In saying to Mary that His hour had not yet come, Jesus was replying to her unspoken thought,--to the expectation she cherished in common with her people. She hoped that He would reveal Himself as the Messiah, and take the throne of Israel. But the time had not come. Not as a King, but as "a Man of Sorrows, and acquainted with grief," had Jesus accepted the lot of humanity.

Da Jesus sagde til Maria, at hans time endnu ikke var kommen, gav han svar på hendes uudtalte tanke, på den forventning, hun nærede på samme måde som sit folk. Hun håbede, at han ville åbenbare sig som Messias og bestige Israels trone. Men tiden var ikke endnu kommet. Ikke som konge; men som "en smerternes mand og kendt med sygdom" havde Jesus valgt at dele menneskeslægtens lod.