The resurrection is the Christian belief that, after being put to death, Jesus rose again from the dead
In fact, the resurrection of Jesus is central to Christian theology. If Jesus was not 'Resurrected', Christianity would cease to exist. Paul confirms this fact in his writings:And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins
[1 CORINTHIANS 15:17]
The table below compares Jesus' Resurrection narrative across the gospels of Mark, Matthew, Luke and John.
| Mark | Matthew | Luke | John | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verses | [MARK 16:1-8] |
[MATTHEW 28:1-10] |
[LUKE 24:1-11] |
[JOHN 20:1-18] |
| How was Jesus shrouded? | 1 cloth | 1 cloth | 1 cloth | 2+ cloths
[JOHN 20:5-7] |
| Mary visits Tomb | ||||
| Who went to the Tomb on Easter Sunday? | 3 persons Mary Magdalene, Salome and Mary [MARK 16:1] |
2 persons Mary Magdalene and Mary [MATTHEW 28:1] |
5+ persons Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary, 2 or more [LUKE 24:10] |
1 person Mary Magdalene [JOHN 20:1] |
| When did Mary go to the Tomb? | Early morning. At the rising of the sun [MARK 16:2] |
Before dawn [MATTHEW 28:1] |
Early dawn [LUKE 24:1] |
Still dark [JOHN 20:1] |
| Was the Tomb open or closed? | Open Tomb Mary finds stone rolled away from Tomb entrance [MARK 16:4] |
Closed Tomb Mary is met by Angel who rolls away stone from Tomb and sits on it [MATTHEW 28:2] |
Open Tomb Mary finds stone rolled away from Tomb entrance [LUKE 24:2] |
Open Tomb Mary finds stone rolled away from Tomb entrance [JOHN 20:1] |
| Did an earthquake occur? | No mention | According to Mary, a great earthquake occurs
[MATTHEW 28:2] |
No mention | No mention |
| Does Mary enter the Tomb? | Mary enters Tomb to investigate
[MARK 16:5] |
Mary does not enter Tomb until the angel invites her in
[MATTHEW 28:6] |
Mary enters Tomb to find it empty
[LUKE 24:3] |
Mary runs back to tell Peter that someone has taken Jesus
[JOHN 20:2] |
| When did Mary prepare the spices to anoint Jesus? | After the Sabbath [MARK 16:1] |
No mention | Before the Sabbath
[LUKE 23:56] |
Before the Sabbath (Nicodemus, not Mary)
[JOHN 19:39] |
| Roman soldiers guard the Tomb | No mention | YES Roman soldiers guarding tomb are terrified by angel's descent and 'become dead' [MATTHEW 28:4] |
No mention (Luke had access to Matthew and would have known the story of the guards at the Tomb, Yet he does not include it in his gospel?) |
No mention |
| Roman soldiers take bribe from Jewish priests | No mention | YES Roman soldiers receive large sum of money to claim disciples stole Jesus during the night [MATTHEW 28:11] |
No mention | No mention |
| Mary meets Messenger(s) | ||||
| Messenger(s) | One young man wearing long white robe sitting on right [MARK 16:5] |
One angel in white descends from heaven [MATTHEW 28:3] |
Two men in shining garments [LUKE 24:4] |
No angels on first visit. Two angels are inside sepulchre on second visit [JOHN 20:12] |
| Messenger(s) position | Sitting [MARK 16:5] |
Sitting
[MATTHEW 28:2] |
Standing
[LUKE 24:4] |
Sitting
[JOHN 20:12] |
| Messenger(s) location | Inside Tomb On the right side, inside the tomb [MARK 16:5] |
Outside Tomb Then go inside and sits on the stone he rolled away from the Tomb [MATTHEW 28:2] |
Inside Tomb
[LUKE 24:4] |
Inside Tomb One angel at the head and one at the feet [JOHN 20:12] |
| Where do Messenger(s) say Jesus will return? | Jesus is risen Go tell Peter and Jesus will appear in Galilee [MARK 16:6-7] |
Jesus is risen
Go tell disciples, Jesus is risen from dead and will appear in Galilee [MATTHEW 28:6-7] |
Jesus is risen
Go tell disciples Son of Man was to be crucified and will rise on 3rd day. Stay in Jerusalem [LUKE 24:5-7] [LUKE 24:49] |
No mention of Jesus has risen or his return. They ask Mary why she weeps and then Jesus appears [JOHN 20:13] |
| Mary meets Jesus | ||||
| How does Mary react to seeing Jesus? | Affrighted (fear, terrified)
[MARK 16:5] |
Fear, then great joy
[MATTHEW 28:8] |
Fear, so they bow their faces to earth
[LUKE 24:5] |
Weeps (no fear is mentioned)
[JOHN 20:11] |
| Does Mary meet Jesus or the disciples first? | Jesus first, then disciples
[MARK 16:9] |
Jesus first, then disciples [MATTHEW 28:9] |
Disciples first [LUKE 24:4-10] Mary revealed all to the disciples before meeting Jesus |
Jesus first, then disciples [JOHN 20:14] |
| Does Mary tell the disciples anything? | NO Mary tells no one as she is too afraid [MARK 16:8] |
YES
[MATTHEW 28:8] |
YES Mary tells the disciples who at first, do not believe her [LUKE 24:9] |
YES
Mary tells the disciples, she has seen the Lord [JOHN 20:18] |
| Is Mary permitted to touch Jesus? | No mention | YES Mary touches Jesus' feet and worships him [MATTHEW 28:9] |
YES Mary touches Jesus' hands and feet [LUKE 24:39] |
NO Mary is told not to touch Jesus, as he is to ascend to the Father [JOHN 20:17] |
| To whom does Jesus make his first appearance? | Only Mary Magdalene | Mary Magdalene and Mary | Cleopas and another | Only Mary Magdalene |
| Where does Jesus appear? | Unknown location, but occurs sometime after Mary fled the tomb.
