15 "Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?"
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him."
16 Jesus said to her, "Mary."
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).
While Jesus’ identity may have at first been veiled from Mary’s desperate eyes, there was certainly no missing the sound of her name coming from His voice and ringing pristinely clear in her ears. One single Word – one very tenderly personal Word - from His mouth was enough to deliver her from her present blindness - removing the scales from her eyes. This so reminds me of our Lord’s comforting Words to all of His sheep:
2 “The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. 3 The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice.” John 10:2-5 (NIV)
Shepherds knew their sheep well, giving them names and calling them each by their name. Likewise, in security, safety and trust, the sheep would follow their shepherd’s familiar voice – running away from the stranger’s unrecognizable sounds. In like manner, we come to God because He first calls us and in proper response to His call – in faith and trust - we follow. Just as He called His very first disciples, He does so to each subsequent one. Scripture states He would extend a “Follow me” and often immediately they would choose to go.
18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." 20 At once they left their nets and followed him. 21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. Matt 4:18-22 (NIV)
I am also reminded of the prophet Isaiah’s words declaring the believer’s confidence in their ability to discern the Master’s voice:
21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." Isaiah 30:21 (NIV)
Further, Jesus goes on to state the glorious Truth that as the perfect Shepherd He loses none of His flock - though surely believers will sin and stumble. The security rests not in the frail and failing sheep rather in the ability of the great Shepherd. We can rest in His all-powerful hand:
27 “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one.” John 10:27-30 (NIV)
Certainly the boundless love and compassion of the Lord Jesus towards His believing people sweetly shows forth in our verses for today. The Master was readily touched by the feelings of Mary’s infirmities and sorrows. He was ever aware of how weak bodily frames are and how excessive sorrow can stupefy minds. In overwhelming sadness Mary had one thought and one thought only – she wanted to recover the corpse of her Lord’s body and do it honor. Any idea in regards to His resurrection appears not to have entered her bereaved thoughts. Never mind Jesus’ teachings and warnings beforehand of what would surely come to pass – all this seemed to be thrown away and forgotten. She was so consumed with thoughts of Christ that she was not even frightened by the sight and sound of the angels, she addresses Christ as a gardener and she even believes she can carry the dead corpse back to the sepulcher - alone!
“Nothing can satisfy the entire man but the Lord’s love and the Lord’s own self...To embrace our Lord Jesus, to dwell in His love, and be fully assured of union with Him – this is all in all.” C. H. Spurgeon
Christ passes over Mary’s dullness when He saw the real, genuine, persevering love to His person. He was the solitary aim of her soul. He graciously forgave her forgetfulness of His often repeated statements and pities her deep anguishing sorrow. He abundantly rewards her consuming love – He always does.
8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. 9 He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; 10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; 14 for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust...17 But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children--18 with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. Psalms 103:8-14; 17-18 (NIV)