Charles Spurgeon Commentary John 20:16

"Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turneth herself, and saith unto him in Hebrew, Rabboni; which is to say, Teacher." — John 20:16 (ASV)

Jesus saith unto her, Mary.

In the simple utterance of her name, there were tones which she could not mistake. It was the sweetest music she had heard since her Lord's last message from the cross: "Mary." "Why, surely," she must have thought, "it was the Master's voice calling me by name!"

She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

Or, "My Master!" The word "Rabboni" means something more than "Master." Mary seems to say, "Greatest and best of all teachers, I know your voice; now that you have called me by my name, I recognize you, and I wait to listen to the instruction you are ready to impart to me."

Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

She said, "My Master, my Rabbi, my Teacher, my Leader, my dear Master!" and I expect she said it with great exultation. She delighted to have her Master again, to have her Teacher again; for, to be without her Teacher, and without her Lord, was a terrible bereavement to that gentle, teachable heart. I suppose she was about to lay hold of Christ, to grasp him by the feet, lest he should again go away from her.