[MARK 16:8-9] |
On the way to Jerusalem, after leaving the tomb
[MATTHEW 28:9] |
On the road to Emmaus
[LUKE 24:15] |
At the tomb
[JOHN 20:16] |
| Who was Mary? | ||||
| Who was Mary in the Bible? | Based on Bible accounts, Mary was completely overcome with a serious illness, but the nature of the illness is unspecified; later writers linked Mary's illness, her 'demons', with her sexuality; and a few went further and even suggest a mental-disorder type illness; but Jesus healed her of all these. | |||
| How did Pope Gregory view Mary? | In 591 AD, Pope Gregory "the Great" introduced the idea to the Roman Church that Mary Magdalene was so sinful that she was possessed by seven literal demons. The idea was that she was a harlot (prostitute or promiscuous woman) and the term Magdalene was closely related to a similar word that meant "one with plaited hair", a symbol of harlotry (prostitution) Guide to the Gospels – H.P. Mansfield |
|||
| Was Mary possesed of the devil? | YES
Jesus had cast out seven devils from Mary [MARK 16:9] |
No mention | YES Jesus had been healed of evil spirits; from whom went seven devils [LUKE 8:2] |
No mention |
| Was Mary present at the crucifixion? | YES, FAR OFF [MARK 15:40] |
YES, FAR OFF [MATTHEW 27:56] |
MAYBE, FAR OFF
Mary is not named; women are present [LUKE 23:49] |
YES, CLOSE BY [JOHN 19:25] |
| How disciples react | ||||
| How do disciples react to Jesus' resurrection? | They do not believe it [MARK 16:11] |
Some do not believe it. Others worship him [MATTHEW 28:17] |
They do not believe it. Seems like nonsense. [LUKE 24:11] |
No mention |
| What disciples do after hearing Messenger(s) instructions | Go to Galilee (90 miles) [MARK 16:7] Mark 16:6-7 |
Go to Galilee (90 miles) [MATTHEW 28:16] Matthew 28:10 Matthew 28:16-18 , we are told they see Jesus in Galilee, not in or near Jerusalem |
Stay in Jerusalem to form the new Jerusalem church [LUKE 24:49] Luke 24:33, 47, 49 Acts 1:4 |
No mention |
| Jesus' Appearance | ||||
| Total | 3 appearances |
2 appearances |
2 appearances |
4 appearances |
| Appearance 1 | Mary Magdalene After fleeing the tomb [MARK 16:9] |
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary. Leaving the tomb, going to the disciples [MATTHEW 28:9] |
Cloepas and unknown follower Emmaus [LUKE 24:15] |
Mary Magdalene At the tomb [JOHN 20:14] |
| Appearance 2 | 11 disciples At a meal [MARK 16:14-18] |
11 disciples Galilee mountain [MATTHEW 28:16-20] |
11 disciples Jerusalem [LUKE 24:33-51] |
10 disciples Jerusalem, behind closed doors [JOHN 20:18-29] |
| Which disciples went to the Tomb? | Peter only
[LUKE 24:12] |
Peter and John
[JOHN 20:2-8] |
||
| Who did Jesus appear to first? | 2 of them on the road, then to all 11 together [MARK 16:12-14] |
All 11 together [MATTHEW 28:17-18] |
2 of them on the road, then to all 11 together [LUKE 24:13-31] To Peter, then the others [1 CORINTHIANS 15:5] |
To 10 of the 11 (minus Thomas) together [JOHN 20:19-24] [JOHN 20:25-29] |
| Ascension to Heaven? | Jesus ascended to Heaven [MARK 16:14-19] |
Jesus ascended to Heaven at Bethany after walking with the disciples some time [LUKE 24:50-51] The disciples were at Mount Olivet, a days journey from Jerusalem, when the ascension occurred [ACTS 1:9-12] |
Jesus appeared to the disciples three times near the Sea of Gallilee (Lake Tiberias) [JOHN 21:1-14] |
|
| Ascension witnessed by? | Ascension occurred immediately after an appearance before the 11 disciples [MARK 16:14-19] |
Jesus appeared to more than 500 witnesses before his ascent to heaven [1 CORINTHIANS 15:5-8] |
||
| Appearance 3 | Two strolling followers As they walked to the country [MARK 16:12] |
No mention | No mention | 11 disciples Jerusalem, behind closed doors [JOHN 20:18-29] |
| Appearance 4 | No mention | No mention | No mention | Peter, Thomas, the two sons of Zebedee (James and John), Nathanael and two other disciples. The Sea of Tiberias [JOHN 21:1-2] |
| Appearances (according to Paul) | 6 appearances Cephas (Peter); 12 disciples; 500 people (not mentioned in other gospels!); James; all the apostles; and finally to Paul himself [1 CORINTHIANS 15:5-8] [1 CORINTHIANS 16:12] |
|||
CREDIT
http://debunkingchristianity.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/matthew-and-guards-at-tomb.html
| Author: Guest • Updated: 14 Aug 2026 |
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