Why did Jesus tell Mary Magdalene not to touch him?

[tonychanyt]

BSB, Mt 28:

8 So [the women] hurried away from the tomb in fear and great joy, and ran to tell His disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” They came to Him, grasped [aorist puntilliar] His feet, and worshiped Him. 10 “Do not be afraid,” said Jesus. “Go and tell My brothers to go to Galilee. There they will see Me.”

Mary Magdalene was probably not with this group of women. She was first and fast on her way to the city to report the empty tomb to Peter et al.

Later, King James Bible, Jn 20:

17 Jesus saith unto [Mary Magdalene], Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

touch
ἅπτου (haptou)
Verb - Present Imperative Middle - 2nd Person Singular

me
μου (mou) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular

Strong's Greek: 680. ἅπτομαι (haptomai) — 36 Occurrences Reflexive of hapto

BDAG ἅπτω:
② to make close contact, middle voice with genitive
ⓐ gener. touch, take hold of, hold
ⓑ cling to μή μου ἅπτου stop clinging to me!
ⓒ freq. of touching as a means of conveying a blessing

G680 meant a strong touch. The present tense meant a continual clinging action.

New King James Version:

Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me”.

Jesus did not tell Mary Magdalene not to touch him. He was not staying on that spot for long, and her errand was to deliver his message to his disciples.

Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”

Jesus had an appointment with the Father, and he didn't want Mary Magdalene to delay it. At this point, Jesus' priority was ascending to the Father, and because of the urgent business of ascending to the Father, Jesus didn't want her to continue to cling to him.