This whole conversation proves that when the Most Holy Virgin said, "They have no wine," She hoped that Her divine Son would rescue the poor hosts from their difficult situation.
But why did She count on His miraculous power, when He had not yet performed a single miracle and had lived as an ordinary Man, though without sin? From the words of the angel who had announced the good tidings to Her, She knew Her Son's calling.
She knew that His conception and birth were supernatural, and that His whole life was under God's special protection. Keeping all this in Her heart (Lk 2:19), and revealing this mystery to no one, She did not doubt that the time would come when Her Son would appear as the Messiah, the Christ.
Therefore She gave Herself wholly to the will of God and calmly awaited the coming of that time. But now the report reached Her that the new Prophet John had proclaimed the imminent coming of the Deliverer.
She heard that he had refused to baptize Her Son, considering himself unworthy even to loose the strap of His sandal. Then he publicly testified that at His Baptism he had seen the Holy Spirit descending upon Him, and had heard the voice from heaven: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Mt 3:17).
Listening to these reports, the Theotokos understood that the long-awaited time had now come. The disciples who had now come with Jesus, Andrew and John, may also have already told Her that the new Prophet at the Jordan had directly pointed out their Teacher as the Messiah, the Christ, to those sent from the Sanhedrin.
The first meeting with Her Son after such events, the feeling of compunction before Him, the joy that the long-awaited time had already come, the poverty of the wedding hosts. And sincere compassion for their trouble, all moved the Most Holy Virgin to turn to Her Son with undisguised confidence that He would help these poor people and perform a miracle.
"What is that to Me and to You, Woman? My hour has not yet come." Thus Jesus answered His Mother.
Some interpreters see in this answer a rebuke of His Mother for Her interference in what was not Her affair. They think He wished to show Her that from now on He was for Her the Messiah, the Christ and God, and not the One who until then had remained in obedience to Her.
But in the word "Woman," addressed to His Mother, one cannot suspect even a hint that the Theotokos must from now on consider Him Her Lord, and not Her Son. The word "woman" was used among the Jews and other peoples of the East even when addressing a mother, and was considered entirely respectful.
We know that Jesus called His Mother by the very same name when, in terrible torments on the Cross, He entrusted Her to the care of His beloved disciple: "Woman, behold your son!" (Jn 19:26). Then He showed Her particular care and particular love.
"What is that to Me and to You, Woman? My hour has not yet come." Chrysostom explains these words as follows: "Those present do not yet know Me. They do not even know that the wine has failed. Let them first feel this. Nor was it fitting that I should hear this from You. You are My Mother, and therefore You make the miracle itself suspect. Rather, those in need should have come to Me with the request, not because I needed this, but so that they might receive the event with greater confidence" (Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of John, 22).
Having already begun to fulfill the will of Him who sent Him, Jesus Christ could not say that the hour of His activity had not yet come at all. If, in answering His Mother, He said that His hour had not yet come, He wished only to make Her understand that there should be no haste.
The time for manifesting His divine authority in this house, at this feast, had not yet arrived, though it might soon arrive.
In this answer the Most Holy Virgin Herself heard neither rebuke nor refusal of Her request. Otherwise She would not have said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."
THEOSIS