He, by a miraculous power, turned water into wine —
[It is probable, that, when it was known that Jesus was to be at the feast, more guests came than had in the first instance been expected. Hence, after a time, the wine which had been provided, was exhausted. On this account the mother of Jesus intimated to him, that this would be a good occasion for exercising that miraculous power which she knew him to possess. But this was a liberty which she was not authorized to take : and therefore our Lord gently and respectfully reproved it ; saying, " Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come3." From the direction which she immediately gave to the servants, it is evident that she did not consider the answer as a refusal, but only as an intimation that the time and manner of displaying his own glory must be left altogether to him. (We may here observe, by the way, that, if she was reproved for offering him advice when he was on earth, what shall we think of the Papists, who pray to her to issue her commands to him, now that he is on his throne in heaven ?) At the season he saw fit, he ordered the servants to fill with water six large water-pots, which had been placed there with a view to some purifications or ceremonial ablutions, and they were immediately " filled to the brim." He then ordered the servants to draw out from those vessels, and to carry the cup to the governor of the feast. The governor, unconscious of the miracle that had been wrought (which, however, the servants who had drawn the water knew), com- mended highly the superior flavour of this wine, and thus unintentionally proclaimed the miracle to the whole company. It was a miracle that did not admit of any doubt : for the vessels, being all filled to the brim, did not admit of any wine being mixed with it : and all the servants were vouchers for the miracle, and witnesses that no collusion had been prac- tised.]
By this miracle he manifested forth his glory —
[By it he demonstrated his sufficiency for the work he had undertaken : for after that act of omnipotence and love, what was there that he either could not, or would not, effect in behalf of those who trusted in him ? Whatever might be their wants for the body, he could supply them in an instant ; or, whatever might be their necessities for their souls, he could make ample provision for them in the hour of need. And if in this instance he had wrought a miracle to give them what might easily have been dispensed with, what would he not do
a Tvvai, woman, was as respectful a term as any he could use. Persons of the highest distinction were so addressed.