Question & Answer – Was Jesus rude to His mother, as recorded in John 2:4?

“ ‘Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come.’

“His manner was respectful, yet firm; He designed to teach Mary that the time for her to control Him as a mother, was ended. His mighty work now lay before Him, and no one must direct concerning the exercise of His divine power. There was danger that Mary would presume upon her relationship to Christ, and feel that she had special claims upon Him and special rights. As Son of the Most High, and Saviour of the world, no earthly ties must hold Him from His divine mission, nor influence the course He must pursue. It was needful that He should stand free from every personal consideration, ready to do the will of His Father in Heaven.

“Jesus loved His mother tenderly … but the time had now come when He was to go about His Father’s business. In rebuking His mother, Jesus also rebukes a large class who have an idolatrous love for their family, and allow the ties of relationship to draw them from the service of God. Human love is a sacred attribute; but should not be allowed to mar our religious experience, or draw our hearts from God.

“The future life of Christ was mapped out before Him. His divine power had been hidden, and He had waited in obscurity and humiliation for thirty years, and was in no haste to act until the proper time should arrive. But Mary, in the pride of her heart, longed to see Him prove to the company that He was really the honored of God. … But He answered that His hour had not yet come. His time to be honored and glorified as King was not yet come; it was His lot to be a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

“The earthly relation of Christ to His mother was ended. He who had been her submissive son was now her divine Lord. Her only hope, in common with the rest of mankind, was to believe Him to be the Redeemer of the world, and yield Him implicit obedience. The fearful delusion of the Roman church exalts the mother of Christ equal with the Son of the Infinite God; but He, the Saviour, places the matter in a vastly different light, and in a pointed manner indicates that the tie of relationship between them in no way raises her to His level, or insures her future. Human sympathies must no longer affect the One whose mission is to the world.

“The mother of Christ understood the character of her Son, and bowed in submission to His will. She knew that He would comply with her request if it was best to do so. Her manner evidenced her perfect faith in his wisdom and power, and it was this faith to which Jesus responded in the miracle that followed.” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 2, 101–103.