John 2:1 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

And the third day there was a marriage— On the third day after Jesus and his disciples arrived in Galilee, they went to a marriage feast (see on Matthew 22:1-2.) in Cana; which is mentioned, Joshua 19:28, as situated in the possession of the tribe of Asher not far from thecity of Sidon, and by consequence in the most northern part of Galilee. Hence it was called Cana of Galilee, to distinguish it from another Cana in the tribe of Ephraim, mentioned Joshua 16:8; Joshua 17:9. This latter Cana therefore was at no great distance from Jerusalem. Here Jesus furnished wine by miracle for the entertainment, at the desire of his mother, who was also bidden. Dr. Clarke thinks, that our Lord, in the course of his private life, had sometimes exerted his divine power for the relief of his friends; and that his mother, having seen and heard of those miracles, knew the greatness of his power, and so applied to him on this occasion. Or we may suppose that she had heard him speak of the miracles he was to perform, for the confirmation of his mission, and the benefit of mankind, and begged him to favour his friends with one in the present necessity. Probably Mary interested herself in this matter, because she was a relation, or an intimate acquaintance of the new-married couple, and had the management of the entertainment committed to her care. Some have supposed that this marriage was celebrated at the house of Cleophas or Alpheus, whose wife was sister to the mother of our Lord, (Ch. John 19:25.) and one of whose sons was Simon the Canaanite, whom some have thought to have been so called from being an inhabitant of this Cana, Mark 3:18 and this may be considered the more probable, as Mary was not only present at the feast, but was there—as a person concerned, and was solicitous about supplying them with wine, which, mixed with water, was the common beverage of the country: and when the feast was over, we are told, John 2:12 that Jesus was attended, on his leaving Cana, not only by his disciples, but by his brethren, or nearest kinsmen, who most likely came thither, as relations, to be present at the marriage. As Mary here is spoken of alone, it may be reasonable to conclude, that Joseph was now dead, and that he lived not to the time when Jesus entered on his public ministry; especially as he is nowhere mentioned in the gospel afterwards.