Do the four resurrection accounts contradict eachother?

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nogard

Senior Member
Aug 21, 2013
331
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0
If any of you have read the four resurrection accounts found in the four gospels, you've probably noticed a few startling discrepancies.

Here are some of the more startling ones, and I apologize for the bad formatting of this table:

[TABLE="class: CruxTable, width: 100%"]
[TR="class: CruxHeaderRow"]
[TH="class: CruxQuestionColumn CruxTableHeader"]Q.[/TH]
[TH="class: CruxTableHeader CruxMatthewColumn, colspan: 2"]Matt.[/TH]
[TH="class: CruxTableHeader CruxMarkColumn"]Mark[/TH]
[TH="class: CruxTableHeader CruxLukeColumn, colspan: 2"]Luke[/TH]
[TH="class: CruxTableHeader CruxJohnColumn"]John[/TH]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

[TABLE="class: CruxTable, width: 100%"]
[TR="class: CruxTerminalAnswerRow"]
[TD="class: CruxQuestionColumn"]Had the sun yet risen when the women came to the tomb?[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxMatthewColumn, colspan: 2"]It was toward dawn of the first day of the week. (28:1)[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxMarkColumn"]YES — They came to the tomb when the sun had risen. (16:2)[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxLukeColumn, colspan: 2"]At early dawn they went to the tomb (24:1)[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxJohnColumn"]NO—-Mary came early to the tomb, while it was STILL DARK. (20:1)[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[TABLE="class: CruxTable, width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD="class: CruxQuestionColumn"]A) How many people came to the tomb?[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxMatthewColumn, colspan: 2"]A) TWO[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxMarkColumn"]A) THREE[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxLukeColumn, colspan: 2"]A) FOUR+[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxJohnColumn"]A) ONE[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: CruxTerminalAnswerRow"]
[TD="class: CruxQuestionColumn"]B) Who were they?[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxMatthewColumn, colspan: 2"]B) Mary Magdalene and the other Mary (28:1)[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxMarkColumn"]B) Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome (16:1)[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxLukeColumn, colspan: 2"]B) Mary Magdalene, Mary mother of James, Joanna and other women (24:10)[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxJohnColumn"]B) Only Mary Magdalene came to the tomb. (20:1)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: CruxTerminalAnswerRow CruxAltRow"]
[TD="class: CruxQuestionColumn"]Was the stone removed when the women arrived at the tomb?[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxMatthewColumn, colspan: 2"]NO — After the women arrive at the tomb, an angel rolls back the stone. (28:1-2)[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxMarkColumn"]YES — When they arrived, the stone had already been rolled away. (16:4)[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxLukeColumn, colspan: 2"]YES — When they arrived, the stone had already been taken away. ( 2 4:2)[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxJohnColumn"]YES — When Mary arrived, the stone had already been taken away. (20:1)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: CruxQuestionColumn"]Who was at the tomb?[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxMatthewColumn, colspan: 2"]One angel[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxMarkColumn"]One young man[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxLukeColumn, colspan: 2"]Two men[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxJohnColumn"]Two angels[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

[TABLE="class: CruxTable, width: 100%"]
[TR="class: CruxTerminalAnswerRow"]
[TD="class: CruxQuestionColumn"]Does Mary wish to tell the disciples what had happened?[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxMatthewColumn, colspan: 2"]YES—- “They departed quickly… and ran to tell the disciples.” (28:8)[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxMarkColumn"]NO— “They said nothing to anyone; for they were afraid.” (16:8)[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxLukeColumn, colspan: 2"]YES — “Returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven…” (24:9)[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxJohnColumn"]YES— Mary Magdalene tells the disciples, “I have seen the Lord.” (20:18)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: CruxAltRow"]
[TD="class: CruxQuestionColumn"]After seeing the angels, whom does Mary meet first, Jesus or the disciples?[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxMatthewColumn, colspan: 2"]Jesus (28:9)[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxMarkColumn"]Jesus (16:9)[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxLukeColumn, colspan: 2"]the Disciples (24:4-9)[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxJohnColumn"]Jesus (20:14)[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

[TABLE="class: CruxTable, width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD="class: CruxQuestionColumn"]To whom does Jesus make his first appearance?[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxMatthewColumn, colspan: 2"] The two Marys[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxMarkColumn"] Only Mary Magdalene[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxLukeColumn, colspan: 2"] Cleopas and another[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxJohnColumn"] Only Mary Magdalene[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

