rudimentary displays of His power, when invited to the nuptials; invites the thirsty, when He makes a discourse, to His own sempiternal water; approves, when teaching concerning love, among works of charity, the cup of water…” — editor's note: John ii. 1–11.
Read the whole comment“…that “man gluttonous and toping,” the “frequenter of luncheons and suppers, in the company of publicans and sinners,” sups once for all at a single marriage, though, of course, many were marrying (around Him); for He willed to attend (marriages) only so often as (He willed) them to be.” — editor's note: See John ii. 1–11.
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Irenaeus of Lyons
“…to partake of the cup of emblematic significance, the Lord, checking her untimely haste, said, “Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come”— waiting for that hour which was foreknown by the Father.” — editor's note: John ii. 4.
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Athanasius of Alexandria
- Athanasius of Alexandria, Against the Arians III.4Discourse III
“He did then the Father’s works through the flesh; and as truly contrariwise were the affections of the flesh displayed in Him; for instance, He inquired and He raised Lazarus, He chid His Mother, saying, ‘My hour is not yet come,’ and then at once He made the water wine.” — editor's note: John ii. 4. ἐπέπληττε; and so ἐπετίμησε, Chrysost. in loc. Joan. and Theophyl. ὡς δεσπότης ἐπιτιμᾷ, Theodor. Eran. ii. p. 106. ἐντρέπει, Anon. ap. Corder. Cat.…
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Theodoret of Cyrus
“So too Christ our Lord Himself teaches us, at one time calling Himself Son of God and at another Son of man: at one time He gives honour to His Mother as to her that gave Him birth; at another He rebukes her as her Lord.” — editor's note: John ii. 4
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Gregory the Great
“Mine hour is not yet come (Joh. ii. 4).” — the author cites it
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Ambrose of Milan
“When sawest Thou the Father at a marriage-feast, turning water into wine?” — editor's note: S. John ii. 4. For the walking on the sea, vide S. Mark vi. 48.
Read the whole comment
John Chrysostom
“Ver.” — the author cites it
Read the whole comment“John ii. 4” — the author cites it
Read the whole comment“When indeed she unseasonably troubled Him, He said, “Woman, what have I to do with thee?” ( c. ii. 4.)” — the author cites it
Read the whole comment“Which He did also at the marriage.” — editor's note: John ii. 1–11.
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Jerome
“Not far off Cana will be visible, where the water was turned into wine.” — editor's note: Joh. ii. 1–11.
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Gregory of Nazianzus
“He who turned the water into wine, who is the destroyer of the bitter taste, who is Sweetness and altogether desire.” — editor's note: John ii. 1–11.
Read the whole comment“I will imitate Christ, the pure Grooms-man and Bridegroom, as He both wrought a miracle at a wedding, and honours wedlock with His Presence.” — editor's note: John ii. 1–11.
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Hippolytus of Rome
“This, he says, is the mighty and true beginning of miracles which Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee, and (thus) manifested the kingdom of heaven.” — editor's note: John ii. 1–11.
Read the whole comment“And that each thing, says (Basilides), has its own particular times, the Saviour is a sufficient (witness) when He observes, “Mine hour is not yet come.”” — editor's note: John ii. 4.
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Catena Aurea on John
- John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
Our Lord being known in Galilee, they invite Him to a marriage: And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee.
Read the whole comment - Alcuin of YorkCatena Aurea on John
Galilee is a province; Cana a village in it.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
They invite our Lord to the marriage, not as a great person, but merely as one they knew, one of the many; for which reason the Evangelist says, And the mother of Jesus was there. As they invited the mother, so they…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
Let the proud man blush to see the humility of God. Lo, among other things, the Son of the Virgin comes to a marriage; He who, when He was with the Father, instituted marriage.
Read the whole comment - BedeCatena Aurea on John
His condescension in coming to the marriage, and the miracle He wrought there, are, even considering them in the letter only, a strong confirmation of the faith. Therein too are condemned the errors of Tatian,…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
What marvel, if He went to that house to a marriage, Who came into this world to a marriage. For here He has His spouse whom He redeemed with His own blood, to whom He gave the pledge of the Spirit, and whom He…
Read the whole comment - BedeCatena Aurea on John
Nor is it without some mysterious allusion, that the marriage is related as taking-place on the third day. The first age of the world, before the giving of the Law, was enlightened by the example of the Patriarchs;…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
But how came it into the mother’s mind to expect so great a thing from her Son? for he had done no miracle as yet: as we read afterwards, This beginning of miracles did Jesus. His real nature, however, was beginning…
Read the whole comment - Alcuin of YorkCatena Aurea on John
She represents here the Synagogue, which challenges Christ to perform a miracle. It was customary with the Jews to ask for miracles. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee?
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
Some who derogate from the Gospel, and say that Jesus was not born of the Virgin Mary, try to draw an argument for their error from this place; for, how, say they, could she be His mother to whom He said, What have I…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
That He greatly venerated His mother, we know from St. Luke, who tells us that He was subject unto His parents. For where parents throw no obstacle in the way of God’s commands, it is our duty to be subject to them;…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
To mark a distinction between His Godhead and manhood, that according to His manhood He was inferior and subject, but according to His Godhead supreme, He saith, Woman, what have I to do with thee?
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
And for another reason, viz. to prevent any suspicion attaching to His miracles: for these it was proper should be asked for by those who wanted them, not by His mother. He wished to shew them that He would perform…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
Or it was because our Lord as God had not a mother, though as man He had, and the miracle He was about to work was the act of His Divinity, not of human infirmity. When therefore His mother demanded a miracle, He, as…
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Cross-references · 25
Cited together in Exposition of the Christian Faith IV.4.
Cited together in Homilies on John Homily 21.
Cited together in Exposition of the Christian Faith IV.4.
Cited together in Homilies on John Homily 21.
Cited together in Homilies on John Homily 21.
Cited together in Homilies on John Homily 21.
Cited together in Exposition of the Christian Faith IV.4.
Cited together in Catechism §2618.
Cited together in Catechism §2618.
Cited together in Catechism §2618 and 1 other place.
Cited together in Exposition of the Christian Faith IV.4.
Cited together in Epistles, Books IX–XIV X.11.
Cited together in Epistles, Books IX–XIV X.11.
Cited together in Homilies on John Homily 21.
Cited together in Exposition of the Christian Faith IV.4.
Cited together in Exposition of the Christian Faith IV.4.
Cited together in Exposition of the Christian Faith IV.4.
Cited together in Epistles, Books IX–XIV X.11.
Cited together in Exposition of the Christian Faith IV.4.
Cited together in The Refutation of All Heresies VII.15.
Cited together in The Refutation of All Heresies VII.15.
Cited together in Homilies on John Homily 21.
Cited together in Exposition of the Christian Faith IV.4.
Cited together in Epistles, Books IX–XIV X.11.
Cited together in Exposition of the Christian Faith IV.4.