2. The Gospel Accounts of Christ's Resurrection from the Dead
by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson
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El Greco (Spanish painter, 1541-1614), "The Resurrection" (1596-1600), Oil on canvas, 275 x 127 cm,
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Before beginning, read the Resurrection accounts in the Gospels. Try looking at them as for the first time. Ask yourself: What happened here that prompted these stories? Look for differences as well as similarities.
- Matthew 28:1-10
- Mark 16:1-14
- Luke 24:1-44
- John 20:1-29
If you like, print out an online version that shows the Gospel resurrection accounts in parallel
columns (NIV).
www.jesuswalk.com/resurrection/resurrection-parallels.htm |
When we come to the four accounts of Jesus' own resurrection,
we see strong similarities plus a number of mainly minor
differences. How reliable are the Gospel accounts of the
resurrection? What do they tell us about what really happened?
How are we to understand the differences? Is there a clear
resurrection message?
The Synoptic Problem
Even a casual reader will notice that the first three gospels
-- Matthew, Mark, and Luke -- have many verbal similarities,
while the fourth gospel seems quite different. Because they have
so much common material, the first three gospels are termed the
Synoptic Gospels. The word "synoptic" comes from two Greek words
syn-, "together" and opsesthai, "to see". It means
"presenting or taking the same or common view."
Scholars have hypothesized, rightly, I believe, that the
writers of the Synoptic Gospels must have had some common source
document available to them that contained the stories and
teachings of Jesus, some kind of proto-gospel. Scholars have a
name for this hypothetical source; they call it Q, which stands
for the German word Quelle, meaning "source."
The gospel writers, I assume, probably drew on Q and wove it
together with their own eyewitness material and other traditions
to fashion an account of Jesus' life and teachings for their
particular audience. Obviously each gospel writer told the story
with a particular editorial purpose in mind. Mark's gospel is
commonly agreed to be the earliest gospel. Matthew's gospel seems
to be written especially with Palestinian Jews in mind, and takes
special care to point out Jesus' words and actions as the
fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. Luke's gospel seems to
speak to a Hellenistic audience. The Gospel of John, on the other
hand, didn't seem to use this Q source at all. As an eyewitness,
John wrote from his own mature perspective of what Jesus said and
did and intended.
When you compare the gospels you see some minor differences
here and there. That's just the way the Gospels have been given
to the Church. We may not understand the reasons for these
differences; we just accept them and let the scholars spin their
complex theories.
Resurrection Differences
The gospel accounts are similar, but each is different. Let's
look at them carefully.
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. Perhaps the last page was lost. Verses 9-19 were
added by the early church because it seemed strange that Mark
ended abruptly as it did. Not that these verses are
misleading, but they aren't part of the original gospel.
When you compare each of the stories, you can find a number of
differences. For example:
- Women. In the Synoptic Gospels, Mary Magdalene and
other women go to the tomb. In John's account, Mary Magdalene
goes alone.
- Appearance to the women. In Matthew 28:9, Jesus
appears to the women before they tell the disciples. In John
20:13-17, Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene (also in the longer
ending of Mark) -- after she reports to the
disciples. In Mark, the women tell no one of what they had
seen.
- Number of angels. In Matthew and Mark one angel
appears; in Luke and John there are two angels.
- Purpose of the women's visit. In Matthew they go to
"look at" the tomb. In Mark and Luke they bring spices to
anoint Jesus' body. In John the anointing took place on Friday
night and no purpose for Mary's visit is given.
- Grave clothes. In Matthew and Mark, Jesus is wrapped
in a large linen shroud (sidrōn). In John 19:40; 20:5-7
and Luke 24:12, Jesus is wrapped in strips of linen (othonion).
See the discussion below.
- Location. In Matthew and Mark, Jesus' resurrection
appearances are in Galilee, while Luke only records appearances
in the vicinity of Jerusalem.1
My point isn't to try to pick apart the account or cause you
to disbelieve it. But to stimulate you to see what's there. Most
of these differences are minor and can be explained or harmonized
rather easily.
Eyewitness Accounts
A more troubling question is if eyewitnesses can't seem to get
their stories straight, whether we can believe the story or not.
When you think about it, you realize that these very differences
validate the authenticity of the story.
Whenever you have eyewitnesses testify to any event that they
all see, there'll be minor points of difference in what they saw
and how they perceived the event. If all the eyewitnesses agree
in every detail, a good investigator begins to suspect collusion
between the witnesses before testifying.
The Church has been aware of these minor differences in the
resurrection accounts for many centuries. Some might express
concern with how this might affect our doctrine of the authority
of scripture (2 Timothy 3:16). But surely our understanding of
the inspiration of scripture must be large enough to encompass
the gospel accounts as we find them. Rather than seeing these
accounts as evidence of error, the Church has viewed them as
evidence of authenticity, representing various eyewitness
traditions that are remarkably united on the main points.
Points of Agreement
In the big, important things we see five main points of
agreement. They include:
- Jesus was dead and buried.
