If you find anything to quibble with, work it out for yourself but I have found it faithful to the Gospels and a good basic outline.
- Good Friday) A guard is set over the tomb (Matt. 27:62-66)
- (Between Saturday night and Sunday morning) Jesus is resurrected and leaves the tomb
- (Easter Sunday morning) An angel descends and rolls away the stone to allow the women access (Matt. 28:2-3)
- The guards faint (Matt. 28:4)
- The women leave for the tomb (Matt. 28:1, Mark 16:1-2, Luke 24:1, John 20:1a)
- They find the tomb open (Mark 16:3-4, Luke 24:2, John 20:1b)
- The women—or at least Mary Magdalene—run and tell Simon Peter, who then visits the tomb, sees that it is empty, and returns home (Luke 24:12, John 20:2-20)
- The women, including Mary Magdalene, remain at the tomb. Upon entering it, they encounter angels, who speak to them (Matt. 24:5-7, Mark 16:5-7, Luke 24:3-8, John 20:11-13)
- Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene and the other women (Matt. 28:9-10, Mark 16:9, John 20:14-17)
- The women leave to inform the disciples what has happened (Matt. 28:8, Mark 16:8, Luke 24:9a)
- Some of the guard leaves to inform the authorities what has happened (Matt. 28:11-15)
- The women tell the disciples what has happened (Mark 16:10-11, Luke 24:9b-11, John 20:18)
- Jesus appears to Peter (Luke 24:34, 1 Cor. 15:5a)
- Jesus appears to the disciples on the road to Emmaus (Mark 16:12-13, Luke 24:13-35)
- (Easter Sunday night) Jesus appears to the core disciples but without Thomas (Mark 16:14, Luke 24:36-43, John 20:19-23, 1 Cor. 15:5b)
- (The next Sunday) Jesus appears to the disciples with Thomas present (John 20:24-31)
- (Also between Easter and Ascension Thursday) The encounter at the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1-25)
- The appearance to five hundred brethren (1 Cor. 15:6)
- The appearance to James (1 Cor. 5:17a)
- Jesus gives evangelistic instructions to the disciples (Matt. 28:16-20, Mark 16:15-18, Luke 24:44-49, Acts 1:3-5, 1 Cor. 15:7b)
- (Ascension Thursday) Jesus ascends into heaven (Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:50-53, Acts 1:6-11)
3 comments:
I am not sure that points 5, 6, 7, and 8 are accurate. Point 5 does not mention John going to the tomb with Peter, though it is contained in the reference. Point 6 has Mary Magdalene going into the tomb when in point 5 she returned to tell the disciples the stone was rolled away. Point 7 has Mary Magdalene with the other women without evidence. Point 8, the women have left the tomb and encounter Jesus on their way back to tell the disciples. It is difficult to imagine the gates through which the women and disciples traveled during this time. Did they meet each other if they went through one gate near Herod's palace (near where the crucifixion is traditionally placed)? The accounts do not indicate any interaction except in the Upper Room.
Really quite useful and well done. Thank you.
Fr.D+
If you’ve ever had two or more people excitedly telling you a story of something that happened to them, it is sometimes impossible to make sense of it. The resurrection is the most important, most exciting Truth that ever happened to anyone, anywhere. When excited people tell you a story, they speak quickly, they correct each other, and the excitement often makes description difficult. How much more the description of our Lord’s resurrection was than some sporting event!
These attempts to organize what looks like a confusing jumble of reports from the Gospels have been attempted many times. Do we doubt our friends telling us about some goal made in a game, or a fish caught? Then we should not doubt the writers of the Gospels telling what must have been absolute confusion. What if you were told the person you loved and just buried was alive and had been seen and had spoken? Would you be logical and methodical?
The additional fact that each writer seems to be pointed to a different audience, and a different focus on our Lord’s mission and person is something we should accept and believe. We believe in a risen Lord, the God of the Universe. Rather than analyzing and organizing, we should rejoice!
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