Four Accounts - One Truth

Making Sense of So-Called Contradictions

Introduction

In the aftermath of Jesus’ resurrection, the disciples were confused, running around the city reporting what they had seen. The resulting chaos, and the different perspectives of the gospel writers, have led to what skeptics claim are contradictions in the gospel records. Some of those seeming contradictions are posed in the following questions:

When did the women go to the tomb? And how many women went to the tomb?

Did the women find the tomb opened, or did they witness the angels rolling back the stone?

How many angels were at the tomb?

Did Jesus appear to Mary Magdalene alone? or to all the women? What exactly was the order of Jesus’ appearances?

When did the women go to the tomb? And how many women went to the tomb?

What skeptics claim: the gospels can’t agree on whether the women came to the tomb pre-dawn or after the sun had risen.

Dawn

Mark 16:2, And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb.

Matthew 28:1, Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.

Luke 24:1, But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared.

Pre-dawn / John 20:1, Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

Problem: was it very early in the morning at dawn, or was it still dark?

Reasonable solutions

Solution #1: The phrases used all refer to the same general time of day.

Solution #2: John describes when the women initially left for the tomb, while the others describe when they arrived. If they stayed in Bethany, which was 2 miles away, that would leave time for the sun to rise while they were walking. Btw, the same Greek word (ἔρχομαι) is used for came in John 20:1 and went in Mark 16:2.

Did the women find the tomb opened, or did they witness the angels rolling back the stone?

What skeptics claim: the gospels contradict one another on the timing of the stone’s removal.

Already Rolled Away

Mark 16:4, And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back...

Luke 24:2, And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb...

John 20:1, [Mary Magdalene ] saw the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

Rolled back after women appear / Matthew 28:1-2, Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.

Problem: did the angel remove the stone before the women arrived, or after they arrived?

Reasonable Solution: Matthew is not claiming that the angels appeared after the women arrived. Instead, he is providing details concerning what had happened just before they arrived.

How many angels were present at the tomb?

What skeptics claim: the gospels can’t agree whether one or two angels were at the tomb.

One angel

Matthew 28:2-7, An angel of the Lord descended...His appearance...his clothing...for fear of him...the angel said to the women...See, I have told you.

Mark 16:5-7, They saw a young man...he said to them

Two angels

Luke 24:4-7, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel...the men said to them

John 20:12-13, And she saw two angels in white...they said to her...she said to them

Problem: Matthew and Mark mention only one angel, while Luke and John clearly mention two.

Reasonable solution: There were two angels. Neither Matthew nor Mark claims that ONLY one angel was at the tomb. Luke and John fill out a detail and Matthew and Mark omitted.

What exactly was the order of Jesus’ appearances?

What skeptics claim: the gospels contradict one another concerning who saw Jesus first and when they went to the tomb.

Luke’s first record of a Jesus encounter is with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13).

But the big sticking point is between Matthew and John/Mark.

Matthew 28:8-9, So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell the disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!”

John 20:11-14, After Mary had reported the empty tomb to Peter and John, and after they had run to see the empty tomb...Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but did not know that it was Jesus.

Mark 16:9, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene.

Problem: Did Jesus appear first to Mary? If so, when exactly did He appear to the women leaving the tomb?

Resolution

Events on Resurrection Morning

Key Assumption: Peter and John were NOT staying in the same place as the other disciples.

We know that Peter and John stayed in Jerusalem longer than any other disciples, because they were present at Jesus’ trial. (And John was present at the crucifixion.)

Peter and John rendezvoused after the crucifixion but before the resurrection.

The other disciples returned to Bethany.

Order

Five women set out for the tomb in the early morning, probably from Bethany. As they neared the tomb, they noticed the stone had already been removed (Matt 28:1; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:1).

Before they can enter the tomb and see the angels, Mary Magdalene leaves the other women to report this to Peter and John (John 20:2).

While Mary is running to tell Peter and John, the other women enter the tomb and see the angels. In fear and joy they leave to tell the disciples in Bethany that Jesus has risen (Matt 28:8; Mark 16:8; Luke 24:9).

These women may have stopped along the way to tell Clopas and the unnamed disciple, especially since Clopas’ wife was present at the crucifixion and probably was one of the women who went to the tomb (Luke 24:18, 22-24; John 19:25). They also could have split up in order to tell even more disciples.

Meanwhile, Peter, John, and Mary race to the tomb. The men enter the tomb, see the graveclothes, and leave. Mary stays outside the tomb weeping. When she looks in, she sees two angels, and eventually turns around to encounter Jesus (John 20:12).

While Mary is running back to tell Peter and John that she’d seen the Lord, Jesus appears to the other women who were running to tell the other 9+ disciples (Matthew 28:9).

This is how Peter and John did not cross paths with the other women who were running to report to the disciples.

Three More Sunday Appearances

Clopas and a friend see Christ (unrecognizable at first) while walking dejectedly from Jerusalem to Emmaus (Luke 24:13ff).

Clopas +1 immediately return to Jerusalem to tell the Eleven, who had now gathered together Thomas (Luke 24:33-34; John 20:19-24; Mark 16:12-13).

At some point before these two disciples arrived in Jerusalem, Jesus had appeared to Simon Peter (Luke 24:34; 1 Cor 15:5).

While they are all together, Jesus appears to the entire group (Luke 24:40-43).

Remaining Appearances

Jesus continued to appear over the next 40 days (Acts 1:3).

Eight days after His resurrection, Jesus appears to all the Eleven with Thomas (John 20:24-29).

He appeared to seven disciples at the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1-2).

He appeared to the Eleven on a hillside in Galilee (Matt 28:16-17). This is possibly when He appeared to over 500 people at one time (1 Cor 15:6).

He appeared to his half-brother, James (1 Cor 15:7).

He appeared to the disciples a final time in Jerusalem, leading them to the Mount of Olives, where He ascended to Heaven (Acts 1:4-12; Luke 24:50-51).

Conclusion

God’s Word is trustworthy. What skeptics claim are contradictions have reasonable explanations. This gives us confidence in everything the Bible teaches.