The Superior Express -

Q: If the Bible is supposed to be 100 percent true, why do the four gospels give such different accounts of the resurrection? They can’t all be right!

A:  Actually, they can! It is extremely common for witnesses of an event to present confusing and (seemingly) contradictory accounts. Police investigators are reassured by this! If they get a bunch of word-perfect, identical accounts, all it proves is the witnesses agreed on their story beforehand! So then, let’s examine some details from these accounts and see if we can’t bring them together.

       Matthew testifies that Mary Magdalene and “the other Mary” came to the tomb at dawn and found it empty (Matthew 28:1). They saw an angel who had rolled back the stone (Matthew 28:2-4), they then ran to tell the disciples (Matthew 28:8). Mark states that Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome brought burial spices to the tomb early in the morning, and ‘a young man in a white robe’ told them Jesus had risen (Mark 16:1-6). Luke records the two Marys and Joanna, among others, coming to the tomb and meeting two men in shining garments (Luke 24:1-4), then they told Peter, who also came to the tomb to look (Luke 24:12). John says Mary Magdalene alone came to the tomb while it was still dark, saw the stone rolled away and ran to tell Peter and John, who both came to see the tomb (John 20:1-8). These witnesses certainly didn’t get their story together ahead of time!

       However, with a little legwork these accounts harmonize quite neatly. Mary Magdalene comes to the tomb before sunrise and discovers the empty tomb (John 20:1). While running to tell the disciples, she meets the other women who were bringing spices to anoint Jesus. All of the women then return to the tomb and see again that it is empty (Notice that John records Mary telling the disciples in verse 2, “We do not know where they laid Him.”) They then meet the angel. Matthew and Luke’s disagreement regarding how many angels were there can be explained either as describing two events or by Matthew focusing on the angel who spoke (his account seems more concise in general than the others, so the second option may be preferable). Either way the women return to the disciples, at which point Peter and John come out to the tomb. Luke is only concerned with Peter coming and viewing the cloths (Luke 24:12), but John elaborates and clarifies exactly what happened (John 20:3-8). At no point do the accounts directly contradict each other. Each author relates pertinent details, and the details they share do indeed harmonize with one another to form a consistent and reliable whole.

The questions and answers compiled over the last year are now available in hard-copy and digital format. To request a copy send an email to askapastor [email protected] or by mail to Formoso Church; P.O. Box 66; Formoso, Kan. 66942