WHAT A DIFFERENCE A GENDER MAKES

While studying the three different Greek words for "see" in John 20:5-8, I noticed something I had not seen before. There was a definite difference between how Peter and John responded to the Resurrection of Jesus, and how Mary Magdalene responded. John wrote, "Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again unto their own home" (Jn. 20:8-10). They went home! Mary, on the other hand, had reacted quite differently. John wrote, "Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved..." (Jn. 20:2).

Mary Magdalene also responded in a way that showed a different level of belief. She apparently had returned following Peter and John, and after they had "gone home," she stood there weeping. Typical girl, right? Maybe not so typical. John wrote, "Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto Him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master" (Jn. 20:16). The Greek word translated "turned" is στρέφω (strephó), which can mean to turn around physically, or it can mean to turn around spiritually or repent as in conversion (Matt. 13:15; 18:3; Mk. 4:12; Lk. 22:32; Jn. 12:40; Acts 3:19; 28:27). I am not saying that we should view Mary as repenting and being converted here, but isn't it ironic that the same Greek word translated "turned herself," is a word that is elsewhere used for repentance and faith which results in conversion?

That is not all. Then "Jesus saith unto her, Touch Me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father: but go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her" (Jn. 20:16-18). She did not go home; she went to work!

Notice, Mary addressed Him as "Master" (v. 16), she obeyed Him, and she called Him "the Lord." Most of us miss the importance of Jesus being "the Lord." When Mary and His disciples spoke of Jesus as being "the Lord," they may not have realized that Jesus is the same person as Jehovah in the Old Testament. But in Romans 10:13, the Apostle Paul quoted Joel 2:32, which says, "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered...." Whenever you see the word "Lord" in all caps, it is translating the word "Jehovah" in the Hebrew text. Mary, by calling Jesus "the Lord," was, in fact, addressing His as Jehovah; she was addressing Him as God!

As we think about the Lord's Resurrection in church this coming Sunday,
will we simply go home, or will we go to work?