John 20:17 records Jesus telling Mary Magdalene not to cling to him, because he has not yet returned to his Father. He then sends her to tell his disciples that he is ascending to a Father who is both his Father and theirs. Jesus speaks these words to Mary at the empty tomb on the morning of the resurrection, after she has recognized him by the sound of his voice.
Jesus said to her, “Don’t hold me, for I haven’t yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers, and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
John 20:17 (WEB)
What John 20:17 Means
The verse begins with a command: “Don’t hold me.” Mary has found Jesus alive and, in the first rush of relief and grief, wants to keep him close. Jesus gently redirects her. The risen Lord is not simply returning to the life Mary knew before the crucifixion, and the relationship is entering a new stage that she cannot yet grasp by holding on to what was.
The reason Jesus gives is that he “hasn’t yet ascended to my Father.” The ascension is still ahead. Jesus is not saying that Mary is unworthy to touch him, and he is not withholding comfort. He is pointing to the next event in God’s plan, the return to the Father that completes his work. The verse does not spell out every detail of what the ascension involves or when exactly it happens, so readers should be careful not to read more into it than the text supplies.
Then comes the commission: “go to my brothers, and tell them.” The word “brothers” shows that Jesus now calls his followers family. The message he gives is personal and relational: “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” Notice the careful distinction in that sentence. Jesus says “my Father” and “your Father,” and “my God” and “your God.” He does not collapse the two relationships into one. Yet he places the disciples inside the family of God because of what he has accomplished.
The Context of John 20:17
The Gospel of John was written by a follower who presents Jesus as the eternal Word and Son of God, and whose stated purpose is that readers may believe and have life in his name. Tradition identifies the author as the apostle John, though scholars continue to discuss the exact authorship. The first readers were likely early Christian communities who needed to understand who Jesus was and what his death and resurrection meant for them.
The verse sits within a short scene of recognition. Mary first mistakes Jesus for the gardener, and only when he speaks her name does she know him. The moment is intimate and joyful, but it also marks a turning point. The one who was dead is alive, and the disciples are about to receive a new identity and mission. Reading the verse within that sequence shows that Jesus’ words are not a rebuke but a bridge from the grief of the tomb to the mission that follows.
Key Phrases in John 20:17
Romans 8:15
For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
(WEB)
Paul describes believers receiving the Spirit of adoption, which lets them call God Father. This connects closely with the family language in John 20:17 and shows how the relationship Jesus describes is made real in the believer’s life.
Ephesians 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ…
(WEB)
This verse speaks of the blessings believers have in Christ, which come through their union with him. It helps explain why Jesus can share his Father with his followers, grounding that gift in the spiritual inheritance they receive through him.
A Short Prayer From John 20:17
Father, thank you that the risen Jesus did not keep his followers at a distance but sent them to tell others that you are their Father too. When I want to hold on to things that have already changed, help me trust your plan for what comes next. When I feel unsure whether I belong in your family, remind me that Christ calls me his brother or sister and brings me close to you. Teach me to speak of your love to others with joy and confidence. Amen.
