We will be comparing and contrasting the four gospel account of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Mark, Matthew, and Luke are known as the “synoptic” gospels. I've provided a table below to show some of the main ideas of the accounts and how they vary on the surface. At first glance there appear to be clear differences between each of the four gospel accounts of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. And my mother answered that I was made out of their love. 10Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. In John, Jesus appears to … we know that Mary mentions other women being at the grave sight even if they are not mentioned by name anywhere in John's gospel. Matthew and Luke each have about 100 verses in common, most of them sayings like the Beatitudes. One only need to read the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John to clearly see that their individual accounts of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ are, in many cases, irreconcilable. 5As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. This may primarily be because the Gospel of John was written many years after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Come and see the place where he lay. That's also why we get confused about the timeline of Jesus' death and resurrection in the Gospels. 2They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. Below is a comparison chart showing all the accounts of the resurrection of Jesus and post-resurrection appearances reported in the Bible, particularly the four Gospels. Cholee took several theology classes during college and enjoys partaking in bible studies and diving deep into scripture. Those who have seen something unexpected often report the details in somewhat of a frenetic and seemingly disconnected way, as they attempt to communicate the depth of what they have witnessed even while processing the events for themselves. He has risen! They came to him, clasped his feet and worshipped him. 8Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. If the resurrection accounts harmonize perfectly, skeptics will claim that the writers of the Gospels conspired together. The term “synoptic” derives from the Greek syn-optic because the text of each can be laid out side-by-side and “seen together” in order to determine the ways which they are similar and the ways they are different. 4While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightening stood beside them. 1When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so they might go to anoint Jesus' body. Doing an assignment and found this so helpful :). Matthew and Luke have different accounts of the birth of Jesus. 6Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. The author is obviously telling the narrative looking back on the events in a more reflective style than the synoptic gospels. She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, 'Rabboni!" The sperm cell happened to meet the egg cell and they formed me. The books of the Bible are listed in the generally-agreed chronological order in which … The term is also applied to apocryphal works of the 2nd century (e.g., The Gospel of Thomas). If the resurrection accounts have some differences, skeptics will claim that the Gospels contradict each other and therefore cannot be trusted. The differences between the stories have caused many people to believe that the Resurrection was a fabrication or a parable, rather than a factual happening. Josh McDowell in Evidence That Demands a Verdict and More Than a Carpenter presents a convincing apologetic in support of the resurrection, but does not give a timeline of events using all relevant verses. This may primarily be because the Gospel of John was written many years after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Peter severs Malchus’ right ear. In Matthew, the Jesus appears to the women before they tell the disciples. Please note that some events are taking place simultaneously and it is difficult to decide which event to list first. On the other hand, Mark's description of just after sunrise would describe when they arrived at the grave. In each Gospel account the core story is the same: Joseph of Arimathea takes the body of Jesus and puts it in a tomb, one or more of Jesus’ female followers visit the tomb early on the Sunday morning following his crucifixion, and they find that the tomb is empty. (which means Teacher). "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. You made things easier and helped me see the difference, Thanks for this! I will be referencing verses from a women's devotional NIV bible, so your bible might have slightly different wording, but remember the message is still the same! In John 20:2 ("They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!") Attached is a comparison chart showing all the accounts of the resurrection of Jesus and post-resurrection appearances reported in the Bible, particularly the four Gospels. He uses this idea and his reflections of what he witnessed of Jesus' life to write his entire gospel. Matthew’s wordinghas caused some consternation. Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him." Each gospel account is also written by a different author, which means there is going to be a difference in writing style as well as interpretation of the events that happened. All four gospels agree on the focal points of what happened and the time when these events occurred. Slave’s ear cut off. First of all, it's pretty clear that Mark 16:9-19, the so-called "longer ending of Mark," wasn't part of the original gospel, that ended -- at least the surviving edition that we have -- with verse 8. 