- The disciples were not prepared for Jesus' death. They were
overcome with confusion.
- The tomb was found on Easter morning to be empty. But this
in itself didn't inspire faith. Mary thought the body was
stolen.
- The disciples encountered a number of experiences which
they took to be appearances of Jesus risen from the dead.
- The disciples proclaimed the resurrection of Jesus in
Jerusalem, near where he had been buried.2
What Happened Easter Morning?
It is possible to so analyze the event that we miss the big
picture: That Jesus who was dead had been raised from the dead.
- Mary Magdalene saw him first and spoke to him (Mark 16:9,
longer ending; John 20:16)
- Other women also saw him and touched him (Matthew 28:9).
- Jesus appeared to Peter and the other apostles (Luke 24:34;
1 Corinthians 15:5; Mark 16:14 longer ending; Luke 24:36).
- Jesus appeared to Thomas (John 20:26-28).
- Later, Jesus appeared to more than 500 people at one time
(1 Corinthians 15:6).
The disciples who were in deep depression after his
crucifixion were finally convinced that he had indeed risen from
the dead. That is what happened on Easter morning. That amazing
fact is underscored in each of the gospels. Paul summed it up
this way:
"For what I received I passed on to you as of first
importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third
day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter,
and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than
five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are
still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared
to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared
to me also...." (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)
The Grave Clothes
All the accounts credit Joseph of Arimathea with wrapping
Jesus' body in a linen cloth (sindōn) or linen cloth
wrapping (othonion). Two words are used here for the grave
wrappings.
"Strips of linen" (NIV) or "linen clothes" (KJV) is
othonion, "(linen) cloth, cloth wrapping." There is some
debate between the translation of strips of linen (NIV) or
larger cloth wrappings.3
"Fine linen" (KJV) or "linen cloth" (NRSV, NIV) is sindōn,
presumably a large piece of linen in which the body was carried
from the cross to the tomb, and then wrapped around him.
Though some see a conflict between "strips of cloth" and a
large linen cloth, I don't see any. When you compare Luke 23:53 (sindōn)
with Luke 24:12 (othonion) it appears that Luke, at least,
is using the terms synonymously.
"The Disciples Peter and John Running to the
Sepulchre on the Morning of the Resurrection" (1898), by
Eugène Burnand (French painter, 1850-1921), Paris, Musée
d'Orsay.
Larger image. |
The position of the grave clothes in the tomb attracted the
apostles' attention and caused Peter and John to believe:
"Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over,
he saw the strips of linen (othonion) lying by
themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had
happened." (Luke 24:12)
"[The other disciple] bent down to look in and saw the linen
wrappings (othonion) lying there, but he did not go in.
Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the
tomb. He saw the strips of linen (othonion) lying there,
as well as the burial cloth (soudarion) that had been
around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate
from the linen (othonion). Finally the other disciple,
who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and
believed." (John 20:6-8)
The "napkin" (KJV) or "burial cloth" (NIV) that had been on
Jesus' head was folded separately. Ladd says that this was "a
separate piece of cloth which was wrapped over the head and under
the chin to prevent the jaw from sagging."4
What was so startling? That the linen was lying there neatly.
- If Jesus' body had been stolen, grave robbers wouldn't have
taken the time to unwind the shroud. In fact, the shroud would
have helped them carry the body more easily.
- If Jesus had been in a coma and revived, somehow he would
have had to unwind the grave shroud in order to walk free.
The presence of the grave clothes neatly folded on the shelf
were mute testimony that Jesus' body had slipped free of the
grave clothes without disturbing them whatsoever. It was not the
empty tomb that convinced the apostles. As Michael Perry puts it,
"It seems to be the evangelist's intention to suggest that
Peter saw the grave clothes like a chrysalis out of which the
risen body of the Lord had emerged."5
The grave clothes didn't need to be unwrapped to let Jesus
out, he passed from the grave clothes while they were still
rolled up around his body.
Why Was the Stone Rolled Away?
Matthew's account tells us:
"There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord
came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the
stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his
clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him
that they shook and became like dead men." (Matthew 28:2-4)
The account may have come down to us through one of the
soldiers, for by the time the women arrived, the stone had
already been rolled back. Have you ever asked why the
stone was rolled away?
The stone wasn't rolled away to let Jesus out of the tomb. If
his body could pass through grave clothes and locked doors,
escaping the tomb wouldn't have been any problem, rather, the
stone was rolled away as a sign of God's power to the soldiers,
to draw the disciples attention to the empty tomb, and to let
humans in to see.
What Was Jesus' Body Like?
Was Jesus raised "bodily" from the dead? That is, was his
resurrection body the same physical body as before? The answer is
yes, but more.
The gospels give us several characteristics of Jesus'
resurrection body:
- Jesus described it as "flesh and bones" (Luke 24:39c).
- He could eat (Luke 24:42-43; Acts 1:4).
- His body could be touched and handled by others (Matthew
28:9; Luke 24:39b).
