Fra Angelico (1400-1455), "Resurrection of Christ and Women at the Tomb" (1440-41), Fresco, 189 x 164 cm, Convento di San Marco, Florence. Larger Image. |
Though some have been able to produce a harmonization of the resurrection accounts from the four gospels,1 there seem to be some differences in the accounts. For example:
Historically, the church hasn't viewed these discrepancies in
the accounts as evidence of error, but as evidence of authenticity because these
represent different traditions based on eyewitness accounts. We know that
eyewitness accounts in court often differ in details. These four accounts differ
in a few details, but are remarkably united on the main points. The following
parallels are from the New International Version.
Matthew 28:1-10 |
Mark 16:1-8 and 9-14 (longer ending) |
Luke 24:1-44 |
John 20:1-29 |
1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. |
1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb |
1 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them.... |
1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb |
3 and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?" |
1b and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. |
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2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. |
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4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. |
2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, |
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5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. |
4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. |
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5 The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. |
6 "Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. |
5b but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? |
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6b Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: |
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7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you." |
7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.'" |
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8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. |
8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. |
9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. |
2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!" |
9 Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. |
9 When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. |
11 but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb |
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(vss. 11-15, guards report to the chief priests and are bribed to lie) |
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12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened. |
(skips here back to verse 3 for parallel) |
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Jesus' appearance on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35) |
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36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." 37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have." 40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?" 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence. 44 He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." |
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" |
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24 Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." 26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" 27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." |
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29 Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." |
1. George Eldon Ladd, I Believe in the Resurrection (Eerdmans, 1975), pp. 91-93.