Do not touch me

[Montie_Claunch]

I was wondering. When Jesus just rose again and Mary magd. came to the tomb he said, “Do not touch me!” but, when Thomas doubted Jesus came and said, “Here, Touch my wounds”. What caused Jesus turn around in his attitude on people touching him? Thanks and God Bless.

 

[Didi]

When Jesus speaks with Mary Magdalene, He says: “Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father…” (John 20:17)

When Jesus sees Thomas, it is 8 days later.

I have read in bible commentaries that perhaps Jesus was on His way to the Father when He saw Mary. Eight days later, He may have already been with the Father when He saw Thomas, although He had not yet completed His full ascension into heaven.

 

[Chris_LaRock]

In order to understand this, you have to go back to the old testament when the Jews sacrificed a lamb at passover. After the lamb was put to death, only the designated Rabbis and Elders were permitted to touch it until it was burned.

Jesus was the Lamb of God, and therefore only the designated teachers were to touch him before he ascended to the Father. Thomas, being an Apostle, was permitted to touch the Lamb while Mary M. couldn’t. It’s part of the Mosiac Law of sacrifice.

 

[Grace_and_Glory]

What Jesus said to Mary could also be translated as “Do not hold on to me” or “Do not cling to me.” My personal interpretation is that Mary Magdalene wanted to cling to Jesus and keep Him from going away. Of course, He was not going to remain on earth in the same way forever; He had to ascend to the Father in order to send the Spirit. He was telling Mary Magdalene that, although He was no longer dead, neither was He returning to the life He had lived before. His mission had been accomplished. So I read His telling Mary not to touch Him as an encouragement of healthy detachment from the consolation of seeing and feeling Him so near to her.

With Thomas, on the other hand, the touch is not to hold on to Jesus, but to verify the truth of His resurrection. Because of the different purpose of the touch, Jesus gives a different response.

 

[NotWorthy]

Chris LaRock:

In order to understand this, you have to go back to the old testament when the Jews sacrificed a lamb at passover. After the lamb was put to death, only the designated Rabbis and Elders were permitted to touch it until it was burned.

Jesus was the Lamb of God, and therefore only the designated teachers were to touch him before he ascended to the Father. Thomas, being an Apostle, was permitted to touch the Lamb while Mary M. couldn’t. It’s part of the Mosiac Law of sacrifice.

Chris is correct on this point. It was only the priests that could handle the sacrifices after they were slain. Could this be a reason the Catholic Church doesn’t allow women to be priests?

Hmmmmm…

Notworthy

 

[Daniel_Marsh]

Hi Grace and Glory, you are right on,

Robertson’s Word Pictures of the New Testament

Touch me not (mh mou aptou). Present middle imperative in prohibition with genitive case, meaning “cease clinging to me” rather than “Do not touch me.” Jesus allowed the women to take hold of his feet (ekrathsan) and worship (prosekunhsan) as we read in Matthew 28:9. The prohibition here reminds Mary that the previous personal fellowship by sight, sound, and touch no longer exists and that the final state of glory was not yet begun. Jesus checks Mary’s impulsive eagerness. For I am not yet ascended (oupw gar anabebhka). Perfect active indicative. Jesus is here at all only because he has not yet gone home. He had said (Matthew 16:7) that it was good for them that he should go to the Father when the Holy Spirit will come through whom they will have fellowship with the Father and Christ. My God (qeou mou). Jesus had said “My God” on the Cross (Mark 15:34). Note it also in Revelation 3:2. So Paul in Romans 15:6, etc., has “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

bible.crosswalk.com/Commentaries/RobertsonsWordPictures/rwp.cgi?book=joh&chapter=020&verse=017&next=018&prev=016

 

[SueKrum]

Chris LaRock:

In order to understand this, you have to go back to the old testament when the Jews sacrificed a lamb at passover. After the lamb was put to death, only the designated Rabbis and Elders were permitted to touch it until it was burned.

Jesus was the Lamb of God, and therefore only the designated teachers were to touch him before he ascended to the Father. Thomas, being an Apostle, was permitted to touch the Lamb while Mary M. couldn’t. It’s part of the Mosiac Law of sacrifice.

Wow, I didn’t know that! This is the kind of stuff that really interests me How all the t’s were crossed and the i’s dotted in Jesus’ fufillment of the law! that’s just neet! probably not the best word to describe my feelings, but wow!

 

[davethecatholic]

The great Jewish Historian, Philo, supports what Chris had to say about the special condition of the priests in sacrifice to God:

At all events, so great is the caution used with respect not only to those who offer the sacrifices, but also to the victims which are offered, that the most eminent of the priests are carefully selected to examine whether they have any blemishes or not, and scrutinise them from head to foot, inspecting not only those parts which are easily visible, but all those which are more out of sight, such as the belly and the thighs, lest any slight imperfection should escape notice. (167) **And the accuracy and minuteness of the investigation is directed not so much on account of the victims themselves, as in order that those who offer them should be irreproachable; for God designed to teach the Jews by these figures, whenever they went up to the altars, when there to pray or to give thanks, never to bring with them any weakness or evil passion in their soul, but to endeavour to make it wholly and entirely bright and clean, without any blemish, so that God might not turn away with aversion from the sight of it. **

 

[Thomas2]

The Bible verses I use have Jesus saying to Mary Magdeline “…let go of me…”, so I kinda imagine her hugging Him after realizing Who He is, not the gardener, etc. I know I would if a person I loved suddenly appeared in front of me who I thought dead! But I like to think about this when I receive Communion in the hand because I think about God placing His Hand in mine, etc…

Peace and all good,

Thomas2

 

[davethecatholic]

Josephus (as with Philo) has something similar to say:

1. The sacrifices for sins are offered in the same manner as is the thank-offering. But those who are unable to purchase complete sacrifices, offer two pigeons, or turtle doves; the one of which is made a burnt-offering to God, the other they give as food to the priests. But we shall treat more accurately about the oblation of these creatures in our discourse concerning sacrifices. But if a person fall into sin by ignorance, he offers an ewe lamb, or a female kid of the goats, of the same age; and the priests sprinkle the blood at the altar, not after the former manner, but at the corners of it. They also bring the kidneys and the rest of the fat, together with the lobe of the liver, to the altar, while the priests bear away the hides and the flesh, and spend it in the holy place, on the same day; (23) for the law does not permit them to leave of it until the morning. But if any one sin, and is conscious of it himself, but hath nobody that can prove it upon him, he offers a ram, the law enjoining him so to do; the flesh of which the priests eat, as before, in the holy place, on the same day. And if the rulers offer sacrifices for their sins, they bring the same oblations that private men do; only they so far differ, that they are to bring for sacrifices a bull or a kid of the goats, both males.

 

[Elzee]

Chris LaRock:

In order to understand this, you have to go back to the old testament when the Jews sacrificed a lamb at passover. After the lamb was put to death, only the designated Rabbis and Elders were permitted to touch it until it was burned.

Jesus was the Lamb of God, and therefore only the designated teachers were to touch him before he ascended to the Father. Thomas, being an Apostle, was permitted to touch the Lamb while Mary M. couldn’t. It’s part of the Mosiac Law of sacrifice.

Wow! Thank you! I’m going to have to share this at my bible study next week. I’ve always wondered about this too, and every priest I’ve asked has never had an explanation for it. Thank you Chris!