John 2:3-4

2:3 When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no wine left.” ¹  2:4 Jesus replied, ²  “Woman, ³  why are you saying this to me? ⁴  My time ⁵  has not yet come.”

John 4:28

4:28 Then the woman left her water jar, went off into the town and said to the people, ⁶ 

John 7:3-4

7:3 So Jesus’ brothers ⁷  advised him, “Leave here and go to Judea so your disciples may see your miracles that you are performing. ⁸  7:4 For no one who seeks to make a reputation for himself ⁹  does anything in secret. ¹⁰  If you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.”

Romans 11:34-35

11:34 For who has known the mind of the Lord,

or who has been his counselor? ¹¹ 

11:35 Or who has first given to God, ¹² 

that God ¹³  needs to repay him? ¹⁴ 

Romans 11:2

11:2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew! Do you not know what the scripture says about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?

Colossians 1:16

1:16 for all things in heaven and on earth were created by him – all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions, ¹⁵  whether principalities or powers – all things were created through him and for him.

[2:3]  ¹ tn The word “left” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[2:4]  ² tn Grk “and Jesus said to her.”

[2:4]  ³ sn The term Woman is Jesus’ normal, polite way of addressing women (Matt 15:28, Luke 13:12; John 4:21; 8:10; 19:26; 20:15). But it is unusual for a son to address his mother with this term. The custom in both Hebrew (or Aramaic) and Greek would be for a son to use a qualifying adjective or title. Is there significance in Jesus’ use here? It probably indicates that a new relationship existed between Jesus and his mother once he had embarked on his public ministry. He was no longer or primarily only her son, but the “Son of Man.” This is also suggested by the use of the same term in 19:26 in the scene at the cross, where the beloved disciple is “given” to Mary as her “new” son.

[2:4]  ⁴ tn Grk “Woman, what to me and to you?” (an idiom). The phrase τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί, γύναι (ti emoi kai soi, gunai) is Semitic in origin. The equivalent Hebrew expression in the Old Testament had two basic meanings: (1) When one person was unjustly bothering another, the injured party could say “What to me and to you?” meaning, “What have I done to you that you should do this to me?” (Judg 11:12, 2 Chr 35:21, 1 Kgs 17:18). (2) When someone was asked to get involved in a matter he felt was no business of his, he could say to the one asking him, “What to me and to you?” meaning, “That is your business, how am I involved?” (2 Kgs 3:13, Hos 14:8). Option (1) implies hostility, while option (2) implies merely disengagement. Mere disengagement is almost certainly to be understood here as better fitting the context (although some of the Greek Fathers took the remark as a rebuke to Mary, such a rebuke is unlikely).

[2:4]  ⁵ tn Grk “my hour” (referring to the time of Jesus’ crucifixion and return to the Father).

[4:28]  ⁶ tn The term ἄνθρωποι (anqrwpoi) used here can mean either “people” (when used generically) or “men” (though there is a more specific term in Greek for adult males, ανήρ [anhr]). Thus the woman could have been speaking either (1) to all the people or (2) to the male leaders of the city as their representatives. However, most recent English translations regard the former as more likely and render the word “people” here.

[7:3]  ⁷ tn Grk “his brothers.”

[7:3]  ⁸ tn Grk “your deeds that you are doing.”

[7:4]  ⁹ tn Or “seeks to be well known.”

[7:4]  ¹⁰ sn No one who seeks to make a reputation for himself does anything in secret means, in effect: “if you’re going to perform signs to authenticate yourself as Messiah, you should do them at Jerusalem.” (Jerusalem is where mainstream Jewish apocalyptic tradition held that Messiah would appear.)

[11:34]  ¹¹ sn A quotation from Isa 40:13.

[11:35]  ¹² tn Grk “him”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:35]  ¹³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:35]  ¹⁴ sn A quotation from Job 41:11.

[1:16]  ¹⁵ tn BDAG 579 s.v. κυριότης 3 suggests “bearers of the ruling powers, dominions” here.