Why didn't Mary recognize Jesus after his resurrection?

[afaithfulone4u]

John 20:14-16
14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.
16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
KJV

If Jesus's body did not see decay.. then why did he not appear to her the way he looked before his death?

 

[Asyncritus]

How about He looked different?

 

[Webers_Home]

.
It's a curious foible of human nature that we all sometimes fail to
recognize even well-known friends and associates when they show up in
places where, and when, we least expect them.

It's also curious how human nature continues to see deceased people long
after they're dead. For example; a very good friend of mine died a few years
ago and to this day I run across people who so strongly resemble him that
I have to remind myself that my friend is gone.

I have the feeling that very thing happened to Ms. Magdalena. Even if she
saw a strong resemblance to Jesus in the man who she assumed was the
gardener; she probably did the very same thing that I do all the time; and
that's to remind myself that my friend is gone and this look-alike that I'm
seeing is only that: a look-alike. Ms. Magdalena did not expect her pal Jesus
back from the dead, so it's only natural that she would dismiss the gardener's
resemblance to Jesus as just her imagination running away with itself.

Buen Camino
/

 

[afaithfulone4u]

How about He looked different?

Why would he look different.. his body was purposefully preserved to not see decay so that his scars would be retained for confirmation of who he was! Yet he could walk through walls, be in places in an instant and eat, talk, had full memory.

.
It's a curious foible of human nature that we all sometimes fail to
recognize even well-known friends and associates when they show up in
places where, and when, we least expect them.

It's also curious how human nature continues to see deceased people long
after they're dead. For example; a very good friend of mine died a few years
ago and to this day I run across people who so strongly resemble him that
I have to remind myself that my friend is gone.

I have the feeling that very thing happened to Ms. Magdalena. Even if she
saw a strong resemblance to Jesus in the man who she assumed was the
gardener; she probably did the very same thing that I do all the time; and
that's to remind myself that my friend is gone and this look-alike that I'm
seeing is only that: a look-alike. Ms. Magdalena did not expect her pal Jesus
back from the dead, so it's only natural that she would dismiss the gardener's
resemblance to Jesus as just her imagination running away with itself.

Buen Camino
/

Who was the first gardener on God's earth? Wasn't it Adam who was placed in God's garden of Eden to tend it? Isn't Jesus called the LAST Adam? Didn't he work the fields for the Father and taught us to do the same in the authority of his name?

But she was not the only one to not recognize him:

Luke 24:13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.
14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.
16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?
18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass therein these days?
19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:
20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
KJV


Luke 24:29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
KJV

 

[Webers_Home]

Who was the first gardener on God's earth? Wasn't it Adam who was
placed in God's garden of Eden to tend it? Isn't Jesus called the LAST
Adam? Didn't he work the fields for the Father and taught us to do the
same in the authority of his name?

According to the language and grammar of John 20:14-16, Jesus wasn't
actually the cemetery's gardener. Magdalena just assumed he was.

16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

There's nothing in the language and grammar of John 20:14-16 indicating
that Magdalena's eyes were holden like the two guys Jesus encountered
on the road to Emmaus. She simply didn't recognize him; that's all: nothing
more, nothing less.


Buen Camino
/

 

[Asyncritus]

You know full well that if the last time you saw someone, he was brutally beaten, fatigued, with blood and agony on his face, and then he died, with the features sunken down, and the second time you saw him,in the full bloom and radiance of youth and immortality then you would have a job recognising him.

He did look entirely different - that is in the nature of the case.

Bear in mind too, that this was early morning light, maybe with mist etc, and little sunlight, say 5 -5.30 am. She couldn't see clearly either. Add to that the fact that she had certainly been up all night crying her eyes out, and you can see plenty of reason why she didn't recognise Him.

The other instances you raise have another very serious reason which needs to be considered, and which has never been recognised. I'll raise that matter some other time.

 

[VictoryinJesus]

John 20:14-16
14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.
16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
KJV

If Jesus's body did not see decay.. then why did he not appear to her the way he looked before his death?

It was a good question from 2013. never saw this post or really considered. Luke 24:3-5 maybe helps: And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. [4] And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: [5] And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

Similar to
John 20:11 Lexicon: But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb;


John 20:12 Lexicon: and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying.


John 20:13 Lexicon: And 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."


John 20:14 Lexicon: When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.


John 20:15 Lexicon: Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" (Why seek ye the living among the dead?) Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away."


John 20:16 Lexicon: Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means, Teacher).


And how many times she asked “where did the lay him” unless I’ve misunderstood Why seek ye the living among the dead?

can almost feel her desperation as anyone would feel, many do feel, in “where did you put the body” of a loved one. She keeps begging even saying tell me and I’ll take the body away.

then He calls her name “Mary”
She turns and responds “Master” ...”Teacher”

what stands out the most though is what he says to her “stop clinging to Me” ...go tell my brethren “I ascend to My Father and your Father and My God and your God.”

