Who can reconcile the various accounts in the gospel of the resurrection and the ascension of Jesus?


What time did the women visit the tomb?

* Matthew: "as it began to dawn" (28:1)
* Mark "very early in the morning . . . at the rising of the sun" (16:2, KJV); "when the sun had risen" (NRSV); "just after sunrise" (NIV)
* Luke: "very early in the morning" (24:1, KJV) "at early dawn" (NRSV)
* John: "when it was yet dark" (20:1)

Who were the women?

* Matthew: Mary Magdalene and the other Mary (28:1)
* Mark: Mary Magdalene, the mother of James, and Salome (16:1)
* Luke: Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and other women (24:10)
* John: Mary Magdalene (20:1)

What was their purpose?

* Matthew: to see the tomb (28:1)
* Mark: had already seen the tomb (15:47), brought spices (16:1)
* Luke: had already seen the tomb (23:55), brought spices (24:1)
* John: the body had already been spiced before they arrived (19:39,40)

Was the tomb open when they arrived?

* Matthew: No (28:2)
* Mark: Yes (16:4)
* Luke: Yes (24:2)
* John: Yes (20:1)

Who was at the tomb when they arrived?

* Matthew: One angel (28:2-7)
* Mark: One young man (16:5)
* Luke: Two men (24:4)
* John: Two angels (20:12)

Where were these messengers situated?

* Matthew: Angel sitting on the stone (28:2)
* Mark: Young man sitting inside, on the right (16:5)
* Luke: Two men standing inside (24:4)
* John: Two angels sitting on each end of the bed (20:12)

What did the messenger(s) say?

* Matthew: "Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead: and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you." (28:5-7)
* Mark: "Be not afrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you." (16:6-7)
* Luke: "Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again." (24:5-7)
* John: "Woman, why weepest thou?" (20:13)

Did the women tell what happened?

* Matthew: Yes (28:8 )
* Mark: No. "Neither said they any thing to any man." (16:8 )
* Luke: Yes. "And they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven, and to all the rest." (24:9, 22-24)
* John: Yes (20:18 )

When Mary returned from the tomb, did she know Jesus had been resurrected?

* Matthew: Yes (28:7-8 )
* Mark: Yes (16:10,11[23])
* Luke: Yes (24:6-9,23)
* John: No (20:2)

When did Mary first see Jesus?

* Matthew: Before she returned to the disciples (28:9)
* Mark: Before she returned to the disciples (16:9,10[23])
* John: After she returned to the disciples (20:2,14)

Could Jesus be touched after the resurrection?

* Matthew: Yes (28:9)
* John: No (20:17), Yes (20:27)

After the women, to whom did Jesus first appear?

* Matthew: Eleven disciples (28:16)
* Mark: Two disciples in the country, later to eleven (16:12,14[23])
* Luke: Two disciples in Emmaus, later to eleven (24:13,36)
* John: Ten disciples (Judas and Thomas were absent) (20:19, 24)
* Paul: First to Cephas (Peter), then to the twelve. (Twelve? Judas was dead). (I Corinthians 15:5)

Where did Jesus first appear to the disciples?

* Matthew: On a mountain in Galilee (60-100 miles away) (28:16-17)
* Mark: To two in the country, to eleven "as they sat at meat" (16:12,14[23])
* Luke: In Emmaus (about seven miles away) at evening, to the rest in a room in Jerusalem later that night. (24:31, 36)
* John: In a room, at evening (20:19)

Did the disciples believe the two men?

* Mark: No (16:13[23])
* Luke: Yes (24:34--it is the group speaking here, not the two)

What happened at that first appearance?

* Matthew: Disciples worshipped, some doubted, "Go preach." (28:17-20)
* Mark: Jesus reprimanded them, said "Go preach" (16:14-19[23])
* Luke: Christ incognito, vanishing act, materialized out of thin air, reprimand, supper (24:13-51)
* John: Passed through solid door, disciples happy, Jesus blesses them, no reprimand (21:19-23)

Did Jesus stay on earth for more than a day?

* Mark: No (16:19[23]) Compare 16:14 with John 20:19 to show that this was all done on Sunday
* Luke: No (24:50-52) It all happened on Sunday
* John: Yes, at least eight days (20:26, 21:1-22)
* Acts: Yes, at least forty days (1:3)

Where did the ascension take place?

