Bible Discussion Thread

 
  • Belinda Smith Aiken - 2 years ago
    Why did Jesus forbid Mary from touching him
  • Jesse - In Reply - 2 years ago
    Belinda,

    This is one of those instances where the Greek text gives us clarification on what the English text is saying. When Jesus said "Touch me not," we read that, and it seems like sort of a rude thing to say. It would be like going up to someone we love to hug them, and they say "Don't touch me."

    But as brother Chris alluded to, the Greek word used for touch is the word HAPTO. It means to hold on to, cling to, or fasten yourself on to someone. So knowing that, we can better understand what Jesus meant. He was telling Mary to stop fastening yourself onto me. You see, she was not letting go. She was fastened on to Jesus.

    In Matthew 28:9, it tells us that she had a "death grip" on His ankles. She was not going to let Him out of her sight again. So Jesus wasn't telling her "don't touch me." He was saying let go, stop clinging to me. There was a reason for this as we see in John 20:17. Jesus says for I am not yet ascended to my Father.

    This is where the changeover comes in. This is where Jesus has revealed Himself as the resurrected one to Mary and she's got this grip on Him like she's never going to let go of Him, and Jesus is telling her that she has to let go because He has not yet gone to the Father.

    So the changeover is that this is no longer going to be a physical relationship where have to you see me, hear me, and touch me to believe. Now it's going to be by faith. Paul ministered that change in 1 Corinthians 5:7 where he says "For we walk by faith, not by sight." The changeover is going from the natural feelings and human senses, to faith, believing and trusting in Christ and His word in spite what we see or feel.

    Jesus wasn't saying "Don't touch me." He was ministering to her about the change that has to take place, which people have to live by faith, not by sight. Don't fasten yourself onto me, for I have to ascend up to the Father. After I ascend, then will I send my Spirit to dwell in you, and my Spirit will cause you to live by faith.
  • Ronald L Whittemore - In Reply - 2 years ago
    Hey Jesse,

    If I may without offending, we have four, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John describing this confusing and miraculous day and I feel ( Matthew 28:9) is later in the morning. In Matthew, Mark, and Luke the angels told the women to go tell the 11 that Jesus had risen. In John 20 Mary Magdalene was the first to see the empty tomb and ran and run into Peter and John and they went and she probably went back with them as the other women were arriving, Peter and John went home.

    To keep it short; when Jesus met the women, ( Matthew 28:9) they were on their way to tell the 11 when Jesus appeared to them and they held him by his feet. It does not tell us how far they had gone from the sepulchre. You may disagree but that is ok, Matthew 28:9 was after Jesus ascended and returned.

    My understanding is when Jesus first ascended in John 20:17, His name was placed above all, what we see in ( Ephesians 1:17-23). Also, I feel this was the fulfillment of the Feast of Firstfruits, as the smoke of the sheaf of the Firstfruits ascended to God, so the Firstfruits of the dead, who is Jesus ascended to God, I feel that was the reason Jesus did not want Mary to touch Him.

    Have a great day and God bless,

    RLW
  • Ronald L Whittemore - In Reply - 2 years ago
    Belinda Smith Aiken,

    Other than resurrection day, the first day of the week, this was the day of The Feast of Firstfruits. This feast is one of the three feasts that were held in Jerusalem, which is the first day after the Sabbath following Passover. Also, it was the first day of weeks counting the days of seven Sabbaths until the 50th day, which is the second harvest, Pentecost.

    The Feast of First Fruits is the first harvest, they could not eat any of this harvest until they brought a sample sheaf to the Temple at sunrise on the first day after the Sabbath following Passover. The priest then waves the sheaf of grain from the first harvest for acceptance by God, the first fruits of the first harvest were offered to God.

    Jesus is the First Fruits of those who slept, Mary Magdalene could not touch Jesus before he ascended because no one could partake of him before God accepted him. After he returned, they could touch Him, that is why Jesus told her "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father".

    Just think, sunrise on the morning of the Feast of First Fruits, the priests waving the sheaf of grain left and right before the altar, and the women arriving at the Lord's tomb around the same time. ( Leviticus 23:9-14) ( John 20:17)

    Jesus fulfilled the feast of Passover as the Lamb of God, without spot or blemish, without a bone broken, He fulfilled the Feast of Unleavened Bread with a perfect sinless life, He fulfilled the Feast of First Fruits being the first harvest the First Fruits of those who slept, and He fulfilled the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), the second harvest by sending the Holy Spirit, the first fruits of the Spirit. There are three feasts not yet fulfilled.

    God bless,

    RLW
  • Chris - In Reply - 2 years ago
    Hi Belinda. That's a good question as there are a few interpretations to that passage. Considering that Jesus wanted unbelieving Thomas to touch Him so that he would no longer doubt ( John 17:27,28), it seems strange that Jesus forbad Mary to do so. The best reason for this that I can give, is that Jesus perceived that Mary's desire to touch Him was going to be a lengthy time of adoration & worship (as the Greek word for 'touch' also has 'holding onto' as another meaning). And Jesus didn't want her to give Him that worship now, rather, that she should hastily go to His disciples & tell them what she had heard & seen (i.e. He had arisen from the dead & in preparation for His ascension). Time was short & His disciples had to be told & to expect to see Him shortly.

    Hopefully, you may receive other understandings of this passage as I don't confess to have the right answer - only my sense of that time of resurrection from the grave.



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