 

[April_Rose]

To the OP, I always wondered this too.

 

[Enoch111]

Why didn't Mary recognize Jesus after his resurrection?

The short answer is "Because of unbelief".

Had Mary been full of faith, she would not have done the following things:

1. She would not have gone to the tomb (with the other women) with spices for embalming the body of Christ. She assumed that the corpse of Christ would be found in His tomb, rather than expecting to see Him alive as He had promised and also prophesied many times.

2. She was there when the two angels clearly stated that Christ had already risen and would meet His disciples in Galilee. In fact the angels invited the women to enter the tomb and confirm for themselves, and go quickly and inform all the disciples. Instead of running with the other women with the good news, she hung around the tomb. Had she been with the other women as they went to announce the good news, she too would have met Christ.

3. So Mary did not believe Jesus and then did not believe the angels. She hung around wondering where someone had taken the body of Christ. That was pure unbelief when the women had been explicitly told that Christ had risen from the dead. So Jesus did not allow her to recognize Him at first.

4. Mary is not the only one who failed to believe Christ. Absolutely all His disciples failed to believe Him regarding His resurrection. And then Thomas persisted in his unbelief until Christ appeared eight days later.

The lessons we can learn from this is that even though many things are revealed in the Bible, Christians are full of unbelief even to this day. All the apostles and disciples should have known from the Old Testament that Christ would rise from the dead. Jesus even referred to the resurrection of Jonah as a type of His resurrection. And when Jesus told them again and again that it would be so, they should have paid close attention. Even Christ's enemies remembered that He had said He would rise again. But the apostles and disciples forget all of this and thought that they were seeing a ghost when Christ appeared to them.

 

[quietthinker]

Why didn't Mary recognize Jesus after his resurrection?
Her vision was blurred with her many tears.

 

[quietthinker]

Pride dry's up the reservoir, vulnerability opens its flood gates!

 

[Webers_Home]

.
It's a curious foible of human nature that we all sometimes fail to recognize
even well-known friends and associates when they show up in places where,
and when, we least expect them.

Even had Ms. Magdalene and the disciples seen a strong resemblance to
Jesus in the man ashore and in the cemetery, they knew good and well their
own selves that it couldn't be him because she, and some of them, were eye
witnesses to his demise and his burial. And besides; according to Isa 52:14,
Jesus was beaten and bloodied beyond recognition so it's doubtful they
would be expecting him back in good condition.
_

 

[jaybird]

what a great old thread to dig up.
i have thought on the same thing. it wasnt just Mary, there were many that didnt recognize Jesus. i have never heard anyone give a good explanation.
i have heard people say its unbelief, im not sure that works for me. Jesus is the one that raised the dead, healed the sick, calmed the storm, walked on water, but He cant come back from the dead? i dont think so.

 

[Enoch111]

Jesus was beaten and bloodied beyond recognition so it's doubtful they
would be expecting him back in good condition.

But Christ had told them many times that He would rise again. That should have been enough.

 

[JohnDB]

Okay...
Lots of beating around the bush but few concrete ideas.

But yes, most people don't have perfect vision.most people are nearsighted to some degree. Normal, perfect vision is not the norm. People can go about without glasses because they can see well enough without them. And they think that they look better without them.

But in a time period when glasses were not invented? Okay...

Then there's the personally witnessing the beaten and bruised Jesus become crucified and die. After having a three and a half year relationship with Jesus as a devoted follower... knowing every curl in his hair and beard...his manner of walking and talking...and then to see someone gardening like they didn't have a care in the world.

You flat out wouldn't figure out that this bald and beardless guy doing gardening was actually your Rabbi that you followed for three years. No beard, no hair, no bruises, and no rabbi shawl/scarf and working over the flowering plants in the Cemetery... Until he begins to speak your name in the way He has for the past three years.

Then Mary overcome with emotion begins to try to squeeze his breath out of him...hugging him for dear life.

No wonder Jesus said for her to let him go...He still needed air.

 

[April_Rose]

Wait lol where in the Bible is it written that Jesus was bald?

 

[JohnDB]

Wait lol where in the Bible is it written that Jesus was bald?

It was part of the scourging process and humiliation of a Jewish person.

 

[April_Rose]

It was part of the scourging process and humiliation of a Jewish person.

Say what now?

 

[amigo de christo]

The two on the road to emmaus did not recognize him either .
It says in one place , i think in mark , that he appeared in another form at times .
The good news is , JESUS IS ALIVE AND ROSE FROM THE GRAVE . NOW LET THE GLORIOUS KING BE PRAISED .

 

[April_Rose]

The two on the road to emmaus did not recognize him either .
It says in one place , i think in mark , that he appeared in another form at times .
The good news is , JESUS IS ALIVE AND ROSE FROM THE GRAVE . NOW LET THE GLORIOUS KING BE PRAISED .

Amen brother. :)