John 20

Mary

For order of events on the resurection day, (See Scofield "Matthew 28:1"). Touch me not

Cf. Matthew 28:9, "and they came and held him by the feet." A contradiction has been supposed. Three views are held:

• (1) That Jesus speaks to Mary as the High Priest fulfilling the day of atonement (Le 16). Having accomplished the sacrifice, He was on His way to present the sacred blood in heaven, and that, between the meeting with Mary in the garden and the meeting of Matthew 28:9. He had so ascended and returned: a view in harmony with types.
• (2) That Mary Magdalene, knowing as yet only Christ after the flesh 2 Corinthians 5:15-17 and having found her Beloved, sought only to hold Him so; while He, about to assume a new relation to His disciples in ascension, gently teaches Mary that now she must not seek to hold Him to the earth, but rather become His messenger of the new joy.
• (3) That He merely meant: "Do not detain me now; I am not yet ascended; you will see me again; run rather to my brethren," etc.

Touch me not Or, do not detain me. My Lord and My God

The deity of Jesus Christ is declared in Scripture:

• (1) In the intimations and explicit predictions of the O.T.
• (a) The theophanies intimate the appearance of God in human form, and His ministry thus to man Genesis 16:7-13; 18:2-23 especially ; Genesis 18:17; 32:28 with ; Hosea 12:3-5; Exodus 3:2-14. (b) The Messiah is expressly declared to be the Son of God Psalms 2:2-9 and God ; Psalms 45:6,7; Hebrews 1:8,9; Psalms 110:1; Matthew 22:44; Acts 2:34; Hebrews 1:13; Psalms 110:4; Hebrews 5:6; 6:20; 7:17-21; Zechariah 6:13. (c) His virgin birth was foretold as the means through which God could be "Immanuel," God with us ; Isaiah 7:13,14; Matthew 1:22,23 (d) The Messiah is expressly invested with the divine names Isaiah 9:6,7 (e) In a prophecy of His death He is called Jehovah's "fellow" ; Zechariah 13:7; Matthew 26:31. (f) His eternal being is declared ; Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:6; John 7:42.
• (2) Christ Himself affirmed His deity.
• (a) He applied to Himself the Jehovistic I AM. (The pronoun "he" is not in the Greek; cf John 8:24; 8:56-58. The Jews correctly understood this to be our Lord's claim to full deity. John 8:59.

See also, John 10:33; 18:4-6 where, also, "he" is not in the original.) (b) He claimed to be the Adonai of the O.T. Matthew 22:42-45. (See Scofield "Genesis 15:2"). (c) He asserted His identity with the Father ; Matthew 28:19; Mark 14:62; John 10:30, that the Jews so understood Him is shown by ; John 10:31,32; 14:8,9 17:5. (d) He exercised the chief prerogative of God ; Mark 2:5-7; Luke 7:48-50. (e) He asserted omnipresence ; Matthew 18:20; John 3:13 omniscience, John 11:11-14, when Jesus was fifty miles away; Mark 11:6-8, omnipotence ; Matthew 28:18; Luke 7:14; John 5:21-23; 6:19, mastery over nature, and creative power ; Luke 9:16,17; John 2:9; 10:28. (f) He received and approved human worship, ; Matthew 14:33; 28:9; John 20:28,29.

• (3) The N.T. writers ascribe divine titles to Christ: John 1:1; 20:28; Acts 20:28; Romans 1:4; 9:5; 2 Thessalonians 1:12; 1 Timothy 3:16; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8; 1 John 5:20.
• (4) The N.T. writers ascribe divine perfections and attributes to Christ (e.g.) Matthew 11:28; 18:20; 28:20; John 1:2; 2:23-25; 3:13; John 5:17; 21:17; Hebrews 1:3,11,12; 13:8; Revelation 1:8,17,18; 2:23; Revelation 11:17; 22:13.
• (5) The N.T. writers ascribe divine works to Christ John 1:3,10; Colossians 1:16,17; Hebrews 1:3.
• (6) The N.T. writers teach that supreme worship should be paid to Christ Acts 7:59,60; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Philippians 2:9,10; Hebrews 1:6; Revelation 1:5,6; 5:12,13.
• (7) The holiness and resurrection of Christ prove His deity John 8:46; Romans 1:4.