[TABLE="class: CruxTable, width: 100%"]
[TR="class: CruxTerminalAnswerRow CruxAltRow"]
[TD="class: CruxQuestionColumn"]Is Mary permitted to touch Jesus after the resurrection?[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxMatthewColumn, colspan: 2"]YES — “.they came and held him by his feet, and worshiped him.” (28:9)[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxMarkColumn"]Not mentioned in Mark[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxLukeColumn, colspan: 2"]YES — “Behold my hands and my feet…handle me and see….” (24:39; 1 John 1:1)[/TD]
[TD="class: CruxJohnColumn"]No — Jesus said to her, “Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father….” (20:17)[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

I apologize for the bad formatting, but this table comparison just shows some of the glaring contradictions. In some cases, just one gospel is the odd man out while the other three act in harmony. In other cases, all 4 seem to have a differing opinion. It is downright scary to see how wildly different these accounts are and really calls into question the accuracy of the gospels as a whole.

I'm wondering what people's thoughts on this are. Are you okay with the discrepancies? Do you not see them as discrepancies? What do you think about this?
 
The resurrection of the dead happens many times in the bible. However, Jesus is the firstfruits of the resurrection. Why? Jesus is the first one to be resurrected in a glorified body.
 
Four gospels, four different authors, foour different interpretations of one event. And who knows who informed each writer of what actually happened at the tomb. Matthew may have heard from Mary while Mary Magdalene told John or what have you.
 
if all four witnesses had the exact same testimony would we need four gospels. perhaps each wrote about what they felt was important. or from their perspective of what happened. to call it "downright scary to see how wildly different these accounts are and really calls into question the accuracy of the gospels as a whole." clears up your perspective on it more than it cast doubt on their perspective

duewell
mark 4 v 11-13
 
Nautilus said:
Four gospels, four different authors, foour different interpretations of one event. And who knows who informed each writer of what actually happened at the tomb. Matthew may have heard from Mary while Mary Magdalene told John or what have you.
Click to expand...

So how exactly are we to believe anything the gospels say then? This response doesn't really bring a lot of peace of mind if there could be four interpretations that different of an event so important to the faith.
 
You cannot box God, thats why four Gospels but they all come to the same conclusion and that is Christ and Him crucified.
 
duewell said:
if all four witnesses had the exact same testimony would we need four gospels. perhaps each wrote about what they felt was important. or from their perspective of what happened. to call it "downright scary to see how wildly different these accounts are and really calls into question the accuracy of the gospels as a whole." clears up your perspective on it more than it cast doubt on their perspective

duewell
mark 4 v 11-13
Click to expand...

If four people told four different accounts of the same event to a police officer, for example, I believe their testimony would be deemed unreliable. There is a difference between saying things a little differently and being a flat out contradiction. One gospel said the women were afraid and did not tell, another says they ran quickly and told. One says the stone was already rolled away and the angels were waiting inside, another says the stone was still not rolled away. It's not that these are "variations" or "different viewpoints". These are flat out contradictory viewpoints where someone has to be wrong and someone has to be right.

Is everyone here agreeing then that there are errors in Scripture?
 
nogard said:
So how exactly are we to believe anything the gospels say then? This response doesn't really bring a lot of peace of mind if there could be four interpretations that different of an event so important to the faith.
Click to expand...

I don't need peace of mind over what women went to the tomb or if the sun had risen or not. Whether it was one or two men/angel is also unimportant to me. The main thing is the resurrection. And the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.
 
Kerry said:
You cannot box God, thats why four Gospels but they all come to the same conclusion and that is Christ and Him crucified.
Click to expand...

I guess it depends on if you view Scripture as the God-breathed inerrant Word of God or if you view it as man-made, error-filled writings that all come to the same conclusion more or less.
 
nogard said:
I guess it depends on if you view Scripture as the God-breathed inerrant Word of God or if you view it as man-made, error-filled writings that all come to the same conclusion more or less.
Click to expand...


If it is not then what else do you have to go by?
 
Nautilus said:
I don't need peace of mind over what women went to the tomb or if the sun had risen or not. Whether it was one or two men/angel is also unimportant to me. The main thing is the resurrection. And the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.
Click to expand...

