In this episode, Wyatt and Ian finish book I of Calvin’s Institutes. They highlight Calvin’s discussion of Providence and divine accommodation in relation to the question of God’s repentance.
John 20:17 seems strange. After Jesus rose from the dead, Mary Magdalene weeps in front of the empty tomb. At first mistaking Jesus to be the gardener, she recognizes Jesus once he calls her by name. Her first impulse is to reach out a “cling” to Jesus. But Jesus says, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father” (John 20:17). The verb “cling to” is literally “touch.” Apparently, Jesus cannot be touched until he ascends to the Father. At first glance, this seems strange. D. A. Carson even adds that “This verse belongs to...
