Holding Jesus by the Feet
It is often said that the statement that “the women held Jesus by the feet and worshiped him,” is a palpable contradiction of His command to Mary not to touch Him.
In Matthew 28:99And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. (Matthew 28:9), we read that as “they went (according to the angel’s word) to tell His disciples, behold Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.”
In John 20:1717Jesus 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. (John 20:17), when Mary seems ready to approach the Lord; in her accustomed manner, “Jesus said 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.”
It seems to us impossible that any one can see the beauty of these two scriptures, and the entire absence of contradiction, unless the different lines of truth and the relationships of which each evangelist treats are discerned. This, too, resolves many other difficulties. The moral perfection of Scripture is then most striking. In Matthew we have, from first to last, facts which are for the most part narrated as having a Jewish bearing. Hence we find much of that kind of instruction which is not found in the other gospels. When our Lord spake of His death and resurrection, He added, “But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee” (Matt. 26:3232But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. (Matthew 26:32)). The Messiah having been rejected by the Jews and Jerusalem, He now intimates that when raised from among the dead, He will still recognize the “poor of the flock” in Galilee, who will thus be a sample of the future remnant spoken of by the prophets that will be brought into their promised blessing at His appearing and kingdom. This is doubtless why we have no ascension in Matthew. This is also why the angel sent the message to the disciples to meet Jesus in Galilee, which was afterward confirmed by our Lord, and acted on by the disciples. (Matt. 28:5, 10, 165And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. (Matthew 28:5)
10Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me. (Matthew 28:10)
16Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. (Matthew 28:16)). It is here that Jesus as Messiah, having died for that “nation,” is now able, on the ground of His work, to recognize relationship with the faithful residue.
Hence, in keeping with this, the women are allowed to hold Him by the feet and worship Him; for the Jewish thought is to have Messiah bodily with them on earth. This will be manifested in due time.
But John’s is a different line of things. All through his gospel we have the Father and the Son. Jesus is here looked at as having taught believers that they were loved of the Father, given to Him by the Father, and that their destiny was the Father’s house. When He went back to the Father, He spake of sending the Holy Spirit to be with us and in us during all the time of His absence; and that He would come again and receive us unto Himself, that where He is there we might be also. Therefore, in John 20:1717Jesus 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. (John 20:17), we have the new relationships of being God’s children, and Christ’s brethren, announced, not in connection with a Messiah seen on earth, but with the Lord of glory, not here but in heaven. It is in principle Christianity and not Judaism. Mary therefore was forbidden to “touch” Him, but was sent to tell others of His sphere henceforth being in ascension and not on earth. They were to know Him, serve Him, and honor Him as gone back to the Father. The Christian’s relationships therefore are heavenly, and forever. Precious message! “Go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God.” O, the untold blessedness of these new relationships, founded on Christ’s work of eternal redemption!
Sin and Transgression
Though the books of Moses and the gospels have been the portions of the sacred writings against which the shafts of skepticism have been more generally thrust, yet the epistles have not wholly escaped their censure. We only select one instance, out of many, from a published pamphlet now before us.
It is alleged as a proof of contradiction, that in Romans 2:1212For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (Romans 2:12), it is said, “For as many as have sinned without law, shall also perish without law;” and in Romans 4:1515Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. (Romans 4:15), “Where no law is, there is no transgression.” In the accuser’s mind sinning and transgression are here the same thought, hence to perish without law, and yet for there to be no transgression without law, to him is a contradiction; but it is not so. We are told that “all have sinned,” from Adam downwards; but the people of Israel were also transgressors, because they went across God’s positive commands. Adam also transgressed in doing what God prohibited (Rom. 5:12,1412Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12)
14Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. (Romans 5:14)).
The accuracy of Romans 2:1212For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (Romans 2:12) is seen in that not having been under the law, they will not be judged by it: but having a conscience and the knowledge of good and evil since “sin entered into the world,” they will be judged on other grounds. Such may be referred to in Romans 1:1818For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; (Romans 1:18) and following verses. The accuracy of Romans 4:1515Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. (Romans 4:15), is seen in the holiness of the principle, that if there had been no law given, there could be nothing to be disobeyed, no transgression. Speaking generally, then, all Gentiles and Jews are sinners by nature, and practice — all are “under sin,” “have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”; but the children of Israel, who willingly put themselves under law have been proved to be transgressors, and when Jews and Gentiles are classed together another word is used, the word “offenses,” for all are offenders, though not all transgressors, inasmuch as Gentiles have not the law — “Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification” (Rom. 4:2525Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (Romans 4:25)).
It may be well to add, that the word “sin” is used about thirty times in only two chapters in Romans, Romans 6-7: It is called “the old man,” “the flesh,” which the believer is not in as to his standing, though it is still in him but to faith he is righteously delivered from, because “our old man is crucified” and “dead with Christ.” “Sins” are forgiven, because they have been borne, suffered for, and atoned for by Christ, whose blood “was shed for many, for the remission of sins.” We read, therefore, of remission of sins, and of our old man (the nature that did the sins) being crucified with Christ; and these are important distinctions. We find “sin,” “sins,” “offenses,” and “transgression,” used in this epistle and elsewhere with the greatest precision.