John 20:17
Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus is not forbidding Mary from touching Him physically, but rather stopping her from clinging to Him as if He were to remain permanently in the same earthly way. He's gently redirecting her intense, emotional embrace towards a greater purpose: carrying the revolutionary news of His resurrected life and a new, shared relationship with God to His followers.
Just moments after Mary Magdalene encountered the risen Jesus by the tomb, mistaking him initially for the gardener, she reached out to cling to him in her overwhelming joy and relief. Jesus gently redirects her, explaining that this kind of physical clinging is temporary because his ascension to the Father, the ultimate culmination of his mission, is imminent. He immediately commissions her to go and tell his disciples, now referred to as his "brothers," that he is ascending to the Father, who is now also their Father, and to God, who is now also their God.
Mary Magdalene's overwhelming joy leads her to cling to the risen Jesus. But Jesus gently redirects her, shifting the mode of connection. What does this moment reveal about how we relate to God?
Mary's encounter with the risen Christ is a powerful picture of our own initial, emotional responses to encountering God. Overcome with joy and disbelief, her instinct is to hold on, to keep Him physically present. The Greek word used, 'haptopai,' can mean 'to touch,' but also 'to cling to' or 'fasten onto.' Jesus' response, 'Do not cling to me,' isn't a rejection of her affection, but a redirection. He's saying, 'This physical closeness, this familiar earthly relationship, is not the new reality. The old way of relating is over.' He's preparing her for a different kind of communion—one that will be made possible through His ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit. This doesn't mean we can't experience God's presence tangibly, but it highlights that the deepest, most enduring connection with God is spiritual and faith-based, not solely physical.
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Jesus declares a radical new reality to Mary: 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' What does this shared identity mean for us?
This declaration is one of the most profound statements in Scripture, revealing the heart of God's plan for humanity. By calling God 'my Father and your Father,' Jesus doesn't diminish His unique relationship with the Father, but extends its benefits to us through His redemptive work.
A New Family Connection
Jesus, in His divine nature, has always had a unique relationship with the Father. He is 'my Father' by essential being. However, through His resurrection and impending ascension, He becomes the source of our adoption into God's family. He is 'your Father' because we are now united with Him, and through Him, we are brought into relationship with the One who is uniquely His Father.
God as Both Personal and Universal
Similarly, Jesus calls God 'my God and your God.' While God is intrinsically Christ's God, in whom He finds His ultimate purpose and end, He makes this same God the God of believers. This signifies that our relationship with God is grounded in Christ's relationship. He doesn't just say 'our Father' or 'our God' because His connection is primary and essential, while ours is derived and by grace. This emphasizes that the victory over death and sin was a victory for all humanity, opening the way for us to share in His divine inheritance.
This shared identity is the bedrock of our Christian hope. We are no longer orphans, but beloved children of the Most High, brought into His family through the sacrifice and resurrection of His Son.
Jesus says, 'I ascend,' using the present tense. What does this seemingly immediate action reveal about the resurrection's significance and the beginning of His heavenly reign?
The use of the present tense for 'I ascend' (anabaino) is incredibly significant. It doesn't just refer to a future, literal event, but indicates that the resurrection itself was the beginning of Christ's ascension and His enthronement at the Father's right hand. It signals a shift in His state of being and His authority.
Resurrection as Inaugural Ascension
From Jesus' perspective, the resurrection wasn't just coming back to life; it was the initial step in His return to heavenly glory. The earthly ministry was complete, the victory over sin and death was won, and He was now entering His glorified state. His appearances after the resurrection are not just brief visits from the grave, but the manifestations of the risen, ascended Lord who is beginning to exercise His heavenly reign.
A Message of Urgency
This present tense also carries a sense of urgency. Jesus is instructing Mary to go immediately to the disciples. His ascension is not a distant event; it's actively beginning. The work of redemption is finished, and now He is entering His role as the exalted King and intercessor. This implies that the disciples, and we, should not delay in receiving this message and living in light of this new reality of Christ's reign.
Understand the original words
haptou · Greek Verb
To hold onto, grasp, or cling to something. In this context, it suggests a desire to hold onto the physical presence of Jesus as He existed before His glorification.
anabainō · Greek Verb
To go up or move to a higher place; used in the New Testament to describe Jesus' return to the presence of God the Father in heaven after His resurrection.
