Harmony of the Accounts of the Resurrection, Appearances, and Ascension of Christ
I. The Resurrection
As much difficulty has been felt in reconciling the accounts of the different evangelists respecting the resurrection of Christ, and as infidels have maintained that they are utterly irreconcilable, it may be proper, in closing the notes on Matthew, to give these accounts at one view. One thing should always be borne in mind by all who read the Gospels, namely, that the sacred narrative of an event is what it is declared to be by all the evangelists. That a thing is omitted by one does not prove that another is false because he has recorded it, for the very object of the different Gospels was to give the testimony of independent witnesses to the great facts of the life and death of Jesus. Nor does it prove that there is a contradiction because one relates facts in a different order from another, for neither of them professes to relate facts in the precise order in which they occurred. The object was to relate the facts themselves. With these principles in view, which are conceded to profane historians always, let us look at the accounts which are presented in the sacred narrative respecting the resurrection, appearance, and ascension of Christ.
1. Jesus was laid in the tomb on Friday evening, having been wrapped in linen with myrrh and aloes in a hurried manner, John 19:39-40. The women, not apprised of that, or desiring also to testify their regard for him, prepared spices on the same evening to embalm him, Luke 23:56. As it was too late that night to complete the preparation, they deferred it until the first day of the week, resting on the Sabbath, Luke 23:56.
2. On the first day of the week, early, the women completed their preparation, purchased more spices, and properly mixed them to make an unguent to anoint the bandages in which the body was rolled, Mark 16:1. Or this may refer to the purchase which is mentioned by Luke, meaning that they had bought them - that is, on Friday evening.
3. They came to the grave just as the day began to dawn, or just as the light appeared in the east, yet so dark as to render objects indistinct. It was “in the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week,” Matthew 28:1. “Very early in the morning, at the rising of the sun,” or as the sun was about to rise, Mark 16:2. “Very early in the morning,” Luke 24:1. “Early, while it was yet dark,” John 20:1.
4. Those who came were Mary Magdalene, Matthew 28:1; John 20:1; Mary the mother of James and Joses, Matthew 28:1; Luke 24:10; Mark 15:40; Salome, the wife of Zebedee, and mother of James and John, compare Matthew 27:56; Mark 15:40; Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, compare Luke 24:10; Luke 8:3; and certain others not specified, Luke 24:1, Luke 24:10.
5. The objects of their coming were:
(1) To see the grave, Matthew 28:1.
(2) To embalm him, or to finish embalming him, Mark 16:1; Luke 24:1.
6. While on the way they inquired who should roll away the stone for them, that they might have access to the body of Jesus, Mark 16:3.
7. When they arrived they found that there had been an earthquake or shaking of the tomb, so that the stone was rolled away, Matthew 28:2; Mark 16:4.
8. The angel who rolled the stone away had sat down on it, and had appeared to the keepers and frightened them; though he did not appear in this place to the women, but only to the keepers, Matthew 28:2-4. At that time, probably our Saviour had risen how long before the women came is not known and cannot be ascertained.
9. When they came there, Mary Magdalene, greatly agitated with the appearance of things, and probably supposing that the body had been stolen, left the other women, and ran to the city, at the distance of half a mile, to inform the disciples, John 20:2.
10. While Mary was gone, the others probably looked around the garden in search of the body, and then came and examined the grave to see if it was not there. The tomb was large, and they entered into it. There “the angel spake unto them,” Matthew 28:5. “They saw a young man” - that is, an angel in the appearance of a young man - “sitting on the right side,” Mark 16:5. When they entered he was sitting; as they entered he rose and stood, Luke 24:4. Luke adds that there was another with him, Luke 24:4; this other one was not seen when they entered into the grave at the time mentioned by Mark, but was seen when they had fully entered in, as mentioned by Luke.
11. The angel charged them to go and tell the disciples and Peter, Matthew 28:7; Mark 16:7; and to assure them that he would see them in Galilee. He also reminded them of what Jesus had said when they were in Galilee, Luke 24:6-7.
12. They went immediately toward the city, yet taking a different way from the one that Mary had taken, or going in such a way that they did not meet her when she was returning from the city with Peter and John, Matthew 28:8, Mark 16:8. “They said nothing to any man,” Luke 24:9-10. In Luke 24:10 it is said that it was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, that told these things to the disciples. Not that Luke affirms that they were together when they told them, but that the information was given by them, though perhaps at different times.
13. While they were gone Mary Magdalene returned to the grave, following Peter and John, who came running, John 20:2-9. They examined the grave, and found that the body was really gone, but as yet they did not know the reason, not having seen the other women to whom the angel had told the cause, and Mary Magdalene having left the women before the angel had spoken to them. As yet, therefore, she was ignorant of the reason of his removal.
14. Peter and John then left the grave, returned to the city, and left Mary alone, John 20:10.
15. While Mary was there alone she looked into the grave, and saw two angels, probably the same that had appeared to the other women, John 20:11-13.
16. Jesus appeared to Mary while she sat alone at the grave, John 20:14-18. Thus, according to Mark Mark 16:9, he appeared to Mary Magdalene “first.”
17. Mary then went to tell the disciples that she had seen him, but they did not fully believe her, John 20:18; Mark 16:10-11.
18. Afterward Jesus appeared to the other women, Matthew 28:9; “As they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail.” This would seem, in Matthew, to be immediately after they left the grave the first time; but many critics observe that the words “to tell his disciples” are missing in many manuscripts, and of doubtful authority. It may be further said that the words “as they were going” might have been rendered “after they were gone.” They do not imply of necessity that the appearance took place immediately, but only after they were gone, without specifying the time. Probably it was not long after he had appeared to Mary Magdalene. They would naturally return to the disciples, and linger around there, that they might ascertain what had become of him, or learn whether he had been seen by anyone. It was, then, probably after they had been away and returned, and after he had been seen by Mary, that they saw him.
II. Appearances of Jesus after the Resurrection
- To Mary Magdalene, John 20:14; Mark 16:9.
- To the other women, Matthew 28:9.
- To Peter, 1 Corinthians 15:5; Luke 24:34.
- To two disciples as they were going to Emmaus, Mark 16:12-13; Luke 24:13-32.
- The same day, at evening, to the apostles, in the absence of Thomas, 1 Corinthians 15:5; Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36; John 20:19, John 20:24.
- To the apostles when Thomas was present, John 20:24-29.
- In Galilee, at the Sea of Tiberias, to Peter, Thomas, Nathaniel, James and John, and two others, John 21:1-14. This is said to be the third time that he showed himself to the disciples - that is, to the apostles when they were assembled together, John 21:14.
- To the disciples on a mountain in Galilee, Matthew 28:16.
- To more than 500 brethren at once, 1 Corinthians 15:6.
- To James, one of the apostles, 1 Corinthians 15:7.
- To all the apostles assembled together, 1 Corinthians 15:7. He was seen by them forty days after he rose - probably conversing with them familiarly.
- To the apostles at his ascension, Luke 24:50-51; Acts 1:9-10.
- To Paul, 1 Corinthians 15:8; Acts 9:3-5; Acts 22:6-10.
III. The Ascension
- It was forty days after his resurrection Acts 1:3.
- He ascended from the Mount of Olives, near Bethany, Luke 24:50; Acts 1:12.
- It was in the presence of all the apostles, Luke 24:50; Acts 1:9-10.
- He was received into a cloud, and ascended to heaven, Acts 1:9, Acts 1:11; Luke 24:51; Ephesians 1:20-22.