@Mancunian suggested we open a new thread on the topic. He also brought out a very important point. The truth of christianity stands or falls on the resurrection. Here is an AI harmonization of the accounts that eliminates contradiction:
If we take the four Gospel accounts as they stand and arrange their details into a single chronological sequence, a plausible harmonization is possible. The key is that none of the writers claims to give every detail of everything that happened.
The women who had followed Jesus had prepared spices. Luke specifically identifies Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and other women (Luke 23:55–24:1). Matthew and Mark also mention women coming to the tomb (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1).
John concentrates on Mary Magdalene and says:
2. There is an earthquake, and the stone is rolled away.
Matthew records:
3. Mary Magdalene sees that the stone has been removed and runs to tell Peter and John.
John says:
4. Peter and John run to the tomb.
John 20:3–9 records Peter and the other disciple running to the tomb.
John gets there first, looks inside, and sees the linen clothes. Peter then enters and sees them also.
They leave without yet understanding the resurrection fully:
5. Meanwhile, the other women arrive at the tomb.
This is where Matthew, Mark, and Luke provide information John doesn't emphasize.
The women find the stone rolled away (Mark 16:2–4; Luke 24:1–2).
They enter the tomb.
Matthew mentions one angel sitting upon the stone (Matthew 28:2–7).
Mark mentions one young man inside the tomb (Mark 16:5–7).
Luke describes two men in shining garments (Luke 24:4–8).
These aren't necessarily contradictory.
If two heavenly messengers were present, Matthew and Mark can focus on one of them. Luke explicitly mentions both.
This is actually one of the easiest apparent discrepancies to reconcile:
Two were present → one speaks → Matthew and Mark identify the principal speaker; Luke mentions both.
6. The angels announce that Jesus has risen.
The message is essentially the same in all three Synoptics:
They remind the women that Jesus had predicted this.
Matthew 28:5–7
Mark 16:6–7
Luke 24:5–8
7. The women leave the tomb frightened but eventually report what happened.
Mark says:
Luke immediately says:
After Peter and John leave, Mary is still outside the tomb weeping (John 20:11).
She looks inside and sees two angels.
Then Jesus appears to her.
At first she doesn't recognize Him, but when Jesus says:
John 20:11–17.
Jesus tells her:
Jesus tells them:
John 20:19–23 gives a detailed account of an appearance to the disciples that evening.
Thomas was absent on that occasion (John 20:24).
Eight days later, Jesus appears again, this time with Thomas present (John 20:26–29).
This fits Jesus' earlier instruction:
Before dawn
6. Mary Magdalene goes to tell Peter and John that the body is gone.
7. Peter and John run to the tomb.
8. They see the linen clothes.
9. They leave.
10. Mary remains at the tomb.
11. Mary sees two angels.
12. Jesus appears to Mary.
13. Mary tells the disciples, “I have seen the Lord.”
Meanwhile / shortly afterward
14. The other women encounter the angelic messengers.
15. They receive the announcement that Jesus has risen.
16. Jesus meets the women.
17. They report these things to the disciples.
18. The disciples initially don't believe them.
Later that day
19. Jesus appears to Peter.
20. Jesus appears to the disciples.
21. Jesus subsequently appears to additional disciples.
Following days
22. Jesus appears repeatedly to His disciples.
23. He appears in Galilee.
24. He gives the Great Commission.
25. He later appears to the disciples again.
26. He ascends into heaven.
If a room contains two men, someone can truthfully say:
Likewise, Matthew saying that an angel spoke doesn't require Matthew to be asserting that only one angel existed at the scene. Luke explicitly supplies the additional detail of two.
The same principle applies repeatedly in the resurrection narratives: absence of a detail is not necessarily denial of that detail.
If we take the four Gospel accounts as they stand and arrange their details into a single chronological sequence, a plausible harmonization is possible. The key is that none of the writers claims to give every detail of everything that happened.
The resurrection morning
1. Before sunrise, the women prepare and go to the tomb.The women who had followed Jesus had prepared spices. Luke specifically identifies Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and other women (Luke 23:55–24:1). Matthew and Mark also mention women coming to the tomb (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1).
John concentrates on Mary Magdalene and says:
This doesn't require Mary to have been the only woman present. John is simply focusing on her.
2. There is an earthquake, and the stone is rolled away.
Matthew records:
The women arrive after this has happened. Mark, Luke, and John emphasize the already-removed stone rather than describing the actual rolling away.
3. Mary Magdalene sees that the stone has been removed and runs to tell Peter and John.
John says:
Mary's initial conclusion is:
Notice “we know not”—plural. That fits naturally with other women being with her, even though John concentrates on Mary.