* Matthew: No ascension. Book ends on mountain in Galilee
* Mark: In or near Jerusalem, after supper (16:19[23])
* Luke: In Bethany, very close to Jerusalem, after supper (24:50-51)
* John: No ascension
* Paul: No ascension
* Acts: Ascended from Mount of Olives (1:9-12)

Source: Dan Barker's, Losing Faith in Faith

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What time did the woman visit the tomb?

these ladies did not arrive till after sunrise, the rendering "very early in the morning is" is misleading and incorect: what is being said is that the ladies came to the tomb very late, towards dawn, ie soon after the sun had risen. The earlier 3 ladies, who did not arrive to the tomb after the sun had risen, appear to arrive late beacuse they had to purchase spices first and they were unaware that the tomb had previoulsy been rolled away. that is evident in mark 16: 1-8

Who were the woman?

Since Luke 24:9-10 does speaks of three ladies who inform the apostles
we know that despite similar titles/descriptions that at least six
different ladies visited the tomb on that day.

MARK 16:1 LUKE 24:10

Mary Magdalene 'the Magdalene Mary'
Mary of James Joanna
Salome Mary of James


Hence this suggests we not only have two Magdalene's but also two Marys
related to one or more males called James.
The Matthew and Mark texts describe ladies who looked on from afar.
(In contrast to those standing close to the cross mentioned in the
gospel of John.)

Matt 27:55 And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee,
ministering to Him, were there looking on from
afar,
:56 among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother
of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's
sons.

Mark 15:40 There were also women looking on from afar,
among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother
of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome,
:41 who also followed Him and ministered to Him when
He was in Galilee, and many other women who came
up with Him to Jerusalem.

If it is assumed that the Matthew and Mark verses were referring
to the same three ladies then we have;

- Mary Magdalene
- Mary the mother of James the Less and Joses
- Salome, the mother of Zebedee's sons


What was their purpose?

Some came to visit the tomb. Mary the mother of Jesus came to see the tomb, while the others came to offer spices.

Was the tomb open when they arrived?

yes, people had already gone before them. Some had been completely unaware that the stone
in front of the tomb had earlier been rolled away.

Who was at the tomb when they arrived?
There were two angels but one of them must have had a dominant role so sometimes only he is mentioned.

Where were these messengers situated?

you have got to realize that they all wrote what the ladies told them. All the ladies brought different messages to each disciples, because they were there different times.
The same explanation as given above. One writer mentions the circumstances at a given time, another writer mentions something that happens at another time.

Each writer selects those particulars which seem to him most important, passing by intermediate incidents. There are no contradictions in these accounts, simply additional details.


What did the messgaes say?

The messages are basically saying the same thing but in different ways. God is risen he is not here is the main message.

Did the woman tell what happen?

Again this is a case of trying to pit one account against another. What Mark makes clear is this. The disciples were in such a state of shock and fear after Jesus was crucified that they had a hard time believing the truth. This may account for the reluctance the women felt in telling the rest of the disciples about his resurrection when they first returned from the tomb. Then Mark goes on to explain how and when they did tell the rest of the disciples. Again, there is no contradiction here.
When mary returned from the tomb, did ske know Jesus had been resurected?

Clearly, this is another attempt to take things out of context and make them appear to contridict with each other. John is simply relating what happened at one point in time, and Mark is telling what happened at another point in time. These verses do not contridict each other, they compliment each other.

when did mary first see Jesus?
Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.

John 20:11-14
But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping , and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.


Could Jesus be touched after the resurection?
yes, he could be touched.

After the woman to whom did jesus first appear?

Jesus appeared to many different people in many different places and under many different circumstances and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive, and He did this over a period of 40 days (Acts 1:3).

Here are the recorded appearances of Jesus after His resurrection:

To Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9)


To several other women (Matthew 28:1-10)


To Simon Peter (Luke 24:34)


To Cleopas and another person (Luke 24:13-35)


To ten of the eleven apostles (Thomas was not there) and others who were present (Luke 24:33-40)


To all eleven apostles (John 20:26-28)


To some of the disciples (John 21:1-23)


To the eleven apostles (Matthew 28:16-20)


To His half-brother James (1 Corinthians 15:7)


To the apostles (Luke 24:50-52)


To more than 500 witnesses at the same time (1 Corinthians 15:6)


At the Ascension (Acts 1:3-12)


To the apostle Paul (Acts 9:1-9)


To Stephen (Acts 7:55)


To Paul (Acts 22:17-18)


To Paul (Acts 23:11)


To John (Revelation 1:12-18)
Consider that if these eyewitnesses testified in a court of law for just 10 minutes each, the jury would hear 80 to 90 hours worth of eyewitness testimony, which is over 3 full days of non-stop eyewitness testimony, 24 hours a day!

