The passage in John 20:17 records an intriguing encounter between the risen Jesus and Mary Magdalene. It says, “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.’” This statement by Jesus has puzzled many readers over the years. Why did Jesus tell Mary not to cling to him? What did he mean by saying he had not yet ascended?
There are a few key insights we can gain from this passage:
1. Jesus was entering a new phase of his ministry
After his resurrection, Jesus was transitioning into a new phase of his relationship with the disciples. Prior to the crucifixion, his interactions with them were tangible and physical—they walked together, ate together, he taught them face-to-face. Now, after the resurrection, his interactions would be different. He would still appear to them physically, but those appearances would be temporary. His permanent bodily presence would be replaced with the spiritual presence of the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-18).
So when Jesus says “do not cling to me,” he was signaling to Mary that she should not try to hold on to his physical presence as before. His ministry would no longer consist of daily physical companionship. The time had come for him to ascend to the Father and send the Spirit. Mary needed to adjust her expectations and look forward to relating to Jesus in a new way.
2. Jesus’ resurrected body was in an interim state
During the 40 days between his resurrection and ascension, Jesus’ body was in a transitional state. He had a physical body that could be touched and hugged (John 20:27), yet it also had supernatural qualities—he could appear and disappear at will (Luke 24:31). His resurrected body was physical and familiar, yet different and changed.
This temporary condition of Jesus’ body may shed light on why he did not want Mary to cling to him. The old mode of physical closeness would be inappropriate for his new state of being. The familiar earthly relationship would be replaced with a new spiritual relationship dependent on the Spirit, not on physical proximity.
3. Mary’s priorities needed reoriented from the earthly to the heavenly
Mary reacted in a very human, natural way when she first saw the risen Jesus—she clung to him. John 20:16 tells us, “She turned and said to him in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means Teacher).” In her joy and surprise, she instinctively held on to him. Jesus’ words redirected her priorities and affection from holding on to his earthly presence to looking forward to his ascension and heavenly reign.
Mary needed to transfer her allegiance from Christ after the flesh (2 Corinthians 5:16) to Christ seated in the heavenly places (Ephesians 1:20-21). Clinging to the earthly, physical Jesus would be misguided in light of his impending exaltation and glorification. Mary’s perspective needed adjustment.
4. Jesus was declaring his true identity as the ascended Lord
Prior to his death, Jesus’ full identity had been veiled. But now he was raised, vindicated, and ready to ascend as the exalted King of kings. When Jesus said “do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended,” he was making an important statement about his identity. His ascension would demonstrate his supremacy over all powers (Ephesians 1:20-21). Mary needed to see him not just as her dear teacher, but as the mighty, ascended Lord.
This helps explain Jesus’ instruction to Mary, “go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” He wanted Mary to announce his impending exaltation as the ascending Lord. His true identity would soon be manifested before all.
5. Jesus’ primary mission was to return to the Father
We see a theme throughout John’s gospel—Jesus looking forward to being glorified by returning to the Father (John 17:1-5). Now, after his death and resurrection, that goal was within reach. Jesus was focused on ascending to the Father, being glorified at God’s right hand, and sending the Spirit to his followers.
So when he told Mary not to cling to him, it was a reminder that his earthly sojourn was complete. All that remained was for him to ascend to the Father and finish the work he began. He wanted Mary’s focus aligned with his—to rejoice in his glorification and return to the Father.
6. Jesus was commissioning Mary as a messenger
Though Mary initially reacted with clinging, Jesus did not leave her without a task. He commissioned her as a messenger to go tell the other disciples, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God” (John 20:17). Though she could no longer cling to Jesus, she could serve him as a herald of his resurrection and coming ascension.
Mary rose to the task and reported to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord” (John 20:18). No longer clinging to Jesus’ physical presence, she now clung to the hope of his ascension and coming kingdom. With her priorities realigned, she served as a faithful messenger for Christ.
7. Jesus was indicating a new mode of spiritual fellowship
On the night before his death, Jesus told his disciples he was going away but would not leave them alone—he would send the Holy Spirit (John 14:18). The Spirit would mediate his continuing presence, even if he was no longer with them bodily. The disciples would enjoy fellowship with the risen Christ by the Spirit, without needing his physical presence.
Similarly, when Jesus told Mary not to cling to him, he was pointing ahead to the spiritual fellowship they would enjoy, unhindered by physical separation. As he ascended bodily into heaven, he would be spiritually present with them by the Holy Spirit. A new mode of fellowship was dawning.
8. Jesus was calling Mary to move from despair to joyful hope
The last few days had been an emotional rollercoaster for Mary. She had gone from the despair of the crucifixion, to the shock of the empty tomb, to the initial confusion of mistaking Jesus for the gardener, to the ecstatic joy of seeing her risen Lord face-to-face. When she clung to him, it may have been an expression of not wanting to lose him again after all she had been through.
But Jesus was calling her to an even greater hope. By not clinging to his physical presence, she could look forward to his ascension, exaltation, and the outpouring of the Spirit. He wanted her delight to be focused on the heavenly glories to come, not the earthly companionship that was passing away. She could rejoice in hope rather than cling in fear (Romans 12:12).
9. Jesus was fulfilling the Father’s will on the path to victory
Jesus’ words to Mary reminded her that everything was proceeding according to God’s redemptive plan. Scripture often speaks of Jesus being obedient to do his Father’s will (John 4:34; Hebrews 10:7). Even though he truly loved Mary and the other disciples, his supreme joy was fulfilling his Father’s perfect plan to bring salvation to the world.
So although Mary understandably wanted to cling to Jesus, he lovingly declined. He had to finish the work of redemption laid out for him. And that work would lead to the greatest victory and joy imaginable—his glorification at the Father’s right hand.
10. Jesus was glorifying the Father and the Spirit’s new work
We noted earlier that Jesus kept pointing to his impending ascension and exaltation by the Father. But his words also gave glory to the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. He told Mary he was ascending to “my Father and your Father.” Through the Spirit, Christians are adopted into God’s family (Romans 8:15). Jesus also said he was ascending to “my God and your God.” The Spirit enables intimate fellowship with God.
So in declining Mary’s clinging, Jesus was highlighting the Trinity’s work. The Father would glorify the Son. The Spirit would dwell in believers. And this new arrangement would bring greater glory to God and joy to Christians.
In summary, Jesus’ instruction to Mary, “Do not cling to me” was a critical turning point. It marked the transition from his earthly ministry to his exaltation in heaven as Lord of all. This transition required a new mode of relating to Christ—through the Spirit by faith rather than by physical proximity. By not clinging to the earthly Jesus, Mary could place her hope in the ascending, glorified Jesus. She would enjoy deep fellowship with him through the indwelling Holy Spirit. This word from Jesus redirected Mary’s priorities from the earthly to the heavenly, from the physical to the spiritual, in light of the triune God’s redemptive work. It was a gentle but firm word to help Mary move forward into the new era of salvation and spiritual fellowship inaugurated by Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension.