Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Mary's desperate plea, "I will take him away," reveals her overwhelming devotion, so consumed with grief that she overlooks the impossibility of moving Jesus' body herself and doesn't even question who she's speaking to. Her focus isn't on his resurrection but on reclaiming his physical presence, showing how even profound loss can blind us to divine intervention.
Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Mary, overwhelmed with grief after finding the tomb empty, encounters someone she believes to be the gardener and desperately asks if he's moved Jesus' body. She's so consumed by her loss that she doesn't recognize the risen Jesus standing before her, nor grasp the angelic message about His resurrection. Her singular focus is on recovering Jesus' physical form, demonstrating how profoundly her sorrow blinds her to the miraculous reality unfolding.
Why didn't Mary recognize Jesus when he stood right in front of her? Her intense focus on her loss reveals a powerful truth about devotion.
Mary's grief is so overwhelming that it clouds her vision. She's so consumed with finding Jesus's body that she can't imagine this is the risen Lord standing before her.
Jesus's first words to Mary aren't a grand declaration, but gentle questions. What can we learn from His approach in moments of deep sorrow?
Jesus doesn't immediately reveal Himself. Instead, He meets Mary where she is, in her tears and confusion.
Ask a follow-up
Understand the original words
zēteis · Greek Verb
A person who searches for someone or something, often with intensity. In a spiritual sense, it denotes the active pursuit of God, His presence, or His kingdom.
kyrie · Greek Noun
A respectful title used to address someone of perceived higher status or a stranger. In the Gospels, it is used to acknowledge authority, expertise, or simply to show courtesy.
Mary's mistaken identity of Jesus as the gardener highlights her deep grief and singular focus on finding Jesus' body, underscoring the profound shock and sorrow of the crucifixion before the dawning realization of the resurrection.
c. AD 30— this verse
Crucifixion and Burial of Jesus
Jesus is crucified and buried in a tomb owned by Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy supporter, likely located in a garden near the crucifixion site.
Early Sunday Morning, c. AD 30
Discovery of the Empty Tomb
Mary Magdalene and other women arrive at the tomb to anoint Jesus' body but find it empty, with angels present who announce his resurrection.
Sunday Morning, c. AD 30
Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
The risen Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene outside the tomb, initially unrecognized by her as she mistakes him for the gardener.
Sunday Afternoon, c. AD 30
Jesus Appears to the Disciples
Jesus reveals himself to his disciples, including Thomas who was initially absent, confirming his resurrection.
This passage parallels Mary's intense search for Jesus, highlighting a deep, personal longing for the one her soul loves, even to the point of sleeplessly seeking them through the night.
Luke 24:13-17This account shows a similar encounter where Jesus appears to two disciples on the road to Emmaus, and 'their eyes were kept from recognizing him,' mirroring Mary's inability to recognize Jesus in John 20.
Genesis 37:31-33When Joseph's brothers bring his blood-stained coat to Jacob, they too use the pronoun 'him' without naming the person, implying a shared understanding of their deep loss, much like Mary assumes Jesus is understood by the 'gardener'.
John 11:28-29Before encountering the 'gardener,' Mary had been deeply distressed and seeking Jesus. This passage shows her prior distress and her immediate desire to go to him, which fuels her passionate search after his resurrection.
ellicottJohn 20:15: "Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away."
(15) Sir, if thou have borne him hence . . . —The word rendered “Sir” is generally a mark of respect, but like the corresponding word in most languages, was also used to a stranger, and even to an inferior. The “gardener,” moreover, corresponded more to what we should…
clarkeJohn 20:15: "Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away."
Supposing him to be the gardener - Κηπουρος, the inspector or overseer of the garden, from κηπος, a garden, and ουρος, an inspector - the person who had the charge of the workmen, and the care of the produce of the garden; and who rendered account to the owner. And I w…
Mary's desperate plea, "I will take him away," reveals her overwhelming devotion, so consumed with grief that she overlooks the impossibility of moving Jesus' body herself and doesn't even question who she's speaking to. Her focus isn't on his resurrection but on reclaiming his physical presence, showing how even profound loss can blind us to divine intervention.
Mary, overwhelmed with grief after finding the tomb empty, encounters someone she believes to be the gardener and desperately asks if he's moved Jesus' body. She's so consumed by her loss that she doesn't recognize the risen Jesus standing before her, nor grasp the angelic message about His resurrection. Her singular focus is on recovering Jesus' physical form, demonstrating how profoundly her sorrow blinds her to the miraculous reality unfolding.
Mary, overwhelmed with grief after finding the tomb empty, encounters someone she believes to be the gardener and desperately asks if he's moved Jesus' body. She's so consumed by her loss that she doesn't recognize the risen Jesus standing before her, nor grasp the angelic message about His resurrection. Her singular focus is on recovering Jesus' physical form, demonstrating how profoundly her sorrow blinds her to the miraculous reality unfolding.
"Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”" — Mary's desperate plea, "I will take him away," reveals her overwhelming devotion, so consumed with grief that she overlooks the impossibility of moving Jesus' body herself and doesn't even question *…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026