What does John 2:4 mean?

In modern written English, Jesus' response to His mother can be misinterpreted as blunt, even rude. This is a quirk of translating from one language to another. In the original Greek, His reply was very formal and polite. The term "woman" could also be thought of as "madam" (John 19:26; 20:13). The phrase Jesus used is a common Greek expression which implies that two things are not related. Examples are Mark 1:24 and Mark 5:7. A more modern phrasing of Jesus' response would be, "Madam, what does this have to do with me?"

This is also the first of many references to "time" in the gospel of John. Jesus is constantly aware that He is on a divine schedule. Everything needs to happen at the right time. Since toasts were common at celebrations like this, it's also possible that Jesus literally meant that it was not yet His turn to offer a toast.

It's important to note that Mary does not command Jesus, nor does He defer to her immediately. Rather, he questions her timing and her purpose. And yet—also important—is that He did not say, "no."