Verses used by Arians against the divinity of Christ Part 2

the explanation of the verse of the Lord’s meeting with Mary Magdalene in John 20 where He said to her: “Do not touch me for I have not yet ascended to my Father.”
##The human nature (Nasoot) versus the divinity (Lahoot)
The Pope clarifies that the Lord’s speech here issues from His human side — from the body and the nasoot — because Christ has a complete nasoot and sometimes speaks from the standpoint of His human nature without nullifying His divinity.
##Meanings of the word “My brothers”
He explains that the term “my brothers” occurred from Christ in three senses: applied to humanity generally, referring to relatives (cousins) in some texts, and speaking of the disciples who became brothers in faith. In this verse the intended meaning is often the disciples from the aspect of body and nasoot together.
##Interpretation of the phrase “I have not yet ascended to my Father”
He interprets that the Lord addresses Mary from the level of her weak perception and evident faith, so He does not mean to deny His divinity or absence with the Father, but rather that His bodily ascension to the Father’s glory had not yet been perceived by her.
##The distinction between “my Father” and “your Father” and “my God” and “your God”
He explains that his differentiation between “my Father” (indicating an aconal origin and a nature peculiar to Him) and “your Father” or “your God” (indicating adoption, love, and faith in believers or God as their creator) affirms the joining of both: unity of divine essence with the reality of His representation for humanity.
##Comparison of Mary and Thomas
He points out that Mary said “Rabboni/Teacher” as evidence of her partial understanding, while Thomas later acknowledged the Lord’s lordship and divinity saying “My Lord and my God,” which highlights differences in deepening faith among people.
##Appealing conclusion
The conclusion calls for a balanced understanding: to read the Lord’s sayings according to their nasootic or lahootic context and not to separate verses about the human from verses about God, while recognizing Christ’s ascension in the body and its salvific meanings.
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