Easter Contradictions - April 14th, 2009

The criticism is that the four different gospels have contradictory versions of the resurrection story. These four accounts each have unique information and different but not conflicting perspectives so some initial confusion is expected; upon investigation it all makes sense. Mt.28:2-4 - The guards at the tomb see an angel move the stone and they fall over as dead. Mt.28:5-8 - The women then arrive and see the angel BUT think it is a young man (Mk.16:4-7 - this is typical in the Bible, for example see the story of the angels visiting lot, Gen.19) and hear from him about Jesus’ resurrection. This brings some joy but they are still afraid (Mt.28:8) and bewildered (Mk.16:7). If this had just happened to me I would be equally confused. At first they are so scared they tell no one but afterwards Mary tells the disciples the body is gone (the young man told them Jesus was risen but they’re all emotional wrecks at this point, as I would be, and have no idea what really has happened - all they know for sure is that the body is missing). Peter (Lk.24:12) and the other disciple (Jn.20:3-9) run to the tomb and find it empty as Mary said; Peter (Lk.24:12) and the other disciple (Jn.20:10) then return home, wondering what was going on (again Lk.24:12). The women, still confused, return to the tomb, as anyone would in this situation, to investigate further and find the tomb is still empty (Lk.24:3). Then, 2 angels appear to them and tell them about the risen Christ (Lk.24:4-8 - Mary was a part of this group). Then, contemplating what they have just heard, they leave searching for the risen Jesus in the garden. Mary is walking ahead of the rest of the group when Jesus reveals Himself to her (Jn.20:11-17). Immediately afterwards, the rest of the group catches up with Mary and they too see Jesus (Mt.28:9-10) and He then tells them to go and tell His disciples. Mary (Jn.20:18) and the other women (Lk.24:10-11) then return and tell the disciples of the risen Christ. Jesus later reveals Himself to His disciples (Mt.28:16-17, Jn.20:19-23), Thomas (Jn.20:26-28), 2 followers on the road to Emmaus (Lk.24:13-49), the Apostle Paul (Acts 9 and 22) and more than 500 others (1 Cor.15:6).