Yes, the resurrection is pretty important....and the fact that the gospel writers can't get their story straight on it should be concerning.
 
Look, Kerry, if you don't believe that the Bible is the God-breathed, inerrant Word of God, then I guess you could just ignore these contradictions. Personally, I think even if you accept that belief, the fact that these account vary so lends some credibility issues to the resurrection account. Once again, these aren't just small variations or different interpretations. These are contradictions where one author has to be right, and the other wrong (unless they are both wrong).

If, however, you want to still believe the Bible is the God-breathed, inerrant Word of God, then you cannot simply dismiss this as inconsequential because then you'd be contradicting your own beliefs. Unless you think these aren't contradictions, in which I'd love some responses.
 
Tintin said:
Google has many good articles about this very topic. Here's a very short explanation for tasters.

Do the Resurrection Accounts in the Four Gospels Contradict Each Other? - Resurrection
Click to expand...

Tintin, that link only attempts to answer three of the questions I brought up in my initial post, and it's basic answer is that they are potential variations, but that defense doesn't work for all the reported contradictions listed above, nor is it a very strong defense in it of itself because it still lends credibility issues (if the gospel writers are so lax in their reporting of who? and how many? and when?, how realiable can they be? This was a very significant moment in history after all. If there were two angels, why go out of the way to say there is just one?).
 
nogard said:
Look, Kerry, if you don't believe that the Bible is the God-breathed, inerrant Word of God, then I guess you could just ignore these contradictions. Personally, I think even if you accept that belief, the fact that these account vary so lends some credibility issues to the resurrection account. Once again, these aren't just small variations or different interpretations. These are contradictions where one author has to be right, and the other wrong (unless they are both wrong).

If, however, you want to still believe the Bible is the God-breathed, inerrant Word of God, then you cannot simply dismiss this as inconsequential because then you'd be contradicting your own beliefs. Unless you think these aren't contradictions, in which I'd love some responses.
Click to expand...

What contradictions do yo have, I have been through many, so what do you see as a contradiction. I have seen your heart and it is that of the Pharisee.

Matthew 12 33

34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
 
An atheist looking for discrepancies in the Bible?
Surely not!
: )

nogard,
There are entire books written by atheists outlining everything they think are discrepancies.
There are many books written by Christian historians and theologians explaining them.
This is old stuff.
If you really have questions about this stuff... just get a book.
 
The word of God is perfect and if we are looking for contradictions we would find it because we are looking past the explanations in the Bible. No two testimonies will be the same...
 
There were 2 angels at the tomb. Matthew 28:5-6 quotes one angel who spoke to the women outside of the tomb, saying; "He is not here... come see". Mark 16:5 quotes another angel inside the sepulcher who told the women; "He is risen...go tell his disciples". But Luke 24:4 and John 20:12 both confirm there were 2 angels at the tomb.

A partial report is not a false report. Just because each gospel author doesn’t report every detail of a story doesn’t mean it’s inaccurate. A divergent account is not a false account. For example, Matthew speaks of one angel at Christ’s tomb whereas John mentions two. A contradiction? Not at all. Simple math says if you have two, you also have one. Matthew did not say there was only one angel; if he had then we would have a true contradiction. Instead, he just records the words of the one who spoke.

The same critics who try and point out contradictions in the gospels would no doubt cry 'collusion' if they found exact verbal parallelism and a singular account of the resurrection. The recordings of the resurrection found in the four gospels are found to harmonize quite well upon closer examination.


  1. An angel rolls away stone from tomb before sunrise (Matt. 28:2-4). The guards are seized with fear and eventually flee
  2. Women disciples visit the tomb and discover Christ missing (Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:1-4; Luke 24:1-3; John 20:1)
  3. Mary Magdalene leaves to tell Peter and John (John 20:1-2)
  4. Other women remain at tomb; they see two angels who tell them of Christ’s resurrection (Matt. 18:5-7, Mark 16:5-7, Luke 24:4-8)
  5. Peter and John run to the tomb and then leave (Luke 24:12; John 20:3-10)
  6. Mary Magdalene returns to the tomb; She see's 2 angels standing at the head and feet of where the body had lain (John 20:12). Christ appears to her (Mark 16:9-11; John 20:11-18).
  7. Jesus appears to the other women (Mary, mother of James, Salome, and Joanna) (Matt. 28:8-10).

 
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