Review: Why Couldn’t Mary Touch Jesus?
Dr. Eli presents this contrasting comparison this way:
One text that remains an enigma to most Christ followers is the post-resurrection story of Jesus cautioning Mary against touching him (John 20:11-18).The answer he gives relies on ritual purity. Since Jesus had already died, he fulfilled the Atonement Day drama of leaving his sacrificed body behind as he passed through the spiritual curtain to the spiritual Most Holy to present the value of his lifeblood to his God Jehovah.[3]
Oddly, a week later Jesus allows Thomas to touch the wounds in his hands and side. The obvious question is this:
Why did Jesus deny Mary, but later encourage Thomas?[2]
So, following his resurrection, he appeared in a materialized body to Mary outside of his now-empty tomb. Dr. Eli explains:
Purity and PriesthoodHe is referring to the important time marker in John 20:26 of “eight days later.” The previous verse explains why eight days had passed: Thomas had issued a challenge that he would only believe if he saw the nail wounds “in his hands,” and, most significantly, “stick my finger into the print of the nails and stick my hand into his side.” Because he added physical touching to his demands, that passage of time, over seven days per Exodus 29:35, became necessary. Jesus was listening!
In order to understand Jesus’ very different instructions to Mary and Thomas, we need to understand the purity requirements for the Jewish High Priest on the Day of Atonement. The High Priest was forbidden to come into contact with anything that was ceremonially unclean in order to avoid being disqualified to enter God’s presence the following day. So much depended on this ritual purity!
After His resurrection, Jesus (as our ultimate High Priest) would shortly be ministering in the heavenly tabernacle (Heb 9:11). It is significant that Jesus appeared to the disciples and told Thomas to touch him after eight days, because it takes seven days to ordain a priest (Exod 29:35).
Dr. Eli continues:
Jesus and the Heavenly TabernacleHer being inside his tomb would be the reason according to the context. In his fresh body he needed to wait a week, and priests “could not defile themselves by touching a corpse or mourning for the dead; this would make them temporarily unclean for service.”[4] This is made clear in Leviticus 21:1, “No one should defile himself for a dead person among his people.”
The most-likely reason for Jesus’ instructions to Mary had to do with the fact that He was determined to enter the heavenly tabernacle in a ready-to-serve, consecrated state. Defilement would not be a sin, but it would have disqualified Him (for a period of time) from entering God’s presence. Mary may have had a number of reasons for defilement (possible menstrual circle, stepping into the tomb, etc), Jesus’ priestly mission was too important to allow for any possibility of failure. By the time Jesus met Thomas, His priestly work is done. He had returned from completing His duties and possible defilement was no longer an issue.
Dr. Eli concludes:
Jesus the High PriestThus, first came Jesus’ sacrifice, then his resurrection, then his post-resurrection appearances, and then finally, his visual ascension to his Father. (John 20:17; Luke 24:51; Acts 1:9)
Jesus’ role as prophet was carried out during His earthly life. His role as king was yet to be realized at the time of the ascension. He first needed to be ordained a priest and carry out His duties in the heavenly tabernacle! Nothing could be permitted to stand in the way of his mission.[5]
In closing, it’s very interesting that Dr. Eli pointed out the significance of Exodus 29:35 in connection with John 20:26, explaining why Thomas had to wait eight days, and offering an explanation as to why he could not let Mary embrace him yet.[6] A verification of this could have been Jesus letting Mary embrace him after Thomas, yet no such encounter is provided. We can only use our imagination if we think it did happen. It is possible then that Jesus would only fellowship with her spiritually after his ascension and her resurrection.
Footnotes:
[1] Others read: “You must not cling to me.” (Goodspeed) “Do not catch hold of me.” (21st Century NT) The Jewish Annotated New Testament cautions that “It is not clear whether Jesus is asking Mary to let go of him or warning her not to touch him.” (It then notes similar language in Song of Solomon 3:4.) Additionally, the NLT Study Bible notes that “Mary thought that with the resurrection, Jesus would resume normal relations with his disciples. She was trying to cling to the joy she discovered in her resurrected Lord. But his fellowship with her would come in a new form,” and it then cites John 20:22 showing that it would be spiritual and not physical. (italics original).
[2] From the email introduction to the article.
[3] See: Passing Through the Curtain jimspace3000.blogspot.com/2014/12/passing-through-curtain.html Since the body he was born with was sacrificed, it would be confusing and inappropriate if he appeared with it after his resurrection, explaining why Mary failed to recognize her dear friend in John 20:14. (Compare with Luke 24:15, 16 and John 21:4.)
[4] “Priest,” Insight on the Scriptures, vol 2. 685
[5] lp.israelbiblecenter.com/lp-biblical-studies-content-why-couldnt-mary-touch-jesus-en.html
[6] However, under “3. Mary Magdalene,” Insight on the Scriptures, vol 2. 349 offers a simpler explanation:
When he replied “Mary!” his identity was immediately revealed to her and she impulsively embraced him, exclaiming, “Rab·boʹni!” But there was no time now for expressions of earthly affection. Jesus would be with them only a short time. Mary must hasten to inform the other disciples of his resurrection and that Jesus was ascending, as he said, “to my Father and your Father and to my God and your God.”—Joh 20:11-18.Credits: Image from Who Was Mary Magdalene? jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/mary-magdalene/
Labels: Bible, Jesus' resurrection
posted by JimSpace at 12:44 PM
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