4. Peter and John run to the tomb.
John 20:3–9 records Peter and the other disciple running to the tomb.
John gets there first, looks inside, and sees the linen clothes. Peter then enters and sees them also.
They leave without yet understanding the resurrection fully:
5. Meanwhile, the other women arrive at the tomb.
This is where Matthew, Mark, and Luke provide information John doesn't emphasize.
The women find the stone rolled away (Mark 16:2–4; Luke 24:1–2).
They enter the tomb.
Matthew mentions one angel sitting upon the stone (Matthew 28:2–7).
Mark mentions one young man inside the tomb (Mark 16:5–7).
Luke describes two men in shining garments (Luke 24:4–8).
These aren't necessarily contradictory.
If two heavenly messengers were present, Matthew and Mark can focus on one of them. Luke explicitly mentions both.
This is actually one of the easiest apparent discrepancies to reconcile:
Two were present → one speaks → Matthew and Mark identify the principal speaker; Luke mentions both.
6. The angels announce that Jesus has risen.
The message is essentially the same in all three Synoptics:
He has risen.
They remind the women that Jesus had predicted this.
Matthew 28:5–7
Mark 16:6–7
Luke 24:5–8
7. The women leave the tomb frightened but eventually report what happened.
Mark says:
That statement can naturally refer to their initial reaction on the way, not necessarily their permanent refusal to tell anyone.
Luke immediately says:
So Mark 16:8 and Luke 24:9 can fit if Mark is describing their immediate reaction.
8. Jesus appears first to Mary Magdalene
This is explicitly stated in Mark's longer ending:John gives the detailed account.
After Peter and John leave, Mary is still outside the tomb weeping (John 20:11).
She looks inside and sees two angels.
Then Jesus appears to her.
At first she doesn't recognize Him, but when Jesus says:
she recognizes Him.
John 20:11–17.
Jesus tells her:
Mary then goes and announces to the disciples:
9. Jesus also appears to the other women
Matthew records another resurrection appearance that John doesn't describe:They take hold of His feet and worship Him.
Jesus tells them:
So there appear to have been multiple women receiving resurrection appearances, with Mary Magdalene receiving the first one.
10. The disciples initially don't believe the women's report
Luke says:This explains why the disciples aren't immediately celebrating the resurrection despite the women's testimony.
11. Jesus subsequently appears to Peter
Luke says:Paul independently confirms this tradition:
So Peter had a resurrection appearance that the Gospel writers don't all narrate in detail.
12. Jesus appears to the disciples
Luke 24:36–43 describes Jesus appearing to the gathered disciples.John 20:19–23 gives a detailed account of an appearance to the disciples that evening.
Thomas was absent on that occasion (John 20:24).
Eight days later, Jesus appears again, this time with Thomas present (John 20:26–29).
13. Later appearances occur in Galilee
Matthew 28:16–20 records the disciples going to Galilee, where Jesus gives the Great Commission.This fits Jesus' earlier instruction:
John 21 then records another appearance beside the Sea of Galilee, including the miraculous catch of fish and Jesus' conversation with Peter.
A consolidated sequence
Putting the information together:Before dawn
- Women prepare spices.
- Mary Magdalene and the other women go toward the tomb.
- An earthquake occurs.
- The angel rolls the stone away.
- The women discover the tomb is open.
6. Mary Magdalene goes to tell Peter and John that the body is gone.
7. Peter and John run to the tomb.
8. They see the linen clothes.
9. They leave.
10. Mary remains at the tomb.
11. Mary sees two angels.
12. Jesus appears to Mary.
13. Mary tells the disciples, “I have seen the Lord.”
Meanwhile / shortly afterward
14. The other women encounter the angelic messengers.
15. They receive the announcement that Jesus has risen.
16. Jesus meets the women.
17. They report these things to the disciples.
18. The disciples initially don't believe them.
Later that day
19. Jesus appears to Peter.
20. Jesus appears to the disciples.
21. Jesus subsequently appears to additional disciples.
Following days
22. Jesus appears repeatedly to His disciples.
23. He appears in Galilee.
24. He gives the Great Commission.
25. He later appears to the disciples again.
26. He ascends into heaven.
One particularly important point
The supposed contradiction concerning one angel versus two angels is not actually a logical contradiction.If a room contains two men, someone can truthfully say:
Another person can truthfully say:
The second statement doesn't mean there was only one man.
Likewise, Matthew saying that an angel spoke doesn't require Matthew to be asserting that only one angel existed at the scene. Luke explicitly supplies the additional detail of two.
The same principle applies repeatedly in the resurrection narratives: absence of a detail is not necessarily denial of that detail.
