The Love of Christ
6 min read
15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”
John 20:15-17
I’ve always loved this episode in the Gospel of John. It shows Jesus’s gentleness and tenderness toward those whom He loves. Jesus loves those who love Him. And that may sound like favoritism and exclusivity, but it’s really not. Jesus invites everyone into a love relationship with Him. Jesus does not withhold His love from anyone who chooses to love Him.
Verse 17 has always been a bit of a mystery to me. Would Mary holding on to Jesus prevent Him from going to the Father? Or would something bad happen to Mary if Jesus ascended to the Father while she was holding on?
Just the fact that Mary was holding on to Jesus like that was not very appropriate. Ancient Jewish culture had very strong boundaries between men and women. The fact that she was doing that and that Jesus was allowing it shows the level of love that they had for one another.
And so, Jesus’s comment tells me that her clinging to Him like that would delay His ascending to the Father because of His affection for her. And why would ascending to the Father be so important?
Jesus reveals why when He says, “Go instead to my brothers and tell them, …” Mary was the first missionary/evangelist sent out by Jesus.
This episode speaks to me on different levels. But I realize that all the different levels are held together by the love of Jesus Christ.
When we experience pain and confusion because of the brokenness of this world, we wonder where Jesus is. We do not realize that Jesus is right there until we are close enough to hear His voice. And when we hear His voice, we can hear Him calling us.
His call is a call of love and affection. But His call is also a call to go and bear witness to Him. And the fact that Jesus has ascended to the right hand of the Father tells us that all power and authority has been granted to Him (Matthew 28:18). And therefore, (1) He will be with us, and (2) we have nothing to fear, and (3) our witness will be effective.
He will be with us because of His love. We have nothing to fear because of His love. Our witness will be effective because of His love.
Father, Your love never fails. Your love is what I need to overcome whatever pain and confusion I experience in this broken world. Draw me close, Lord, that I might hear Your voice calling my name. Then I will have the joy of Your love to sustain me and the power of Your love that I may bear witness to Your name. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
