Yes — Jesus' resurrection-morning ascension to the Father fulfilled the Day of Atonement pattern of the high priest entering the heavenly Holy of Holies with His own blood.
On resurrection morning, Jesus stopped Mary from touching Him because He had not yet ascended to the Father. Les Feldick shows that, just as the high priest entered behind the veil once a year on the Day of Atonement with blood, Jesus had to enter the heavenly tabernacle as High Priest with His own blood. Hebrews 9 describes this greater and more perfect tabernacle and Christ's once-for-all entry into the holy place.
John 20:17 — Jesus Himself connects His not-yet-ascension with Mary's inability to touch Him — the immediate event Les discusses.
Hebrews 9:11-12 — These verses describe Christ entering the heavenly holy place with His own blood, fulfilling the Day of Atonement pattern.
Leviticus 16:2 — God's command that the high priest enter behind the veil only once a year establishes the Day of Atonement background Les says Jesus fulfilled.
John 20:17 records Jesus' words to Mary Magdalene on resurrection morning: "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." The verse plainly shows that at that moment Jesus had not yet ascended to the Father. Hebrews 9:11-12 says of Christ: "But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." This describes a high priestly ministry in heaven, not in the earthly tabernacle. Leviticus 16:2 gives the Day of Atonement instruction: "And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat."
Les teaches that on the Day of Atonement the high priest took animal blood behind the veil and sprinkled it on the mercy seat — first for his own sin and then for the sins of the nation. He says "Our high priest had to do the same thing," but Christ's ministry is in heaven, in a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands. Les directs listeners to John 20 to show that Jesus' resurrection-morning words to Mary Magdalene are tied to this high priestly work. When Mary tried to embrace Jesus, He stopped her and said, "Don't touch me until I have ascended to the Father." Les emphasizes that this is not the ascension of Acts; it is an ascension on resurrection morning itself. He then connects it to Hebrews 9, where Christ entered the holy place with His own blood, fulfilling the Day of Atonement picture.
Les points to John's Gospel, chapter 20, where on resurrection Sunday morning Mary Magdalene found the empty tomb and then recognized Jesus. Her natural response was to embrace Him, but Jesus stopped her. Les explains that Jesus said, "Don't touch me until I have ascended to the Father." This was not the later ascension of Acts; it happened on resurrection morning and is connected to His need to enter the heavenly Holy of Holies as High Priest.
On the Day of Atonement, the high priest went behind the veil once a year and sprinkled the blood of sacrificed animals on the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies. Les rehearses this in Hebrews 9 and then says, "Our high priest had to do the same thing." But instead of the earthly tabernacle, Christ entered a greater, more perfect tabernacle in heaven. Hebrews 9 says He did this with His own blood, not the blood of goats and calves, obtaining eternal redemption.
Les explicitly clarifies that the ascension Jesus spoke of in John 20 is not the ascension of Acts. It takes place on resurrection morning, the day He rose, and is tied to His need to enter the heavenly Holy of Holies as High Priest. Jesus' command to Mary — "Don't touch me until I have ascended to the Father" — is part of this earlier high priestly ascension, not the later public ascension.
Mary's Desire to Embrace Jesus
Les sets the resurrection-morning scene: Mary, recognizing Jesus, naturally moved to embrace Him, but Jesus stopped Her — the moment that introduces His teaching about ascending to the Father.
Why Animal Blood Only Covered Sin — Leviticus 16 Explained
Now on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest would have to go in behind the veil, sprinkle the blood of the sacrificial goat on the mercy seat, and then He would come out and symbolically lay the sins of Israel on the scapegoat. Now let's go all the way back up to Hebrews again, and our time is flying.
Day of Atonement Blood Ritual
Les rehearses how the high priest took animal blood behind the veil and sprinkled it on the mercy seat on the Day of Atonement, first for his own sins and then for the nation's sins.
What the Tabernacle Reveals About Christ Most People Miss
He fulfilled everything that the brazen altar could ever speak of. He became our labor of cleansing. It's His Word that shows us our need as well as cleanses us. You move in and He is indeed the table of showbread. He is the bread of life. He is the light of the world. He is the very sweet-smelling incense. He is the mercy seat. He is the God of the Shekinah glory.
Christ the High Priest Fulfills the Day of Atonement
Les says "Our high priest had to do the same thing" and takes listeners to John 20 to show Jesus' resurrection-morning actions must be understood through the Day of Atonement role of the high priest.
Old Testament Worship Limited by Covered Sins
Les explains that Old Testament believers' sins were only covered, not atoned for, which is why the Day of Atonement needed a heavenly fulfillment by Christ.
High Priest's Preparation
Les speaks of the high priest's ritual cleansing before entering the Holy of Holies, adding to the picture of holiness Jesus fulfilled as the perfect high priest.
Hebrews 9 and the Command "Don't Touch Me"
Les quotes Hebrews 9:11-12 and connects Jesus' resurrection-morning command to Mary with His entry into the heavenly tabernacle as High Priest, explicitly distinguishing it from the Acts ascension.
John 20:17: Jesus saith unto her, 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.
This is the verse Les points to when he explains why Jesus told Mary not to touch Him on resurrection morning.
Hebrews 9:11-12: But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
Les uses these verses to show that Christ entered the heavenly holy place with His own blood, fulfilling the Day of Atonement pattern.
Leviticus 16:2: And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.
This verse establishes the Day of Atonement rule that the high priest could only enter behind the veil once a year, the background Les says Jesus fulfilled.
On resurrection morning Jesus had not yet ascended to the Father. Les Feldick teaches that His command to Mary was connected to His high priestly work of entering the heavenly Holy of Holies with His own blood, just as the Day of Atonement high priest entered behind the veil with blood.
No. Les specifically teaches that the ascension Jesus spoke of in John 20 is not the ascension of Acts. It happened on resurrection morning and is tied to Jesus' need to enter the heavenly tabernacle as High Priest.
Hebrews 9 describes Christ as a high priest of good things to come who entered a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands. He entered the holy place once with His own blood, not the blood of goats and calves, obtaining eternal redemption.
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