The Meaning of John 20:17: I Am Ascending to My Father

Setting the Scene: Mary Meets the Risen Jesus

This moment happens right after Jesus rises from the dead, when Mary Magdalene, weeping at His empty tomb, mistakes Him for the gardener.

She arrived at the tomb early in the morning and found it empty (John 20:1-16). When Jesus called her by name, she recognized Him and likely rushed to embrace Him in joy and relief. But instead of letting her cling to Him, Jesus gently tells her not to hold on because He has not yet returned to the Father.

He sends her to the disciples - now called His 'brothers' - with a message: 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' In these words, Jesus shows that His resurrection is about opening a new relationship between God and all who believe, not merely about coming back to life.

A New Relationship: From Touch to Trust

This moment with Mary marks a turning point in how all of us relate to God, not merely about one woman meeting Jesus.

Jesus’ words 'Do not cling to me' (Greek: 'mē mou haptou') suggest a shift from His earthly presence to a deeper closeness through the Spirit, not merely stepping back physically. In the ancient world, touching a risen person might have been seen as a way to confirm reality or maintain connection, but Jesus redirects Mary from holding on to His body toward embracing a new reality: His coming ascension and ongoing spiritual presence. This isn’t rejection - it’s preparation. He must ascend so the Holy Spirit can come, making His presence available to everyone everywhere, not only to one person at a tomb.

When Jesus says, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God,' He affirms both His unique divine sonship and the astonishing truth that we can now share in that relationship. He doesn’t say 'our Father' - He keeps distinction between His relationship with the Father (by nature) and ours (by grace), yet He opens the door wide for us. As John 1:12 says, 'to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.' And Paul echoes this in Romans 8:15: 'You did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”' Galatians 4:6 adds, 'And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”' These verses show that Jesus’ ascension isn’t a goodbye - it’s the launch of a new family connection.

I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.

The ascension, later described in Acts 1:9-11, where Jesus is taken up into heaven and angels promise His return, confirms that His work on earth is complete and His authority is cosmic. Ephesians 4:8-10 adds depth: 'When He ascended on high, He led a host of captives and gave gifts to men' - showing His victory and His ongoing role as our high priest and giver of spiritual gifts. This moment with Mary is cosmic in significance, not merely personal.

From Encounter to Mission: Sharing the Good News

This moment with Mary is the beginning of a mission, not merely about personal comfort.

Jesus redirects her joy into purpose, telling her to go to His brothers - now His family by faith - and deliver the news of His ascension. This commission echoes Matthew 28:19-20, where Jesus sends His followers to make disciples of all nations, and Mark 16:7, where the risen Lord calls the disciples His brothers and sends them into the world. By calling them 'brothers,' Jesus shows that through His resurrection, believers are part of God’s family, not merely followers, united by belief rather than blood.

Go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'

John includes this scene to highlight transformation: from grief to hope, from clinging to sharing, from one woman’s love to a worldwide message - fitting his Gospel’s theme that Jesus is the Son of God who reveals the Father and brings eternal life to all who believe.

Connected to the Bigger Story: From Fear to Family

This moment with Mary connects deeply to the broader story of Scripture, where Jesus fulfills the longing for intimate access to God that was only hinted at in the Old Testament.

The phrase 'my God and your God' echoes moments like 2 Kings 18:36, where officials say, 'We have no answer for you; for the king has commanded us, “Do not answer him.”' It once reflected fear and distance from God, but now, through Christ, that fear is replaced with family closeness. Jesus’ ascension fulfills His high priestly prayer in John 17:20-23, where He prays for all believers to be one, as He and the Father are one, enabling us to share in His divine sonship, as Hebrews 2:11 declares: 'He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all of one family.'

I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.

By ascending to the Father, Jesus opens the way for His followers to live in unity and intimacy with God, launching the mission that continues through the church today.

Application