Skeptic Questions about Jesus answered, 3

"Is Mary permitted to touch Jesus after the resurrection?

Yes – “. . . they came and held him by his feet, and worshiped him.” (Matthew 28:9)

Not mentioned in Mark

YES -- “Behold my hands and my feet . . . handle me and see . . . .” (Luke 24:39; 1 John 1:1)

No -- Jesus said to her, “Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father . . . .” (John 20:17)"
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Response:

In the Greek, "touch me not" is read as "me mou haptou".

Haptou is a form of touching that travels or exerts so as to manipulate or to influence a compliance (such as by force or pain).

Therefore, the negative imperative in the Greek is telling Mary in today's lingo, is Jesus telling Mary to - "knock it off", "quit touching and pushing me all over".


It isn't a sensual touching she does, but a gruff (are you real, a zombie, or what?) kind of old washer-woman pushy-pushing around kind of a touch. Although resurrected, the body was possibly in some kind of vulnerable state that had not yet reached a state of completion; but this is my speculation on the inference left by the language of the text. The timing of perfection of the resurrected body appears only to be when a person is about to ascend to Heaven to the Father. So it is a justified speculation that I make, as well as explains why Jesus could also eat campfire fish with his disciples after that He rose from the dead on the Third Day.

In effect, the gruff manner and the type of response by Jesus to Mary de facto dispels the myths of anything other than a platonic relationship between Jesus and Mary as well.