Johannes 20:16

16 Jesus spricht zu ihr: Maria! Sie wendet sich um und spricht zu ihm auf hebräisch: Rabbuni! das heißt Lehrer.

Johannes 20:16 Meaning and Commentary

John 20:16

Jesus saith unto her, Mary
He might alter the tone of his voice, and speak unto her as he used to do, calling her by her name in his usual manner: so Christ has personal knowledge of all his people, and can call them by name; he knows them, and makes himself known to them, before they can know him; and though he may absent himself from them for a while, yet not always:

she turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni, which is to say,
Master;
it seems, as if she had dropped her conversation with the supposed gardener at once, and scarce waited for an answer from him, but turns herself to the angels again, if she could hear any tidings from them; acting like a person in the utmost distress, hurry and confusion; looking this way and that way, to this or the other person: and now upon Christ's speaking to her, in this plain, familiar manner, she turns herself again; when fully knowing him, she addresses him with the greatest faith and affection, reverence and humility; calling him her Lord and master, and throws herself at his feet: thus when Christ is pleased to manifest himself to his people, there goes a power along with his word, making himself known; and a word from Christ, attended with divine power, will give a soul a turn to him from the most excellent creatures, even angels; and when Christ is known, he will be acknowledged with all love, humility, and obedience. The word Rabboni, is of the Chaldee and Syriac form, and signifies "my Lord, or master"; and is commonly applied to one that has a despotic power over another; though all the Oriental versions say, that she spoke to him in Hebrew. The Syriac and Ethiopic, "Rabboni", but the Arabic and Persic, "Rabbi". The titles of Rab, Rabbi, and Rabban, are frequent with the Jewish doctors; who say ^F13, that Rabbi is greater than Rab, and Rabban is greater than Rabbi; and a man's own name greater than Rabban: but the word in the form here used Rabbon, I do not remember ever to have observed applied to any of the doctors; but is frequently used of the Divine Being, who, in their prayers, is often addressed in this manner, (Mlwe lv wnwbr) "Lord of the world" ^F14. I conjecture therefore, that Mary used this word, as expressive of her faith in his power and Godhead, seeing him alive from the dead; though it might be a name she was used to call him by before, being convinced from what he had done to her, and by the miracles she had observed performed by him on others, of his proper deity; as the poor blind man expresses his faith in the power of Christ to cure him, by addressing him in the same language, using the same word, ( Mark 10:51 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 Halichot Olam Tract. 1. c. 3. p. 25.
F14 T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 20. 1. Sanhedrin, fol. 94. 1. Abot R. Nathan, c. 9. Bereshit Rabba, sect. 8. fol. 6. 4.

Johannes 20:16 In-Context

14 Als sie dies gesagt hatte, wandte sie sich zurück und sieht Jesum stehen; und sie wußte nicht, daß es Jesus sei.

15 Jesus spricht zu ihr: Weib, was weinst du? Wen suchst du? Sie, in der Meinung, es sei der Gärtner, spricht zu ihm: Herr, wenn du ihn weggetragen, so sage mir, wo du ihn hingelegt hast, und ich werde ihn wegholen.

16 Jesus spricht zu ihr: Maria! Sie wendet sich um und spricht zu ihm auf hebräisch: Rabbuni! das heißt Lehrer.

17 Jesus spricht zu ihr: Rühre mich nicht an, denn ich bin noch nicht aufgefahren zu meinem Vater. Geh aber hin zu meinen Brüdern und sprich zu ihnen: Ich fahre auf zu meinem Vater und eurem Vater, und zu meinem Gott und eurem Gott.

18 Maria Magdalene kommt und verkündet den Jüngern, daß sie den Herrn gesehen, und er dies zu ihr gesagt habe.