9(They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) It would appear that one author wrote a story and the other three simply copied it word for word and added it to their gospel without a second thought. Mark gives the Aramaic form elahi which is transliterated eloi. It is because of this, that we can trust in the truth of the Resurrection, for there are no contradictions on the fundamental truths of this occurrence. The long walk helps us to know that the four authors are likely talking about different places in their journey to the tomb. When you were a child, did you ever ask your parents how you were made or where you came from? We see this all the time when police question eyewitnesses of a crime or accident for example. 14At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not recognize that it was Jesus. 5He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 1On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. Let's look at them carefully. Divide the class into four groups (or eight groups) and assign each group one of the Gospel accounts of the Resurrection/empty tomb (Matthew 28:1-10; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-18). He is simply coming from a distinct place while writing his accounts of Jesus' life. In John's account, Mary Magdalene goes alone. Matthew and Mark say that one angel spoke. If Jesus actually died on Friday afternoon when we celebrate 'Good Friday,' then he would have only been in the grave for 2 nights. It is also clear that all of them, including John know that other women went with Mary. Completely contradicting all three Synoptic Gospels, John’s story (20:2) has Mary clueless as to what happened to Jesus’ body when she returns to the disciples from the empty tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. Matthew simply uses the word dawn, but we know that dawn is also an occurrence that happens very early in the morning. The accounts afterall, are not that different when we look closer at what is meant by the written content. It is presented in general chronological order of the events and arranged by specific aspects of the story to highlight similarities and differences. Perhaps the last page was lost. It is because of these similarites that we can find and know the truth of what happened to Jesus Christ during that time. The verbiage may vary slightly, however the order of events and how they happened are exactly the same. Who is it you are looking for?" 10The the disciples went back to their homes, 11but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. However, I believe it is because of these differences, that the Resurrection can be confirmed as truth. Let's break down the main points of the Resurrection further and truly compare what is being said by each author. A dash indicates the event/information is not mentioned in that account. Also, the resurrection was preached in … John describes it being dark out, because he is starting his gospel at the start of Mary's journey as they are leaving the place where they are staying. The contents of John also supports this view. But Jesus said he would be in the grave for 3 nights. 1Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. Below is a comparison chart showing all the accounts of the resurrection of Jesus and post-resurrection appearances reported in the Bible, particularly the four Gospels. All Four Gospels in the Bible that tell the story of Jesus Christ — Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John — stand alone, emphasizing a unique aspect of Jesus’ life. Now I have told you." Women’s actions:they told all these things … Below is a comparison chart showing all the accounts of the resurrection of Jesus and post-resurrection appearances reported in the Bible, particularly the four Gospels. The four Gospels contain somewhat different accounts of the Resurrection of Jesus. 10It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. The variations that can be found in each of the four gospels will be further explored and we will see exactly why these differences do not discount what happened. So while there are differences in the Four Gospels, they are not contradictions or errors, but are the normal differences one would expect when comparing different eye-witness accounts of the same event form different perspectives. Jesus came to that place. Mark 16:4, Luke 24:2, and John 20:1state outright that the stone had beenrolled away from the tomb prior to thewomen’s arrival. I did. When the individual stories from each gospel are dissected however, we will see that the apparent differences come down to simply a different viewpoint of the same event. Luke 24:10 ("It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles") he acknowledges that there were several women at the tomb, including others he does not mention by name. 9When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. They may have known there were two, but it was unnecessary to talk about the second, as the second angel never spoke to the women. I like your diagram . This is supported by the literary style used in John. A difference in writing style perhaps, and the individual author's perspective of the circumstances surrounding the Resurrection, rather than an actual difference in the events that happened. If we were to create a table for each story and bring them parallel to each other it would be impossible not to see how many differences there appear to be on the surface. In fact, it is very possible that there were two angels. 18Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" He saw and believed. | About Us | How to Cite | Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Advertising Info, “Compare Biblical Accounts of the Resurrection.”. The gospel accounts are similar, but each is different. It is unclear how many actually go to the tomb with Mary, but we can be sure that it was more than those that are mentioned by name (James' mother Mary, Joanna & Salome). Angels’ statement:He has risen, remember how he told you. Jesus went to Gethsemane. Of course, if we had only one Gospel account, people would claim that since there were no additional eye-witness records, the one account was not reliable. The verses after Mark 8 are not included because they are widely regarded as later additions. This resource really helped me and it was such a blessing for you to provide a synthesized analysis of the gospels. 17Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father, to my God and your God." Who is it you are looking for? Afterwriting about the women going to thetomb he writes, “And behold, there wasa great earthquake; for an angel of theLord descend… The similarities in the events, sequence, characters, and vocabulary point to the antiquity of the tradi-tions and the deep respect of each writer for the historical remembrances of the original disciples. 16Jesus said to her, "Mary." All rights reserved. It is because of his writing style that nothing in his gospel is similar to that of Mark or Luke, and the events of the Resurrection are truly no different. Thank you for sharing your perspective about the gospel arrangements and validity. This does not mean they did not see two angels. Harmonizing the Gospel Accounts of the Resurrection I put this page together to compare the four Gospel accounts of the Resurrection, in order to take a look at Dan Barker's Challenge. On the contrary, in the fourth Gospel, it is Jesus, not the two angels, who instructs Mary about the resurrection! Subjects Matthew Mark Luke John Pre-Christ Narratives Matthew Mark Luke John St. Luke’s preface 1:1-4 “God the Word” 1:1-14. Arguments from both sides can be found in the sources listed at the bottom of this page. Pamela Oglesby from Sunny Florida on March 08, 2019: I have believed in the Resurrection for a few decades now. There are far more similarites between the four accounts than first appear on the surface and for this we can be truly grateful. In fact, it is because of the variations that we can fully believe in the events that took place during the Crucifixion and the Resurrection of Jesus. Slave’s right ear cut off. He is not here. 13They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?" Information and wording is from the NIV (New International Version). At first glance there appear to be clear differences between each of the four gospel accounts of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Luke and John both say that only one angel spoke, which is actually in agreement with what Matthew and Mark both wrote. Gospel Parallels. The vast majority of John's gospel is different from the others by content, the order of events, and the literary style that he uses. The voyage would have been long and enough time would have passed for the women to experience complete darkness, dawn, and arrive at the grave as the sun was starting to rise into the sky. 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. Compare and Contrast the gospel accounts of the feeding of the five thousand 2 Mark 6:32-44 ESV 32 And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. Below you will find the passages for each gospels account of the Resurrection in order to make the comparisons easier to see. Matthew and Luke are the only two gospels that trace the genealogy of Jesus and things surrounding His birth. Jesus crossed the Kidron to a garden. I really enjoyced your article, Several women left for the tomb very early in the morning (including Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James), They found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty of Jesus' body, The disciples were not prepared for his death and were confused about his Resurrection, what it meant, and the words Mary spoke to them. "; "Mary"; "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Neither Matthew or Mark say that only the Mary's made the journey that day, and therefore the apparent difference of who went to the tomb is in actuality a similarity. The Harmony of the Gospels offers a comparative study chart for Matthew, Mark, Luke and John's Gospel accounts. Categorized by subjects, this study resource allows quick, side-by-side viewing of what each apostle recorded in each of the four Gospels. His style and perspective are unique to him, and cannot be found anywhere else within the gospels. "Greetings," he said. Women who visited:Mary Magdalene, Joana, Mary the mother of James and the others. The different perspectives in the gospel's accounts of Christ's resurrection are indicative of the veracity of the eye witness statements. Comparing the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. And she told them that he had said these things to her. The four widely known gospels … Bolded words or phrases within the scripture passages have been done to show what similarities are in all four of the gospels. Luke vs Matthew Birth Accounts. 2Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?" I reproduce it here: The conditions of the challenge are simple and reasonable. 5In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? No two people are going to interpret something the same exact way. They see a vision of either one or two angels who say that Jesus is risen. The books of the Bible are listed in the generally-agreed chronological order in which they were written, from earliest (1 Corinthians) to latest (John). It is clear that the Resurrection happened on the first day of the week, as each author agrees on this point and mentions it specifically in each of their accounts of what happened. It was through sexual intercourse. It is known that Mary and the other women were likely staying in Bethany or Jerusalem like they did earlier in the week, and their walk would have taken them several miles. Think of it like this. 4But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, whch was very large, had been rolled away. First let’s look at Matthews’s account being that he was possibly one of the two disciples that were around when Jesus was teaching. © 2004-2021 ReligionFacts. Thank you so so so SO much! Angels: Two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning. Oh my gosh!!! Each author is in agreement that Mary Magdalene went to the tomb. Cholee took several theology classes during college and enjoys partaking in bible studies and diving deep into scripture. Thank you so much this really helps me realise why all the four gospels are different it's so true what's you written about the different between the four gospels again the main message is that Jesus Christ did rise again. These first three books have been called the synoptic Gospels since the 18th century and are so called because they give similar accounts of the ministry of Jesus. Each one mentions her specifically by name at some point during their account of events. HARMONY OF THE GOSPELS: THE RESURRECTION • New Testament Charts List • List of Charts. Very early on the first day of the week (just after sunrise), Early on the first day of the week (still dark), Mary Magdalene, Mary (James' mother), & Salome, Violent earthquake; Angel speaks to them; Women meet Jesus, Women bought spices; Angel speaks to them; Women fled tomb, but said nothing, Women take spices to tomb; 2 angles appear; Angel speaks to them; Told the disciples what they found, Mary Magdalene ran to get Simon Peter; Simon Peter and the other disciple went to the tomb; disciples left and Jesus appears to Mary, One Angel can down from heaven, whose appearance was like lightning; clothes were white as snow, Young man dressed in white robes sitting on the right side, 2 men appeared in clothes that gleamed like lightning; stood beside them, 2 angels in white seated where Jesus' body had been (one at the head other at the foot), "Greetings"; "Do not be afraid. There are different numbers of angels reported at the tomb—one in Matthew and Mark, two in Luke and John. Thanks. The passion and resurrection accounts in each of the four gospels are remarkably similar, considering the vast differences in time and circumstance in which each author wrote. The same thing happens when people watch other events unfold, such as, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. 3His appearance was like lightening, and his clothes were white as snow. The Bible has four gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. 8Then they remembered his words. For this reason we can conclude that the women's journey happened at some point during the morning. The former regard the accounts as contradictory and another reason rational people should reject Christianity, while the latter have presented various theories on how the various accounts might be harmonized. However, with each story being different, we can see that it is more likely than not that it actually happened and happened like the four gospels say it did. This means there was plenty of time for the sun to rise before they reached the tomb where Jesus was buried if they left when it was still dark. Gospel accounts of Christ’ resurrection. There also seems to be at least 3 groups of women going to the tomb on Sunday morning [this is counting Mary Magdala as "one group"]. Are There Differences in the Gospel Accounts of the Resurrection? 7Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dad and is going ahead of you into Galilee. It is likely that one angel was designated to speak to the group of women, despite there being two present at the time. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. The variations can be explained away simply by the authors impression of what was witnessed that day. They simple say one spoke, which does not discount the fact that there could very well be two angels in the tomb. The four gospels agree on all the fundamental events of the Resurrection, starting from the very beginning. "They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." 6He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. What time they started their journey or arrived at the tomb is unclear, but Mark, Luke, and John all agree it is very early in the morning. The use of "we" can only mean other women, and we can use deductive reasoning and comparing this verse with several others from the other three gospels to know that the word "we" in this verse does in fact mean other women.