After His resurrection, why did Jesus tell Mary not to touch Him, but later tell Thomas to touch Him?
John 20:17
ESV - 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.'
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Asked July 01 2013
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Anonymous (via GotQuestions)
For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Delores Easthom
According to Jewish law, you are unclean for 7 days,after touching the dead. Today, we kiss our loved ones in their casket. Are we still unclean for 7 days?
Robert Baker
The key point here is 'Jewish Law'. We as Christians are not under the law we are under grace. Those who do not except Jesus as their savior are still under the law, which we all know the law doesn't and never will work. It's faith in Jesus that we are saved, not works.
Robert Chiappardi
Remember after pause Mary M. exclaimed "Rabbi" so it can be said she recognized Christ, Thomas, however, doubted it was Him...just a thought.
Mary Skeels
John 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. This is what the bible say. Jesus went to His Father to make sure that His sacrifice had been excepted and then returned to show Himself to many. I don't see that it had nothing to do with Jewish law and being unclean for seven days. When reading the bible it is a good idea to read the whole text and often several that are on the same subject. When we just take a few words it is so easy to make the bible say what we think and not let it teach us what God wants us to know and learn.
vanessa pannuti
I have a NAS Bible and it reads "Stop clinging". Anyway I always thought that the law about not touching the dead was symbolic for the dead in Spirit, this is what should be defiling and contaminating. In saying this I can hardly imagine a dead person talking. The Lord had not yet ascended to Heaven but I believe he must have been alive when Mary saw Him.