[b]Where did Jesus first appear to the disciple?[/b]It is true that Jesus had commanded His disciples to meet Him at an appointed place in Galilee. When Jesus met the women who had come to the tomb to anoint Him, He asked that they tell the apostles to meet where He had formerly agreed with them (Matthew 28:10). However, when the women told the disciples, they did not believe (Mark 16:10-11). Besides appearing to the women, He appeared to two others, who likewise came and bore witness of His resurrection to the apostles, but still they did not believe (Mark 16:12-13; Luke 24:13-35).

In Luke's account, we are told that Jesus appeared to the apostles while these other men were still speaking (Luke 24:36). This would be the same appearance which is recorded in Mark 16:14 and John 20:19. John specifically tells us that it was the first day of the week (ie. the day upon which Jesus had risen from the dead).

Though it was Jesus' plan to meet with His disciples in Galilee immediately after His resurrection, their unbelief required that He first appear to them in Jerusalem. The wording of Matthew 28:16-17 certainly leaves room for the Lord's appearance to the eleven in Jerusalem prior to being in Galilee.

There is no contradiction.

[b]Did the disciples believe the two men?[/b]Indeed, Mark reveals that the disciples did not believe when the two men who saw Jesus on the road to Emmaus came, telling of their experience. The text could not be more plain. It says, ", they did not believe them either."

Luke's account does not say whether the disciples believed these two men or not. It is the questioner's conclusion that they did. However, that conclusion is based upon a failure to understand what the text says. It is assumed by the questioner that the disciples who were gathered together said to these two who came in, "The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!" In fact, this discourse was the reverse. These two, who came amidst the disciples, revealed that the Lord had appeared to Simon, and ", told about the things that had happened on the road, " (v 35). Did the disciples believe? No, Mark's account makes that clear.

Verse 14 in Mark's account reads, "Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen." In Luke's account, corresponding to this, we read, "Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, ‘Peace to you.' But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. , But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, " (Luke 24:36-37, 41). Both accounts reveal that the apostles did not yet believe that Jesus had risen from the dead.

What happen at the first apperance?
At the first appearance, they were excited to see him while others doubted. Jesus told them to go and preach and spread the good news.

Did jesus stay on earth for more than a day?

think we can get a fairly accurate answer to that. The Bible tells us that after He rose, He ascended 10 days before the holiday of Pentecost. We know that Jesus died during Passover. That would mean over a period of about 40 days, which is a very interesting Biblical number.

He appeared to the Disciples at various times, and Paul talks about Him appearing to two on the road to Emmaus. He appeared to Peter privately – we don’t know about that meeting, but it’s mentioned. He appeared in the Upper Room on two different occasions. He appeared by the sea and He appeared on the mountain when He ascended. So over a period of 40 days, He appeared to the Disciples after the Resurrection.

where did the ascension take place?
I think that the Bethany location is the true location of Jesus' ascension, since Matthew contains a "then, " which could represent any period of time from a day to two thousand years.
A COUPLE OF OBSERVATIONS HERE:

1. THE MATTHEW PASSAGE DOES NOT MENTION AN ASCENSION

2. IN ACTS 1.4-6, WE LEARN THAT JESUS MET WITH THEM ON MANY DIFFERENT TIMES AFTER HIS RESURRECTION, MOST INSTANCES OF WHICH HE PROBABLY LEFT BY A DISAPPEARANCE OR MINI-ASCENSION

3. ALSO IN THE ACTS PASSAGE IS AN APPARENT REF TO THE LUKE 24 INCIDENT, SO THE MINI-ASCENSION IN LUKE IS OBVIOUSLY DIFFERENT THAT THE ONE IN ACTS,

SO I DONT ACTUALLY SEE THAT THESE PASSAGES ARE REFERRING TO THE SAME ASCENSION, THE "BIG ONE" IS THE ONE OF ACTS

Note: dont forget that the gospels were written over different time period. So some information got mixed up but trust me is the same messgae being sent.