HARMONY OF THE GOSPELS: THE RESURRECTION
Please note that some events are taking place simultaneously and it is difficult to decide which event to list first. 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"]. The order in which these women see Jesus is not easy to determine but this is my best guess: Mary Magdala goes to the tomb before dawn but is later joined by Mary of Clopas and Salome. Seeing the stone rolled away Mary Magdala immediately runs to find the Apostles. Mary Magdala only finds Peter and John. She tells them Jesus' body was missing. While she is gone the other Mary and Salome go into the sepulchre and see the angel as recorded by Matthew and Mark; they run away in fear. These women returned to the city. In the meantime Joanna and her company arrive at the sepulchre and are addressed by two angels. They leave to take the Angels' message to the Apostles where they are joined by Mary of Clopas and Salome. Peter and John begin the journey to the tomb followed by Mary Magdalene who was making her second journey to the gravesite.. It was during her second visit, after Peter and John's departure, that Mary of Magdala sees the angels and speaks with Jesus. Receiving Mary's news that she has seen and spoken with Jesus, Peter goes a second time to the tomb, but he only sees the linen clothes lying in the tomb [perhaps this is when Peter meets Jesus as recorded by Paul in 1 Corinthians]. Jesus appears to the disciples on the road to Emmaus, to the 10 in the Upper Room, a week later to the 11 and then Apostles meet Jesus in the Galilee.
MATTHEW | MARK | LUKE | JOHN |
20:1 It was very early on the first day of the week and still dark, when Mary of Magdala came to the tomb. | |||
28:1 After the Sabbath, towards dawn on the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala and the other Mary went to visit the sepulchre. | 16:1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, brought spices with which to go and anoint him. | ||
16:2 And very early in the morning on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. | |||
28:2-4 And suddenly there was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven came and rolled away the stone and sat on it. The guards are terrified and run away. | |||
20:2 She saw that the stone had been moved away from the tomb and came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. | |||
16:3-4 [...] But when they looked they saw that the stone-which was very big-had already been rolled away. | |||
28:5-7 But the angel spoke; and he said to the women, [...] He is not here for he has risen, as he said he would. Come and see the place where he lay; then go quickly and tell the disciples, 'He has risen from the dead and now he is going ahead of you to Galilee; that is where you will see him.' | 16:5-7 On entering the tomb they saw a young man in a white robe seated on the right-hand side, and they were struck with amazement. But he said to them, 'There is no need to be so amazed. [...] But you must go and tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you to Galilee; that is where you will see him, just as he told you.' | ||
28:9 And suddenly, coming to meet them, was Jesus. [...] Then Jesus said to them, 'Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers that they must leave for Galilee; there they will see me.' | |||
16:8 And the women came out and ran away from the tomb because they were frightened out of their wits; and they said nothing to anyone for they were afraid. | |||
24:1 On the first day of the week, they went to the tomb with the spices they had prepared. | |||
28:11-15 Some of the guards inform the chief priests of the resurrection of Jesus. The soldiers are bribed to say Jesus' disciples stole the body. | 24:2-3 They found that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb, but on entering they could not find the body of the Lord Jesus. | ||
24:4 [...]two men in brilliant clothes suddenly appeared at their side. [...] But the two said to them, 'Why look among the dead for someone who is alive? He is not here; he has risen. Remember what he told you when he was still in Galilee: that the Son of man was destined to be handed over into the power of sinful men and be crucified, and rise again on the third day. And they remembered his words. | |||
24:9 And they returned from the tomb and told all this to the eleven and to all the others. The women were Mary of Magdala, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James. And the other women with them also told the apostles, but this story of theirs seemed pure nonsense, and they did not believe them. | 20:2b [Mary Magdala] They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, she said, and we don't know where they have put him. | ||
20:3-9 So Peter set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. They ran together but the other disciple, running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first; he bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, but did not go in. [...] Till this moment they had still not understood the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. | |||
16:9 Having risen in the morning on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary of Magdala from whom he had cast out seven devils. | 20:11-17 But Mary was standing outside near the tomb, weeping. Then, as she wept, she stooped to look inside, and saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been. [...] As she said this she turned round and saw Jesus [...]. | ||
16:10-11 She then went to those who had been his companions, and who were mourning and in tears, and told them. But they did not believe her when they heard her say that he was alive and that she had seen him | 20:18 So Mary of Magdala told the disciples, 'I have seen the Lord,'... | ||
24:12 Peter, however, went off to the tomb, running. He bent down and looked in and saw the linen cloths but nothing else; he then went back home, amazed at what had happened. | |||
16:12 After this, he showed himself under another form to two of them as they were on their way into the country. | 24:13-32 Now that very same day, two of them were on their way to a village called Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. [...] Jesus himself came up and walked by heir side... | ||
14:34 Jesus appeared to Simon-Peter . The Lord has indeed risen and has appeared to Simon. [also 1 Corinthians 15:5] | |||
16:13 These went back and told the others, who did not believe them either. | 24:33-35 They set out that instant and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven assembled together with their companions, who told them, 'The Lord has indeed risen and has appeared to Simon.' | ||
16:14-18 Lastly, he showed himself to the eleven themselves while they were at table. Jesus gives the Apostles the authority to teach in His name to all creation. | 24:36-49 They were still talking about all this when he himself stood among them and said to them, 'Peace be with you!' He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures; commands them to preach to all nations and tells them to stay in Jerusalem until you are clothed with the power from on high. | 20:19-23 In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room [...]. Jesus came and stood among them. [...] After saying this He breathed on them [...]. | |
20:24-31 Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve, was not with them [....]. Eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. [....]. | |||
28:16 Meanwhile the eleven disciples set out for Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had arranged to meet them. | 21:1 Later on, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples. It was by the Sea of Tiberius (Galilee), [...]. | ||
21:2-3 The 7 Apostles go fishing while waiting for Jesus | |||
21:4-8 When it was light, there stood Jesus on the shore...
The Apostles have fished all night but had caught no fish. Once again Jesus challenges them to cast their nets again as He did when he first called Peter to follow Him. Their catch is immense and they recognize it is Jesus! |
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21:9-23 Jesus tells Peter to care for the Church and her priesthood of believers. He also tells him he will be martyred. | |||
They leave the seashore for the mountain [hill really] 28:18-20 Jesus came up and spoke to them. He said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, make disciples of all nations; baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And look, I am with you always; yes, to the end of time." | |||
J E S U S A N D T H E A P O S T L E S R E T U R N T O J E R U S A L E M | |||
16:19-20 And so the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven there at the right hand of God he took his place, while they, going out, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs they accompanied it. | 24:50 Then he took them out as far as the outskirts of Bethany, and raised his hands he blessed them. Now as he blessed them he withdrew from them and was carried up to heaven. They worshipped him and then went back to Jerusalem full of joy and they were continually in the Temple praising God. |
Michal Hunt, Copyright © 2004 Agape Bible Study. Permissions All Rights Reserved.