John 20:16

Mary The term of general address, -Woman" awoke no echo in her heart; the sign of personal knowledge and sympathy comes home to her at once. Thus -He calleth His own sheep by name" (John 10:3).

saith unto him We must add with the best authorities, in Hebrew. The insertion is of importance as indicating the language spoken between Christ and His disciples. S. John thinks it well to remind Greek readers that Greek was not the language used. Comp. Acts 22:2; Acts 26:14. The expression here used (Hebraïsti) occurs only in this Gospel (John 5:2; John 19:13; John 19:17; John 19:20) and in Revelation (John 9:11; John 16:16). See on John 19:37

Rabboni More exactly, Rabbuni. This precise form occurs also in Mark 10:51, but has been obliterated in the A. V. It is said to be Galilean, and if so natural in a woman of Magdala. Would any but a Jew of Palestine have preserved this detail?

Master Or, Teacher. Its literal meaning is -my Master," but the pronominal portion of the word had lost almost all meaning. S. John's translation shews that as yet her belief is very imperfect: she uses a mere human title.