Do not cling to me - 03

In looking at this passage, I've been thinking about Mary's situation. She is mourning the loss of her teacher and her Lord while at the same time dealing with the loss of the life she knew. Now in John 20:15, Jesus steps into the scene and asks Mary why she is weeping. This is the second time John mentions that Mary was questioned about her weeping. As I said before, this is an interesting contrast between sadness and joy, between loss and gain, and between death and life. Jesus also asks Mary whom she is seeking. I think Jesus of course, sees right through the moment and looks into Mary's heart. There is no condemnation in his question. Jesus understands her desire to find some way back to her life before the crucifixion. Jesus knows the move between seasons in our lives take time. Jesus is loving and patient and, in a way, is helping Mary think about who it is she is really looking for in this moment. Mary is seeking something, longing to find something, and desiring to find a way through this tragedy and loss. Jesus does what he has done before, and he leads Mary from looking for her teacher to rejoicing with her risen Lord. We'll uncover more evidence of that in the next few verses.

John 20:11-18 (ESV) "But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing 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 take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 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.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her."

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