- He could walk and talk (Luke 24:15), even cook (John 21:9),
just as a normal human body.
- Yet Jesus' wounds were still visible in his renewed body
(Luke 24:39-40; John 20:20, 25-27).
- Jesus could be recognized by others -- but only when he
wanted to be. The timber of his voice remained the same
(Matthew 28:9; Luke 24:16, 31; John 20:14-16, 20; 21:4, 12).
- Jesus could enter locked doors (John 20:19, 26) disappear
(Luke 24:31) and appear (Luke 24:36) at will.
What I see in Jesus, is that his resurrection body had the
ability to navigate in the physical world, but was not limited to
the physical plane. In lesson 5, we'll talk more about what
our own resurrection bodies will be like.
It is clear that the New Testament intends us to see Jesus'
resurrection body not as something completely different than his
physical body. It is clearly one that has continuity with the
old, but it includes new powers and abilities.
Was Jesus raised bodily from the dead? The clear testimony of
the Gospels is: Yes, indeed!
The Resurrection vs. the Ascension
Before we leave the Gospels, it is important to make one
distinction that is sometimes blurred in trying to understand the
resurrection, that Jesus' resurrection and his ascension are two
related but different events.
Jesus' resurrection was when his body left the tomb and
appeared alive to his disciples and others, never to die again.
Jesus' ascension occurred about 40 days after his
resurrection and took place just outside of Jerusalem near
Bethany:
"After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up
into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God." (Mark 16:19,
longer ending)
"When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he
lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing
them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they
worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy." (Luke
24:50-52)
"I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until
the day he was taken up to heaven.... After his suffering, he
showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs
that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty
days and spoke about the kingdom of God." (Acts 1:1-3)
"... After he said this, he was taken up before their very
eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking
intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men
dressed in white stood beside them. 'Men of Galilee,' they
said, 'why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same
Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back
in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.'" (Acts
1:9-11)
Jesus' resurrection refers specifically to his victory over
death. His ascension to the right hand of the Father refers
specifically to his exaltation by his Father to the highest
place. Sometimes in the New Testament these are combined together
as being glorified, exalted, or entering into his glory. Jesus'
ascension is the final aspect of his resurrection from the dead;
his ascension to his original and rightful place in God's
presence.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line for Christians is this:
- Jesus predicted his death and resurrection on the third
day.
- Jesus was raised bodily from the dead.
- Jesus ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of
God the Father.
The evidence that Jesus' resurrection actually took place is
excellent, as we'll see in the next lesson. No other major
religion claims the resurrection of its founder. And it makes a
difference in what we believe will happen in the future.
Because Jesus lives, our hope in God is rock solid and our
confidence in the future guaranteed!
Prayer
Father, thank you for Christ's willingness to "endure the cross"
for the "joy that was set before him." Thank you for the clarity
with which the gospels tell us the good news of the resurrection.
Help us to proclaim it unashamedly. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Key Verses
"[The other disciple] bent down to look in and saw the linen
wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter,
who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the
strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had
been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself,
separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had
reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed."
(John 20:6-8)
"Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the
news: 'I have seen the Lord!' And she told them that he had said
these things to her." (John 20:18)
References
- This section draws heavily on Ladd, Resurrection,
pp. 84-88.
- Ladd, Resurrection, pp. 93.
- Othonion, BDAG 693. The term keiria, "binding
material," used to describe Lazarus' grave wrappings, may refer
to some kind of webbing (BDAG 538). C.K. Barrett (The Gospel
According to St. John (Second Edition; Westminster Press,
1978), p. 404) sees the meaning "bandage" attested in the
papyri, and observes that "such winding strips that seem to
have been in use in Jewish practice." He sees othonion
as "a linen bandage, such as might be used for wrapping a
corpse" (John, p. 559), and cites Moulton and Milligan
for the phrase othonia euona, "fine linen wrappings for
a mummy." Catholic scholar Raymond E. Brown (The Gospel
According to John (Anchor Bible; Doubleday, 1970),
2:941-942) provides an extended note designed to defend the
idea that the Shroud of Turin (a linen sheet 14 feet long and 4
feet wide) could have been described by othonia, rather
than the modern interpretation of "linen strips" or "bandages."
He says there is no evidence that Jews wrapped their corpses
with bands or strips similar to those used for Egyptian
mummies. "Granted the obscurity of the term," he concludes, "we
had best translate it vaguely as 'cloth wrappings.' " Danker
observes concerning the word othonion, "The
applicability of the sense 'bandage' in our literature is
questionable" (BDAG 693).
- Ladd, Resurrection, p. 94.
- S.H. Hooke, The Resurrection of Christ (London:
Darton, Longman and Todd, 1967), p. 79, cited by Ladd,
Resurrection, p. 94.
Resurrection and Easter Faith
Copyright © 1985-2010 Ralph F. Wilson. <pastor
joyfulheart.com> All rights reserved. A single copy of this article is free. Do not put this on a website. See legal, copyright, and reprint information.
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