of it is a point wliich lias greatly perplexed commentators. I Buspect it is one of tliose things which will never be fully settled until the Lord comes. In the meantime we must be content to make humble conjectures. It will clear our way to remember that our Lord could not possibly mean by saying, " Touch Me not," that there was anything sinful or wrong in Mary touching His risen body. The mere fact that a few minutes after this interview wuth Mary, he allowed the other women who had been to the grave to "hold Him by the feet" (Matt, xxviii. 9), completely settles that point. Moreover, within a week after this very day, He says to Thomas, " Reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side." (John xx. 27.) This alone entirely contradicts the notion that our Lord's body might not be touched before His ascension. But having cleared the way negatively, the question yet remains, " What did our Lord mean positively ? "
In order to understand the meaning of " Touch Me not," we must try to realize the state of mind in which Mary Magdalene was, when our Lord revealed Himself to her. A very slight knowledge of human nature, and especially of woman's nature, will tell us that the sudden discovery that Jesus was alive and standing before her, would throw her into a violent state of excitement, and produce an immense revulsion of feeling, from deep despondency to extravagant joy. May we not well be- lieve that under the influence of this excitement, this holy wo- man might be more demonstrative than was seemly, and might exhibit her feelings by actions and gestures that our Lord saw it absolutely needful to repress ? Can we not understand that a warm-hearted, impulsive Jewish woman, holy and pure- minded as she certainly was, would be likely to cast herself at our Lord's feet, to say the least, in a passionate ecstasy of de- light, and to hold them fast, kissing and embracing them, like the woman in Simon's house, as if she would never let them go ? — And can we not well understand that our wise Master, who knew all hearts, thought it good to check and repress her, and therefore, for her soul's benefit, and not unkindly, said, " Touch Me not." — Nothing would be more likely to calm the good wo- man's mind, and to recall her to a reverent sense of what was due to herself and to her Lord, than this prohibition to " touch." Such is my view of this wonderful expression. It is to my mind a very suggestive one, and deserves the especial attention of ministers, in carrying on their private pastoral work. But I forbear. Let it however never be forgotten (and I desire to speak with the utmost reverence and delicacy), that when our Lord allowed the women, mentioned by St. Matthew (Matt, xxviii. 9), to " hold Him by the feet," there were several women present together, and some of them mothers and not young. When, on the contrary. He said to Mary Magdalene, " Touch Me not," He spoke to one who in all probability was a young woman, and He and she were alone 1
The Greek word we render " touch," according to Liddell