170. Jesus’ Appearance to Mary

        ¹¹Mary Magdalene stood outside the tomb. ¹⁴She turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. ¹⁵Supposing 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 get him”
        ⁶Jesus said to her,“Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, ⁷that the Son of Man would be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise.”
        ⁸And they remembered his words.
        ¹⁶Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
        She turned and said to him, “Master!”
        ¹⁷Jesus said to her, “Touch me not.^a I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my apostles —and Peter—and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father.”
        (Jn. 20:11, 14–15; Lk. 24:6–8; Jn. 20:16–17)

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a   “Touch me not"—It is a fact that Jesus' earthly body was not in the tomb; it is also a fact that the resurrected Jesus appeared to Mary (and many others). Given these two facts, it might be assumed that Jesus appeared to Mary in his (former) earthly body. However, the fact that Jesus tells Mary not to touch his body suggests otherwise.
        Jesus is ascending to his Father and he tarries on earth for a time in his new heavenly body. Mary does not at first recognize Jesus in his new “ascending” form.
        In this and his other appearances following his resurrection Jesus appears and disappears at will, sometimes within closed and locked rooms. This further confirms that Jesus' risen body is not earthly flesh, but composed of a more spiritual substance.

Jn. 20:11  Mary / But Mary (RSV) • Mary Magdalene stood (Jn. 20:1) / Mary stood (RSV) • stood outside / stood weeping outside (RSV) • tomb. / tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb; (RSV)
Jn. 20:14  She / Saying this, she (RSV)
Jn. 20:15  will get him.” (NIV) / will take him away." (RSV)
Lk. 24:6  Jesus said to her, “Remember / Remember (RSV)
Lk. 24:7   Man would be / Man must be (RSV)
Jn. 20:16  him, “Master!” (KJV) / him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means teacher). (RSV)
Jn. 20:17  Touch me not. (KJV) / Do not touch me, (RSV) • I / for I (RSV) • my apostles—and Peter—and (Mk. 16:7; Ch. 22, fn. a) / my brethren and (RSV) • Father.” / Father, to my God and your God.” (RSV)   (189:4/2026–7)

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