John 20:11-18

11 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb.

12 And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

13 Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.

15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!”She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).

17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.'”

18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.

Perhaps angels had been guarding the body ever since it was first laid in the tomb (Psalm 91:11) but were invisible to Peter and John. Their presence should have convinced Mary that all was well.

Jesus evidently hid His identity at first, as He did on the road to Emmaus. Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer (2 Corinthians 5:16).

Whom are you seeking? (v. 15) — This is perhaps a gentle rebuke. Why search for God among the dead?

brethren (v. 17) — after His resurrection, Jesus called His disciples brothers (Hebrews 2:11-14).

Her [Mary’s] immediate response was to touch Him and cling to Him. But Jesus stopped her: “Do not hold on to Me,” which could also be translated “stop clinging to me.” The Greek verb underlying “clinging” is a present imperative. The action had already begun when Jesus spoke this to Mary. He was not preventing Mary from touching Him (which would be the meaning if an aorist imperative had been used). Perhaps Mary wanted to hold Jesus and so recapture the former relationship with Him or make sure He didn’t leave her. But Jesus was indicating that He had entered into a new, spiritual realm as the result of His resurrection. Life was not as it had been before. — Comfort, page 319.