Overview
The four Gospels contain numerous contradictions about the most important event in Christianity. These discrepancies suggest the narratives evolved over time rather than being based on consistent eyewitness testimony.
Who Visited the Tomb?
| Gospel | Visitors | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mark | Mary Magdalene, Mary mother of James, and Salome | Mark 16:1 |
| Matthew | Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary" | Matthew 28:1 |
| Luke | Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary mother of James, "and other women" | Luke 24:10 |
| John | Mary Magdalene alone | John 20:1 |
When Was the Stone Moved?
| Gospel | When Stone Moved | Key Quote | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark | Already moved when they arrived | "When they looked up, they saw that the stone...had already been rolled back" (16:4) | Mark 16:3-4 |
| Matthew | Moved while women watched | "There was a great earthquake; for an angel...came and rolled back the stone" (28:2) | Matthew 28:1-2 |
| Luke | Already moved when they arrived | "They found the stone rolled away from the tomb" (24:2) | Luke 24:2 |
| John | Already moved when she arrived | "Saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb" (20:1) | John 20:1 |
Who Was at the Tomb?
| Gospel | Who Present | Location | Position | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark | Young man in white robe | Inside tomb | Sitting | Mark 16:5 |
| Matthew | Angel | Outside, on stone | Sitting | Matthew 28:2-3 |
| Luke | Two men in dazzling clothes | Inside tomb | Standing | Luke 24:4 |
| John | Two angels in white | Inside tomb | Sitting | John 20:1-12 |
The Women's Response
| Gospel | Response | What They Did | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark | Terror and amazement | Fled and told no one | Mark 16:8 |
| Matthew | Fear and great joy | Ran to tell disciples | Matthew 28:8 |
| Luke | Not specified | Returned and told disciples | Luke 24:9 |
| John | Distress | Ran to tell Peter and John | John 20:2 |
First Appearance of Jesus
| Source | First Appearance To | Location | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew | The women, then disciples | Jerusalem, then Galilee | 28:9-10, 16-17 |
| Luke | Cleopas and companion | Road to Emmaus | 24:13-36 |
| John | Mary Magdalene | At the tomb | 20:14-19 |
| Paul (1 Cor) | Cephas (Peter) | Not specified | 15:5 |
Timeline of Ascension
| Source | When Ascension Occurred | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Luke's Gospel | Same day as resurrection | Luke 24:1-51 (continuous narrative) |
| Acts (same author) | 40 days after resurrection | Acts 1:3, 9 |
Conclusion
The resurrection accounts contain fundamental contradictions about who discovered the tomb, what they found, how they responded, where Jesus appeared, and when he ascended. These are not minor variations but mutually exclusive claims that cannot be harmonized without extensive speculation.
The pattern suggests evolving oral traditions written down decades later, with each Gospel writer adapting the story for their community's needs rather than preserving consistent historical documentation.