Mary Magdalene's encounter with the risen Jesus highlights a pivotal moment: the transition from a physical, tangible relationship to a spiritual one. Jesus' instruction not to 'cling' to Him and His subsequent ascension signify the end of His earthly presence and the beginning of His omnipresent spiritual reign, made possible by His return to the Father.
c. AD 30-33
Crucifixion and Burial of Jesus
Jesus is crucified, dies, and is buried in a tomb.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Resurrection of Jesus
Jesus is raised from the dead, marking the beginning of His new, glorified existence. This event is central to Christian faith and marks a new covenant relationship between God and humanity.
c. AD 30-33
Appearance to Mary Magdalene
The risen Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene, who mistakes Him at first and then is commissioned to tell the disciples.
c. AD 30-33
Ascension to the Father
Jesus ascends to His Father in heaven, completing His earthly ministry and initiating His heavenly reign and the sending of the Holy Spirit.
c. AD 30-33
Sending of the Holy Spirit
Jesus fulfills His promise to send the Holy Spirit to empower and indwell believers, enabling a new, spiritual relationship with God.
This passage directly echoes Jesus calling his followers 'brothers,' emphasizing the shared humanity and familial bond that stems from Christ's incarnation and resurrection.
John 16:7Jesus' statement about not yet ascending to the Father directly links to his promise of sending the Holy Spirit, which is contingent upon his departure. This passage highlights the reason *why* Mary couldn't cling to him then – a new, spiritual form of relationship was about to begin.
Matthew 28:9-10This parallel account shows Jesus allowing the women to grasp his feet and worship him shortly after his resurrection, offering a contrast and highlighting the specific nuances of his encounter with Mary Magdalene. It underscores that Jesus' interactions were purposeful and context-dependent.
Romans 8:29This verse speaks of believers being conformed to the image of Christ, which is deeply connected to Jesus' declaration, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father; to my God and your God.' It shows how our transformation is linked to His ascension and new relationship with the Father.
1 Corinthians 15:20Paul calls Christ 'the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.' Jesus' resurrection and imminent ascension, as declared to Mary, signify the beginning of a new spiritual reality for believers, where their own future resurrection is guaranteed by His victory.
barnesJohn 20:17: "Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God."
Touch me not ... - This passage has given rise to a variety of interpretations. Jesus required Thomas to touch him John 20:27 , and it has been difficult to ascertain why he forbade this now to Mary. The reason why he directed Thomas to do this was, that he doubted whether he had been restored t…
vincentJohn 20:17: "Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God."
Touch me not (μή μοῦ ἅπτου)The verb, primarily, means to fasten to. Hence it implies here, not a mere momentary touch, but a clinging to. Mary thought that the old relations between her Lord and herself were to be renewed; that the old intercourse, by means of sight, sound, and touch, would…
Jesus is not forbidding Mary from touching Him physically, but rather stopping her from clinging to Him as if He were to remain permanently in the same earthly way. He's gently redirecting her intense, emotional embrace towards a greater purpose: carrying the revolutionary news of His resurrected life and a new, shared relationship with God to His followers.
Just moments after Mary Magdalene encountered the risen Jesus by the tomb, mistaking him initially for the gardener, she reached out to cling to him in her overwhelming joy and relief. Jesus gently redirects her, explaining that this kind of physical clinging is temporary because his ascension to the Father, the ultimate culmination of his mission, is imminent. He immediately commissions her to go and tell his disciples, now referred to as his "brothers," that he is ascending to the Father, who is now also their Father, and to God, who is now also their God.
Just moments after Mary Magdalene encountered the risen Jesus by the tomb, mistaking him initially for the gardener, she reached out to cling to him in her overwhelming joy and relief. Jesus gently redirects her, explaining that this kind of physical clinging is temporary because his ascension to the Father, the ultimate culmination of his mission, is imminent. He immediately commissions her to go and tell his disciples, now referred to as his "brothers," that he is ascending to the Father, who is now also their Father, and to God, who is now also their God.
"Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”" — Jesus is not forbidding Mary from touching Him physically, but rather stopping her from clinging to Him as if He were to remain permanently in the same earthly way. He's gently redirecting her intens…
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