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The Gospel of John, The Period of Consummation, Part XX, John 20:16-18 - Lesson 197
Read Verses John 20:14,15, for review: And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. 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.
John 20:16,17, Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; (hrab‑bon‑ee') which is to say, Master. 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.
He had called her woman and she knew him not thinking him to be the gardener.
But now the Good Sheppard calls his own sheep by name and she knows him.
Her eyes are opened at the sound of her name.
She calls him Rabboni which is to say Master.
She most likely runs to him and falls at his feet wishing to lay hold of his feet.
But Jesus immediately says words that point her to a new relationship.
Things are not the same as they were before his resurrection.
Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended unto my Father, he says.
By saying this Jesus is introducing a new order of things and a new relationship is to be established with Mary.
He is about to ascend up on high to take his place at the right hand of God.
She is no longer to regard his bodily presence here on earth as she is used to doing.
He is now to be regarded as the object of faith, received up in heaven by the Father.
After his ascension she and all believers are brought into a spiritual union with him.
She is to know him no longer in the flesh but she is to know him as he is glorified in heaven.
Through him she is to know his Father as her Father, and his God as her God.
At this point in time Jesus Christ's earthly relationship with the Jews ceases and a heavenly relationship with the Jewish remnant is to be introduced.
This earthly relationship we be resumed at the Lord's return when he sets up the kingdom.
He will be bodily present in the kingdom; but in the heavenly relationship he is bodily absent and belivers are in a heavenly union with the risen Christ.
There is a change taking place in the relationship of his followers with Christ and Christ introduces that change first to Mary.
He could have said "Approach me not as you did before, for matters are not in the same state; nor shall I henceforth be with you in the same way."
But he chooses to say instead, 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.
He connects his Father to his brethren and his God to his brethren.
This is what the coming of Christ was all about.
He came to reveal the Father and he now returns to the Father.
But he brings the Father new children who know the Father because they know Jesus Christ and he tells Mary of this relationship.
Go Mary! and tell my brethren also that I ascend unto our Father.
John 20:18, Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.
Mary was to be the first witness of Christ's resurrection.
Jesus Christ revealed the resurrection by the intellect to Peter and John.
They saw evidence of the resurrection in the sepulcher.
They came to the conclusion intellectually.
But Mary was the more devoted to Christ.
Her devotion was rewarded by Christ appearing to her and giving her this commission to tell his brethren that he is ascending to their Father.
This is the first time that he addresses the disciples as brethren.
This is because of his death, his resurrection and his ascension! He is the first born of many brethren.
He had to die in order to be the first of the brethren and he now calls those who have served him, brethren.
Hadn't he said: I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
Brothers and sisters share the same Father and by sharing the same Father may call each other brethren.
Touch me not Mary for we are now detached from each other by earthly contact but instead commune with me by faith, in spirit and on High as brethren.
So Mary announces to the disciples that she had seen the Lord.
Mark records this in Mark 16:11: And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.
So a woman was the first to see the risen Christ, the first to hear his voice, the first to be commissioned by him , and the first to tell the glad tidings to others. |