John 20:17 — ExegesisTAB

The narrative opens with the historical present legei {λέγει | lé-gei} ‘says,’ which gives the scene immediacy even though the surrounding narration is past-oriented in English. The placement of aute {αὐτῇ | au-tē} before Iesous {Ἰησοῦς | Iē-soûs} foregrounds the direct address, with the speaker introduced after the indirect object for vividness. The first clause, mē {Μή | mē} + haptou {ἅπτου | háp-tou}, is a prohibition built on the present imperative, so the force is continuous rather than a one-time action. The causal gar {γὰρ | gar} clause explains the reason for the restraint: oupo {οὔπω | ou-pō} combined with the perfect anabebēka {ἀναβέβηκα | a-na-bé-bē-ka} presents the ascent as a completed event not yet realized. The prepositional phrase pros ton patera {πρὸς τὸν πατέρα | pros ton pa-té-ra} marks movement toward a relational destination, not mere spatial travel. The transition marked by de {δὲ | de} shifts from prohibition to commission, and the paired imperatives poreuou {πορεύου | po-reú-ou} and eipe {εἰπὲ | ei-pe} form a two-step sending. The repetition of pros {πρὸς | pros} in the reported message keeps the destination in focus, while anabainō {Ἀναβαίνω | a-na-baí-nō} in direct speech is a present of imminent certainty. The balanced sequence patera mou kai patera hymon kai theon mou kai theon hymon {πατέρα μου καὶ πατέρα ὑμῶν καὶ θεόν μου καὶ θεὸν ὑμῶν | pa-té-ra mou kai pa-té-ra hy-môn kai the-on mou kai the-on hy-môn} creates a four-part parallelism that both unites and distinguishes Jesus and the disciples: the same Father and God is shared, yet Jesus’ relation remains uniquely filial and primary. This structure is preserved in translation by keeping the dual Father/God pair and by smoothing the Greek command sequence into natural English without losing the movement from restraint to witness.